when Larry goes out to eat with his friends he usually orders last most of
friends he usually orders last most of
friends he usually orders last most of the time he gets the same thing as
the time he gets the same thing as
the time he gets the same thing as someone else in his group when larry
someone else in his group when larry
someone else in his group when larry goes to the grocery store he often asks
goes to the grocery store he often asks
goes to the grocery store he often asks a fellow shopper to read part of some
a fellow shopper to read part of some
a fellow shopper to read part of some food packaging to him saying I’m sorry I
food packaging to him saying I’m sorry I
food packaging to him saying I’m sorry I left my glasses at home this morning do
left my glasses at home this morning do
left my glasses at home this morning do you mind and when Larry lost his
you mind and when Larry lost his
you mind and when Larry lost his manufacturing job he went to the
manufacturing job he went to the
manufacturing job he went to the Jobcentre for help filling out
Jobcentre for help filling out
Jobcentre for help filling out applications citing his poor internet
applications citing his poor internet
applications citing his poor internet connection at home the truth is Larry
connection at home the truth is Larry
connection at home the truth is Larry hides an important part of his life from
hides an important part of his life from
hides an important part of his life from almost everyone in it Larry is
almost everyone in it Larry is
almost everyone in it Larry is illiterate there are more than 36
illiterate there are more than 36
illiterate there are more than 36 million American adults just like Larry
million American adults just like Larry
million American adults just like Larry who read write and do math at or below a
who read write and do math at or below a
who read write and do math at or below a third-grade level that’s greater than
third-grade level that’s greater than
third-grade level that’s greater than the population of every individual state
the population of every individual state
the population of every individual state except California and equal to roughly
except California and equal to roughly
except California and equal to roughly 10% of the u.s. population when we raise
10% of the u.s. population when we raise
10% of the u.s. population when we raise the bar to fifth grade proficiency that
the bar to fifth grade proficiency that
the bar to fifth grade proficiency that figure rises as well to 20% of the US
figure rises as well to 20% of the US
figure rises as well to 20% of the US population this is a national crisis
population this is a national crisis
population this is a national crisis illiteracy is a largely invisible issue
illiteracy is a largely invisible issue
illiteracy is a largely invisible issue a dark undercurrent to our society that
a dark undercurrent to our society that
a dark undercurrent to our society that affects nearly everything from crime to
affects nearly everything from crime to
affects nearly everything from crime to poverty to health and more one reason
poverty to health and more one reason
poverty to health and more one reason for this invisibility is that low
for this invisibility is that low
for this invisibility is that low literate adults often go to great
literate adults often go to great
literate adults often go to great lengths to hide it because they are
lengths to hide it because they are
lengths to hide it because they are embarrassed or ashamed human beings are
embarrassed or ashamed human beings are
embarrassed or ashamed human beings are creative and resilient and we often find
creative and resilient and we often find
creative and resilient and we often find ways to work around our problems without
ways to work around our problems without
ways to work around our problems without actually solving them another reason
actually solving them another reason
actually solving them another reason illiteracy is invisible is because high
illiteracy is invisible is because high
illiteracy is invisible is because high school graduation rates don’t tell us
school graduation rates don’t tell us
school graduation rates don’t tell us the whole story
the whole story
the whole story a person can graduate while remaining
a person can graduate while remaining
a person can graduate while remaining low literate and a person can drop out
low literate and a person can drop out
low literate and a person can drop out while perfectly competent everyone has a
while perfectly competent everyone has a
while perfectly competent everyone has a different school story everyone has a
different school story everyone has a
different school story everyone has a different relationship to literacy I was
different relationship to literacy I was
different relationship to literacy I was lucky
lucky
lucky when I was a kid learning came easily to
when I was a kid learning came easily to
when I was a kid learning came easily to me I did well in school and I took it
me I did well in school and I took it
me I did well in school and I took it for granted
for granted
for granted I even had my friends quiz me from the
I even had my friends quiz me from the
I even had my friends quiz me from the spelling bee booklets at sleepovers for
spelling bee booklets at sleepovers for
spelling bee booklets at sleepovers for many years for fun my board friends
but it all paid off this was me when I
but it all paid off this was me when I won the district spelling bee in seventh
won the district spelling bee in seventh
won the district spelling bee in seventh grade for the second year in a row look
grade for the second year in a row look
grade for the second year in a row look how happy I am until I saw that photo in
how happy I am until I saw that photo in
how happy I am until I saw that photo in the newspaper I had no idea my face
the newspaper I had no idea my face
the newspaper I had no idea my face could look like that I think every
could look like that I think every
could look like that I think every teacher I ever had gave me a copy of
teacher I ever had gave me a copy of
teacher I ever had gave me a copy of that in school the next week you don’t
that in school the next week you don’t
that in school the next week you don’t need to be a Spelling Bee champion to
need to be a Spelling Bee champion to
need to be a Spelling Bee champion to have literacy skills that you take for
have literacy skills that you take for
