ABSTRACT
At this point in your reading, you have developed a fairly extensive knowledge of three of the dimensions of literacy first encountered in Fig. 1.1. Linguistically, you understand that written language consists of rule-governed systems that build on and extend oral language. The particular operating rules of these systems vary across individuals and groups. There are many norms for what constitutes “correct” usage, and these norms vary as groups and situations vary. Additionally, the building of meaning, the ultimate goal of literacy events, is a selective and constructive process that involves the use of numerous mental strategies and processes. This cognitive dimension conceives of meaning as the outcome of a generative, symbiotic transaction among reader, writer, text, and context. Finally, from a sociocultural perspective, we know that literacy represents social practices. These practices, which include both language forms and language content, reflect the actions of various groups as they interact with their world. Literacy practices vary from group to group and always involve issues of authority, power, and control.
