Knowing Your ABCs Isn’t All ▬ Functional Literacy ▬ Slabucho

Knowing Your ABCs Isn’t All

Slabucho: 2 18 2020 by Anastasia Slabucho

According to the International Literacy Association, 12% of the world’s population is functionally illiterate. On this serious note, let me elaborate: 

While ‘literacy’ in itself is a concept fundamental to achieving an educated, developed society, ‘functional literacy’ is perhaps even more so. The distinction between the two can be summarised by the simple question “You can read the words on the page, but can you process the ideas within them?”. Functional literacy therefore involves not only the simple ability to associate spoken language with its written form, but also a broader definition of skills such as reading comprehension, numerical literacy, ability to interpret graphs, analyse texts’ implications and outcomes, in short: it involves a level of literacy at which an individual can effectively function within society.

The aim of this post is to provide a by-all-means non-exhaustive overview of functional illiteracy’s:

➧ concept-development;

➧ general and personal implications;

➧ associated issues and practical improvement initiatives.

The evolution of the term ‘functional literacy’ began with the need for a better definition of reading proficiency, beyond that of attained educational level in years-of-schooling as units. United Nations first posed the question in 1978, and while many adjacent definitions of functional literacy have been postulated by different organisations and NGO’s, the key distinction between formal and functional (il)literacy comes down to ‘reading of written information’ versus ‘understanding, interpretation, expression’ of that same information, as well as numerical and communication skills. According to the UN, functional literacy involves a continuum of lifelong learning that empowers people to achieve their goals, to expand their knowledge and reach their individual, contextualised potential. Today, quality education is Sustainable Development Goal 4, and improving functional literacy plays an integral part in attaining the Goal’s targets.

“A functionally literate person can engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for effective function of his or her group and community and also for enabling him or her to continue to use reading, writing and calculation for his or her own and the community’s development.”

     – ‘functional literacy’ as defined by UNESCO’s General Conference from 1978 onwards

As per this definition, the consequences and implications of functional illiteracy are both deeply personal and broadly societal. As with general illiteracy, those with insufficient reading comprehension and numeracy levels may experience an inability to achieve their full personal potential, resulting in subjective feelings of insecurity and an objective limitation in terms of life opportunities. The rise of technology has fuelled an emergence of complex jobs demanding a more and more complete FL skillset, meaning that the future promises a growing employment and inequality gap between the functionally literate and those below the required skill-levels.  READ MORE ➤➤

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