1. Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America
Summary:
The ABC article “Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America” talks about the number of people who doesn’t know how to read or write and how does this affect this group of people. As article mentions “ 7 million Americans are illiterate, 27 million are unable to read well enough to complete a job application and 30 million can’t read a simple sentence” also it goes in details of explaining the disadvantages of this group of people when talking about health. Article states “’It is a life and death issue,” said study author Dr. David Baker of Northwestern University. “Literacy affects your health in so many different ways,” he said, from inability to properly follow instructions to not knowing about common conditions or what symptoms to look for.” The American Medical Association Foundation did a private study of patients who could not read. Everyone had their own story, while telling how illiteracy affect their health. One patient took her medication improperly, afraid to tell her physician about her difficulty reading, another one as article states “one woman who provided a testimonial said signed a form agreeing to a medical procedure with no idea what it meant.”

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/LegalCenter/story?id=4336421&page=1

 

2. Out of the Shadows, Overcoming Illiteracy
Summary:
In this article “Out of the Shadows, Overcoming Illiteracy” of ABC news talks about a program in the West Michigan, how that help a group of people overcoming illiteracy and the importance of the literacy. As the article states” “Reading is like food,” Downer said. “You can’t have, you can’t live without either of those. Not truly to live and if we can solve the problem at the root cause level, think of all the changes that we’ll make in terms of crime, economics, poverty. It really is so intertwined with all of those issues.” Also, a story of someone who took the program and how this changed her life for better and the benefits she has now when knowing how to read and write. Companies also benefited from this, as Jim Green, Lacks Enterprises’ human resources director said “”To be able to communicate with your co-workers and take part in the social aspects of the job, as well as be able to perform your job as required, is essential,”

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/LegalCenter/story?id=4342759&page=1

 

 

3. How to Improve Literacy Rates in America
Summary:
Teach-nology website talks about “How to Improve Literacy Rates in America”. The article discusses forms of improving literacy in America. Government can improve literacy by raising the budget on education and technology education followed by a proper plan as article states “first priority should be researching the effectiveness of schools when it comes to increasing literacy rates so that the government can find out if the teaching methods should be revised”. Parents have significant part in improving literacy, encouraging children to read from a very young age can help them develop their reading and writing skills. Also states that “internet can be used as a great tool to promote learning since it has such a wide range. Almost everyone has access to the internet and if it is utilized properly, it can spread literacy advocacies like wildfire. Education and Education technology can also be improved by using state of the art teaching materials. Software programs can be created especially for the goal of making academic lessons easier. Since these programs can be given game like properties, they will be much more appealing, and they can make learning a fun process”.

http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/literacy/