The Roots of Illiteracy
analytical Essay
1233 words
The Roots of Illiteracy
A problem that pervades our society and threatens to undermine all of the "advances" of our culture is illiteracy. 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 one of the most expensive higher educational systems in the world, yet 43% of adults read at a level that scarcely makes it possible to function in society.
Almost 22% of adults are not be able 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 (Level 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% able to read at a fourth grade level or worse (Level 2). Should society be concerned when only 3% of the population are capable of reading and comprehending a jury selection outline? Is the educational system to blame for churning out kids who can barely function in society? Are the elementary school teachers at fault because they pass students to the next grade level when they are incapable of putting their simplest ideas on paper? Or is it biological, stemming from learning disorders or brain damage? All of these forces affect our country's 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...
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.... (Elley, p.228) To solve the problem of illiteracy in the U.S. and the world will take time and a better understanding of the many causes that create our society of readers. "The value of literacy for achieving fulfilling, 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 well understood." &endash;H. Graff (Ed.). (1981). Literacy and social development in the west: A reader.
Works Cited
Elley, Warwick B. 1994. The I.E.A. Study of Reading Literacy: Achievement and Instruction in
Thirty-Two School Systems, Great Britain, Pergamon.
McEwan, Elaine K. 1989. The Principal's Guide to Raising Reading Achievement, Thousand
Oaks, CA. Corwin Press.
McGuinness, Diane. 1997. Why Our Children Can't Read, New York, The Free Press.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that reading abilities are directly influenced by a child's social context.
- Explains that the most obvious factor that influences reading ability comes from teachers and teaching systems.
- Argues that illiteracy's rampant problem is a combination of many different social, cultural, and educational factors lending to the already difficult task of teaching children to read.
- Argues that illiteracy is a problem that pervades our society and threatens to undermine all the "advances" of our culture.
Related
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- explanatory
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- Explains that while most americans are literate, what is elementary to them may be surprisingly difficult to someone else.
- Describes the corpus christi literacy council's mission to reduce functional illiteracy in the bay area.
- Describes how the program advocates literacy, develops a service to continue providing services in the community, and maintains an independent branch to research and secure funding.
- Explains that dr. mary gleason is in charge and takes her job very seriously.
- Explains that according to ccliteracy.org 1 in 7 adults cannot read. they have known people who graduated high school that had a very low reading and/or writing skill.
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- Explains that people who can't read or write try to blame sociaety. some say that it is society's fault that they did not learn. if the individual persisted, they could have accomplished it.
- Explains the ccliteracy council's esl program, which teaches students english literacy.
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains that the social portion of an illiterate person's life has a staggering consequence. the racial minority is more likely to be found in the lower levels of literacy.
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- Explains that education is dropping the ball and lagging behind on the front-lines of illiteracy. the literacy deficit was exemplified by sam houston high school's history and geography teacher, nelson brown.
- Explains that if teachers graded as they should, failure rates would be much higher due to the high illiteracy among students.
- Explains that american adults lack the literacy skills necessary to integrate complex information, take into account special conditions, or handle math tasks that require background knowledge.
- Explains that people with limited literacy skills more likely earn less, are out of work, and vote less than those with greater capacities.
- Explains that the u.s. is populated by technologically impaired persons, and most of them have no clue.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how jonathan kozol's essay, "the human cost of an illiterate society," raises awareness to those willing to take action against the dangers of illiteracy.
- Opines that before reading "the human cost of an illiterate society," they were ignorant of the fact that there may be people out there who cannot understand the written word.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how jonathan kozol's the human cost of an illiterate society brings to light the many problems that loom overhead one without a written language.
- Analyzes how mr. kozol gives accounts from those without literation who have to depend on spoken word everyday. without phonetics and understanding of written language, what one sees is what they get.
- Argues that as the number of citizens who cannot read prescription instructions, do not understand health insurance plans, and now are six months behind on their rent grows, so does the darkness that hangs over the american dream and especially over our society that is "suffering with qualified concern but does not take those actions which its wealth and ingenuity would seemingly demand."
