Two hundred years ago, literacy meant being able to read and write. Today people find themselves with many literacies in a nation that is considered ninety-nine percent literate. The plethora of literacies has just given birth to another term--transliteracy. Transliteracy is the ability to read, listen to, view, understand, synthesize, and apply…

This paper discusses the role of a writing centre in creating spaces for talk about and change in disciplinary writing pedagogy. It asks how collaborative partnerships between disciplinary academics and Writing Centre practitioners might be established and nurtured sustainably. Drawing on insights from two collaborations with academics in…

Currently students who struggle with language and literacy learning are classified with various labels in different states--language learning disabilities, dyslexia, specific language impairment, and specific learning disability--in spite of having similar diagnostic profiles. Drawing on the research on comprehension of written language, we…

This paper comments on the topic of literacy and politics by answering a question: "Why can't literacy educators seem to reach the politicians?" The discussion in the paper shows how educators and politicians communicate in different languages; when speaking about education educators tend to use their own jargon, while policymakers tend…

In response to the need for attention and support perceived by participants in a summer institute for building equity in early literacy, this booklet offers 12 pieces of advice for teachers and administrators trying to implement school literacy improvement plans. The advice presented in the booklet is: (1) do not be intimidated by other people's…

The "health literacy environment" of a healthcare facility represents the expectations, preferences, and skills of those providing health information and services. Some of these demands are in the form of physical aspects of the hospital or health center, such as signs and postings. At the same time, access to and navigation of health…

Recent history of policy development for adult literacy and basic education (ALBE) in Australia is in need of scrutiny. Two lines of analysis are useful for framing developments in language policy in Australia: the first examines the ways in which professional cultures operate to influence policy and the second looks at orientations in policy.…