Collaboration Discussion

1 month ago
Ania Lian LECTURER MANAGER

What is literacy? A skill or a tool?
C OLL AP SE
Dear Students
Critical to Assignment 1 and 2 is the kid of definition of literacy that you will
adopt. I suggest that in order to get it right and so then to get the Assignment 1
right, we use this thread to define literacy. Copy and paste the thread into your
portfolio to illustate how well you participated in this thread and how much you
have contributed to the discussion. So, WHAT IS LITERACY and WHY DO YOU
CHOOSE THIS DEFINITION.
Please DO NOT use dictinaries. This is an academic unit, and so we must argue in
relation to evidence or theory; not WEBSTER expert, or wikipedia ;)
lets have fun
ania
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1 month ago
BELINDA MALIK
RE: What is literacy? A skill or a tool?
C OLL AP SE
Literacy is both. It is a skill as it is something that is learned and refined over

time. This skill is required to be able to communicate effectively with the
community, to express our opinion and develop. Literacy is also a tool. We use
this tool every day without a thought. We call on our literacy skills when having
conversations with others, sending emails, letter or texts to others and through
reading.
When i first started school i was learning about reading and writing and how to
express myself cohesively. This was a skill that i was learning and as my
schooling went on it continued to adapt that skill, adding to it with things i
learned, to ensure it remained a usable skill. I still continue to refine this skill
through my continuing studies. I believe that what i do with that skill become the
tools that i use to co-exist and to communicate.
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1 month ago
ZOE NUGENT
C OLL AP SE
I agree with Belinda on this one. It is both.

I think of a tool as something you utilise to make something easier to complete.
So literacy would be a tool that I have and do use, to function in the everyday
world and to make my ability to function in this world easier.
As a skill, it is a basic human right that people are give the opportunity to
empower themselves (I guess again it is a tool here, tool of empowering ones
self?) by learning to read and write and communitcate so they they can in turn
use that tool of Literacy to learn new skills to better their lives whether that be
through greater happiness, better communication or financially etc etc.
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1 month ago
ZOE NUGENT
C OLL AP SE
I guess it's also important at what level Literacy is a tool? Does that make sense?
For me Literacy is important at every level of society from top to bottom.
Everyone should be provided the opportunity to learn how to read and write and
communicate and express ideas. Then we can can function in society as well
as question leaders and what they think is good for us as well as state our own
ideas. A skill used as a tool for the betterment (is that a word) of community as a
whole.
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1 month ago
AMBER LEE CABBAN

C OLL AP SE
Hi Belinda and Zoe,

I also agree that Literacy is both a skill and a tool.
As a skill, we learn how to use literacy in our everyday lives. We tweak this skill
and improve it over time with practice and use within different experiences. As
with all skills, some people are more literacy orientated than others and the skill
of using literacy may feel more natural to some.
Listeracy is also used as a tool in our everyday lives. We use this tool to
communicate, write, read, listen, understand, comprehend and participate in our
society. The better our literacy skills are, the easier it is to use literacy
appropriately and professionally as a tool.

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1 month ago
Ania Lian LECTURER MANAGER

C OLL AP SE
Thank you Belinda and your post.

If we see literacy as a tool, then we could ask ourselves: what job is it to do?
Is the "job" to read out words? Surely not. Is it to read texts in newspapers and
texts on Facebook? Is this the job of literacy?
:) thank you for helping me further focus this question
ania

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1 month ago
AMBER LEE CABBAN

C OLL AP SE
Hi Ania,
I believe Literacy as a tool can be used in multiple instances. In it's smallest form,
literacy can be used to help people read simple words or diagrams to make sense
of their worlds. Such as, reading a stop sign or give way sign and differentiating
the two. Then literacy helps us to read newspapers and magazines to understand
our world. The better our skill of literacy, the more analytical our reading skills
will be, and we can therefore take more meaning out of what we read.
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1 month ago
AMBER LEE CABBAN

C OLL AP SE
Hi Ania,
I believe Literacy as a tool can be used in multiple instances. In it's smallest form,
literacy can be used to help people read simple words or diagrams to make sense
of their worlds. Such as, reading a stop sign or give way sign and differentiating
the two. Then literacy helps us to read newspapers and magazines to understand
our world. The better our skill of literacy, the more analytical our reading skills
will be, and we can therefore take more meaning out of what we read.
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1 month ago
EMMA SKYE MCCLELLAN

C OLL AP SE
Literacy is both a skill and a tool. Literacy is not a skill we are born with, we must learn it
throughout our lifetimes. Why? Because literacy is a highly invaluable and powerful skill to
process. It is a tool that we use on a daily basis to engage effectively in our society. It is linked
to pretty much everything we do and can take many forms; without it we would find it extremely
hard to not only read and write but also to talk and even understand. I imagine it would be like
living in a foreign country where I dont understand or speak their native language and nobody
their speaks or understands mine.
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1 month ago
SOPHIA KATRINA ANDERSON

C OLL AP SE
Hello Emma,
Your comments regarding visitors in a foreign country and how difficult it is to
communicate when they are unable to speak the same language.
Although, it doesn't need to be a foreign language such as French or Italian to make us
feel overwhelmed, the language of Information Technology or mechanics can leave a lot of
us feeling out of our depth what helps in these situations if a person has the skill to convey
the information in format that the novice will understand.
Thinking further, I would put skill as the ability to convey information and being able to
select the appropriate tool to assist. For example if a person was in a foreign country and
unable to speak the language and they wanted to know where the train station was they
may choose to draw a picture of train with a question mark.

