Literacy is related to language while numeracy is related to numbers. They both speak to alternate methods for communication which is vital in the normal life. These both are very important part of day to day life. Literacy is the backbone of communication such as, speaking and listening, all together with reading and writing. Numeracy on the other hand can be considered as the core of problem solving, handling of money, measuring and weighing and also handling the information which is all done in life on daily basis, together with activities like shopping, cooking, checking bills and managing bank accounts.
Literacy can be said as the foremost important skills when it is about the culture and development and for personal growth. It is also very important now-a-days as the economy and society is changing. Digital technology is helping people from all over the globe, business, people and governments to connect with the global world (Mills, 2011).
Like literacy, numeracy is also an important skill in day to day life. Numeracy helps a person in developing problem-solving skills as numbers helps in developing the analytical ability and reasoning ability. Numeracy also helps in controlling and managing budget and finances in normal life as to manage them person should have a good understanding of numbers (Vacher, 2019).
Literacy in traditional terms can be defined as the capability to use the language in written form in active or passive form, or in simpler terms can be said as the ability to read, write and speak (Bazalgette and Buckingham, 2012). Literacy can be explained differently in form of functional and socio-cultural theories. Both theories explain that literacy is important in every aspect of our life (Meisels, 2010).
In functional theory literacy can be explained as the ability to speak, write and read. In normal life everyone needs to communicate either by speaking or by listening, which is very basic in everyone’s life, but sometimes two people who are communicating are not in front of each other physically, the communication is done through emails, chats, messages or any technology. To communicate in such condition person needs to write and read, and this needs the knowledge of language and skills for writing and reading, and this knowledge and skill is termed as literacy (Mills, 2011).
In socio-cultural theory literacy can be defined as the ability to communicate within two cultural boundaries, as in, now-a-days the economy is changing and people are getting more globalized and thus there are higher needs of communication within and outside the boundaries on geographical and cultural basis. Communicating all over the globe is possible only through digital technologies which can be done through writing emails, letters and many such mediums, which surely is done through literacy. Globalization has increased the possibilities of connecting business, people and government throughout the world. All these activities need communication with each other, and thus people of different cultures and boundaries find new ways to communicate and understand their requirements which is termed as literacy (Evans and Ares, 2014).
Numeracy generally is characterized as the abilities to utilize numbers and apply numerical methodologies in every one of the parts of life. Numeracy is equally important as literacy and thus sometimes also referred as ‘mathematical literacy’. Numeracy is basically the knowledge of numbers and applying those numbers in real life (Vacher, 2019). Like literacy the term numeracy can also be explained with two theories functional and socio-cultural.
Numeracy in functional theory can be explained as the skill which uses numbers to solve the problems and also uses numbers in day to day life. Numeracy is a skill that is not taught in the classroom. Numeracy explains the use of numbers like handling money, measuring weights, heights, and also handling daily activities like banking, shopping, checking bills etc (Lusardi, 2012).
Socio-cultural approaches to numeracy or mathematics define the teaching methods and theories in relation with the pattern and assessment of the with regard to the design and the evaluation of inspective learning conditions. According to the teaching front, the requirement is to create a guideline setting which provide the space and relatable tools for students to explain their ideas and perspectives in inspective, social numerical activities. From the evaluation point of view there is a requirement to develop scientific tools that handles a huge description of social learning and interaction which reduces the gap between the social elements of located socio-cultural practices (Evans and Ares, 2014).
Other than just reading and writing literacy can be explained as the ability to identify, understand, create, interpret, communicate and compute using audible, digital and visual measures. In our daily life people communicate with others, and to communicate people speak and listen to them, but in certain situations the person is not present in front of each other and for that they communicate through writing emails, chats and messages and other person receives them and reads to complete the process of communication. This type of communication requires literacy. Since the economy is changing and people all across the globe are connecting with each other, the digitalization is helping to decrease the distance barrier between communications of people. Literacy is thus important to provide that skill to people so that they can understand, communicate and identify easily and clearly (Mills, 2011).
Numeracy is about numbers and in day to day life numbers plays a very important role whether it is just looking at the time or counting money or even doing shopping. Numbers are an integral part of a person’s life, a person in daily life has to manage the money, bank accounts, measuring the height and weight, calculating age and even do additions and deductions on a very regular basis like calculating days, hours and minutes (Vacher, 2011). For all these things person should have a skill of understanding and identifying the numbers and also the skill of problem-solving as numbers help in improving the analytical and reasoning ability. Thus, numeracy will help in developing these skills and hence it is important equally to literacy in day to day life (Gittens, 2015).
It is vital to see progressively about the connections among literacy and numeracy, so as to build our comprehension of both numeracy and literacy in their very own right, and potentially of the components that may impact the nature, treatment and results of literacy and numeracy (Vacher, 2015).
