Illiteracy In The United States
Depot
The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
in Discussions
<div class="IPBDescription">State by state analysis. How to change?</div> <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Illiteracy rates vary considerably from one state to another, from less than 3 percent in Wyoming and Utah to more than 10 percent in Texas and California over the four-year period of 2000 to 2003.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I find these figures unacceptable, especially with Texas at the top and California right behind them. <a href='http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/2005/Apr/Felix.htm' target='_blank'>View your state here</a>.
What is the best way to bring these numbers down? Are educators doing enough to promote reading programs at a young age? Does pre-kindergarten really help?
Discuss ... .. .
I find these figures unacceptable, especially with Texas at the top and California right behind them. <a href='http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/2005/Apr/Felix.htm' target='_blank'>View your state here</a>.
What is the best way to bring these numbers down? Are educators doing enough to promote reading programs at a young age? Does pre-kindergarten really help?
Discuss ... .. .
Comments
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Texas Counties </b>
In Texas, five counties were included in the census multi-year analytical profiles. Their illiteracy rates are included in the <a href='http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/2005/Apr/Felix.htm#Txilliteracyrates' target='_blank'>box here</a>. Their rates range from 6.60 percent to 12.48 percent in the period covered. Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, has been near the top with rates ranging from 9.52 to 12.72 percent. In 2003, its estimated rate was 11.30 percent, which suggests that nearly 100,000 people were illiterate that year.
Harris and Dallas counties have also been at the top of the list with 11.50 and 10.70 percent in 2003, respectively. That translates to nearly 250,000 and 150,000 people in these counties who were illiterate, respectively. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Texas Cities </b>
As geographic units, three Texas cities were included in the longitudinal sampling, given their large populations. Their illiteracy rates also are included in <a href='http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/2005/Apr/Felix.htm#citiesilliteracyrates' target='_blank'>box here</a>. Their rates range from 10.51 percent to 15.81 percent in the period covered. With a 12.47 percent rate in 2003, San Antonio had more than 90,000 people who were illiterate. Houston (14.13 percent) and Dallas (13.88 percent) had more than 168,000 and 102,000 people who were illiterate in 2003, respectively. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><b>San Antonio’s </b>illiteracy rate has fluctuated between 10.51 percent and 13.82 percent in the period 2000 to 2003. The year 2001 was a particularly good one, when the rate dropped about 2 percentage points from the previous year. However, the number of individuals who were illiterate in that population generally has exceeded 90,000 during the period (<a href='http://www.idra.org/Newslttr/2005/Apr/Felix.htm#sailliteracyrates' target='_blank'>see box here</a>).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I really can't think of anyway to get around that, some will want to learn and others will not. If they don't want to learn I have no issues with them flipping my burgers for me. (Mc D's doesn't flip their burgers, but they do flip the fries yay!)
<!--QuoteBegin-m-w+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (m-w)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
1. having little or no education; especially : unable to read or write
2 a : showing or marked by a lack of familiarity with language and literature b : violating approved patterns of speaking or writing
3 : showing or marked by a lack of acquaintance with the fundamentals of a particular field of knowledge
A person who has had some schooling but does not meet a minimum standard of literacy
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I really can't think of anyway to get around that, some will want to learn and others will not. If they don't want to learn I have no issues with them flipping my burgers for me. (Mc D's doesn't flip their burgers, but they do flip the fries yay!) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree. Culturally, it isn't cool to do well in school. It's difficult to fix culture. One thing that I would suggest is to raise the salary for teachers. Right now, most highly motivated, highly competent youth become doctors, lawyers, businessmen, engineers, etc. If the pay for teachers was higher then we would attract better teachers. Better teachers motivate their students to a higher degree than mediocre teachers do.
And yeah, people pretend to be dumb to be "cool" here too.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><b>How is adult literacy measured?</b>
When literacy was simply a synonym for reading skill, it was typically measured in grade-level equivalents. In other words, an adult's literacy skill was described as equivalent to reading at a grade in the kindergarten-12th grade system.
A more complex, more realistic conception of literacy that emphasizes its uses in adult activities helped create momentum for new forms of literacy measurement. To determine the literacy skills of American adults, the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) used test items that resembled everyday life tasks involving prose, document and quantitative skills. The NALS classified the results into five levels that are now commonly used to describe adults' literacy skills.
Almost all adults in Level 1 can read a little but not well enough to fill out an application, read a food label, or read a simple story to a child. Adults in Level 2 usually can perform more complex tasks such as comparing, contrasting, or integrating pieces of information, but usually not higher level reading and problem-solving skills. Adults in levels 3 through 5 usually can perform the same types of more complex tasks on increasingly lengthy and dense texts and documents.
In July 2005, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) will give us new information. It will be a short, general audience report that discusses the key NAAL findings and examines trends between 1992 and 2003. A comprehensive survey report detailing the findings in a more in-depth manner is scheduled for release in December 2005. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But general trends in which places are worse than others are a little more reliable, and California seems to rank pretty badly in almost all estimates.
