Literacy Definition

In class on Monday when we were asked to write down our own definition of literacy I kind of blanked, so, of course, I turned to Wikipedia. Although this site is not the best resource I found the first few sentences about literacy really helpful in forming my own definition. Wikipedia says,

"Literacy has been described as the ability to read for knowledge and write coherently and think critically about the written word. Literacy can also include the ability to understand all forms of communication, be it body language, pictures, video & sound (reading, speaking, listening and viewing)."

The first sentence describes the literal acts of literacy: reading, writing and thinking. But it also includes HOW to use those acts to be fully literate. Many people can read, write and think, but the qualifiers in the definition above, for knowledge, coherently and critically make literacy more academic. The next sentence focuses a little more on the social aspect of literacy, and I think in order to have a complete definition of literacy you have to include both parts of it, they are equally important to every literate person.

I think an ideal literacy environment includes too many things to name, but at the beginning of the year I would have said that my MT did not have a good literacy environment. Now that I know the students and have seen them mature, and learn more about reading and writing I would say he actually does a pretty great job. He models writing for them, encourages them to sound out words and the many posters of words all over the classroom give students the help they need when stuck. 

So far I have not come up with my own final definition of literacy, but I think I am on my way to developing a working and complete definition.