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how america faces illiteracy when it comes to crime, and explains how the reaction of those who commit these crimes depends on their intentions.
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains that early language and reading development starts in the initial three years of life and is connected to a kid's soonest encounters with books and stories.
- Explains that early literacy distinguishes that dialect, reading, and writing mature from various prior aptitudes. shickedanz's classifications help us see the importance of these book practices and the movement youngsters make along the way to reading.
- Analyzes how fredrick douglass, who was born into slavery in maryland, taught himself how to read and right which prompted him to become a figurehead in the abolitionist movement.
- Analyzes how malcolm x ambushes his ignorance and inability to read while detained for fighting the "white man." he converted to islam and began reading much of the religion's scholarly text.
- Analyzes how the untapped potential of youth is discouraging in terms of failing the next generation through personal experiences. no one ought to need to be an "average" individual.
- Argues that human desire can trump conventional wisdom. early literacy development is perhaps the only way to ensure a child can maximize his or her reading capability.
- Explains that the common fixes proposed for the illiteracy crisis incorporate an emphasis on skills and intervention at an early age. there is solid confirmation that free voluntary reading is genuinely effective in developing reading skills.
- Opines that early intervention is an effective measure of raising literacy rates and can alleviate some of the difficulties individuals like frederick douglass and malcom x had in their learning process.
- Describes the works of frederick douglass, an american slave, and harriet jacobs.
1433 wordsRead More - The Human Cost Of An Illiterate Society Rhetorical Analysisanalytical essayIn the essay “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” in Readings Jonathan Kozol says that illiteracy is one of the major problems with the world. People who have poor literacy have trouble with simple task that others would not even take a second thought about. For example, they have trouble with something as simple as a note that their child brings home from their teacher. Kozol blames most of this issue on the government and the presidents who did not inforce some kind of law against not getting an education.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes jonathan kozol's essay "the human cost of an illiterate society" in readings. he blames the government and the presidents who didn't inforce some kind of law against not getting an education.
- Explains that illiterates live unsure of what they will face throughout the day. they may be faced with issues like reading a menu which they cannot do and instead rely on someone else to tell them what is good.
174 wordsRead More - Fishing for Wordsopinion essay“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; you have fed him for a lifetime” (http://www.amatecon.com/fish.html). This quote can be applied to illiteracy in America; basically someone illiterate cannot live on their own until they have been taught the basics, reading and writing. According to Kozol’s essay The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society the government, administration, and people of high power live by the beginning of the quote (Kozol, The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society). They help someone illiterate make a living until the person is out of their control. Yet the government, administrations, and society maintain control through illiteracy.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kozol's quote can be applied to illiteracy in america. the government, administration, and people of high power live by the beginning of the quote.
- Explains that illiteracy is spreading like a plague through modern society, and that it affects part of our lives in one way or another.
- Explains that an illiterate is stereotypically defined as a middle-aged adult who wears scruffy clothes. the hardest roadblock is the ability to read.
- Explains that every school administration in the nation has enticed illiteracy in one form or another. the seniority that the administration holds over a child's life is pitiful.
- Opines that the american dream is the motivation for many immigrants to choose to live in the united states of america.
- Explains why the government and school administration crave power over one's literacy. the government uses illiteracy to sway the voting in the direction that they want.
- Explains that america's government needs to create an incentive program to motivate illiterates to learn to read and write.
- Opines that rectification amongst school administrations should be top priority for the government.
- Opines that if america taught the man to fish, there would be an end to illiteracy in america.
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In this essay, the author
- Describes laurie g. kirszner, stephen r. mandell patterns for college writings: the human cost of an illiterate society.
- Explains that illiteracy is more than a simple inability to read or write; it's also defined as restriction or confinement due to the simple fact that many non-readers lead.
- Explains that illiterates can't read the menu in a restaurant or the cost of items in the window of the restaurant before entering.
- Opines that if the government provided stronger actions at all levels of education and provided plenty of funds, there would be better programs for learning.
466 wordsRead More