Edit: Taking Depot's "Level 1 proficiency" definition, I found a study placing 25% of California in that category. <a href='http://nces.ed.gov/naal/pdf/state_summaries/California.pdf' target='_blank'>California Literacy Study</a> Another 23% of California adults were in Level 2.
Then there are libraries, and the bloody Internet...there really is no excuse for not getting an education anymore. Anything you want to know, you can find/learn for free, given a computer with online capabilities, and there are _very_ few people in this country with no way of accessing the internet. If you live in even a moderatley sized community, there should be a public library with internet access nearby. If you live in a city, forget it. You can't blame the problem entirely on the schools while completely overlooking how much technology kids are surrounded with every day.
I would imagine it all comes down to motivation, if you want to learn something you well, if not then no amount of schooling can help you, but it can sure as hell **** you off.
Our entire school system needs to be revamped. The concept of a "well rounded student" (read: barely proficient in fair amount of subjects) needs to be done away with. I'm not saying a child shouldn't be exposed to as many fields as possible, but let’s face it; by the beginning of high school most kids have a pretty good idea of their strengths and weaknesses.
Also the time scheduling for schools needs to be readjusted. School needs to start later in the morning, around 10:00/11:00 and last till 4:00/5:00. Countless studies have proven that the body rhythms of teenagers are much different then that of adults, yet by the time a teen is coming into a state of full mental capacity much of the school day has elapsed.
Also more "hands on" activates and in-school social events would help to break up the mind/soul crushing monotony that can easily set in. That kind of monotony is fine for a factory job where you already know everything you need to know, but it does little to promote active learning where people have to be in a decent mood with an open mind.
The entire dynamics of the class room need to be reworked. Classes should focus more on discussion and debate rather then busywork and lectures. This would go a long way to rooting out the morons and slackers that have no place in the system. I can't even begin to count the number of kids I knew who skidded by their classes because they behaved in class and copied all their busy work from a friend.
Of course we need better, more motivated teachers as well, but coming from a Catholic school I can't really complain. My teachers were some of the most dedicated professionals I have ever met, and they did it for far less pay.
Meh that’s enough for now, I always get worked when talking about the school system for some reason...
Also more "hands on" activates and in-school social events would help to break up the mind/soul crushing monotony that can easily set in. That kind of monotony is fine for a factory job where you already know everything you need to know, but it does little to promote active learning where people have to be in a decent mood with an open mind.
The entire dynamics of the class room need to be reworked. Classes should focus more on discussion and debate rather then busywork and lectures. This would go a long way to rooting out the morons and slackers that have no place in the system. I can't even begin to count the number of kids I knew who skidded by their classes because they behaved in class and copied all their busy work from a friend. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I couldn't agree with you more. While I cannot afford it anymore... (GG tuition going up 100% since i started) I've had a much better experience learning here at college. (admittedly some of my classes gave me flashbacks to highschool)
It surprises me how people are not upset with how our high schools work currently. (Mostly social skill development)
I'm sure they are more worried about the current price of gas and what famous person is breaking the law.
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<b>
o</b> Per capita income in countries with a literacy rate less than 55 percent averages about $600
<b>o</b> Per capita income in countries with a literacy rate between 55 and 84 percent is $2,400
<b>o</b> Per capita income in countries with a literacy rate between 85 and 95 percent is $3,700
<b>o</b> Per capita income in countries with a literacy rate above 96 percent is $12,600
<a href='http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112734/page1.htm' target='_blank'>Common causes of illiteracy:</a><ul><li>Dyslexia</li><li>Central Auditory Processing Disorders</li><li>Short Term Memory Disorders</li></ul>
School time is absolute murder. I'm running 35-40 hours of sleep a week (just over 5 a night), and I have little to no immune system anymore. Teenagers need somewhere from 8-10 hours. You can't expect a teenager to be going to bed at 8:00 PM when they're in a school sport until 5:00 PM, and eat dinner at 6'ish. I am as good as illiterate come Thursday (here I am <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> ), then it's back to praying that I can make up a 15-20 hour sleep debt over the weekend (read: impossible).
I would propose making a basic literacy/comprehension test to apply for a job. It'd need to be a nationally/state made one to keep it objective, of course. Not SAT's or anything, but for example know what "Employees must wash their hands" means.
As for teachers, where I am the teachers aren't overpaid or anything (if you've heard of Council Rock in my area where the teachers strike to earn over 100k, that's not me). I LOVE my current English and Global/European History teachers who both seriously know their stuff and are deserving of respect. I hate some others, who I know other people like. You can't blame the teachers, because you have the resources to learn either way in any class. I've literally been teaching myself two of my classes while sleeping during any/all note taking. Often times the stuff is really not that hard, it's just the cool thing to do to **** about anything assigned.
all good except I disagree with this little part here.
I just think it is imperetive to expose kids to a wide range of subjects and topics at least through high school becuase teaching children in a well rounded manner produces better human beings.
I dont want my son or daughter to attend school only to learn how to calculate math without appreciating poetry or flag football.
we use the ancient greek style of education and it works, the only problem is that there are other forces at work who try to diminish or completely obliterate school influence, that would be things like television, videogames, etc....