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1 month ago
EMMA SKYE MCCLELLAN

C OLL AP SE
Hi Sophia, thanks for your response. You raised some excellent points which to be
honest didn't even cross my mind.
Obviously I didn't use a very good example to convey this point but what I was
trying to say was that if I did not have any literacy skills, I would probably feel a
bit lost and find it really hard to engage in the society in which I live and I very
much believe that it would feel like a kind of language barrier between myself and
others. I may know what I want to say but would not have the required skills to be
able to communicate this to others, and if someone did happen to know what I
wanted to try and communicate, would I possess the skills needed to understand
them?
Using your example of a train station: Without any form of literacy skills I may
not be able to associate symbols with words, a map would mean nothing and
words both spoken and written would mean nothing and to some degree even
body language could be a bit ambiguous. So a seemingly simple task of locating a
train station would prove to be an extremely difficult task for someone who
doesnt have any literary skills.

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1 month ago
AMBER LEE CABBAN

C OLL AP SE
Hi Emma and Sophia,

Ironically when I was reading your 3-point conversation I noticed a few awesome
points on the topic of skills and tools of literacy.
When Emma said "I didn't use a very good example to convey this point" I think
that you were not using the complete power of the skill of literacy that you have
developed. Because you "didn't use a good example", two different ideas were
byproduct of what you actually meant. Further, when you replied, you refined
your literacy skills and increased the description of what you meant to ensure the
correct version or perspective was portrayed.
Awesome!
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1 month ago
ALICHIA ANN CRANWELL

C OLL AP SE
What is Literacy? A skill or a tool?

Literacy and communication can be very close in meaning.
When someone is strong in Literacy, they could also be regarded as a strong
communicator. Literacy is the comprehension and articulator of information,
using various modes of literacy, most of the time taking place unconciously.
Literacy is happening around us all of the time, sometimes we are aware( During
lectures, classrooms, etc). other times not so much( watching TV, facebook etc).
I believe literacy is both a skill and a tool. Literacy is a skill that needs to be
developed, as humans are not hardwired to read and write (Winch, 2014).
However, literacy via speech is. Therefore, as humans, we have evolved this
literacy skill (speech) to develop further modes of literacy such as; reading,
writing, drawings, etc. to strengthen our communication as a society towards
each other. Literacy is a tool that we often draw on to develop further areas of
literacy to be able to grow various modes of literacy. for example: my brother is
profoundly deaf, he relys completely on sign language to communicate. If I did
not know how to spell, I would not be able to sign to him, therefore we would not
be able to communicate, as he can not lip read. My foundation of literacy
( speech) would not communicate my information to him, as it would for a
hearing person.
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1 month ago
Access the profile card for user: ALISON DEBRA KUNGEL
ALISON DEBRA KUNGEL

C OLL AP SE
Literacy is definitely both a skill and a tool.

Literacy is a skill because it needs to be taught and learnt, it is not an ability that
happens naturally for us. Our brains need to be taught letters and the formation
of those into words and then sentences, unlike eating or breathing which happen
instinctly. Children improve on their skills in literacy into adult hood and
beyond. If we were placed into a foreign country our literacy skills would be
useless and we would need to learn new ones all over.
Literacy is a tool we use everyday to communicate with each other, We use it as a
tool to entertain ourselves, sell/buy items, form contracts, a learning tool the list
is endless.
So literacy is a skill we learn to enable us to use as a tool for communication in its
many forms.
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1 month ago
JULINE GRACE MICHELL

C OLL AP SE
Literacy is both a skill and a tool. As a skill it is something that needs to be

learned since it is not naturally acquired. Some people become literate easily with
minimum effort while others have to work hard to gain the skill. At the beginning
the skill needs to be practiced repeatedly to gain mastery but eventually can
become an automatic reaction. That's when you find yourself reading a sign at the
side of the road without conscious thought. Once it is learned literacy becomes a
valuable tool in communication, expression and understanding the thoughts of
others. The skill with which you use the tool determines how much you can gain
from literacy.
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1 month ago
SHIO SAKAMOTO
C OLL AP SE
I think literacy is all about communication. From my past experience working with
children, I have learnt that teaching them literacy is about teaching them to
understand other people and express their own ideas.
For me literacy is more like a skill than a tool. The skill is to use verbal
communication and non-verbal communication (drawing, body language, written
language, sign language, multimodal communication) as tools. Being able to
communicate needs skill to handle these tools. As you obtain and improve your
skills you can refine the way you use your tools.

