Literacy is not just the ability to read and write, but it encompasses a wide range of skills and knowledge that are essential for success in today's world. Literacy can be defined as the ability to read, write, speak, listen and think critically, and it includes various forms.
- Textual Literacy: The ability to read and comprehend any form of text. Textual literacy is what people often think of when they think about literacy.
- Financial Literacy: The ability to understand and effectively manage personal finances including concepts such as budgeting, saving, investing, and managing debt.
- Digital Literacy: The ability to use digital technologies and tools to communicate, collaborate, and solve problems.
- Media Literacy: The ability to analyze, evaluate, and create media content including news, advertisements, and social media posts.
- Health Literacy: The ability to understand and use health information to make informed decisions about one's health.
- Environmental Literacy: The ability to understand and take action on environmental issues.
- Cultural Literacy: The ability to understand and respect different cultures and ways of life.
- Social-Emotional Literacy: The ability to recognize and mange one's emotions, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions.
There are many strategies that can help strengthen these literacies including:
- Provide a variety of materials: Offering a diverse range of materials such as books, magazines, newspapers, digital medial, and podcasts can help develop different literacies in learners.
- Incorporate technology: Technology can be a powerful tool for promoting digital literacy whether through digital reading materials, educational apps, or online collaboration tools.
- Integrate literacy into curriculum: Integrating literacy into subject areas such as science, math, and social studies can help students develop subject-specific literacies. .
- Encourage discussion: Encouraging discussion on current events, social issues, and cultural topics can help students develop critical thinking and social-emotional literacy.
- Promote reading and writing: Creating a culture of reading and writing can help students develop literacy skills and a love of language. This can include reading aloud, silent reading, writing workshops and book clubs.
The following pages have specific resources for each literacy type. If you are looking for resources on a literacy not mentioned here, please email Lexi Whitehorn at awhitehorn@nd.gov.