have literacy skills that you take for granted though chances are if you’re a
granted though chances are if you’re a
granted though chances are if you’re a college graduate you are surrounded in
college graduate you are surrounded in
college graduate you are surrounded in your personal life by other college
your personal life by other college
your personal life by other college graduates it may be hard to visualize
graduates it may be hard to visualize
graduates it may be hard to visualize the true scope of the problem of adult
the true scope of the problem of adult
the true scope of the problem of adult illiteracy because it exists in pockets
illiteracy because it exists in pockets
illiteracy because it exists in pockets because it is invisible and because we
because it is invisible and because we
because it is invisible and because we tend to surround ourselves with people
tend to surround ourselves with people
tend to surround ourselves with people of similar education levels to our own I
of similar education levels to our own I
of similar education levels to our own I work at an adult literacy center here in
work at an adult literacy center here in
work at an adult literacy center here in Dayton and one common incorrect
Dayton and one common incorrect
Dayton and one common incorrect assumption that I have run into is that
assumption that I have run into is that
assumption that I have run into is that adults who don’t or can’t read well
adults who don’t or can’t read well
adults who don’t or can’t read well chose that path for themselves
chose that path for themselves
chose that path for themselves that they were too lazy or too apathetic
that they were too lazy or too apathetic
that they were too lazy or too apathetic to do well in school the first time
to do well in school the first time
to do well in school the first time around this is simply not true for one
around this is simply not true for one
around this is simply not true for one everyone has different reasons for being
everyone has different reasons for being
everyone has different reasons for being at the levels they are and for another
at the levels they are and for another
at the levels they are and for another adult learners are some of the most
adult learners are some of the most
adult learners are some of the most motivated hard-working people you could
motivated hard-working people you could
motivated hard-working people you could ever meet a few years ago 72 year old
ever meet a few years ago 72 year old
ever meet a few years ago 72 year old twin sisters Mary and Martha came to the
twin sisters Mary and Martha came to the
twin sisters Mary and Martha came to the Literacy Center because they had a goal
Literacy Center because they had a goal
Literacy Center because they had a goal they wanted to read their mail take just
they wanted to read their mail take just
they wanted to read their mail take just a second and think about how much you
a second and think about how much you
a second and think about how much you take for granted your ability to read
take for granted your ability to read
take for granted your ability to read the mail that comes to you think of the
the mail that comes to you think of the
the mail that comes to you think of the piles of junk mail the credit card
piles of junk mail the credit card
piles of junk mail the credit card applications the fliers and forms and
applications the fliers and forms and
applications the fliers and forms and advertisements that you toss aside
advertisements that you toss aside
advertisements that you toss aside without a second thought
without a second thought
without a second thought Mary and Martha couldn’t do that they
Mary and Martha couldn’t do that they
Mary and Martha couldn’t do that they had grown up in a sharecropping family
had grown up in a sharecropping family
had grown up in a sharecropping family in Georgia and were only allowed to go
in Georgia and were only allowed to go
in Georgia and were only allowed to go to school and days that it rained
to school and days that it rained
to school and days that it rained because it was only then that they
because it was only then that they
because it was only then that they weren’t needed in the fields so Mary and
weren’t needed in the fields so Mary and
weren’t needed in the fields so Mary and Martha started from the ground up with
Martha started from the ground up with
Martha started from the ground up with basic letter recognition at age 72 a few
basic letter recognition at age 72 a few
basic letter recognition at age 72 a few months later they walked in through the
months later they walked in through the
months later they walked in through the front doors smiling from ear-to-ear and
front doors smiling from ear-to-ear and
front doors smiling from ear-to-ear and waving a piece of paper the sisters had
waving a piece of paper the sisters had
waving a piece of paper the sisters had just been told that they wouldn’t get
just been told that they wouldn’t get
just been told that they wouldn’t get their regular meals on wheels delivery
their regular meals on wheels delivery
their regular meals on wheels delivery over the Labor Day weekend
over the Labor Day weekend
over the Labor Day weekend due to the holiday schedule they didn’t
due to the holiday schedule they didn’t
due to the holiday schedule they didn’t care about the food all the sisters
care about the food all the sisters
care about the food all the sisters cared about was that they could read
cared about was that they could read
cared about was that they could read that notice they were thrilled they were
that notice they were thrilled they were
that notice they were thrilled they were proud they felt accomplished and they
proud they felt accomplished and they
proud they felt accomplished and they were the furthest thing from ashamed
were the furthest thing from ashamed
were the furthest thing from ashamed when was the last time you were that
when was the last time you were that
when was the last time you were that excited about being able to read
excited about being able to read
excited about being able to read something for Mary and Martha and for
something for Mary and Martha and for
something for Mary and Martha and for all of us the ability to read is an
all of us the ability to read is an
all of us the ability to read is an absolute game changer being able to read
absolute game changer being able to read
absolute game changer being able to read and write actually changes the way we
