Blog: Being Life Literate

It’s so much more than a person’s ability to read and write; literacy is the foundation for individual and global success. Yes, it’s true that you can be successful simply because of luck or talent, and some people have managed to become millionaires by dropping out of school and working like dogs. But, sadly, that is not how things usually happen.  For the average person, the trick is simple- read. When it comes down to it, the basic difference between high-paid, successful college graduates and unemployed, repeat offenders is one’s ability to read.

People take education for granted. What they need to understand is that people who read typically do better in school and life in general. Reading, whether it is fiction or non-fiction, makes for a well-rounded individual with a greater understanding of the world around them. In addition, the better a student performs in school increases the chances of that student going on to college and higher paying careers. The number of years of schooling is not, however, the main determinant of income. “…Studies show that literacy has a positive impact on earnings, beyond the impact of the quantity of schooling”, states UNESCO. Unfortunately, there is a staggering amount of adults just in the U.S. that never even completed high school.

Of course, when the illiterate adult becomes a parent, there tends to be a negative impact on the child. Baltimore Reads claims “parents who can't read raise children who don't read” and they have a point. Illiteracy is hereditary. Not only do illiterate adults tend to occupy the poorer end of the income spectrum, which already reduces their children’s prospects for a successful future, but their children also lack the motivation needed to do well in school. Having an illiterate parent creates an environment void of rich oral vocabulary, assistance with simple homework, and stimulating conversation, as well as ordinary tasks such as writing checks or reading the newspaper. All these things add up, and when a child does not see their parents doing them, or is not taught how to do them, they often have difficulty when they are older. As kids go through school, there is a lot of pressure to do well. If a child is illiterate or even just reads at a lower level, feelings of shame and anxiety build up leading to self-hatred and dropping-out of school.

These feelings of self- loathing and failure are associated with criminal acts against society. Most juvenile delinquents come from low-income and poorly educated families. There is approximately 70 percent of incarcerated Americans who cannot read above a fourth grade level and the chances of those people doing well when released back into society are slim. With adult education programs, the chance of convicted criminals returning to prison significantly decrease. In one study, the re-incarceration rate of released inmates who participated in education programs in Ohio, Minnesota, and Maryland was only 21% as opposed to the 31% that did not participate. By providing illiterate prisoners with education opportunities, there is not only a better chance that they will not return to jail, but also a greater chance that they will be able to get a job after their release. This lessens the amount of crime on the streets and people in the unemployment line.

In the most recent studies by the National Center for Education Statistics, there are about 93 million adults in the U.S. who read at basic and below basic levels. In the world, there are close to 774 million illiterate adults. Children of the Code, the Global Literacy Foundation, the Laura Bush Foundation and UNESCO are just a few of the sources you can use to learn about the world’s literacy problem and fix it. Donate money or books, volunteer your time, or just simply inform people. Baltimore Reads is a local organization that offers free adult education programs, tutors, and provides children, families and schools with free books. By improving the literacy skills of people, you can improve their lives.