Functional Literacy and New English Language Teaching Skills

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Contrastive Linguistics, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia

Abstract

The concept of functional literacy is reintroduced and discussed in this article. Since the term's inception on an international stage, we discuss several ways in which it has been interpreted in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. This ambiguity enables one to concentrate on professional endeavors while also explaining the term "functional literacy's" appeal to policymakers in the field of English language instruction. "Functional" is frequently interpreted in the context of assessing professional competencies and skills, among other, more recent developments. Assessment and comparison of texts and literacy levels through the use of reading aids and tests were motivated by the desire to associate literacy with employment prospects. In the framework of England's larger historical and political environment, we present a case study of the current state of literacy. The ambiguity of the term "functional literacy" explains its appeal to policymakers in the field of English language instruction in England, as it provides the historical and theoretical context that has been absent from recent policy announcements regarding adult literacy. We also identify correlations with broader policy contexts in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Keywords

Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics
Volume 14, Issue 3
Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Research in Applied Linguistics (ICRAL 2023), October 30, 2023, Kazan, Russia
October 2023
Pages 104-108

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