Adult Literacy

Imagine for a minute that you didn’t know how to read or write. How do you think you would be able to get by in life? Think about how many times a day you have to read something in order to know what to do. For instance while you are driving you have to read signs along the road to know what the road is doing ahead of you. You also have to read stop signs or posted speed signs. You also have to know how to read even to go to the grocery store. If you didn’t know how to read then how would you know what groceries you are buying?
It seems like these questions are silly or do not have any relevance anymore, but actually one out of seven adults in the United States can’t read. (Can you read this?) Adult Literacy is defined as: using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. (Adult Literacy Fact Sheet) I personally had no idea that adult literacy was still a huge problem today. The U.S. Department of Education issued an estimate of the literacy skills in the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Performance is rated on the following scale: Below Basic, Basic, Intermediate, and Proficient. Overall, it is estimated that 93 million U.S. adults have Basic and Below Basic literacy skills. (Adult Literacy Fact Sheet) This study along with others also found out that adults living in poverty were more likely to have lower average literacy scores than adults with higher incomes. Seniors over the age 65 had the lowest average literacy scores of any age range. 64 % of them scored in the Basic and Below Basic levels. The study also showed that half of the adults who did not have a high school diploma scored in the Below Basic levels.
So why is adult literacy so important? Literacy skills impact every aspect of adult life. It has shown that adults who are literate are more likely to read to their children and help with their homework, be employed full time and receive a higher salary, and also be able to use the internet and send emails. Literate adults are also able to vote, volunteer, and access information about current events. Unfortunately, only a fraction of low literate adults seek literacy services from community providers. Many people with a low literacy do not see their skills as a problem until a crisis such as the loss of their job, a child’s need for help with school, or a healthcare emergency makes them aware of their literacy needs. (Adult Literacy Fact Sheet)
So what can we do about this problem? I think that we need to make it aware to everyone the value of becoming a literate adult. We need to promote fundraisers to raise money in every local community to have programs available to anyone needing help with learning how to read and write. Finally, I think we need to show everyone that we care about this issue and we are trying to resolve it every possible way we know how.

Adult Literacy

This is a video about Adult Literacy in the United States.

Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance

Okay I am hearing both sides of opinions about making it mandatory to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. I do understand that most children and young adults tend to not do things that are told to do. So it is a good point that if we tell these young adults that they do not have to recite the Pledge of Allegiance everyday in school, then that might make them want to recite the pledge on their own. This believe goes with the theory of reverse psychology. And yes this theory would always work well on me whenever my parents would tell me not to do something, then of course I would always want to do that (something). So let's say that we tell all school kids and high school kids that if they would like to participate in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance it is their own choice, maybe this would make a bigger impact on their morals and beliefs. It would somehow pull the ethical side of them out and make them proud to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the whole class watching them. Maybe that would help other kids in the class want to stand and do the same thing. But, when has it been right for kids and young adults to teach themselves what to do. Yes, true, they do have a small part in teaching themselves, but for the most part, it is up to us: their parents, teachers, mentors, government officials, and leaders to tell them what the right and wrong things are to do in life. If we teach them while they are still in school that to show pride and patriotism to our country, is by standing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. They will believe us and want to do the right thing. Even at first if they are hesitant to follow, they will later grow to learn that we were right in making them recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Making the Pledge of Allegiance a Requirement

I truly believe that from elementary school on up to high school, students should be required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day. I think that if children and young adults are required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day, then they will grow up learning to respect our country and our beliefs. Lets just take a minute and think about what the Pledge of Allegiance is saying. To me it is stating that the United States flag represents our freedom and the laws that our country is made up of. It is stating that we join together as one nation, under God, with justice for everyone that is living in our country. If we instill these values in children starting at a young age, they will learn what it means to live in a free country and what on honor it is to do so.

Battle over the Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance

"I pledge allegiance to flag, of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all."

This pledge was created by Francis Bellemy, a school teacher, in 1892 for children to recite in observance for the 400th anniversary of Columbus's landing. Only his version didn't include under God. Bellemy was well connected, so soon his pledge was being recited in many schools after that. The under God part was added in 1954 by Congress after a protest from the Knights of Columbus. The pledge of allegiance is an oath.

I believe that we should leave the pledge in public schools and remain the same as it always was with the words under God. It shows true patriotism to recite this pledge.