There are a few issues that limit the ends that can be attracted with respect to existing investigations of the impacts of both literacy and numeracy on the nature and results of an individual’s and group’s scientific challenges. One is that most examinations have contrasted kids who have mathematical difficulties and without medical reading troubles, however have not explored the impacts of consistent varieties in literacy and numeracy, similarly inability to grasp the points during their education while sitting in a group or classroom either due to non clarity of the topic or different thoughts or ideas, sometimes stops them to ask the questions in class due to embarrassment which will hinder the development of literacy or numeracy in group level (Vacher, 2014).
Numeracy is certainly not a solitary element however is comprised of numerous segments and distinctive parts that have all the earmarks of being differentially identified with literacy. It is generally discovered that reading challenges are more connected with troubles in recovery of arithmetical certainties than with different parts of number juggling (Lawson et al., 2012).
Literacy likewise has diverse segments: most prominently deciphering capacity and understanding. Most investigations of the connections among literacy and numeracy have not isolated the impacts of deciphering and appreciation. Those analyses, that have differentiated the two, have in general recommended that deciphering is more connected with numeracy; conceivably in light of the fact that phonological mindfulness adds to both while perception is more connected with numerical thinking and word critical thinking.
The key competencies give a structure to investigate and create information, abilities, and frames of mind. These incorporate parts of basic literacy, numeracy, determination in critical thinking, strength in misfortune, and teaming up with others to accomplish objectives. People who are literate and numerate are progressively ready to oversee and impact the social, enthusiastic, and physical settings that shape their lives.
These literacy and numeracy competencies have a great impact on person’s life whether functional, educational, or professional. Competency like using language, symbols and texts can impact life as in different languages, symbols like mathematical symbols; graphs and figures can be used to constitute the feelings and ideas. These can be used to increase the clarity of message and also make it more interesting in functional life. In educational life these symbols make the assignments more eyes catching and also help students in making their assignments more precise. In work life these symbols and languages help a person in connecting with other partners on global platform and thus increasing their professional connections (Mills, 2011).
Critical thinking helps people in understanding and thinking about the entire world in many different ways. People use these thinking abilities to solve their issues, thinking and solving problems can take time, however more time taken in thinking results in better ideas and solutions. In every level of life whether functional, educational or professional listening, reading, and reacting on the discussions with others is important. These discussions and questions give a deeper understanding of any topic (Vacher and Wallace, 2013).
Conclusion
Both literacy and numeracy have an important and different role in every stage of a person’s life whether it is functional, educational or professional. Literacy is about the language and numeracy is about the numbers. Language is a mode to communicate and numbers is to manage the person’s life in form of counting and calculating and enhancing problem solving skills which enhances the reasoning ability. Literacy and numeracy both have a huge importance with the changing economy and increasing globalization, thus literacy helps in using language for communication throughout the world either through reading or writing and numeracy helps in managing day to day life starting from managing money or budget of regular living and handling accounts of banks and regular activities of daily life like measuring weight and height, calculating age and days etc. It can be concluded that literacy and numeracy have equal weightage in a person’s life, one helps in enhancing language skills and other in numerical or mathematical skills.
References
Bazalgette, C. and Buckingham, D. (2012). Literacy, media and multimodality: a critical response. Literacy, vol. 47(2), pp.95-102.
Evans, D. and Ares, N. (2014). Mathematics and Numeracy as Social and Spatial Practice. Education Research International, vol. 3(1), pp.1-6.
Gittens, C. (2015). Assessing Numeracy in the Upper Elementary and Middle School Years. Numeracy, vol. 8(1), pp.3-33.
Lawson, H., Layton, L., Goldbart, J., Lacey, P. and Miller, C. (2012). Conceptualisations of literacy and literacy practices for children with severe learning difficulties. Literacy, vol. 46(2), pp.101-108.
Lusardi, A. (2012). Numeracy, Financial Literacy, and Financial Decision-Making. Numeracy, vol. 5(1), pp.3-14
Meisels, G. (2010). Science Literacy: Hand in Glove with Numeracy. Numeracy, vol. 3(2), pp.1-5
Mills, C. (2011). Framing literacy policy: power and policy drivers in primary schools. Literacy, vol. 45(3), pp.103-110.
Vacher, H. (2011). A LEAP Forward for Quantitative Literacy. Numeracy, vol. 4(2), pp.1-6.
Vacher, H. (2014). Looking at the Multiple Meanings of Numeracy, Quantitative Literacy, and Quantitative Reasoning. Numeracy, vol. 7(2). pp.2-16.
Vacher, H. (2015). Educational Assessment Is an Enduring Theme of Numeracy. Numeracy, vol. 8(1), pp.1-2.
Vacher, H. (2019). The Second Decade of Numeracy: Entering the Seas of Literacy. Numeracy, vol. 12(1). pp.1-20.
Vacher, H. and Wallace, D. (2013). The Scope of Numeracy after Five Years. Numeracy, vol. 6(1). pp.2-15.
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