Preliterate for Dummies

Preliterate is a word that describes someone who has not yet learned how to read or write. It refers to the period of time before a person has gained the skills needed for literacy. Imagine a storybook filled with letters, words, and sentences. When you are preliterate, it's like looking at that book and only seeing pictures, without being able to understand the words and sentences that make up the story.

Let's compare being preliterate to learning how to ride a bike.

Think about when you were first learning how to ride a bike. Before you could pedal on your own, balance, and steer, you were in a pre-riding stage. You might have watched other kids riding their bikes and thought, "Wow, that looks so fun! I want to do that too!" But you didn't yet have the skills or knowledge needed to actually ride the bike by yourself.

In the same way, when you are preliterate, you might see books and see others reading, and you might feel excited to be able to do that too. But just like learning to ride a bike, becoming literate takes time, patience, and practice.

Now let's explore another definition of "preliterate".

Preliterate can also be used to describe cultures or societies that did not yet have a written language or a system of writing. In the past, before humans invented writing, there were many different groups of people who communicated and shared stories through speaking and listening rather than through written words.

Imagine it's ancient times, and people are sitting around a campfire, sharing stories about their adventures. They pass down their knowledge and history through spoken words, rather than writing it down. They have their own traditions, songs, and dances, but they haven't yet developed a way to record and preserve their stories in written form. These cultures would be considered preliterate because they did not have the ability to read or write.

So, to summarize, when we say someone is preliterate, it means they haven't yet learned how to read or write. It can also describe cultures that didn't have a written language. Becoming literate is like learning to ride a bike – it takes time, practice, and the development of important skills. Like riding a bike opens up new adventures, becoming literate opens up a whole new world of learning and understanding. With patience and support, everyone can become literate and unlock the power of words!