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1 month ago
ELLEN SIV
C OLL AP SE
When we think of the term 'literacy' quite often it is thought of as 'reading and
writing.' However, I believe literacy can also include other aspects too such as
numeracy and images that we may come across such as signs. Literacy therefore
contains many different aspects to it and because of this some people may excel in
one area more than another, eg, good with spelling but not remebering numbers
or figures. Shio has raised an interesting point by stating that literacy is all about
communication both verbally and non-verbally. This has made me wonder
perhaps whether the term 'illiterate' is a good one because people that can't read
or write may still have other areas of literacy such as verbal communication.
I agree with many of you on this particular thread that literacy is both a skill and
a tool. We use literacy as a tool to communicate in a variety of ways but we have
to learn literacy as a skill too. Reading, writing, numeracy and the ability to
subconciously understand and make sense of these things are important. Verbal
communication is a tool which we learn right from an early age but a skill also in
the way we put it across to others, ie, speaking clearly and picking up on social
cues so that we can adapt our language to the appropriate audience. For example,
giving a speech, explaining something to a colleague, talking to a young child or
discussing something with friends are different situations where we may use a
variety of different words or sentence structures to communicate.
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1 month ago
LEANNE MICHELLE USHER

C OLL AP SE
Hello Ellen,
As I typed my definition of literacy, I too considered the term "illiterate".
I now consider "illiteracy" to mean a lack of skills in a particular area. Therefore
somebody who can not read or write is therfore not fully literate - or illiterate.
According to Ardila et al. (2010) a lack of written language means that a person's
ability to fully engage with the wider world is limited becuase they are limited to
what their senses tell them. Therefore, with response to the original question "Is literacy a Skill or a Tool" - it would seem that an inability to function in any
literacy area, results in a lack of literacy skills, which would mean that the tools
for interacting completely with the wider world are ineffective.
Ardila, A., Bertolucci, P. H., Braga, L. W., Castro-Caldas, A., Judd, T., Kosmidis,
M. H., Matute, E., Nitrini, R., Ostrosky-Solis, F., & Rosselli, M. (2010). Illiteracy:
The Neuropsychology of Cognition Without Reading. Archives of Clinical
Neuropsychology, 25(8), 689-712. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acq079
1 month ago
LISA MICHELLE BENNETT

C OLL AP SE
HI Ellen
I had the same thoughts re the term 'illiterate'. I came to the conclusion that
perhaps the term 'deficits' in relation to literacy skills conveys an understading
that we may have weaknesses in some or several aspects of literacy, ie i can read
text very well and my spoken litearcy is highly functional, but my liteacy in
relation to information technology is not as developed.
It's really interesting reading everyone's thoughts on this topic!
Cheers,
Lisa
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1 month ago
AMBER LEE CABBAN

C OLL AP SE
Hi Shio,
When you say literacy is about communication, do you mean all forms of
communication? Verbal, non-verbal, gestures? I also believe it is all of these
things. From understanding our road signs, to understanding how to write the
days of the week, to communicating to our teachers, families and peers with
verbal, non-verbal and gestures.
It is also great to see that you believe literacy is more of a skill than a tool. As so
far, majority have said it is both. I believe it is both, but I also believe you have a
valid point. It is just how we analyse our lives to understand how literacy is a part
of our lives.
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1 month ago

C OLL AP SE
HI Shio
I was also thinking about my own children as babies and their ability to only use
non verbal communication to communicate with me. Whilst I agree that
communication is a part of Literacy i wasn't able to reach a conclusion about how
I could verbalise the link I feel non verbal communication has to Literacy.
Hopefully as i continue through this unit, ill be able to form my own clearer
picture on this thought.
So, thanks for sharing your thoughts on that topic, it was interesting to read
someone else's thoughts.
Cheers,
LIsa
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30 days ago
BOUTSABA VORAKOUMANE
C OLL AP SE
and maybe even create new tools :) I like your definition Shio.
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1 month ago

C OLL AP SE
I believe that literacy is a collection of skills to be used as a tool in order to

complete the required job.
Literacy is more than learning to read, write and speak. Literacy is knowledge and
an understanding of how things fit together, and being able to use that knowledge
to analyse, make connections,make judgements about and to apply them
appropriately to a given context, concept or situation.
There are many different literacies. Some examples include Historical Literacy
(Taylor and Young, 2002), Scientific Literacy (Education NSW, 2011) and of course
Literacy as it pertains to this unit. MCEETYA (1997) defines literacy as the ability
to use a variety of communication methods, including critical thinking and cultural
knowledge to communicate appropriately in different situations and in a range of
contexts.
Taylor and Young - Taylor, S. and Young, C., (2002), A handbook for
teachers, Department of Education, Science adn Training, Canberra
EDUCATION NSW http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/investigate/
MCEEYA http://www.det.act.gov.au/teaching_and_learning/literacy_and_numeracy/literacy
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1 month ago

C OLL AP SE
I understand that being able to read words does not automtically mean that I
understand the content - I need to make connections. I make conscious and
unconscious decisions about appropriate fonts and/or language when using
written correspondence and when speaking in different contexts - I need to
analyse, although sometimes it's not a conscious decision. I recognise that
sometimes,my language may sound foreign to another person, just because I am
literate in a topic or area or because of cultural differences (I work in Finance in an
Aboriginal Organisation with people from several different nationalities) - I need to
consider the social or cultural context. I understand that sometimes a picture
speaks a thousand words - I recognise that words aren't always needed, or may
not be the best choice of communication. And I understand that spoken language
is supported or undermined by non verbal cues.
Therefore, my definition of Literacy is based on the learning I have done

throughout my life, and throughout this degree. Understanding that there are
many different literacies reinforces my perception of what it means to be literate.
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1 month ago
SOPHIA KATRINA ANDERSON

C OLL AP SE
Hello Leanne
I agree with your comment about understanding what we have just read. It
doesnt matter what age you are, people can often read the same thing over and
over again and still not know what is meant by it. Hopefully, when this happens
we start to investigate, ask for help, look up the meanings of words etc.
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30 days ago
C OLL AP SE
Hi Sophia,
I think because through "living" we gain knowlege experience and culture through
interaction with different people. First we read a text and we might not
understand it, but I think once we have that experience and interaction meaning
begins to form. I think Winch (2006, p. 46-47) uses the term "decoding" or "codebreaking" as an ability to work out what a word or sentence means in the texts
and the texts itself, and knowing how it is structured to help us find the
information we are looking for. I call it being able to interpret at text.

