The Center for Literacy
What Is Literacy?
Literacy for the 21st century: A guiding definition
Literacy involves a complex set of abilities to understand and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture for personal and community development at home and at work. The need and demand for these abilities vary in different contexts and societies. In a technological society, the concept is expanding to include digital media in addition to print alphabets and numbers. Individuals must be given learning opportunities to move along a continuum that includes reading, writing, and numeracy in print and digital environments and the critical understanding and decision-making abilities they need in their lives. However a culture defines it, literacy touches every aspect of individual and community life. It is an essential foundation for learning through life and must be valued as a human right.
Source: The Centre for Literacy,1989, revised in 2014
