The illiteracy statistics for the United States, for North Carolina, and for Moore County are alarming.
Studying illiteracy is, of course, a complicated business, but according to The American Literacy Council between 21 and 23 percent of American adults are functioning at the lowest level. This is approximately 40 to 44 million people.
At most, people at this level are able to perform tasks involving “brief, uncomplicated text,” such as totaling the entry on a bank deposit slip or locating information in a short news article, but many do so with difficulty. Others are unable to do so at all.
An additional 25 to 28 percent, about 50 million more American adults, are functioning at level two. They have skills described as “more varied” than those at level one but “still quite limited.”
They are able to locate information in a text, find a particular intersection on a map, or recognize the difference between price of two items. However, they have “considerable difficulty” carrying out tasks requiring them to use long texts or do two-step calculations.
The worldwide statistics are even more alarming. There are approximately one billion non-literate adults (persons 15 years old and above) in the world today.
Ninety-eight percent of all non-literates are in developing nations. Two-thirds are women. One-half of all non-literates are in India and China. It is estimated that 30 to 50 million people are added each year to the numbers of non-literates — 27 percent of all adults are non-literate.
In Moore County, we’re doing something about these alarming statistics. I recently received a copy of “Explorers: Student Newspaper for the Moore County Literacy Council,” a two-page publication that celebrates the academic achievements of students, young and old, who are learning to read and write.
The objective of the publication is simple enough: “The stories in this publication were written by MCLC students whose tutors have encouraged them to write and experience the thrill of seeing their words in print. Volunteers are encouraged to help their students determine a subject for a story and write it for Explorers.”
The students who contributed to “Explorers” are to be congratulated for their honesty and for their considerable achievements in writing for the publication.
“I want to read better because I want to read to Shelby and the new baby,” writes Crystal Needham. “I want to be able to write poems, and I want to send messages with my computer.”
Ricardo Thomas writes forthrightly about his “Fear of the Future”:
“For the most part I’m trying my best to speak more efficiently in hopes that it will help me communicate with a better brand of people. Every day I try to look at the news and read the newspaper, because it is important to get as much education as possible to be a productive person in society.
“I am learning to stop making excuses for myself and just try. Thanks to the teachers that have been helping me to overcome the things that I have been letting hold me back for so long. Now I am trying to do something that will help my future to be more promising.”
Terry Hill has written “A Ghost Story” that’s succinct and imaginative: “Some of the ghosts stayed in the castle and played creepy music on the piano. The scary music made the skeletons come out of the coffins. They danced around the pumpkins and black cats and sang scary music.”
And Sergio Sanchez tells the story of climbing a mountain: “We began to walk toward the top. Walking up the slope is a great effort because the heart beats very fast. It’s important that you rest when you think it is necessary.”
Cheers for the tutors! Hats off to these students! They’re determined to improve their reading and writing skills — and “Explorers” gives them a chance to see their work in print. Let’s hope they’re like the tiger that tasted blood.
Stephen Smith can be reached at travisses@hotmail.com.
