Does literacy mean competency or good at something? Has the term literacy become watered down? Or does it add another dimension of meaning and complexity when it is included in the term?

The traditional ‘literacy’ definition includes elements of reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and understanding.

When you say that someone is not literate, or illiterate, in a specific area, it means they don’t have the skills, knowledge or understandings set out by the criteria of a literate person within that area. However, there are varying levels of competency – you can place any learner somewhere on a learning continuum. Even the best writer, for example, can still improve in some way, yet you would still say they are a competent writer, or that they are good at writing.

So, yes, including the term ‘literacy’ must add another dimension of meaning and complexity.

Write a definition of literacy.

Knowledge, skills and understandings about a topic’s context and applications.