"Literacy in Three Metaphors" By Sylvia Scribner

I believe the term, ‘Literacy’ is not new to many of us. It has been introduced to us at some point of time during our course of study in National Institute of Education (NIE). However, most of us might have taken it for granted. I do not think that I’m capable to explain it in words, if you ask me to define what exactly literacy is. Although there is no standard definition for the term currently, I still feel that there is a need to decode what is literacy, so as to give us a rough idea of it. According to Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl & Holliday (2006), literacy encompasses an understanding of the correlation between text and context and involves the integration of speaking, listening and critical thinking with reading and writing.

Singapore, being a small nation with scarce natural resources, could only depend on its human capital to stay competitive in the new economy. Given this backdrop, our school system was structured “to produce economically useful knowledge and to sort people efficiently into various positions that need to be filled in the stratified occupational structure” (Tan, Wong, Chua & Kang, 2000, pp.15). Consequently, though Scribner has organized her discussion on literacy around three metaphors, namely, literacy as adaptation, literacy as power and literacy as a state of grace, I find that literacy as adaptation best fits the description of our local education scene. This is because it places emphasis on the pragmatic value of literacy.

Alternatively, literacy can also be regarded as the key to success in the contemporary world from my point of view, since it is rooted in the practices of our daily lives. It pervades almost every aspect of social interaction consisting of employment, education, business, communications and leisure. In addition, it is a major element of the information revolution. For instance, pupils with effective literacy skills excel not only in English but also in other facets of the curriculum. It is crucial to equip them with the essential knowledge, skills, attitudes and understandings to take on the literacy demands of the curriculum and to participate effectively in society.

Given that literacy has always been closely associated with technology, the digital era has inevitably extended our literate practices. We are now using literacy in new manners when we utilize the new technologies to engage in information gathering and communication activities. Language is not longer about semantics, grammar and lexicon but a broader range of semiotic systems, which comprises of iconic systems (signs, symbols, pictures, words and sounds) in computer display. As a result, we have to gain new knowledge and skills in order to grasp how the various modalities are joined in complex ways to create meanings.