Abstract

To meet the demands of society, the educational community as a cornerstone uses the concept of literacy. However, this concept is not univocal and has been permeated by different trends and research breakthroughs. This article seeks to understand the concept of literacy through the analysis of some of the theories that have been set. three-dimensional analysis are considered: the discipline that underpins the proposal literacy; the view of the phenomenon and educational focus. The discussion realizes the convergences and divergences between theories and revised proposals recognizing four major areas of tension for teacher training: the shift to learning, situated nature, sociological and political framework of literacy, and the differences between teacher training and public policy.