Hello Steve,
On Dec 19, 2005, at 12:17 PM, Dr. Steve Eskow wrote:
The finding that you underline-the large scale illiteracy in the
United
States-is a problem that has been with us for a long time.
Perhaps "the main point" of the NAAL study differs for different
interests.
The main point for a group such as DDN, devoted as it is to
expanding the
use of the new communication technologies, is that in a decade in
which the
use of computer technology in our schools and colleges, and in the
culture
at large, has expanded significantly. . . the general level of
literacy has
declined.
Actually, Steve, that isn't what the NAAL study found. According to
the study, there has been no significant overall change in prose and
document literacy in the decade since the last national assessment
of adult literacy, the NALS. And there has been an increase in
quantitative literacy.
Further: there are suggestions by the officials connected with the
study
that new communication media-tv and the internet-are responsible
for the
decline.
One group, Hispanics, as a group shows a score decline.
Spokespeople, Grover (Russ) Whitehurst, Director of the Institute for
Education Sciences, and Mark Schneider, Commissioner, of NCES, which
commissioned the study, both agreed that this was because of the
influx of adult immigrants with low English language skills and (in
some cases) other basic skills. Some other groups, African Americans
and Asian Americans for example, show score gains since the NALS.
Perhaps however, you are using the term "literacy" in a different way
from how it was used in the study. In the study it 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."
Perhaps you are referring to the extent to which Americans do (or
don't) read (books and newspapers, for example), what some have
referred to as "aliteracy".
David J. Rosen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Steve Eskow
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David
Rosen
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 6:54 AM
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group
Subject: [DDN] NAAL points to serious,ongoing adult basic skills
problem in
U.S.
Colleagues,
The main point of the NAAL study (and the NALS study a decade
earlier) , obscured in much of the discussion here so far, is that
13% of American adults (30 million people) are at a Below Basic
literacy level, and another 29% (an additional 63 million people) are
at a Basic level. In a changing economy, with global
competitiveness, family self-sufficiency for millions of Americans is
at risk. With current public resources, the U.S. Department of
Education says we can reach under 10% (perhaps as low as 3%) of those
in need. We have a serious adult literacy and basic skills divide.
What can technology offer to help solve this problem?
David J. Rosen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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