What does Literacy mean?

Deffinitions:

a person's knowledge of a particular subject or field: to acquire computer literacy.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/literacy

Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read and write. It is a concept claimed and defined by a range of different theoretical fields.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy

literacy, capacity to communicate using inscribed, printed, or electronic signs or symbols for representing language. Literacy is customarily contrasted with orality (oral tradition), which encompasses a broad set of strategies for communicating through oral and aural media. In real world situations, however, literate and oral modes of communication coexist and interact, not only within the same culture but also within the very same individual. (For additional information on the history, forms, and uses of writing and literacy, see writing.) ... (80 of 2147 words)
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/343440/literacy


Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. It is often reduced to read and write, or, sometimes, the ability to read.
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Literacy

After researching the deffinition of Literacy I came to the conclusion that there is no real concrete diffention of what Literacy means. The word can mean many things depending on how you feel like using or viewing the word. When we discussed the word in class we were all told the same word, yet everyone had a different meaning of what the word means to them. Some of the words that kept coming up in my research were read, write, and text. The websites seemed to agree that literacy should be something along the lines of having the ability to understand how to read, comprehend what you're reading, and how to write. In class we did say the ability to read and to comprehend just as the websites did. However we also came up with ideas such as book smarts and street smarts, something I would have never thought would mean literacy. After looking and researching the deffinition of being literate book and street smart do make sense because we are learning to do something and then displaying what we've learned. I think if I had to form a deffiniton for the word Literacy, I would say literacy is something that one learns and then demonstrates their skills of understanding. Such as if you learn to read, one must then demonstrate that they are comprehending this new skill. Based on the deffinitions from the websites the word literacy mainly ment being able to ready write or understand a text. However I think literacy can be associated with many more topics besides just reading and writting. I guess I dont really have a concrete question but I am left to wonder if literacy critics will ever expand out from their orignial deffinitions.

Introduction

Hello Everyone, I'm Heather Komorowski and I am in my sophomore year here at UWM. Everyone is skilled and literate in their own way and their own concepts. I like to think I am literate in many things as well. I've been working since that age of 14 handling cash and dealing with customers, so I like to think that I am literate with money handling and assoicating with customers. I think I am literate at this becuase I learned and became good at counting money and making change. Also, I became literate with dealing with cusomters because I had to learn to adapt to different peoples personailties. I also think I show literacy with texting because I am extremely fast even when only using one finger to illustrate a text. I also like to think I am literate when it comes to hair, because I went to cosmotology school for three months where I learned the basics of all different hair techniques and styles. I believe I show that I am literate when its comes to being a good friend, becuase I learned how to listen, give advice, and keep my mouth shut when neccesary. I like to think I am and have learned to be literate in many aspects of my every day life.