Linda Luna Aldana Teran
C.I.:24 192 887
Cultural essay
Reading literacy: a fundamental skill in personal and social development
Reading can be seen in its simplest form, i.e. the ability to decode words. The verb
“to read” is defined as "(1): to receive or take in the sense of (letters, symbols, etc.)
especially by sight or touch" or as “(3): to utter aloud the printed or written words of”
("read," n.d). However, reading has a deeper meaning as it implies a process that goes from
decoding, recognition of the meaning of words to the integration of that meaning with one's
own knowledge.
Nowadays and more and more, having reading skills becomes a fundamental
requirement for the development of individuals; academically or professionally people are
expected to be able to read and create different types of texts and to know how to use them.
This reading competence is called by PISA (the Program for International Student
Assessment, an international study promoted by the OECD [Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development]) “reading literacy”. It is defined as “understanding, using,
reflecting on and engaging with written texts, in order to achieve one’s goals, develop one’s
knowledge and potential, and participate in society.” (OECD, 2013, p.61). Therefore,
literacy in reading is not only the decoding or understanding of written texts but the active,
intentional, and functional use of reading that plays a fundamental role in the development
of individuals and society since it contributes to the realization of individual aspirations,
lifelong learning, and commitment as participants in society.
Reading literacy is an essential skill that enables the realization of individual
aspirations such as academic and working ones. According to Holloway (1999, as cited in
OECD, 2013), reading literacy skills are essential to the academic success of middle and
high school students. Reading is the main source of knowledge and having the ability to
read, but at the same time knowing how to reflect and use the knowledge gained from
reading effectively will positively affect academic and professional responsibilities. In any
professional work, it is necessary to read reports, laws, norms, e-mails, letters, and others as
a fundamental part of the work itself. Therefore, good reading literacy is a prerequisite for
success in most areas of adult life (Cunningham and Stanovich, 1998, as cited in OECD,
2013).
In this regard, the study made in Canada with the results of PISA 2000 Pathways to
Success - How knowledge and skills at age 15 shape future lives in Canada (OECD, 2010),
shows the relevance of reading literacy. This study proved that the results obtained by 15-
year-olds in literacy tests in reading predict their success in school and in the world of
work. Students who at age 15 were at level 2 on the reading scale (the level below which
reading proficiency is insufficient), at age 19 are twice as likely to be placed in post-
secondary education or have a well-paid job, compared to those who were at level 1 on the
scale or below. For those who were at level 3, the likelihood of being placed in an academic
path or having a job is four times greater than for those who were at level 1. At 21, the
predictability of results obtained at 15 is even stronger. This data indicates that reading
literacy at age 15 is a key skill for the future success of individuals, and that reading
literacy and the level of learning and knowledge are directly related.
In this way, literacy in reading plays a key role in lifelong learning which consist of
“all learning activities undertaken throughout life with the aim of improving knowledge,
skills and competences, within personal, civic, social or employment-related perspectives”
(Eurostat Statistics Explained, 2019, para 1). In this sense, reading is a fundamental activity
to acquire any kind of knowledge. There is endless information on other cultures and on
every area of knowledge. As mentioned above, reading is considered one of the doors of
access to all this information, but only through reading literacy is possible to reach its
content in a complete and effective way and thus acquire new knowledge during the course
of life.
In this respect, Maculotti (2008) states that the concepts of learning and lifelong
learning have broadened the notion of reading literacy, since "it is no longer considered as a
skill acquired only in childhood [...] but rather as a set of knowledge, skills and strategies
that individuals develop throughout life in different situations" (p.32). Reading literacy
involves several skills that are constantly developing throughout life and is necessary for
lifelong learning and thus for achieving personal goals.
Reading literacy is not only important for personal life, but also allows individuals
to have an active participation in social and economic life and thus contributes to social and
economic life as a whole. According to OECD (2013), politicians and others are beginning
to recognize that in modern societies human capital, i.e. the sum of what all people know
and can contribute to an economy, could be the most important form of capital. . Reading is
therefore, as a source of knowledge, fundamental for human capital. In this regard, Becker
(2002) considers that the best investment is knowledge, that human capital and information
are essential and that the 21st century will mark the revolution of human capital and
knowledge will be - is already - the foundation of every aspect of human life. Therefore,
having the ability to locate, access, understand and reflect on all types of information, in
other words, having literacy in reading, is decisive if individuals are to be able to
participate fully in society.
Reading literacy represents a competence of great importance not only for the
development of individuals, but at the same time for the development of society in general.
Academically and in the world of work, being a competent reader, that is, the one who can
understand a written text, who is able to interpret it, reflect on it and use it, is decisive for
success. Moreover, reading literacy, as a skill that develops throughout life and as the main
source of knowledge, is indispensable for lifelong learning. It is also fundamental for
economic and social development. The knowledge of individuals, much of it acquired
through reading, is an important factor for society and economic development. In a
nutshell, reading literacy allows individuals to achieve their goals, to learn throughout life
and to make their social contribution.
References
Becker, G. (2002). Human Capital. Retrieved from
https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc1/HumanCapital.html
Eurostat Statistics Explained. (2019). Glossary:Lifelong learning. Retrieved from
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Lifelong_learnin
g
Maculotti, G. (2008). Lettera dalla scuola tradita. Retrieved from
https://books.google.co.ve/books?
id=1491oY2Sg90C&printsec=frontcover&hl=es#v=onepage&q&f=false
OECD (2013), PISA 2012 Assessment and Analytical Framework: Mathematics, Reading,
Science, Problem Solving and Financial Literacy, OECD Publishing. Retrieved from
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264190511-en
OECD (2010), Pathways to Success: How Knowledge and Skills at Age 15 Shape Future
Lives in Canada, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264081925-en.
Read. (n.d). In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/read
