Rethinking Literacy: Comparing Colonial and Contemporary America

This article compares literacy in colonial and contemporary America along four dimensions: conceptions of literacy; the practice of literacy; the relationships among speaking, reading, and writing; and sites for learning literacy. These comparisons suggest several directions for refiguring literacy today: clarifying our conception of what people need to know and what role literacy plays in it; placing more emphasis on literacy as a collaborative practice; examining the relationship between the speaking and writing skills of students; and broadening the sites for literacy acquisition.