Cultural literacy: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Peter Shank
(bibliography => references, wikified citations)
imported>David H. Barrett
(A little bit of housekeeping.)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{subpages}}
{{subpages}}


'''Cultural Literacy''' is the ability to understand the shared background knowledge, idioms, and references used by literate people in a given nation or culture. It's the common familiarity with names, places, and events that provides the context in which we comprehend a news story or a political debate. Whereas decoding, vocabulary, and grammar are sufficient to understand "He completed the journey with grim determination," cultural literacy is necessary to understand that "He completed the journey like [[Sherman]] marching to the sea."
'''Cultural literacy''' is the ability to understand the shared background knowledge, idioms, and references used by literate people in a given nation or culture. It is the common familiarity with names, places, and events that provides the context in which we comprehend a news story or a political debate. Whereas decoding, vocabulary, and grammar are sufficient to understand "He completed the journey with grim determination",  cultural literacy is necessary to understand "He completed the journey like [[Sherman]] marching to the sea".


Hirsch
Hirsch
Line 33: Line 33:
}}.
}}.


 
* Hirsch, E.D. Jr., et al (eds). 2002. ''The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. 3rd edn. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
E. D. Hirsch, Jr., et al, editors. (2002). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Revision as of 18:12, 22 August 2008

This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

Cultural literacy is the ability to understand the shared background knowledge, idioms, and references used by literate people in a given nation or culture. It is the common familiarity with names, places, and events that provides the context in which we comprehend a news story or a political debate. Whereas decoding, vocabulary, and grammar are sufficient to understand "He completed the journey with grim determination", cultural literacy is necessary to understand "He completed the journey like Sherman marching to the sea".

Hirsch

Educational Reform Controversy

References

Hirsch, Jr., E. D., Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, Boston: Houghton Mifflin (published 1987), ISBN, ISBN 0-395-43095-X [e].

  • Hirsch, E.D. Jr., et al (eds). 2002. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. 3rd edn. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.