The Critical Problem of Adult Illiteracy in the U.S. and Solutions to the Problem
Frederick Douglass once said, “Once you learn to read, you will forever be free” (Cardoza, 2013). Millions of U.S. adults do not possess basic reading and writing skills, and may be deemed “illiterate” or “functionally illiterate”. “Illiterate” means unable to read or write at all and “functionally illiterate” means that one does not possess sufficient reading and writing skills to function successfully in today’s society. Those who are illiterate and functionally illiterate are unable to perform tasks as simple as reading a bus schedule or writing a check. The inability to read could not only cause one emotional damage such as embarrassment or stress, but …show more content…
31). However, when America began to gain more schools during the late nineteenth century, women took many of the new teaching positions that became available, thus leading to a rise in women’s literacy (Dolan and Scariano, 1995, p. 32). In spite of the growing need for teachers, women teachers were paid significantly less than male teachers, sometimes receiving only a third of the wages that the men received (Dolan and Scariano, 1995, p. 32). Though African-Americans legally gained freedom following the Civil War, education was far from equal between whites and blacks. The Freedmen’s Bureau helped former slaves gain their rights, and helped increase the literacy rate of Southern African-Americans to twenty-one percent by the early 1870s (Dolan and Scariano, 1995, …show more content…
The D.C. State Educator Agency released statistics in 2006 about Washington D.C. illiteracy (Amy, n.d.). The statistics revealed that sixty-two percent of Washington D.C. citizens fell in the two bottom-most reading proficiency levels, and nearly one-third (thirty percent) of citizens who were sixteen or older had not earned high school diplomas (Amy, n.d.). In 2007, the National Center for Education Statistics released a report stating that fourteen percent of U.S. adults lack sufficient literacy skills (Slagle, 2007). Of this fourteen percent, Hispanics comprised the largest percentage (thirty-nine percent), while Asians/Pacific Islanders comprised only four percent (Slagle, 2007). In 2009, Duke Conover stated that “About seven percent of adult Americans cannot hold a job because they are functionally illiterate” (Conover, 2009). According to reporter Kavitha Cardoza, in 2013, “Thirty million adults in the U.S. [lack] basic literacy skills (Cardoza, 2013). In 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana had a staggering illiteracy rate of forty-four percent among its residents (Miller, 2014). Camden County, New Jersey, Freeholder Board Member
Frederick Douglass once said, “Once you learn to read, you will forever be free” (Cardoza, 2013). Millions of U.S. adults do not possess basic reading and writing skills, and may be deemed “illiterate” or “functionally illiterate”. “Illiterate” means unable to read or write at all and “functionally illiterate” means that one does not possess sufficient reading and writing skills to function successfully in today’s society. Those who are illiterate and functionally illiterate are unable to perform tasks as simple as reading a bus schedule or writing a check. The inability to read could not only cause one emotional damage such as embarrassment or stress, but …show more content…
31). However, when America began to gain more schools during the late nineteenth century, women took many of the new teaching positions that became available, thus leading to a rise in women’s literacy (Dolan and Scariano, 1995, p. 32). In spite of the growing need for teachers, women teachers were paid significantly less than male teachers, sometimes receiving only a third of the wages that the men received (Dolan and Scariano, 1995, p. 32). Though African-Americans legally gained freedom following the Civil War, education was far from equal between whites and blacks. The Freedmen’s Bureau helped former slaves gain their rights, and helped increase the literacy rate of Southern African-Americans to twenty-one percent by the early 1870s (Dolan and Scariano, 1995, …show more content…
The D.C. State Educator Agency released statistics in 2006 about Washington D.C. illiteracy (Amy, n.d.). The statistics revealed that sixty-two percent of Washington D.C. citizens fell in the two bottom-most reading proficiency levels, and nearly one-third (thirty percent) of citizens who were sixteen or older had not earned high school diplomas (Amy, n.d.). In 2007, the National Center for Education Statistics released a report stating that fourteen percent of U.S. adults lack sufficient literacy skills (Slagle, 2007). Of this fourteen percent, Hispanics comprised the largest percentage (thirty-nine percent), while Asians/Pacific Islanders comprised only four percent (Slagle, 2007). In 2009, Duke Conover stated that “About seven percent of adult Americans cannot hold a job because they are functionally illiterate” (Conover, 2009). According to reporter Kavitha Cardoza, in 2013, “Thirty million adults in the U.S. [lack] basic literacy skills (Cardoza, 2013). In 2014, New Orleans, Louisiana had a staggering illiteracy rate of forty-four percent among its residents (Miller, 2014). Camden County, New Jersey, Freeholder Board Member