In years past, literacy was limited to the ability to read and understand a simple document and write one's name on a contract. Literacy demands in today's workplace have accelerated. High school graduates are required to interpret a wide range of reference materials: journal articles, memoranda, and other documents that may contain technical information, including intricate charts and graphs. Increasingly, they are expected to judge the credibility of sources, evaluate arguments, develop and defend their own conclusions, and convey complex information in ways that will either advance scholarship in a discipline or contribute to workplace productivity skills well beyond the reach of poor readers.
Citation: Standards For Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (International Reading Association in collaboration with National Council of Teachers of English, et al., 2005)
Program: Education