and write actually changes the way we
and write actually changes the way we think literacy expert Walter J Young
think literacy expert Walter J Young
think literacy expert Walter J Young describes the ways in which writing
describes the ways in which writing
describes the ways in which writing restructures human consciousness writing
restructures human consciousness writing
restructures human consciousness writing is detached from the writer
is detached from the writer
is detached from the writer unlike speech which is immediately
unlike speech which is immediately
unlike speech which is immediately attached to the speaker by learning how
attached to the speaker by learning how
attached to the speaker by learning how to read the written word we learn how to
to read the written word we learn how to
to read the written word we learn how to separate ideas in time and we learned
separate ideas in time and we learned
separate ideas in time and we learned that it is possible for ideas to endure
that it is possible for ideas to endure
that it is possible for ideas to endure beyond the moment that their first
beyond the moment that their first
beyond the moment that their first thought of case in point I didn’t need
thought of case in point I didn’t need
thought of case in point I didn’t need to meet mr. Ong to learn what he thought
to meet mr. Ong to learn what he thought
to meet mr. Ong to learn what he thought I could read his book instead and this
I could read his book instead and this
I could read his book instead and this changes how we think many complex mental
changes how we think many complex mental
changes how we think many complex mental processes are involved when we read as
processes are involved when we read as
processes are involved when we read as babies we first experience language as
babies we first experience language as
babies we first experience language as sounds that carry meaning and wood we
sounds that carry meaning and wood we
sounds that carry meaning and wood we learn how to read and write we learn
learn how to read and write we learn
learn how to read and write we learn that those sounds can have physical
that those sounds can have physical
that those sounds can have physical representation as symbols on a page
representation as symbols on a page
representation as symbols on a page reading relies on reversing this order
reading relies on reversing this order
reading relies on reversing this order on turning symbols back into sounds back
on turning symbols back into sounds back
on turning symbols back into sounds back into meaning the two main cognitive
into meaning the two main cognitive
into meaning the two main cognitive building blocks involved with reading
building blocks involved with reading
building blocks involved with reading are comprehension and decoding
are comprehension and decoding
are comprehension and decoding comprehension comes first that’s our
comprehension comes first that’s our
comprehension comes first that’s our ability to understand the meaning behind
ability to understand the meaning behind
ability to understand the meaning behind the words and this meaning is always
the words and this meaning is always
the words and this meaning is always made up of many parts definition tone
made up of many parts definition tone
made up of many parts definition tone context relevance formality and many
context relevance formality and many
context relevance formality and many more a more subtle aspect of
more a more subtle aspect of
more a more subtle aspect of comprehension is the ability to infer to
comprehension is the ability to infer to
comprehension is the ability to infer to read between the lines and hear what
read between the lines and hear what
read between the lines and hear what isn’t said decoding comes next
isn’t said decoding comes next
isn’t said decoding comes next decoding is our ability to process
decoding is our ability to process
decoding is our ability to process language by recognizing its component
language by recognizing its component
language by recognizing its component parts this is where breaking words down
parts this is where breaking words down
parts this is where breaking words down sounding them out and noticing patterns
sounding them out and noticing patterns
sounding them out and noticing patterns and spelling and meaning come into play
and spelling and meaning come into play
and spelling and meaning come into play becoming a better reader really means
becoming a better reader really means
becoming a better reader really means developing these decoding skills words
developing these decoding skills words
developing these decoding skills words and sentences have endless combinations
and sentences have endless combinations
and sentences have endless combinations once we realize that we are just
once we realize that we are just
once we realize that we are just rearranging the same elements over and
rearranging the same elements over and
rearranging the same elements over and over and over again for people who don’t
over and over again for people who don’t
over and over again for people who don’t acquire this understanding earlier in
acquire this understanding earlier in
acquire this understanding earlier in life everything is harder because what’s
life everything is harder because what’s
life everything is harder because what’s really missing is that ability to
really missing is that ability to
really missing is that ability to transfer knowledge from one context to
transfer knowledge from one context to
transfer knowledge from one context to another when you have literacy skills
another when you have literacy skills
another when you have literacy skills you probably have no clue how much you
you probably have no clue how much you
you probably have no clue how much you read every day when something is
read every day when something is
read every day when something is familiar to you it registers faster so
familiar to you it registers faster so
familiar to you it registers faster so the more you see certain signs signals
the more you see certain signs signals
the more you see certain signs signals and messages the more they sink into the
and messages the more they sink into the
and messages the more they sink into the background so your brain can focus on
background so your brain can focus on
background so your brain can focus on aberrations from those norms instead of
aberrations from those norms instead of
aberrations from those norms instead of having to figure out consciously while