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30 days ago
C OLL AP SE
Hi Leanne,
I agree with you someone "field" language can sound foreign to people outside
that filed. I work in analytical chemistry and when I give a tour of my work to a
group of people, I must be aware to not use field related terms to explain what we
do but general terms. Some times I ask someone in the group to introduce the
group as they could be uni students or tafe students first so I can relate it to them.

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1 month ago
XUAN YANG
C OLL AP SE
I can see why people say "Literacy is both a skill and a tool" However to me it
seems more as a tool than a skill. In other word, it is a tool that we need to
learn how to use it; and we get
We learn how to decode the meaning of the symbols (words, numbers,
pictures, etc.) therefore to gain the skill of using literacy for further information
exchange. Yes, you can call it a skill, which shows the levels of capacity of using
this tool.
Literacy is a man-made way of communication that is very useful
for achieving higher level of desires. We could possibly survive in a
foreign country by using body language; however most of us need
more than just food and shelter. We want to gain happiness and
sense of secure as well as a feeling of beloved and respected. All of

the desires push us to learn other methods of communication, such
as speak the common shared language, notice the symbols and
understand the rules, eventually start to be able to read and write.
Literacy is so important to us because we living in a culture/society
that based on written language.
To make myself clearer, I believe literacy is a tool of information
exchange when oral language is not strong/good enough to do so.
The purpose of learning literacy is to comprehend information from
a system of symbols (read) and record our own thoughts for more
people to know (write).
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1 month ago
RANJANA CHITTURI
C OLL AP SE
I believe that literacy is both skill and a tool

where one is dependent on the other.
Literacy is used as a tool to communicate
with each other, at the same time it is
important to use this tool skillfully.
Literacy is a skill because it has to be learnt
and needs some effort form out side. The
more we practice the more we get good at it.
This skill can be improved throughout our life.
This skill can be used as a tool in many
circumstances in our day to day life.

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1 month ago

C OLL AP SE
I think that literacy is much more than written communication. I think it's
understanding a system and using it for a purpose. For example back in the day witch doctors, and weather men knew and understood things that the average
"Joe Bloe" did not, and were able to use that knowledge to make decisions and
complete tasks.
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1 month ago
MAHARNIA NUBE
C OLL AP SE
What is Literacy? Is it a Skill or a Tool?

I agree with Xuan Yang! in the sense that i feel Literacy is more a tool rather than
a skill. I understand why people are suggesting that for them, literacy is both a
skill and a tool. But before i came to a conclusion, i tried defining the word 'skill'
and the word 'tool'.
The Word 'Skill' is known as an ability. This ability is usually well executed and
perfected for each individual.
The Word 'Tool' is something that someone utelizes to carry out a particular
function.
With these definitions i related it back to the word literacy and for me as a person
and to everyone else who utelises literacy in their life: Is it really well executed
and perfected? I believe our literacy 'skills' are not skills at all, in fact they are
quite lazy and lacking in skill. I feel that today; literacy is used as a tool. It is
something that we need but do not work on constantly and try to perfect. It is
something that we as a race use just to carry out particular functions. Our
everyday lives calls for the use of literacy, yet we do not work on getting any better
with it. That is why I belive literacy is more a tool than a skill.
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1 month ago
THEODORE ZABAKLY
C OLL AP SE
Our philosophers say that in the first two years of our lives our memory is hidden
known as "total amnesia", yet we are told that literacy start from day One for babies
could it be that we make up interpretations hoe good we are or not about literature
and forget them, then they become our way of thinking about literature then
forevermore we try and get better than the interpretation we made as babies thus it is
the basis of learning skills for getting better than that place. Finding this interpretation
for children could be the breakthrough needed to be skillful at literature. The tool of
speaking could be either hindered or be excelled depending on the interpretation of
each child.

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1 month ago

C OLL AP SE
Hello Maharnia,
I like the idea of locating generic definitions of Skills and Tools, in
preparation for your response.
However I disagree with your reasoning on the following basis.
A tool is something that someone uses. But if that person doesn't
have the skills, then that tool will sit idly by the wayside, or will not
work effectively.
Literacy skills, and the development of these skills allows a person
to more effectively use the tool (Literacy). Just as a basketball player
who improves their basketball skills can more effectively use a game
of basketball (the tool) to enrich their own life and that of others.
I look forward to reading your thoughts on my interpretation.
Regards,
Leanne :)

1 month ago
JACQUELINE ANN BECKER

C OLL AP SE
Hi Ania and Class mates,
Interesting question! It looks like there are quite a few of you are on the same
page as me....
My early thoughts of literacy is that it begins as a skill that we need to aquire.
From birth we are learning to interpret information and use communication
through expressions and interaction, we begin by understanding first words,then
progess to reading / writing / discovering purpose and meaning for those
activities in which we engage in. We need literacy skills to become literate
members of society; critical thinkers and engaged human beings.
Literacy becomes a tool once we have aquired the skill. Ania you asked in your
post what is the job does a literacy tool do?? I believe the literacy tool enables you
to become engaged in society and perform the various roles that life throws at
you. I believe you need a level of literacy to be a mother that is different to the
literacy you need as an academic or a musician. Both require a speciffic set of
skills and the literacy tool kit enables you to perform in that role.
It was really interesting to read through the posts. Helpful in approaching
assignment 1!
Hope everyone's studeis are going well
Thanks Jacqui
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1 month ago
NAOMI BETH PRIME

C OLL AP SE
It has been interesting reading other students thoughts on this question.

