Literacy

By my definition, to say someone is "literate" means they have the ability to proficiently read and write.  "Proficiently" in this sense means reading and writing at a level which allows that person to function in basic society.  They can read bills, newspapers, and other life essentials.  Having a higher level of literacy would then mean possessing the ability to read at a higher level--dense academic papers and the like.  Someone who is "illiterate" is someone who can not yet read/write at the basic level required by society.  Reading and writing are an essential part of functioning in society.  They allow us to communicate with others, gather news, navigate using signs-the uses are endless.  The gap between literate and illiterate, then, is an important one.  Being illiterate would make functioning in society much more difficult (though not impossible).  As teachers, it is our job to at least provide students with enough skills to read the important documents and communicate with others in their lives.  A higher level of literacy would be preferred but is not absolutely essential at the basic level.