The National Centre for Education statistics (2002), insists that illiteracy entails the inability for persons to use written and printed information towards the functioning of the society, achieving the goal of a person and developing the knowledge and potential of a person. The above is inclusive of a variety of skills of processing information that adults use on a daily basis when at work, in school, their personal lives or in the community (Burggraf, 2002). The following paper discusses adult illiteracy and identifies the causes of the same, reasons as to why it is a societal problem and the proposed solutions to the societal problem as well as the statistical information relating to adult illiteracy as a societal problem in the world. The research study assumes instructional needs and the usage of current constructivist methods to obtain success.
Background
According to Viswanathan (2005), three types of illiteracy dwell in the society: community literacy, school literacy and personal literacy. The two argue that school literacy only has value in the schools and thus makes adults believe firmly that literacy and the virtue of reading and writing are the activities undertaken in schools to build a grade. It is this notion of literacy that makes adults become unable to overlook negative images in the past in their minds hence become more literate. Nespor (1991) on the other hand argues that illiteracy among the adults comes from an overuse of groups and labels. Nespor insists that such kinds of arguments make a person view themselves as weak or unable to read even after leaving school. Such labels reduce the self-esteem and confidence of a person ensuring that the adult does not seek help in literacy.
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McKenna (2001) observes that certain attitudes towards reading are the precursors to literacy behaviour. McKenna looks at the behaviours as direct impact of reading, a belief in the reading outcome, belief in the cultural norms that relate with the reader, the cultural experiences of the learner in relation to reading, personal experiences of the learners with reading and their preferences when it comes to reading (Hull, 2002). McKenna further insists on the believes concerning the importance of reading and links the attitudes to the inability of one to read. McKenna continues to further that children are either positively or negatively influenced by their school experiences.
People having negative experience end up viewing school as a bad experiment and hence fail to promote literacy as they lack value for the same feeling that participating in the same risks disengaging the students for life. The disengagement is what rolls over to become adult illiteracy (Hull, 2002). A learner that is disengaged quickly gives up on school considering it a place not suited for them. Such kinds of learners never invest in the process of education as they see no value in it. They may push through to earn a diploma but still graduate with little skills being functionally illiterate.
Another key cause of illiteracy among adults is the family background. It is observed that illiteracy works in a cycle similar to poverty. A child will grow up to think literacy as unimportant if they grow up in a household that lacks value for literacy, and the literacy is not visible with the parents both being unable to read and write. The parents get to the point where they cannot help the student when the literacy activities become harder as the student progresses in school (Viswanathan, 2005). The cycle continues as the child grows into adulthood with poor skills and raises their children in the same cycle. It repeats itself and becomes the familial norm. Most illiterate parents desire to help their children bit are unable to do so conveying the idea that literacy and school is not important.
The teachers on the other hand usually feel like the parents do not want to be involved in the learning of the children because they lack the concern for the same even though it may not necessarily be as such. Usually, nothing is farther from the truth. Adult illiteracy can be addressed to effect when the cycle is broken. However, breaking the cycle is usually a hurdle because of the shame, indifference and programs that do not befit the learners in their adulthood (Wolf, 2005). It thus becomes mandatory to proceed with utter caution towards seeking means and possible ways of ensuring that people in their adult stages get or rather go back to school to acquire the literary skills that they need to proceed with their day-to-day proceedings. It is apparent that the shame and distaste the adults face hamper any possibility of a smooth learning process for them in their late stages and as such prompt them to give up and forfeit hence continuing in the illiteracy cycle or mess rather (Hull, 2002). The above issues contribute to adult illiteracy as observed across the stretch of the world and have led to adult illiteracy being a major setback in many societies today.
Adult Illiteracy a Societal Problem
As earlier pointed out, adult illiteracy is a major problems in many nations It has proven a major handicap to the economic and social growth and development of any democratic nation. The success and thrive of democracy depends majorly on the level of education that the masses have because it is the masses that elect persons to act as their representatives that make the government (Wolf, 2005). An uneducated mass is likely to be exploited as it lacks enlightening and awareness of what transpires in its country. Adult literacy is thus vital in ensuring that democratic institutions run smoothly.
Indian masses have for centuries been steeped in utter ignorance, backwardness and poverty. The masses lack time to educate their young ones that enter the workforce at a tender age. The country has 70% of its population dependent on agriculture with the folks in rural settlements considering the children and more so the male as aids in topping up the income of the family (Hull, 2002). Parents lack the anxiety to send the children to school. Most view education as a slowing tool towards the success of an individual because it derails their pace of progress. A person that has gone to school would prefer to live in the city even if they suffer from poverty instead of come back in the rural areas and help the family. Secondly, one that engages in trade is more likely to have a better living standard than the one that seeks literacy to work for another person. Therefore, the programs of adult literacy must be functional in nature and should be linked to the work and life of people in order for them to act as a key tool for development in the rural areas (Wolf, 2005).
