What Are The Importance Of Literacy?

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Kofi Annan once said, “Literacy unlocks the door to learning throughout life. It is essential to development and health, and opens the way for democratic participation and active citizenship. Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.” Education is the most important factor to building a strong foundation in life. No matter where anyone goes, the need for an education is important in living a healthy, safe, and successful life in America. Many adults still lack the ability to read and understand the world around them because they are not literate. There are many factors that do contribute to the literacy level in the U.S. like poverty, poor education, learning disabilities, and race/ethnic backgrounds. The affects are passed down to the children, …show more content…

Whether it is unqualified educators or intercity school, the classroom also can effect how we learn to read and write in America. Too many children do not reach the proper level of literacy and as a result, it is one of the reasons for high school dropouts, and more and more juveniles becoming a part of the legal system. According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), two-thirds of students that cannot read by the end of fourth grade will end up on welfare or in prison. If a child lives in an area were the majority of the community is more poverty-stricken then the rate of literacy and education quality drops largely. There is a huge relationship between poverty and illiteracy. It effects the child’s development and their academic performance in classrooms. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 22 percent of children in the United States are living in poverty and it is greatly hindering the child’s ability to learn. It becomes increasingly more difficult for the student and the teacher. The limited exposure to books at home becomes more noticeable in the classrooms and the teacher is unable to teach at the desired level. Many of the classes across the country have multiple literacy levels in the classrooms and the educators are unable to cater to all the students needs. As a result, many students are not able to grasp the material and fail to meet the level of literacy for that grade

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