Multi Modal Project for English 1050

1. How literacy relates
to critical thinking
By: Somora Edwards

2. •
“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern
society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of
development, an essential complement to investments in
roads, dams, clinics and factories. Literacy is a platform for
democratization, and a vehicle for the promotion of cultural and national
identity. Especially for girls and women, it is an agent of family health and
nutrition. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in
general, a basic human right.... Literacy is, finally, the road to human
progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can
realize his or her full potential.”
- Kofi Annan

3. WHAT IS LITERACY?
•
Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write. Also it means to have knowledge on a
particular subject or field.
WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?
•
Critical thinking is defined as the mental process of actively and skillfully
conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating
information to reach an answer or conclusion.

4. • This graph shows illiteracy percentages with in the USA in 2003 , as you can see
down south has the higher rates.
• About 85% of the USA is literate leaving about 15% illiterate. That’s not too bad
but in todays modern world that 15% will not be very successful.

5. HOW IT ALL RELATES
To be able to read and write is important when it comes to critical thinking. Reading is a form
of understanding which leads to critical thinking. They relate directly to each other.
Being able to read and understand and think critically help you accomplish three goals and
these are:
•
•
Recognize the purpose of a subject
Understand tone and persuasive elements
•
To recognize bias

6. This example shows the
correlation between the
two. If you cant read the
statement you cant
answer the question
EXAMPLE
“Mike walked into the kitchen because his stomach was growling.”
Just by being able to read that
statement is showing that you
are literate.
Thinking critically: Why would mike walk into the kitchen if his
stomach was growling?
He went into the kitchen to get food.

7. CONCLUSION
•
Literacy directly relates to critical thinking, you cant
do one with out the other. They both are forms of
understanding, to be literate is only the beginning to be
able to think critically is what helps you gain a higher
form of understanding

9. Sources
•
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/literacy
•
www.google.com
•
http://dictionary.reference.com/
•
http://www.missourieconomy.org/images/newsletter/
•
http://www.slideshare.net/JulieGray2011/critical-reading-and-thinking