Essay On Illiteracy

Solving the Puzzle of Illiteracy

Illiteracy in the United States continues to be one of the most puzzling topics we face. When the subject is placed at the attention of fellow Americans we all ponder the same question: How can we end illiteracy? According to Do Something.org over 2/3 of American children are illiterate. This percentage is even higher in the minority communities. It is estimated that over 75% of minority communities are affected by some form of illiteracy. Even in the technological society that we are living there are some who are struggling with the basic things that we take for granted: Being able to read your receipt after making a purchase, or being able to count your money to purchase things on your own. Although illiteracy is becoming a widespread epidemic, it is one that can be cured. We must all band together and place a period on illiteracy, or in other words end it! America is known as one of the richest countries in the world. I think those riches are in regards to more than just money, land, and wealth. America is responsible for birthing some of the most intellectual people in the world. So it is contradictory that one of the richest and most intellectual countries in the world is struggling to read and write.

Poverty is immensely one of the main causes of illiteracy, which is the reason that minorities are so greatly affected. People of a lower socioeconomic status cannot afford to send their children to schools of adequate competency nor can they afford the materials needed for their children to succeed. Cultural influence can be an impacting factor in illiteracy because children mimic the things that they see. Parents are encouraged to read with or to their children to attempt to bre...

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...Parents who are unable to read or write tend to pass that on to their child which creates a cycle of illiteracy. We can break this cycle by bringing awareness to the issue of illiteracy. The same amount of attention and effort that we put into bringing awareness to AIDS, Breast Cancer, and Childhood Obesity, we need that same energy for illiteracy. We should dig deep into the issue of illiteracy and if find the core problem for each situation so that we may be able to reach child individually. If the problem with illiteracy is steaming from a parent that cannot read or write, then I propose we not only reach out and assist the child but the parent as well. I propose that we educate our teachers on how to recognize learning disabilities so they are able to educate parents who may not be aware and point them in the direction of programs that may be of assistance.