Literacy and Communication

What Is Literacy?

Literacy spans far beyond the basic ability to read and to write.  In today's society, literacy is defined as a set of fundamental communication skills that allow one to use written information to function in society, to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential.

Adult Literacy and Non Formal Education

Adult Literacy and Non Formal Education programs provide adult learners with opportunities to acquire fundamental literacy and communication skills.  With these skills, adults are able to better function in and take advantage of today's knowledge economy, to communicate with others, to express one's needs, and to better understand the information of one's daily life.  With the arrival of new information technologies, literacy and communication skills have become increasingly imperative.

Impact of Adult Literacy and Non Formal Education programs are not necessary limited to written communication. Some participants are reported to show better understanding of radio information, in addition to the written information, after participating in these programs. (Okech et Al.)

• Hautecoeur, J.-P. (2000). Editorial Introduction. Literacy in the Age of Information: Knowledge, Power or Domination? In International Review of Education – Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft – Revue Internationale de l’Education 46(5): 357–365. 

• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Statistics Canada (2000). Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey. 

• Purcell-Gates, V. and Waterman, R. A. (2000). Now We Read, We See, We Speak: Portrait of Literacy Development in an Adult Freirean-Based Class.