The Role of Literacy in Society - 1032 Words

The role of literacy in Society Adult literacy is essential to the economics of modern nations. It is crucial to individuals to have proficient literacy skills to make a difference to their prosperity. In 2003 the National Assessment of Adult Literacy used the following as a definition of literacy: using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve ones goals, and to develop ones knowledge and potential. This definition does not simply mean comprehending text it includes the range of information-processing skills that adults use in home, work and community. Literacy can be subdivided into three different categories: prose literacy, document literacy, and quantitative literacy. Prose literacy is defined as†¦show more content†¦The third level requires a person to locate numbers by matching the required information with that given, infer the necessary arithmetic operation and perform arithmetic operations on two or more numbers, or to solve a problem, when the numbers must be located in the text or document. The fourth level requires a person to perform two or more sequential arithmetic operations or a single arithmetic operation, when the quantities could be found in different displays, or when the operations had to be inferred from semantic information given or drawn from prior knowledge. The last level requires a person to perform multiple arithmetic operations sequentially, when the features of the problem had to be extracted from text; or when background knowledge was required to determine the quantities or operations needed. The relationship between economy and literacy is a crucial and well documented relationship. In a Canada study close to 50% of adults with a low literacy lived in low-income households, compared with only 8% of adults with high literacy lived in high-level incomes. This clearly shows what low literacy is capable of doing to the economy of the country. Also during that study it found that the risk of living in aShow MoreRelatedIndigenous Literacies And Aboriginal English1461 Words   |  6 PagesWhy is it fundamental for a teacher to recognise Indigenous literacies and Aboriginal English in your classroom? It is vital for teachers to recognise indigenous literacies and aboriginal English in all classrooms as it builds a sense of equality and a non-discriminating environment. As a future teacher I believe that it is my role to create a classroom that mirrors these key factors, as it will build the foundations for a nourishing learning environment. 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