Like many others, I believe that literacy is both a skill and and a tool First a skill, as it is something that we must learn, study and practice in order to
develop it, like other skills we obtain. After reading the E-Reading by David Sousa
How the Brain learns to Read I was quite convinced of this.
After we have obtained the skill or begun to obtain it we are able to use it as an
communication tool (for some reason work emails always come to mind when I
think of this). I think we can continue to hone our literary skill whilst we use it as
a communication tool.
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1 month ago
THEODORE ZABAKLY
C OLL AP SE
In the Australian curriculum literacy is part of the

English curriculum that is built around three interrelated
strands one of them is Literacy. The content is one text in

context: identify some familiar texts and the context in
which they are used.
Interact with others, listen to and respond orally to text to the
communication of others in informal and structured classroom
situations. Use interaction skills including listening while others speak,
using appropriate voice levels, articulation and body language, gestures
and eye contact. Deliver short oral presentations to peers.
Interpreting, analysing, evaluating Identify some differences between
imaginative and informative texts . Read predictable texts, practicing
phrasing and fluency, and monitor meaning using concepts about
print and emerging contextual, semantic, grammatical
and phonic knowledge. Usecomprehension strategies to understand
and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read independently. Creating
texts, Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events
using familiar words and beginning writing knowledge . Participate in
shared editing of students own texts for meaning, spelling, capital letters
and full stops. Produce some lower case and upper case letters using learned
letter formations. Construct texts using software including word processing
programs. This would be the meaning of literacy for me, as anything else is
made up by me and it might be easier to attach this meaning to literacy than
any other meaning its kind of what we are doing now in this medium.
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1 month ago
PHOEBE ROSE BRUCE

C OLL AP SE
Perhaps if literacy is a 'skill' we must learn, then it becomes a 'tool' once it is put
to use. This is possibly the same for many activities and experiences and things
we learn. eg We learn the skill of musical production, then it becomes a tool for
self expression once in use. We learn the skill of how to send an email, and it
becomes a tool of communication. I'm not sure if this works for everything, but it
seems they go very much hand in hand.
I also feel that literacy is a somewhat subjective experience, as the way we view
and interact with the world is very much bound up in our own personal
experience. We each have unique histories and belief systems and emotional
baggage which act as a veil of sorts through which we live our lives. We may be
quite literate in some areas and open to understanding and feel free to
communicate and express ourselves, but in other areas we may feel quite shut
down and almost 'illiterate', lacking understanding and comprehension due to
certain fears we have or ideas about certain things.
Does that make sense?
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1 month ago
ALICHIA ANN CRANWELL

C OLL AP SE
Hi Phoebe,
Everyones posts of their thoughts on what literacy is has been very informative,
however i especially like your first sentence in your response. that literacy could
be expressed as "a skill that we must learn, then becomes a tool once it is put into
use" this statement i believe really encapsulates my understanding and view of
literacy.
well done :)
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1 month ago
ANTHONY FRASER JOHN WILKINSON

C OLL AP SE
Hi all,
Sorry I am a little late to this discussion.
I have read through so many peoples responses, and I agree on so many points.
I believe that literacy is a skill, and a tool.
We, as children, develop language (and literacy) throughout our lives, starting
from our parents reading us stories, to going to school and reading a speech
infront of the class, then as we grow older, we develop our literacy skills further
into tools. Tools which can be used for work, with many branches.
For example: Literacy skill of being able to read and write in a foreign languages
is then able to be used as a tool in workplaces which involves interperation work.
In the news room, one builds on their literacy skill of reading, remembering
larger amounts of information, which is then spoken aloud (can be built on
reading speeches infront of the class as a child).
The skills and tools work together in a way. The skill is there, we just need to be
able to improve it, so that we can then use our skill as a tool depending on the
situation. :-)
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1 month ago
DANIELLE LAMB
C OLL AP SE
I understand literacy as a tool as well as a skill. Literacy initially is a

skill that needs to be developed, practised and perfected, at which
point it becomes a tool with which we interact with our surroundings.
As the context in which we live and work changes throughout our lives,
we need to continually refine and develop different areas of our literacy
skills to adapt them into the required tools for appropriate
engagement.
When an infant first starts to develop the tools of literacy, when

learning to read the body language, tone of voice and basic words of
their parents, and eventually to communicate in non-verbal forms as
well as verbal forms, they are continually developing, refining and
perfecting these skills. This is a life-long process of refinement and
development, as the literary requirements of a persons life change
throughout their life. The literacy skills required to be considered
literate at primary school must then be further developed and refined
to a level required at secondary school. From here, literacy needs will
need to be continually developed and refined depending on the
requirements of university or the workforce. Different contexts in life
require different types of literacy; from digital literacy for university
study to financial literacy for managing the finances of a family. Being
able to function at a competent level in one area of life does not
guarantee literacy skills in other areas.
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1 month ago

C OLL AP SE
What is Literacy? A skill or a tool?

