Talking About Literacy

This book looks at modern concepts of literacy and its uses, examining adult literacy in its broadest sense - whether in the context of training opportunities for employment, women's education, access to higher education, or language and literacy policies. It is also a book not only for those who actually teach but those who define themselves as illiterate or dyslexic and also for anyone interested in developing their own, and promoting other people's critical and confident reading and writing.

The author explores the theory behind adult literacy education - discussing the arguments in favour of literacy, and clarifying why people who do not habitually write could find it attractive to do so. She also analyzes principles by which literacy may be creatively learned, looking at five themes in detail: context, inquiry, authorship, equality and community.

This book should be of interest to undergraduates, postgraduates and academics in the fields of adult, higher and further education, staff development, language and training and to professionals working in adult education.