Literacy & Education

SIL's Definition of Literacy 

Literacy is the ability and social practice to decode, understand, interpret and critically engage with written text and to express oneself in writing in the language(s) one uses, facilitating life-long learning communication in multiple mediums, active participation in wider society, and personal flourishing. 

SIL works with local communities, government and non-government agencies and national institutions to establish mother tongue-based literacy and multilingual education programs for children, youth and adults who speak non-dominant languages.

Members of non-dominant language communities are frequently marginalized socially, politically, economically and educationally. 

Speakers of non-dominant languages constitute just eight percent of the total world population but over forty percent of those classified as non-literate.     

SIL members encourage and support sustainable, community-centered literacy and education programs that enable speakers of non-dominant languages to achieve their educational goals using a language (or languages) they speak and understand. 

See What We Do for more information on the work of SIL in Literacy and Education

New Resource

Good Answers to Tough Questions Vol 2

 

 

UNESCO's International Literacy Day - September
International Literacy Day Quiz
Learn about global literacy and SIL's involvement.