The Roots of Illiteracy Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Roots of Illiteracy A problem that pervades our society and threatens to undermine all told of the advances of our culture is analphabetism. Why is illiteracy so prominent in the United States? In such a diverse culture the causes of illiteracy cannot be easily pointed out. The United States has sensation of the most expensive higher educational systems in the world, yet 43% of adults discover at a level that scarcely makes it possible to prevail in society. Almost 22% of adults are not be qualified to find their street on a road map. (McGuinness, p. 9) One in five adults cannot read a road sign, fill out an application, or read an ingredient label ( aim 1). High schools give diplomas to graduating classes where 20% read at a second grade level or worse (Level 1). College graduates do not score much better with 12% commensurate to read at a fourth grade level or worse (Level 2). Should society be concerned when only 3% of the state are capable of reading and comprehe nding a jury selection portray? Is the educational system to blame for churning out kids who can merely function in society? Are the elementary school teachers at fault because they pass students to the next grade level when they are incapable(p) of putting their simplest ideas on paper? Or is it biological, stemming from learning disorders or learning ability damage? All of these forces affect our countrys inability to read. (Level 1-minimal level of competence Level 2-barely literate up to Level 5-advanced level 3% of all adults scored Level 5 McGuinness, p. 9-10) The possibility that children do not learn to read because of physical causes has been the focus of many studies. Dyslexia is common problem and can be successfully overcome with the appropriate ins... .... (Elley, p.228) To solve the problem of illiteracy in the U.S. and the world will take time and a better consciousness of the many causes that create our society of readers. The value of literacy for achieving f ulfilling, productive, expanding and participating lives of freedom in modern societies is undoubted, and unquestioned. At the same time, however, literacy does not seem to be healthful understood. &endashH. Graff (Ed.). (1981). Literacy and social development in the west A reader. Works Cited Elley, Warwick B. 1994. The I.E.A. aim of Reading Literacy Achievement and Instruction in Thirty-Two School Systems, smashing Britain, Pergamon. McEwan, Elaine K. 1989. The Principals Guide to Raising Reading Achievement, Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin Press. McGuinness, Diane. 1997. Why Our Children Cant Read, New York, The submit Press.