having to figure out consciously while
having to figure out consciously while going 60 miles an hour down the highway
going 60 miles an hour down the highway
going 60 miles an hour down the highway that that sign over there says no edge
that that sign over there says no edge
that that sign over there says no edge lines you can focus on your car’s
lines you can focus on your car’s
lines you can focus on your car’s position on the road keeping yourself
position on the road keeping yourself
position on the road keeping yourself and everyone around you safer literacy
and everyone around you safer literacy
and everyone around you safer literacy is like this in all aspects of life it
is like this in all aspects of life it
is like this in all aspects of life it becomes an automatic process so we can
becomes an automatic process so we can
becomes an automatic process so we can focus on what’s really important keeping
focus on what’s really important keeping
focus on what’s really important keeping up with the news applying for jobs
up with the news applying for jobs
up with the news applying for jobs taking medicines properly handling money
taking medicines properly handling money
taking medicines properly handling money responsibly and of course staying
responsibly and of course staying
responsibly and of course staying connected with our friends families and
connected with our friends families and
connected with our friends families and communities when any one of us is less
communities when any one of us is less
communities when any one of us is less able to do any of these things it
able to do any of these things it
able to do any of these things it threatens everyone’s well-being and our
threatens everyone’s well-being and our
threatens everyone’s well-being and our society stability often in ways you
society stability often in ways you
society stability often in ways you wouldn’t think of for example children
wouldn’t think of for example children
wouldn’t think of for example children of low literate parents have a 72%
of low literate parents have a 72%
of low literate parents have a 72% chance of being at the lowest literacy
chance of being at the lowest literacy
chance of being at the lowest literacy levels themselves breaking this cycle is
levels themselves breaking this cycle is
levels themselves breaking this cycle is essential literacy is essential because
essential literacy is essential because
essential literacy is essential because literacy is the tool that allows us to
literacy is the tool that allows us to
literacy is the tool that allows us to take everything else for granted
take everything else for granted
take everything else for granted literacy enables us to participate in
literacy enables us to participate in
literacy enables us to participate in all of life the good news is that the
all of life the good news is that the
all of life the good news is that the flip side of the cycle is true as well
flip side of the cycle is true as well
flip side of the cycle is true as well literacy is a value that sticks with
literacy is a value that sticks with
literacy is a value that sticks with people I grew up in an Air Force family
people I grew up in an Air Force family
people I grew up in an Air Force family and when we got stationed in Dayton it
and when we got stationed in Dayton it
and when we got stationed in Dayton it was just a couple weeks later that my
was just a couple weeks later that my
was just a couple weeks later that my parents took us to the downtown library
parents took us to the downtown library
parents took us to the downtown library branch to get our library cards and all
branch to get our library cards and all
branch to get our library cards and all the chaos of moving books and stories
the chaos of moving books and stories
the chaos of moving books and stories were a form of stability comfort and
were a form of stability comfort and
were a form of stability comfort and connection
connection
connection and that has always remained with me and
and that has always remained with me and
and that has always remained with me and last month in the beautiful new building
last month in the beautiful new building
last month in the beautiful new building at that same location I married the love
at that same location I married the love
at that same location I married the love of my life in that library
more importantly Martha one of the two
more importantly Martha one of the two sisters I told you about earlier
sisters I told you about earlier
sisters I told you about earlier continues to come to the Literacy Center
continues to come to the Literacy Center
continues to come to the Literacy Center her sister has passed away but Martha
her sister has passed away but Martha
her sister has passed away but Martha comes every week and still works with
comes every week and still works with
comes every week and still works with her original tutor four years ago
her original tutor four years ago
her original tutor four years ago Martha couldn’t read her mail today
Martha couldn’t read her mail today
Martha couldn’t read her mail today Martha is writing her life story chapter
Martha is writing her life story chapter
Martha is writing her life story chapter by chapter our words and our ideas have
by chapter our words and our ideas have
by chapter our words and our ideas have the power to outlive us when we read we
the power to outlive us when we read we
the power to outlive us when we read we enter into conversations we didn’t even
enter into conversations we didn’t even
enter into conversations we didn’t even know were happening when we write we
know were happening when we write we
know were happening when we write we create something for the future for
create something for the future for
create something for the future for people we’ve never met and we’ll never
people we’ve never met and we’ll never
people we’ve never met and we’ll never meet an act of hope literacy is
meet an act of hope literacy is
meet an act of hope literacy is connection across time and across place
connection across time and across place
connection across time and across place literacy honors human dignity and gives
literacy honors human dignity and gives
literacy honors human dignity and gives us hope for a better world one that we
us hope for a better world one that we
us hope for a better world one that we can create together chapter by chapter
”
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