The last of eight related documents, this booklet is part of a series of papers presented at the 1978 National Right to Read Conference examining issues and problems in literacy. In examining the impact of the back to basics movement on literacy, the booklet cites evidence that the movement suffers from a lack of consensus on the meaning of literacy. It then develops a concept of literacy, using two perspectives to analyze the concept's two interdependent strands: the first referring to learning the language by eye as well as by ear, and the second referring to learning new vocabulary and concepts found in print and new skills for processing printed information. (HTH)