Increasing low income women's literacy skills for the workplace and beyond: A review of the literature

Literacy is a basic human right, yet so many women are either denied or severely lacking in those skills which afford a productive livelihood and civically engaged life. Women are the main caregivers and more often the main providers as well. Yet with low literacy skills, single parent female headed households are also impoverished. This paper, taking on the form of a review of the literature, suggests that increasing a woman’s literacy skills is necessary, but that it moves beyond just raising her reading, writing, and math levels. Though women need such skills to enter and be an active part in the workforce, literacy skills may also be viewed as skills needed to be active parents and citizens. Thus, increasing women’s literacy skills moves beyond the workplace into the vicinities of their school, personal, and family and community life as well.  Literacy education is therefore a vestibule action which transforms women’s lives. It is the beginning and only pathway up and out of a life of poverty and dependence on others. It offers women new perspectives, their voices to be heard, and the means to become who they desire.   Key words: Women’s literacy, women’s literacy skills, women literacy effect on family, women and workplace, women’s and family,  women’s literacy programs.