Different Kinds of Literacy: A Dive into Informational, Content, and Functional Literacy

Literacy is a critical part of education, supporting students’ ability to navigate various types of texts and contexts effectively. Understanding the different types of literacy and how they affect the way students learn is crucial for educators.

Let’s explore three key types of literacy: informational, content, and functional literacy and how educators can help students develop literacy skills that go beyond just reading and writing.

Informational Literacy

Informational literacy equips students with the skills to navigate, evaluate, and effectively use information from various sources. In a digital age brimming with information, being informationally literate is crucial for critically analyzing the content encountered.

By providing students with assignments and projects that require them to gather information from diverse sources, you can help them strengthen their informational literacy. Classroom libraries with many different text types can help students practice this literacy. 

Content Literacy

Content literacy focuses on mastering the specific language and literacy skills associated with various academic subjects like math and English.

It goes beyond general reading and writing skills and involves strategies like writing practices, explicit instruction on disciplinary vocabulary, and specific writing practices that help students understand, remember, and use the information presented in content-specific texts.

Teachers can practically contribute to developing content literacy among students by collaborating across subjects. These techniques help students develop foundational skills, comprehend and better engage with content across different disciplines. Text sets can help grow students’ familiarity with specific content areas. 

Functional Literacy

Functional literacy involves ensuring students possess the reading, writing, and numeracy skills necessary to handle practical, everyday tasks that they will encounter both in school and at home. 

This includes understanding instructions, following written procedures, reading signs, and navigating informational texts.

Educators can help promote functional literacy by integrating writing skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills into the curriculum. This could be in the form of implementing a project-based learning activity that integrates real-world tasks or reading and discussing texts that address things students relate with and face on a daily basis. Decodable books and plenty of access to reading materials help students build their functional literacy. 

We’re here to help you set your students up for success! Contact our literacy specialists today for samples.