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 with increasing length and subject matter (Ibid).
Very few adults are completely illiterate; they simply fall into the lower levels of literacy. Between 21 and 23% of the adult population or approximately 44 million people, according to the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), scored in Level 1. Another 25-28% of the adult population, or between 45 and 50 million people, scored in Level 2. Literacy experts believe that adults with skills at Levels 1 and 2 lack a sufficient foundation of basic skills to function successfully in our society. This is a relatively serious societal problem -- literally million of adults who are unable to do many of the tasks most of us take for granted. In fact:
7 million Americans are illiterate.
50% of adults cannot read a book written at an eighth grade level.
20% of Americans are functionally illiterate and read below a 5th grade level.
30 million Americans cannot read a simple sentence.
How Illiteracy Affects Job Prospects
3 out of 4 people on welfare cannot read.
75% of today's jobs require at least a ninth-grade reading level.
27 million are unable to read well enough to complete a job application.
20% of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage.
50% of the unemployed people who fall between the ages of 16 and 21 cannot read well enough to be considered functionally literate.
Between 46 and 51% of American adults have an income well below the individual threshold poverty level because of their inability to read.
Of the Gross National Product, only 5.3% is spent on public education.
How Illiteracy Affects Society
3 out of 5 people in an American prison cannot read.
Low literacy is strongly related to crime. 70% of prisoners fall into the lowest two levels of reading proficiency.
85% of juvenile offenders have problems reading.
Approximately 50% of Americans read so poorly that they are unable to perform simple tasks such as balancing a checkbook and reading prescription drug labels.
To determine how many prison beds will be needed in future years, some states actually base part of their projection on how well current elementary students are performing on reading tests.
How Illiteracy Costs Taxpayers
Illiteracy costs American taxpayers an estimated $20 billion each year.
Illiteracy has been proven to cause children to drop out of school. Dropouts cost our nation $240 billion in social service expenditures and lost tax revenues (Baker, 2008).
Individual tutoring is the normal solution for illiteracy, while small group tutoring is more common in English literacy programs. Instructional methods vary depending on the learner's personal goals and learning style. There are many ways that literate citizens may help in their communities. Indeed, almost every American community is begging for literacy volunteers, and have programs set up during various times of the day so students and teachers n more easily interact. Government is also working to end illiteracy. The federal government provided over $500 million for adult education and family literacy programs in 2005. This funding enables millions to participate in basic education programs that help people help themselves. Federal adult education funds average an additional $800 million each year in state funds for literacy, and millions of dollars in private funding. That government, regardless of administration, realizes the importance of literacy is an outstanding opportunity for inner city groups to take advantage of these programs. and, while funding is available, it is not always enough to supply the needs of smaller communities, or rural areas (Casey, et.al., 2006).
There also are many factors that help to explain the relatively large number of adults in Level 1. Twenty-five percent of adults in Level 1 were immigrants who many have just been learning to speak English. More than 60% didn't complete high school. More than 30% were over 65. More than twenty-five percent had physical or mental conditions that kept them from fully participating in work, school, housework, or other activities, and almost twenty percent had vision problems that affected their ability to read print (Ibid).
Recommendations for the enhancement of urban and inner-city programs for literacy, life-skills, or simply other options to increase literacy, are often subjective. However, recent scholarship sees five major goals needed to help bridge the literacy gap as society moves into the dominant 21st century cultural paradigm:
1. Keep adult education at the community level; it will have a greater positive effect. Overall, research shows that individualized program characteristics play a larger role in student outcome that demographic or pscyhographic data from the student....
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now