Composition 101
Mrs. Laura Alvstad
2 Dec. 2014
Low Reading Literacy: The Profound Effects
Are You More Literate Than a Sixth Grader? Fit in later to transition to the problem
“Adolescents entering the adult world in the 21st century will read and write more than at any other time in human history. They will need advanced levels of literacy to perform their jobs, run their households, act as citizens, and conduct their personal lives.” - Richard Vaca
Academically or casually, literacy skills are employed everyday (“How Important. . .”). They are necessary skills to have in private, public, and educational situations (“Reading Literacy”). Society today demands more literate workers and citizens (“The Invisible. …show more content…
Unskilled labor makes up only 20% of the workforce, and nearly every job needs some degree of literacy (Lyon). This all begins very early, and if a child doesn’t become literate, then they are probably going to be unemployed in their future (Roberts). Completing a job application is a struggle. Therefore low literacy keeps an individual from finding and keeping a job (Watson). Another problem is that employers that employ a workforce that is illiterate then can only use them for basic work as they would not be able to comprehend the processes, instructions, data or sensors.RUNON This situation usually means that the business is not able to develop significantly (Lutzenberger). A survey done by the National Association of Manufacturers showed that 40% said they were unable to install improvements because their workforce lacked the necessary math, reading, or communication skills (Lyon). If literacy was improved, the productivity shown by workers would grow and supply a stimulant to the economy. In Canada, increasing literacy abilities could change the annual rate of return from 80% to 250% …show more content…
The inability to read and follow medical instructions could be dementrial to one’s health, even in the short term. Long term effects of literacy could be the development of chronic health problems or lasting damage due to incorrect dosage (Lutzenberger). The inability to think of the right questions to ask the doctor or know when to go to a doctor are also side effects of illiteracy. Other important factors in one’s life are also left out, such as wearing a seatbelt or installing fire alarms. Annette Lyon writes, “Illiterate adults are six times more likely to be hospitalized and are more likely to have heart disease, prostate cancer and diabetes,” (Lyon). Determines what the obtainable career choices are. Those that cannot read above a sixth grade level, and therefore are illiterate, are unlikely to get a job in journalism. Being illiterate means it is possible to get a job as a plumber or a factory worker, but not as a doctor or an electrician. Illiteracy can impose limitations on what careers are accessible and encourage the pursuit of careers that are more suited to an individual's reading level