Illiteracy and Its Impact on American Society, Essay Example

Introduction

According to the latest statistics and data available through the United States Department of Education and the Department of Human Services, there are an estimated 36 million American adults whose reading levels are below that of a typical third grader; an estimated 20 million Americans have no reading skills, thus making them functionally illiterate. As a result, some 55 million Americans struggle on a daily basis without basic reading skills, writing skills, and especially computer skills which ultimately affects their ability to find good-paying jobs and of course the American economy (Illiteracy: The U.S. Crisis, 2014). This social problem is not limited to a specific geographical area, for it is widespread through the United States, particularly in rural environments where Americans do not have access to educational opportunities and programs designed to help curb the rate of illiteracy in America.

This inability to read and write properly in the English language also affects financial literacy skills. As noted by the ProLiteracy Foundation whose goal is to “create a world where every person can read and write, illiterate Americans “struggle with everyday budgeting and more complicated tasks like comprehending mortgage documents” which often results in becoming a victim of predatory lenders and financial scams. In addition, illiterate Americans “are also twice as likely to be out of work, contributing to the high rate of unemployment” in the United States during a time when the U.S. economy is struggling as well (Illiteracy: The U.S. Crisis, 2014).

The same holds true in relation to illiterate Americans and their health care needs, due to the fact that being illiterate “often mean the difference between life and death” in relation to understanding and using health information provided by nurses, physicians, and health care clinicians. Being illiterate also affects a person’s ability to “make appropriate health decisions and increases the likelihood that they’ll incur higher health costs,” such as being unable to read and understand the policies of health insurance companies (Illiteracy: The U.S. Crisis, 2014).

In regards to illiteracy and the need for computer skills, illiterate Americans are being held back in relation to employment by their inability to use computers and the Internet in order to become successful in today’s highly competitive society where computer skills can make all of the difference related to job opportunities and income.

As noted by the ProLiteracy Foundation, low literacy skills “keep many people from seizing the opportunities of our digital society,” especially when many adult Americans do not have a high school education because of their inability to read and write. Also, these illiterate Americans generally live in households that earn less than $30,000 a year and usually do not have access to the Internet, not to mention lacking the ability to read and understand what they see on the World Wide Web (Illiteracy: The U.S. Crisis, 2014).

Due to the current economic conditions in the United States (as of early 2015), a number of federal, state, and local programs designed to help eradicate illiteracy in the United States, some being non-profit and privately-owned and operated, have been eliminated, due to a lack of funding and donations. Thus, without the assistance of these and other programs, those American that require literacy education “will also be more likely to need unemployment benefits and other forms of public assistance” which only adds to the “drain on already-strapped local communities” and state-based literacy programs. One of the answers to the problem is to help policymakers to “clearly understand the widespread consequences of low literacy” and to support at the federal level new programs designed to fight illiteracy and to make it possible for all Americans to read and write proficiently (Illiteracy: The U.S. Crisis, 2014).

Sectors and Organizations

Within the American business sector (i.e., privately-owned businesses and companies), the negative consequences of illiteracy range far and wide and in a business context causes lost productivity and profitability, all because of employees who cannot read and write. Some of the these consequences includes “the cost of fixing incorrect orders or processing refunds” to customers; the loss of customers because of poor communications; and internal problems and issues that arise from miscommunication and/or misunderstandings (Cree, Kay, & Stewart, 2012, p. 4).

In a business that deals with finances, such as a bank or loan institution, illiteracy related to employees results in time wasted on job duties that require the ability to read loan applications, process payroll checks, and dispense money, due to not knowing how to read numbers correctly. Illiteracy also “make it harder for business owners and entrepreneurs to understand and apply business finance concepts” like the management and allocation of capital related to increasing the value of shareholder stocks (Cree, Kay, & Stewart, 2012, p. 4). Illiteracy also negatively impacts an employee’s ability to use and understand a computer and its software processes. All in all, illiteracy in a business setting can make the difference between business success and outright failure (Cree, Kay, & Stewart, 2012, p. 5).

One particular organization that is currently working to lower the incidence of illiteracy in the American business sector is known as the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Based in Alexandria, Virginia, this organization is dedicated to helping American businesses to develop and maintain human talent within their organizations and to “achieve their full potential by improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities” related to reading, writing, and especially digital literacy which includes digital era concepts (platforms, cloud computing), digital tools and systems, social technology, and digital engagement skills and tactics (Association for Talent Development, 2014).