I believe, like many others in the discussion, that Literacy is both a skill and a
tool. There are skills needed to understand literacy and these skills give us the
tools to be literate!
Literacy is so many things and is in so many aspects of everyday life and I'm sure
other facets ill discover in this subject this semester! Literacy involves reading,
writing, spoken word and social and technologial forms
To me reading is deciphering symbols (alphabetic or other) to decode the
information presented , using text to find out information for a purpose. Reading
is varied also ie. the reading of a text for a purpose in my studies, reading a novel
of choice for enjoyment, reading a procedure to construct something. Literacy is
speaking using oral language to communicate for a purpose and it is also social.
Being socially literate requires different skills than writing for example and these
skills help us to understand and participate in society. Social literacy may include
reading and knowing road rules to obey and follow to drive safely on the road. In
my opinion, social literacy and technological literacy are more and more
amalgamating and becoming one - I regularly socialise using information
technologies ie facebook!
This is such as interesting question; so many facets and thoughts! I look forward
to reading more thoughts that others have on this question!
Cheers,
Lisa
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1 month ago
EMILY JAYNE FORD

C OLL AP SE
Literacy is a skill and a tool as I define literacy as the ability to read, write and
comprehend, and at the heart of each of those is communication.
We write to share our ideas, beliefs and experiences with individuals, which is all
a form of communication.
We read to educate ourselves, to relax and whilst we ourselves are not directly
communicating with someone-unless we share our experiences of the story with
another, the author of the text is communicating with us.
I agree with Belindas definition of a skill, something that is learned and refined
over time. Literacy is a skill with reading and writing at the core. As a child, I
struggled to learn to read but with the reading recovery programs I was able to
refine this skill and increase my confidence whilst successfully reading and
comprehending new texts.
I also believe literacy is a tool, using Maharnias definition, a tool is something
that someone utilises to carry out a particular function. Recently I had to change
my name due to marriage and had to utilise a variety of tools such as phone,
email, letter and forms in order to successfully complete the change.
As I view literacy as a tool, its job is to communicate a message through a
different platform.
As I write this I question my examples of tools, is an email a tool? Or is it merely
an expansion on our current skill set? A different method to communicate a
message? Even as I post this, I question whether it is actually a skill, a tool or
both.
1 month ago
JODI QUIGG
C OLL AP SE
What is Literacy? Skill or Tool?

Before I started this unit, I considered literacy to be the
ability to read, write, spell, using correct grammar and
numeracy and also incorporating communication skills that
have been developed. What I now know is that literacy
does include all these aspects but is also covers a much
wider range of things, including technology, emotional
wellbeing, management of financials and social
expression. It is important to be literate in all these areas,
to be able to be a participating member in society. Literacy
gives us access to different opportunities and challenges
within our society. The needs and actions of the learner is
where literacy begins, and this changes over time,
therefore the focus is more about learning how to learn
and not about the accumulation of facts, so that when new
situations or circumstances arise it is managed more
easily and with confidence.
Like most of the others, I believe that literacy is both a skill

and a tool. Literacy is used as a skill in the way of reading,
writing, spelling and numeracy. We learn these as a skill.
Once learnt and mastered we can then use literacy as a
tool to communicate and teach others. The use of literacy
in everyday living can include, shopping, emailing on a
computer, texting on a mobile phone, completing various
forms and reading newspapers.
Whilst researching I came across a definition of literacy
agreed by the State and Federal ministers in 1997. It is as
follows:
Literacy is the ability to read and write and use written
information and to write appropriately in a range of
contexts. It also involves the integration of speaking,
listening, viewing and critical thinking with reading and
writing, and includes the cultural knowledge which
enables a speaker, writer or reader to recognise and use
language appropriate to different social situations.
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1 month ago
LAUREN FRANCES HILL

C OLL AP SE
Hi everyone,
It's been enlightening to read the different perspectives on literacy and whether it
can be defined as a skill or tool. Thank you for sharing.
In the internal lecture last week, Ania produced a definition to help us in our
discussion. This was that:
'Literacy is a tool for engaging in a diversity of meaning-making systems in order
to participate in the contexts of life on an increasingly informed basis.'
It was also suggested that these systems are multi-modal, based on
communication and that the process is ongoing.
As I reflect further, I sense that there is a two-fold aspect to literacy, that it is both
a skill and tool. It is not only developed to view, interpret and use texts in
written/spoken/graphic/non-verbal form to survive and communicate, but
literacy also leads to some kind of tool for production or demonstration of these
skills.
For example, as I read and interpret the information you have proposed in your
discussion board views and ideas, I consider how I interact and view knowledge
in my own world. This 'drives' me to participate and produce something with
purpose. It may be jotting down an insightful note from what you have suggested,
drawing a diagram of the cyclical nature of literacy as I view it in my mind, or
composing a response in typed text such as this post. All of these tools help me to
develop my skills and be better informed. My interpretation may change as I am
exposed to further contexts of life and driven by different capital to produce or
participate.
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1 month ago
NAVODA FERNANDO
C OLL AP SE
Thank you Lauren for your detail answer with an example.

