1994, 1996 and 1998, the international adult literacy survey was conducted in about 20 countries in three stages, which was an unprecedented large-scale survey. This survey measures literacy from the perspective of literature, literature and quantity, and collects information about personal socio-economic background. For example, the tests used can measure the ability to find and use information in job applications and the ability to calculate loan interest. The survey divided individuals into five literacy levels, ranging from 0 to 500 points, not just literacy and illiteracy. The results show that a large number of adults are relatively weak in reading, writing and computing.

According to the traditional method, from 2000 to 2004, there were 7765438+ billion illiterates in the world. The 2005 Global Education for All Monitoring Report pointed out that if the literacy skills are evaluated by new measurement methods, the number of adults with little or no skills will far exceed the 771million measured by traditional methods.

In a society with high literacy rate and developed education, illiterate groups still exist. International surveys show that even in most developed countries with outstanding adult literacy achievements, such as Northern Europe, the skill level of about 65,438+00% of the population is almost higher than the lowest level due to poverty, low socio-economic status, poor health and disability. Literacy does not mean having professional skills. In Morocco, 45% examiners said they could read, but only 33% showed basic literacy.

In the past, literacy only focused on literacy teaching, and the goal of literacy only focused on literacy itself. Nowadays, literacy is placed in a wider educational and socio-economic environment, and literacy also includes the acquisition, development and effective use of literacy knowledge, and literacy pays more attention to functional literacy. Even literate people may become new illiterates.