Television has for some time proven a vital and efficient aid when it comes to promoting audio-visual awareness among the uneducated in the society. The programs that talk of planning, better techniques of farming, child welfare and much more are beneficial and extremely educative to the masses (Viswanathan, 2005). Radio has also been at the forefront of providing service to the masses that lack literacy by having designed programs for their enlightenment. Institutions of education have begun courses of correspondence as well as informal courses that hardly require regular attendance. Such as a boom to the millions of students that had to discontinue their formal education courtesy of constraints in families, lack of motivation or because they reside in remote areas (DeWalt et al., 2004). The above have benefited many people that view education as a lifetime activity and wish to refresh their knowledge in the existing discipline or acquire knowledge in the new area, a concept that is well welcomed.
Recent studies have proven that there has been an increased illiteracy rate across the world. A study that was shown by the World Statistics Institute (WSI) reveals that more than 27% of the people are illiterate worldwide another study by the same suggests that the rate of speed at which illiteracy levels ascend stands at 32% (Roman, 2004). The rates are significant because illiteracy among adults has adverse effects on the society.
The key effect of illiteracy on the society is its work as an inhibitor insisting that it is difficult for a country to develop when it has a great populous of illiterates. For instance, America has an illiteracy rate of less than 5% and Canada with 8% are all developed countries while underdeveloped nations like Turkey and Iran have illiteracy levels or rates that stand at 61% and 43% respectively (Roman, 2004).
DeWalt et al., (2004), reports that illiteracy has a “genetic” effect with children belonging to the illiterates being more likely to be illiterate than those that are not. Parents may not be of the want to have their children illiterate, but children observe the parents and proceed to emulate them as they grow up with the notion that illiteracy may not be such a bad thing. The children will choose illiteracy considering that most persons develop their character in their childhood (DeWalt et al, 2004).
Illiteracy among the adults ensures that people become gullible believing things told to them easily without having a double look at things. People do not investigate that which is said or told to them. History shows that most of the uneducated people are mostly slaves, guardians and mere assistants while the educated were kings, sultans and queens (Wolf, 2005). These people were not meek in their lifetimes because they wanted but rather because others were superior to them in information and education.
Solutions to Adult Illiteracy
The issue of adult illiteracy has only come to the attention of the public and the media in recent times despite the fact that it is hardly a new problem. The National Governors in the year 1990 decided that adult illiteracy was one of the primary six areas that needed improvement in the forthcoming decade. It was the area that every nation must have focused on to improve with the aim of alleviating individual state problems (Wolf, 2005). The identification brought forth the National Literacy Act initiated by congress in the year 1991 intending to enhance literary skills among adults living in the US and empower them with basic skills so that they may carry out daily tasks. In regards to the illiteracy, the Act purposed to ensure that all adults were literate (Viswanathan, 2005).Its second goal was to facilitate the literacy programs of adults by providing the chance to boost literacy by the illiterate adults (Roman, 2004). The programs received funds from the federal reserves and states and aimed principally at the ability of the illiterate adults to read, write and function effectively at the place of work.
President Clinton launched the American Reads Challenge after the National Literacy Act in the year 1996. The challenge aimed at supporting and increasing levels of literacy throughout the family (Roman, 2004). It was discovered that those born in an illiterate family ended up being illiterate themselves making the cycle of illiteracy. It became cyclical because of the idea that the illiterate adults could not help their children despite adults in the family valuing literacy. Moreover, these adults failed to set a reading example to the children. Therefore, strengthening the literacy of an entire family goes a long mile in not just strengthening the literacy of the adult but that of the children as well.
Indeed, there has been a number of key policies instituted by the government but curbing adult illiteracy has proven a futile exercise (Viswanathan, 2005). The lack of progress is attributable to many reasons with the key reason being a lack of a standard method or program rather that would address the issue of illiteracy among the adults. Different methods and objectives exist based upon the funding or program and adults involved. On the other end, there are some that are of the belief that most programs focus on the adult illiteracy insist that adults must gain literacy for the sake of economic gain (Viswanathan, 2005). The notion sends the message that it is not important for adults to be literate as long as they make money and acquire a higher standard of living. However, the same is not worth the effort for some adults more so for the ones that have had bad experiences with literacy in their childhood days or those that feel satisfied with having a high standard of living. An adult with a job will feel it unimportant to acquire other skills as there is no need for extra skills for survival.