Also thank you every one for sharing valuable thoughts. I aggree with most of
your comments.
What is Literacy? Is it a skill or a tool?
For me, literacy is a skill as well as a tool.
It is a skills because:
It helps students to listen and understand. It helps
students to read, view and make meaning. It also help
the students to write and express themselves.
Literacy help students to make oral presentations,
print visuals and digital texts.
Knowing different languages is a skill. Children
develop literacy through language. Therefore it
literacy is also a skill
Literacy can be used for range of purposes in range of

contexts. So literacy is indeed a skills.
The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians

(MCEETYA 2008) also says that literacy is a skill for students. For student
to be academically and emotionally successful in all areas of learning
literacy is essential.
It is a tool because:
It helps students to communicate effectively using
different media. Example: To write an email, to write a
blog or article to newspaper we need literacy.
It helps students to effectively communicate within
the school environment as well as with the broder
community. Example: When children are literate they
get opportunity to learn about other cultures, their
values, traditions etc.
When children learn English, which is a language that
is used throughout the world it help the children to
explore and resource many things through internet.

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30 days ago
NAVODA FERNANDO
C OLL AP SE
Please ignore my above comment. I have changed my mind after reading the
discussion board comments and after listening to colloborate sessions.

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29 days ago
LAUREN SUE MAYHEW

C OLL AP SE
Hi all,
Sorry I'm a little late in the discussion.
There are so many valid points throughout this discussion but I have to agree that
litercey is both a skill and a tool.
I think it's a tool as literacey is in everyday life. from a young age we are taught
how to read, write and understand words and while at work or just everyday life
we use these learnings into practice. Literacy is also a tool we use in everyday life
from reading street signs from give-way and roundabout ahead. we also use it as a
tool for signs in restraunt menus i.e. v is vegetarion, gf is gluten free and so on.
Literacy is a skill as we are not born knowing how to read, write or even talk. it is
all these things we learn throughout our lives. Literacy is also a skill that only
keeps growing throughout life. I'm sure I'm not the only one when it comes to
words and I often learn new literacy skills whether its something as simple as
learning a new word and the meaning of the words and using it in everyday life. If
we were born knowing everything about literacy what would we learn throughout
schooling and growing up? we would end up being computers or robots not the
humans we are. If you think about the world there are many third world countries
who aren't as lucky as we are learning literacy so young and it being second
nature to us, some contries have bery poot literacy but it can also be home life to
that affects this too. I also agree that literacy is a human right.
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22 days ago
JAY ELISE HARNETTY

C OLL AP SE
Hi Lauren! I really liked the remark you made about us being humans not robots
or computers, and I think perhaps that this thinking relates to the definition of
literacy. If we look at historically old fashioned ideas about literacy which tend to
focus on the ability simply to read and write without much consideration of
understanding meaning and critical awareness, we could view literacy as being
something a computer could easily acquire, however more modern ideas about
literacy make it, in my opinion, a very human 'process' ( I think Ania mentioned
this in one of her collaborate sessions) rather than goal and I think a robot would
fail to be able to achieve the kind of literacy we now value, which involves much
more than recognising graphemes and de-coding etc. Literacy seems to be an
extremely personal and human thing.
Jay :-)
JAY ELISE HARNETTY

C OLL AP SE
In my preparation for Assignment 1 I have been trying to find a definition of modern

literacy or at least a view of it, that seems to be agreed apon by the various authors
and theorists I am encountering in my readings and personal research. I tend to be
reluctant to jump in with my ideas about a concept or topic before having thoroughly
investigated it via extensive reading and I will admit I am chugging along a little
slowly this semester. So far though I have found that 'what literacy is' (as many other
students in this thread have pointed out) is contentious and malleable.
In the text Thinking Through New Literacies for Primary and Early years, Eileen
Honan (2013, Chapter 1, 1-16) attempts to present a modern definition of literacy
and makes mention of past ideas about what literacy is, in contrast to more
contemporary ones. She refers to autonomous, social and integrated models of
literacy and references the work of Freebody and Luke who are said to have
described the integrated model approach as The Four Resources Model, which
defines literacy as a linked repertoire of capabilities. (Honan, 2013, 6) Unlike the
technical and neutral skill (5) involved in the code breaking-only autonomous
model of literacy, Freeborn and Lukes Four Resources Model sees the role of code
breaker as one part of a much bigger literacy pie, which includes the Text Analyst
who understands the social context of texts, The Meaning Maker, and Text User
who uses a variety of texts appropriately and understands their purposes. (6, Fig
1.1) This model of literacy seems to factor in the concerns of theorists such as Paolo
Friere who Honan also discusses referring to his criticism of functional literacy (6)
and his belief that reading and writing must be accompanied by critical reflection
developed through social interaction (5-6) for it to be considered literacy.
Given the greater complexity of Freeborn and Lukes interpretation of an integrated
model of literacy and the fact that it involves reflection, social awareness, critical
thought, understanding of bias/context, comparison and creation (among other
functions) I come to the conclusion that although it could read as a set of skills,
literacy is not simply a bunch of learned actions, but something much more personal,
subtle and simultaneous that occurs gradually and to varying degrees as a result of an
individuals presence in a world dominated by print, (Honan, 2013, 3) and the
unique context and environment that that individual inhabits within the world.
Depending on your perspective and whether it is focused on the process or end result,
skills such as those involved in critical thinking, might be seen as tools to achieve
social change. In my opinion, literacy is both a skill and a tool, but it is much more
than this also. If we look at The Four Resources Model, literacy seems to be more
than a set of skills to be mastered. (Honan, 2013, 2) According to Honans
understanding of sociocultural perspectives of literacy, literacy should be seen as a
social practice(2) and is not simply about functioning in the world at the surface
level, but about knowing it, responding to it, arguing for personal ideals and positions
and gaining and creating meaning.
I'm sure that between now and when Assignment 1 is ready for submission I will have
expanded on these ideas and managed to articulate more concisely my definition of
literacy. I am enjoying reading others interpretations of Ania's question as this will
surely effect my overall impression of this interesting subject.
Honan, E. (2013). Thinking Through New Literacies for Primary and Early Years.
Victoria: Hawker Brownlow Education
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22 days ago
Access the profile card for user: LEANNE MICHELLE USHERLEANNE

