What is Literacy

1. General/Historical: being able to write one's name.
2. U.S. Census Bureau (1978) completing 6 or more years of schooling.
3. Oxford Essential Dictionary (American Edition): the ability to read and write.
4. U.S. Military, since WWI: completion of the 8th grade.
5. The National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS, 1993) : Using printed and written information to function in society to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential.
6. United Nations, 2003: Literacy is a human right.
7. United States Congress: An individual's ability to read, write and speak in English; compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society.