560000 adults in San Diego County read at a 4th grade level & below

[Big Simpin Losing Cheese]

560,000 adults in San Diego County read at fourth grade level or less

A couple of excerpts
Amelia Sandoval is a prime example of how things can spiral out of control without the ability to read.

"I didn't read, not at all," says Sandoval talking about her childhood.

There were problems at home. She was never read to, and school was never a priority. Without reading comprehension, the domino effect was already in motion.

"I joined a gang, I hung out, I was on the streets," says Sandoval. "We learned to ditch the cops."

By the time she was 18, Amelia was in the state prison for women in Chowchilla, where she spent five years. Her inability to read was her shame, and a secret she kept to herself.

"Just as good as I was at stealing stuff, I was good at hiding this," says Sandoval wiping away tears. "I had to protect the secret. It was the best secret I kept from everybody."

But experts claim Amelia's path in life is one that's completely avoidable.

"60 percent of low-income children have no books at home," says Jose Cruz.

 

[Big Simpin Losing Cheese]

"We're focusing on ages 0 to 8 or 9 because we know that that's the best place for us to make an investment," adds Cruz.

Cruz and the Council on Literacy are encouraging children to read at least 20 minutes a night at home.

 

[88m3]

sigh

 

[Wild self]

Thank God my mother read entire children's books with me when I was young. After a while, I started reading those entire books out loud in front of her.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Finland gives every family 3 books to take home with them from the hospital when the child is born. They really heavily promote reading with children through media and cartoons and government programs and such too. 99% of their kids graduate from high school and I bet you anything that other than the mentally disabled ones every single one of those graduates can read just fine.

 

[Shogun]

American culture celebrates illiteracy.

 

[Starman]

American culture celebrates illiteracy.

I agree reading isn't the priority that it should be in many communities, but let's not go overboard.

 

[Shogun]

I agree reading isn't the priority that it should be in many communities, but let's not go overboard.

Twitter, click bait, youtube, the film industry, the television industry, grammarly, the president, etc. etc. etc./
Its not explicit, but unless a kid's family makes a point of emphasizing literacy there's basically nothing in the culture that will.

24 percent of American adults haven't read a book in the past year—here's why

 

[ogc163]

American culture celebrates illiteracy.

Nah no need to be extra with it. I don't think we celebrate illiteracy, but we generally don't value reading as much as we should. There are probably differences between the classes as well. And so a blue collar working class family is probably going to have different attitudes towards reading than a white-collar middle-class family. Alfred Lubrano's book Limbo does a good job of showing the class differences in attitudes towards reading.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Twitter, click bait, youtube, the film industry, the television industry, grammarly, the president, etc. etc. etc./
Its not explicit, but unless a kid's family makes a point of emphasizing literacy there's basically nothing in the culture that will.

24 percent of American adults haven't read a book in the past year—here's why

This one place I’m calling time out and fukk it, going full on red here...where’s the personal accountability? I know from stories from my grandparents, they and their parents weren't being coddled at school to become literate, that was enforced at home and in the community. My literacy levels as a kid were greatly enhanced by how much various members of my family emphasized reading. I can maybe give a pass to people struggling to learn math and science, but reading is something that your parents should ensure you can do and something you should aim to know how to do, it’s something that can be learned and mastered outside the classroom. No reason to be an adult and still not know how to read material

Libraries are free, there are also orgz and bookshops that give out donated books for free, you can find a newspapers or magazine laying around in cities, go to church and read the Bible and other literature, free (kids) books online hell, turn on mute and read the closed captions. (Bet these people/families have plenty of screen time)

 

[ORDER_66]

HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE.. I CAN UNDERSTAND NOT READING PAST HIGH SCHOOL BUT DAMN 4TH GRADE?!? HOW SWAY!!?

 

[Shogun]

This one place I’m calling time out and fukk it, going full on red here...where’s the personal accountability? I know from stories from my grandparents, they and their parents weren't being coddled at school to become literate, that was enforced at home and in the community. My literacy levels as a kid were greatly enhanced by how much various members of my family emphasized reading. I can maybe give a pass to people struggling to learn math and science, but reading is something that your parents should ensure you can do and something you should aim to know how to do, it’s something that can be learned and mastered outside the classroom. No reason to be an adult and still not know how to read material

Libraries are free, there are also orgz and bookshops that give out donated books for free, you can find a newspapers or magazine laying around in cities, go to church and read the Bible and other literature, free (kids) books online hell, turn on mute and read the closed captions. (Bet these people/families have plenty of screen time)

My post had nothing to do with blaming anyone. It's just a fact. American culture does not value literacy or education.
And, it's a good question. Where is the personal accountability?
Reading Scores on National Exam Decline in Half the States
I read that and I see calls for policy change, education reform, etc. etc. etc.
It's putting the cart before the horse.

 

[re'up]

Went to SD public schools, but I was reading at a high level from like 1st grade on, mainly I think because my Mom encouraged reading. It's a hard thing to "chicken/egg", I always loved reading, but would have I in a different household?

I spent all my time in the library, checking out dozen books each time, teachers gave me way more leeway, read during class, read during activities, which may not have helped, some of my authority issues.

With social media, phones, and the "attention economy", it's a miracle anyone in the lower middle class reads at all, ever. The first thing I ask to my friends who have kids, is do they read? Do you give them books? Some do, and it's inspiring. My close friends daughter reads a lot, but so does her Mom. All you have to do is get a kid one book they love, and they will pursue it.

 

[ogc163]

Went to SD public schools, but I was reading at a high level from like 1st grade on, mainly I think because my Mom encouraged reading. It's a hard thing to "chicken/egg", I always loved reading, but would have I in a different household?

I spent all my time in the library, checking out dozen books each time, teachers gave me way more leeway, read during class, read during activities, which may not have helped, some of my authority issues.

With social media, phones, and the "attention economy", it's a miracle anyone in the lower middle class reads at all, ever. The first thing I ask to my friends who have kids, is do they read? Do you give them books? Some do, and it's inspiring. My close friends daughter reads a lot, but so does her Mom. All you have to do is get a kid one book they love, and they will pursue it.

I stopped asking this question to my friends who are parents. I've found they get slightly offended, probably because the answer is no. They hit me with the .

 

[re'up]

I stopped asking this question to my friends who are parents. I've found they get slightly offended, probably because the answer is no. They hit me with the .

or I ask the kids. Yeah, I am not a parent, and have no desire to be, for the most part. I don't get a sense of offense, but what I find interesting is the amount of autonomy given to kids, which is important, but it seems often like they view the kid as out of their reach for certain things, I am talking 6-10 year olds. You give them the phone. You control what they see and hear. It's on you, or at least 90%. Your child will be a reflection of your values and your guidance, more than any one else's.