Other nations are on the trail of the United States when it comes to passing legislations that aim at addressing the issue. Brazil, for instance, has had programs for adult literacy for more than 100 years with the Brazilians viewing the issue as an act of patriotism and not pragmatism. However, it is only in the recent times that countries across the world have attempted to face the issue head on. It is imperative that adult educators explain to the adult learners that there is a difference between their past experiences with literacy and outside the scope of school. It is well to explore and discuss the experiences in order to determine how they either helped or scourged the adult in their lifetime. In fact, the experiences have become the primary keys to learning because they help unlock some key beliefs and convictions relating to literacy (Belzer, 2002). The exploration of experiences does not only help the adult learners see why they are having difficulties but rather help the educators see the best way of helping the learner. One key way of achieving the same is by developing a literacy autobiography where the learner shares their experiences in literacy during their lifetime. The autobiography allows them to reflect on that part of the learner that allows the educator to get valuable insight into the background of the learner.
Strategies
One effective strategy of dealing with the issue is using a high-interest, practical, engaging and informative texts in a numerous ways. The high interest texts hook the learner and make them want to read them. Having an engagement with the text allows the building of a solid foundation. The practical texts further assist the learner see how literacy could help them function better both in the society and their places of work. The informative texts help the learner acquire more information in relation to a particular topic. Al the texts work in conjunction to offer an environment that is print-rich allowing the learner to see the varied usage of literacy. The learner gains confidence and skill set that allow them to overcome illiteracy.
Another key strategy for the instruction is the avoidance of techniques in education such as ability grouping. The grouping technique traces back to leaving a negative taste on the mouths of many adults. The placement usually causes a negative image of self and the lack of confidence in self especially in matters pertaining to literacy with which a person carries to adulthood. Adult learners gain confidence by refusing the ability groups and work effectively with their peers. The best grouping strategy is one that is done without the ability grouping of a literature cycle.
According to Schlechty (2001), incentives play a key role in assisting adults gain literacy. Usage of rewards helps increase the motivation of one to read and write also. It is such motivation that increases the engagement of one towards improving their skills in literacy making adult literacy possible for those that are illiterate.
Encouraging the adults that have poor skills in literacy to work with children towards enhancing their levels of literacy is another key strategy in helping utilize the educational programs. The adult is able to learn a number of things and teach the same to the child which helps breaks the cycle of illiteracy in a society and garner success for both learners. Children build their literacy abilities and skills in a simultaneous way with their parents (Schlechty, 2001).
The use of constructivist method in teaching skills in literacy serves beneficial to all learners. The method allows adults construct their meanings and thus control their process of learning. The learning type allows the adults to feel more in charge of their learning process which is something that often acts as a barrier to learning. The constructivist method allows the educator to overcome such a negative attitude (Schlechty, 2001). The internet can help facilitate and further the use of the approach especially for persons that prefer to study away from classroom confinements. The literacy instruction for the adults must be active with the learners being actively involved.
Statistical Information
According to the study conducted by the National Centre for Educational Statistics in the year 2002, 40 million adults in the US were regarded as functionally illiterate hence unable to carry out basic undertakings of reading and writing and further unable to perform effectively in their places of work (Roman, 2004). The numbers showed that another 50 million had marginal skills in literacy. The functionally illiterate persons entail those that may have some skills in literacy but cannot properly read or write. Such persons can read things like menus or prints of the environment but cannot do the same when it comes to a sentence. Such kinds of illiteracy cause societal problems and in the places of work.
Illiteracy further derails competition at the place of work and leaves many jobs in the service industry unfilled because of the lack of qualified personnel. The above is harmful to the society because the entire society must work to function for the growth of the society.
Conclusion
Adult illiteracy can no longer be hidden under the rag nor can it be viewed as a problem of the underprivileged. It is imperative to appreciate the need for education programs for the adults in the world and employ a variety of strategies and methods that will help people and more so the adults overcome their literacy barriers. The use of a constructivist method will help reach success. The problem is large at the global platform with many families being drowned in the cycle of illiteracy. Approximately 800 million adults are illiterate with the assumption that most reside in the underdeveloped nations such as Brazil and India.
References
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DeWalt, D. A., Berkman, N. D., Sheridan, S., Lohr, K. N., & Pignone, M. P. (2004). Literacy and health outcomes: Journal of general internal medicine, 19(12), 1228-1239.
Hull, G. A., & Schultz, K. (Eds.). (2002). School's out: Bridging out-of-school literacies with classroom practice (Vol. 60) Teachers College Press.
McKenna. (2001) - Investigating in adult illiteracy. Virginia Westview press.
Nespor, c. & Kathleen wailer (1991) - How illiteracy became a problem
Roman, S. P. (2004). Illiteracy and older adults: Individual and societal implications: Educational gerontology, 30(2), 79-93.
Schlechty, P. C. (2001). Shaking up the schoolhouse: How to support and sustain educational innovation: San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Viswanathan, M., & Gau, R. (2005). Functional illiteracy and nutritional education in the United States: A research-based approach to the development of nutritional education materials for functionally illiterate consumers: Journal of Macro marketing, 25(2), 187-201.
Wolf, M. S., Gazmararian, J. A., & Baker, D. W. (2005). Health literacy and functional health status among older adults: Archives of internal medicine, 165(17), 1946-1952.