In the non-profit sector or those organizations that exist solely to help Americans to solve a myriad of social problems, illiteracy is also a looming problem, particularly in the area of financial literacy as it relates to cash flow projections and handling federal and state-based taxes regarding private donations. According to an extensive report issued by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, most non-profit organizations face a number of challenges related to employee illiteracy on a daily basis. It should be pointed out that these employees for the most part are not functionally illiterate when it comes to reading and writing but are merely unable to understand financial key concepts and strategies because of their inability to read and write at a level that is appropriate for their specific job titles within the non-profit sector.

For example, many of today’s U.S.-based non-profit organizations are encountering problems associated with managers and board members who do not understand basic financial and economic principles. Therefore, as a result, recovering lost financial sources and funding, especially from private donors, is made extremely difficult, considering that the United States is currently in an economic bind or downturn that began in 2008. In effect, this type of illiteracy directly affects the function and operation of non-profit organizations whose basic goal is to “provide the essential services and support that fulfill their core mission values” (Financial Literacy and Knowledge in the Nonprofit Sector, 2012, p. 7).

One important organization that is currently tackling all form of illiteracy in the United States and in non-profit organizations is the Literacy Assistance Center. Based in New York City, this organization is “dedicated to advancing adult literacy as a core value in our society” and to making certain that “every adult in this country has the full range of knowledge and skills they need to secure employment, achieve economic security, and access quality health care” (Literacy Assistance Center, 2015). The Literacy Assistance Center also provides professional development opportunities for those who require additional support to become fully literate in their chosen fields of endeavor. It also brings together “networks of stakeholders” with specialization in areas like digital literacy and financial literacy, in both private and non-profit sectors (Literacy Assistance Center, 2015).

Within the federal government sector, illiteracy is also a major problem, due to the fact that many federal employees cannot read and write at appropriate levels in conjunction with their job positions. In order to help combat illiteracy in the U.S. federal government and elsewhere throughout America, the House of Representatives created H.R. 751 or the National Literacy Act of 1991 which was signed by the President on July 25, 1991. This act was created in order to “enhance the literacy and basic skills of adults and to ensure that all citizens in the United States acquire the basic skills necessary to function effectively and achieve the greatest possible opportunity in their work and in their lives” (H.R. 751, 2015). There is also the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act of 1998 which brought together several earlier U.S. Congress bills and amendments in order to combat illiteracy in the American workforce and provide federal assistance in creating new and innovative literacy programs throughout the United States.

One particular organization at the federal level is the National Institute for Literacy. Created in 1991, this federal agency continues to serve as a “catalyst for improving opportunities for adults, youth, and children to thrive in a progressively literate world” by increasing their abilities to “read, write, speak in English, compute, and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job” and in American society. Overall, this organization sees literacy as a national asset that needs to be recognized as one of the foundations for a thriving economic system (National Institute for Literacy, 2015).

An Innovative Idea to Address Illiteracy

After conducting extensive research on how to properly address the problem of illiteracy in the United States, it appears that state and federal programs have generally failed to bring an end to illiteracy in our nation. Therefore, one innovative way to accomplish the goal of ending illiteracy in America is to create at the local level community libraries located in the heart of rural and urban areas where the majority of illiterate Americans reside and work. These libraries would be operated by volunteers, such as teachers, students, and community leaders, who are dedicated to ending illiteracy in their own communities. This type of approach is sometimes referred to as grassroots, wherein a movement begins at the lowest societal level and progresses upwards until it reaches those in need.

Conclusion

As previously mentioned, as of 2015, there are an estimated 36 million American adults whose reading levels are below that of a typical third grader. There are also an estimated 20 million American adults who possess poor reading and writing skills, thus making them functionally illiterate. Thus, more than 55 million American adults (along with millions of teens between the ages of 13 and 18) struggle on a daily basis to function in an ever-increasing literate society that demands certain skills and abilities. With this in mind, as long as illiteracy is allowed to exist, the American economy will continue to be affected well into the 21st century and beyond.

References

Association for Talent Development. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.td.org/About Cree, A., Kay, A., and Stewart, J. (2012). The economic and social cost of illiteracy: A snapshot of illiteracy in a global context. World Literacy Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.worldliteracyfoundation.org/The_Economic_&_Social_Cost_of_Illiteracy.pdf?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Financial literacy and knowledge in the nonprofit sector. (2012). The Center on Philanthropy, Indiana University. Retrieved from http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/files/research/2012 financialliteracy.pdf

H.R. 751  (102nd): National Literacy Act of 1991. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/102/hr751

Illiteracy: The U.S. crisis. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.proliteracy.org/the-crisis/the-us-crisis

Literacy Assistance Center. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.lacnyc.org/about.html National Institute for Literacy. (2015). Federal Register. Retrieved from https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-institute-for-literacy

National Institute for Literacy. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-institute-for-literacy