Literacy: An International Handbook

The written word has a rich and varied history, one which transcends different disciplines, contexts—even countries. Literacy: An International Handbook is an ambitious, interdisciplinary survey from around the globe. This volume of eighty-two original essays tackles a wide array of scholarly and social issues—from early reading to adult literacy—through a far-reaching, international perspective. Editors Daniel A. Wagner, Richard Venezky, and Brian Street have assembled, for the first time anywhere, the definitive compendium of worldwide literacy issues, unrivaled in its breadth, attention to international issues, and cross-disciplinary nature. Contributors approach the conceptualization of literacy from different disciplines, perspectives, and historical situations: What have been the consequences and implications of the acquisition of literacy for societies and for individuals, at different points in time and in different cultural contexts? How has the diagnosis and remediation of reading and writing disabilities of both children and adults changed over the years? What is the significance of literacy in and for religious practices? How are literacy and numeracy linked conceptually and theoretically? How does gender intersect with literacy development? Literacy tackles these questions and many more. Divided into ten sections, the book includes readings on the following topics: Historical and Philosophical Roots; Psychology of Reading; Sociology/Anthropology; Linguistics and Literacy; Curriculum and Instruction; Literacy Assessment; Numeracy; Policy Perspectives; Contemporary Regional Perspectives; and Looking Ahead at Literacy.