MICHELLE USHER
C OLL AP SE
Hello Jay,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your response, which demonstrated your thirst for
knowledge!
I agree that it is difficult to find a definition which seems to suit, and certainly
nothing explained quite the way Ania does, however, I think the following from
your post summarises part of my current understandings:
Literacy involves reflection, social awareness, critical thought,

understanding of bias/context, comparison and creation (among
other functions)
Literacy is not simply a bunch of learned actions, but something
much more personal, subtle and simultaneous that occurs gradually
and to varying degrees as a result of an individuals presence and
the unique context and environment that that individual inhabits
within the world.
Further, I think that a literate person is able to use those actions, reflections and
awarenesses in such a way as to promote social harmony and personal growth.
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18 days ago
KORI POOL
C OLL AP SE
"To become a successful learner, literacy is an important tool

to engage with, it allows you to develop the knowledge, skills
and dispositions to interpret and use language for
communicating and learning." (Australian Curriculum website,
2015)
Texts are the tools of literacy and reading and writing are the
skills.
Literacy is a skill that involves a array of different education
areas such as;
reading,
writing,
listening,
speaking,
verbal and non-verbal communication.
written symbols, that can be found in story books,

road signs
digital print in text,
technologies,
drawings/painting,
news on the radio and on the television etc.
Literacy is also a tool to which we use within those skills to

understand such things as;
Therefore to use the above tools you need to have literacy

skills that will enable you to 'makes sense of' them with a good
understanding, so you are able to understanding and engage
with world and in society.
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13 days ago
Access the profile card for user: ELAINE ANDERSON
ELAINE ANDERSON
C OLL AP SE

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12 days ago
LEANNE LANG
C OLL AP SE
Literacy is both a skill and a tool and is unique in it's meaning to each individual.
Literacy as a skill is something that is developed from a early age and continues to
grow and devlop as we do. I think it is important to realise that literacy should not
be generalised as reading and writing, our literacy skills are far more than that, it
is the ability to read a text and not only understand the mix of letters that
translate to a story but undertand the meaning behind the text, how this text can
relate to our lives, our culture and society. It is the ability to understand that
some cultures follow a oral tradition of storytelling and that reading text isn't
their undestanding of literacy, it is the ability to decipher dreamtime stories
painted in rockcaves. This leads into literacy and is use as a tool, a learning tool, a
teaching tool and most importantly literacy as a tool to transfer knowledge and
create understanding between people and life.
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8 days ago
Access the profile card for user: JULIE ELIZABETH SCHUTZJULIE

ELIZABETH SCHUTZ
C OLL AP SE
I used to think I understood what literacy was, but upon hearing all of the lectures
which have been posted for this subject, I am now more confused than ever. What
is literacy? what isn't it? Literacy appears to be all around, used in everyday
events and activities and the use of literacy appears to be growing with the
technology we now use in schools, work and our social and private lives. Literacy
to me is words, langauges, reading, writing, texting, oral languages, verbal
conversations, the list is endless.
To me literacy is both a skill and a tool. We use the skill of literacy to
communicate ideas and expressions to others, we use the skill of writing to record
events and to reflect upon what has occurred. Yet it is also a tool, literacy is what
we use to make life simple in the use of a shopping list, a tool for sharing our
ideas and thoughts. Maybe it depends on how you use literacy as to whether it's a
skill or a tool? Depending on the way you use it, literacy maybe a skill used as a
tool, either way literacy it a powerful tool and an important skill to be able to use.
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22 hours ago
Access the profile card for user: CARINA KATHLEEN TE WHATACARINA

KATHLEEN TE WHATA
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1 month ago

Ania Lian LECTURER MANAGER

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Literacy is both. It is a skill as it is something that is learned and refined over

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I agree with Belinda on this one. It is both.

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AMBER LEE CABBAN

Hi Belinda and Zoe,

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Ania Lian LECTURER MANAGER

Thank you Belinda and your post.

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AMBER LEE CABBAN

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AMBER LEE CABBAN

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EMMA SKYE MCCLELLAN

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SOPHIA KATRINA ANDERSON

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EMMA SKYE MCCLELLAN

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AMBER LEE CABBAN

Hi Emma and Sophia,

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ALICHIA ANN CRANWELL

What is Literacy? A skill or a tool?

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ALISON DEBRA KUNGEL

Literacy is definitely both a skill and a tool.

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JULINE GRACE MICHELL

Literacy is both a skill and a tool. As a skill it is something that needs to be

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LEANNE MICHELLE USHER

LISA MICHELLE BENNETT

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AMBER LEE CABBAN

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LISA MICHELLE BENNETT

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LEANNE MICHELLE USHER

I believe that literacy is a collection of skills to be used as a tool in order to

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LEANNE MICHELLE USHER

Therefore, my definition of Literacy is based on the learning I have done

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SOPHIA KATRINA ANDERSON

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