The concept of being literate has held different meanings over the years of modern civilisation. Anthropologist and author, Sarah Woodbury (2023, para.1) discusses that being literate in Medieval times (when many people could not read or write) was having capabilities in reading Latin. Reading Latin would certainly not help citizens of our day navigate their way around a supermarket! Being a literate person has changed over the course of history; however, it has mainly been based around the concepts of being able to read and write, thus being able to communicate to a decent level in order to work, trade, buy and live.
In light of this history, it would seem that society has certainly made great gains, with the vast majority of developed nations seeing its literacy rate reach into the majority of their populations. However, does this literacy rate simply mean that its populations can read and write competently enough to work and engage in a social context? Or, can they effectively make meaning and do they have the opportunity to access information and ideas equally?
O’Connell & Oddone (2022) discuss the idea of ‘reading the world’, the concept of multiliteracies in specific contexts. These contexts require a set of skills and capabilities that allows for understanding, contextual reasoning, engagement and an ability to co-construct meaning and matter. The list of these multiliteracies, as O’Connell & Oddone (2022) list, includes cultural literacy, academic literacy, health literacy, screen literacy, just to name a few.
Being literate has perhaps lost its power in some ways, as it no longer means you might not survive a Medieval Wales winter if you can’t work, however, having only basic skills in the components of literacy can’t limit your opportunities and choices in life. For example, if you don’t have a working capability in health literacy, it might limit your access to information designed to help you understand how to access important services and even to be able to advocate for your own health needs.
Being literate is no longer just about reading and writing, the proverbial pie has grown much larger. Being literate involves knowing where to find the information you need, how to access it, being able to read, understand and interpret it, and then being able to do something with that information that is meaningful and constructivist. These literacies range across the breadth and scope of our human lives – from our health, to education, to social and networking, right down to what we watch on our screens. Therefore, it is critical that we teach children (and adults) how to wade through the oceans of information in order for it to be meaningful and useful, adding value to the lives of all people.
References
Woodbury, S. (2016) Literacy in the Middle Ages in Journey to Medieval Wales. Retrieved from: sarahwoodbury.com/literacy-in-the-middle-ages/