The crackdown needs to come in those areas, FROM PARENTS (mind you not Big Brother).
I also agree that public schools arn't total crap. Sure, I had some teachers who didn't seem to know their stuff very well, but for the most part, my teachers were fine.
If a child hates a certain subject and constantly does poorly in it, he/she shouldn't be forced to take that class simply because it's part of a generic curriculum requirement.
We’ve all seen the kids who don’t do anything in a certain class because they absolutely dislike the subject. Do they get anything out of it? No. You have to want to learn.
Like I said, if we rooted out the kids who don't give a **** and only go to school because they have to then classes could be custom tailored to reflect what a child excels in at an earlier grade level.
But by no means should someone’s choices be limited from day one.
The time when people generally learn to read is when they are quite young, but with the TV around, they'd rather watch TV then actually have to work at learning to read. This is compounded by parents who quite often come home from work and relax in front of the TV for a couple hours, the kids will want to do this aswell.
With this chunk of their time spent in front of the TV, kids are conditioned to watch TV rather then read something when they are bored (trapped inside on a rainy day for example). Because of this, some of the kids who would be literate if they didn't have access to the TV are now considered illeterate instead, pushing up the illeteracy rate.
I'm not saying that the TV is the only cause for illeteracy, but I do think it is one of the larger factors that contribute to it.
Diazo
It is sad when a man of at least 40, has to ask his mother to COUNT HIS MONEY at the register... (not to pick on anyone person, but I felt pure pity for the guy.)
He may not have been the most intelligent person in the world, but basic functions should be required.
I doubt TV plays all that much of a part of the process, I can cite myself as an example, my parents watched a lot of TV and it never really interested me the way books did. I suppose my imagination was a bit better then the television could portray, but I don't think it is the "norm" to assume all kids want to watch TV some do it more out of habit then anything else.
In HS, some weeks i'd goto bed at around 3AM, wake up at 6AM, come home, do work, etc. and keep that up all week. By friday night i'd sleep 12-14 hours straight. It's just how my body wanted me to keep my sleep schedule.
In college you have more control. EVERYBODY tries to avoid the dreaded "8AM nightmare" classes, and i've been able to keep my earliest ones at 11AM. I'd rather take a 6:30PM class than an 8AM one. (Though one semester I had both in one day. bleh)
We’ve all seen the kids who don’t do anything in a certain class because they absolutely dislike the subject. Do they get anything out of it? No. You have to want to learn.
Like I said, if we rooted out the kids who don't give a **** and only go to school because they have to then classes could be custom tailored to reflect what a child excels in at an earlier grade level.
But by no means should someone’s choices be limited from day one. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ok, I misunderstood your post.
I'm not sure how much of a part custom tailored classes could really play in a public HS. Sure, private schools would have it easier to introduce custom tailored classes, it would just take too much time/money for it to really become a reality in a public institution. Thats what I think at least. Plus, a lot of officals/parents would throw fits over drastic changes tot he curriculum. It would take a long time to pass through the system.
I feel that even if a student doesn't like a class, he/she must still try his hardest. Allowing them to sidestep the class may not be the best option. Allowing them to take an easy way out wouldn't allow them to build any type of work ethic. Though, I see how forcing students to take a class they don't like does in many ways waste time and money because they will be unmotivated to learn. The thing that separates the "real" studendts from the "slackers" is work ethic. Thats what I think at least.
Motivation also plays a key role. If a student is motivated to learn, he/she will be able to accomplish just about anything. The trouble is, finding ways to motivate some people. I think that a lot of a person's motivation must come from within them, though it never really hurts to have an outside force to drive people along.
Thats a lot of "I think's" and "I feel's". Sorry if the post didn't make a whole lot of sense to some of you. Not really fact, just my opinion.
I'm sure that <i>legal</i> immigration from Central America and further south has quite a lot to do with it as well. While many may speak American English, not many will be able to read or write it, making them illiterate.
I would think illegal immigration has an impact on Texas' high illiteracy rate too.
I doubt TV plays all that much of a part of the process, I can cite myself as an example, my parents watched a lot of TV and it never really interested me the way books did. I suppose my imagination was a bit better then the television could portray, but I don't think it is the "norm" to assume all kids want to watch TV some do it more out of habit then anything else. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Okay, I could have said this better.
What I was trying to say was the fact that the TV exists, and is an entertainment medium that doesn't require you to be literate, will result in a higher illeteracy rate simply by existing.
Yes, for most people the presense or absense of a TV will not determine if they are litterate or illiterate, but there is that small group of people who you can point a finger at and say "the TV was the reason you are illeterate".
Best example I can thing of is:
If you're trapped inside on a rainy day, what do you do to have fun or occupy your time if you have no TV?
Almost every answer that is not chores (cleaning up your room, dishes, etc.) requires you to be literate.
Diazo
The more friends, the more distraction.
No friends = no one to talk to to keep entertained = entertaining oneself with studies = good grades but poor social skills.
Ban friends.