The definition I'd always gotten from the then Literacy Volunteers included functioning independently in society. I'm not sure where hat came from.
Bonnie
 Bonnie Odiorne, PhD Director, Writing Center Adjunct Professor of English, French, First Year Transitions, Day Division and ADP
Post University, Waterbury, CT
Labyrinth Facilitator, Spiritual Director
please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to 




________________________________
From: Michael Gyori <tesolmichael at yahoo.com>
To: The Adult English Language Acquisition Discussion List <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2009 12:53:38 PM
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 5040] Multiple literacies and multiple intelligences


Hello everyone,

In a previous message in which I inadvertently didn't reword the older, but non-applicable subject line, quitando la vergüenza, I wrote about the importance of revisiting the prevalent, even if etymologically appropriate, definition of literacy as the ability to read and write (expanded, it seems, by NIFL or somone else to include also oral/aural skills and numeracy).

Kearney asked why we would think in terms of, for example, social literacy instead of social skills, and my response was because of the political and legislative clout the term "literacy" carries.

I'd like to add another thought: there was a time when we thought of intelligence as a unitary construct, until Gardner introduced the notion of multiple intelligences. As a discussion about affect is currently underway on the assessment discussion list, I'll use emotional intelligence as an example.  We could refer to emotional intelligence as emotional "maturity," and leave the traditional notion of "IQ" in place.  The problem with doing so, in my opinion, would be that a re-visitation of the very construct of intelligence would not have been begun.

The same applies, I believe, with the construct of literacy.  It is in dire need of re-visitation. NIFL itself makes use of the term "health literacy."  Reading and writing are not necessary prerequisites to the development of health literacy, even if those skills would be useful. 

Michael



Michael A. Gyori 
Maui International Language School 
www.mauilanguage.com
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