Is literacy a problem in America?
111938
Technically, there is not a problem with literacy in the United States.  Virtually everyone can read and write.\n\nHowever, there are these people online who, it seems, cannot form a complete sentence.  I think mostly they are just kids and they are trying to seem 'cool'.  At least, I really hope so.\n\nJust because the United States is a literate country, though, does not mean that all literate people have good grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.  Unfortunately, good grammar skills seem to be growing more and more rare -- at least, it seems that way on sites like this.
628913
I think that there is an increased tolerance for poor grammar and spelling in our junior high schools and high schools. I think that students have gotten lazy using the computer with spell check and no longer take the time to be certain that their language usage is correct.\n\nI also think that text messaging and chat rooms help the notion that poor spelling and typing skills are okay. In fact I think that their peers encourage poor writing skills with the use of "u" or "dat" in online communication.\n\nI also think that our children don't read enough and that schools don't do enough to encourage reading as a pleasureable passtime and to instill a love of learning, language, and literature into children.
44875
Is America's educational system poor?  Yes.\n\nIs it the fault of the teachers' unions? No.\n\nThere are a lot of factors taht come into play, but a recent study that was down shows that all attempts by states to ensure teacher quality (e.g. requiring degrees, tests, etc.) actually correspond to DOWNWARD trends in student performance.
684296
In Canada \n22% of adult Canadians have serious problems dealing with printed materials.\n\nHowever, this is the info from another site, http://columbia.thefreedictionary.com/literacy:\nThe United Nations, which defines illiteracy as the inability to read and write a simple message in any language, has conducted a number of surveys on world illiteracy. \nA study by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) published in 1998 predicted that the world illiteracy rate would increase in the 21st cent. because only a quarter of the world's children were in school by the end of the 20th cent. \n\nThe highest illiteracy rates were found in the less developed nations of Africa, Asia, and South America; the lowest in Australia, Japan, North Korea, and the more technologically advanced nations of Europe and North America.\n\n Using the UN definition of illiteracy, the United States and Canada have an overall illiteracy rate of about 1%. In certain disadvantaged areas, however, such as the rural South in the United States, the illiteracy rate is much higher.\n\n\nCan't find a date for this, though. \n\nThe definition could be changed. I remember at one point in the criteria for a literate person was someone who had passed Grade 8. I know certain populations have high illiteracy problems as well.
982442
What stats do you have that say that poor children don't know how to read or write.  I was VERY poor and I know how to read and write.  My son and I were poor for quite some time and he read better than any of his classmates.  When we were able to climb out of that hole and we moved to a nicer school I noticed a lot of the students couldn't read.  These were children from 'good' homes.  Their parents were too busy working to spend any time with them on homework.  I know this because I worked in that classroom for 3 days a week and I saw what was happening.  I think it's a generalization to say that poor kids can't read or write.\n\nAmerica does need to work on the public school system though.  We are far behind in many areas compared to other countries.  Until the Goverment puts schools first there will be no improvement.
661560
Perhaps I can speak from a teacher's point of view: Spelling is taught in American schools however; they usually teach it in conjunction with grammar and vocabulary. I agree that our students have some issues with spelling because there are so many rules. I have a hard time trying to teach my students to memorize the rules. (i before e; etc.) If you memorize spelling rules and apply them, spelling can be a breeze. I also believe that spelling is a subject that you just "have to like". Just like with Math. Everyone does not like math. As for me, I love the language of English. I study it, I read, I define words, I investigate the linguistics of the language but everybody does not find this their main focus. Finally, I don't think that the statement can be limited to "all" Americans. That's too general.  I'll bet there are some pretty bad spellers in Dennmark, Norway, Africa, Russia, The Netherlands, Egypt, Ireland, Alaska...well..you get my drift. (smile)
497695
Literacy:   \ndefinition: age 15 and over can read and write \ntotal population: 99% \nmale: 99% \nfemale: 99% (2003 est.)  \n\nand  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy\n\nRecently the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association have added "visually representing" to the list of communicative competences that are considered to constitute literacy.\n\nAnd  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy#The_United_States\n\nIn the United States, one in seven people (more than 40 million people) can barely read a job offer or utility bill, which arguably makes them functionally illiterate in a developed country such as the US. In 2003, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), conducted by the US Department of Education, found that fourteen percent of American adults scored at this “below basic” level in prose literacy.\n\nSo you can see that there is STILL a problem defining what "literate" is..\n\nPersonally, I think that you have to be able to read AND comprehend to be literate  so it does drop the % because most people can't understand monthly bills nor correctly fill out a job application\n\nHow many high school grads do you know who could truely understand the basics of real life decisions   choosing the best medical insurance- homeowners ins- mortgage rates and fees-(not just the cost) or understand the conditions and terms on most documents that have to be signed ???\n\nNow think about other US areas  the poor  etc  and would you believe that our rate is 99% literate?  Not! (I guess the PR stats people for the USA mean who can read the alphabet)
126372
Not exactly.  The school curricula are limited so as not to offend one group or another, because school boards don't like controversy--it isn't good for their continued employment.  A friend of mine who used to work for Holt, Rinehart & Winston talked every once in a while about everything they weren't allowed to put in the textbooks because someone in Kansas or somewhere might get upset--and since it's cheaper to publish one book for the whole country than it is to specialize them by state, the attitudes of people in one state can easily influence what goes into textbooks across the country.\n\nThis limits the amount of real education that takes place, which in turn can keep kids from being exposed to intelligent, reasoned debate.  This makes it harder for them to think clearly when they grow up, if they're not learning it at home.\n\nSo yes, history does appear to be badly taught in public schools, and part of it is intentional.  But I think the gullibility and mindless consumerism is a side effect, not the primary cause.
150950
In the U.S....\n\nMath involves thinking, critical thinking, and most americans are lazy and hate to think.
461253
It should be unacceptable to allow kids to continue to the next academic level if they are unable to spell and write simple sentences at their current level. The idea of "No Child Left Behind" is a good one, if it were organized differently and funded better. Many international students that I have talked with feel a certain disdain for the level of illiteracy of many American students. Education doesn't seem to be taken very seriously here as compared to many countries in the world. Many students want to take the easiest route possible. That is one of the reasons so many upper level scientific and engineering professionals come from elsewhere, and, according to some of the things I have read, why certain jobs go overseas. The jobs are taken more seriously.
677989
The biggest problem in the US as far as school is concerned is the language barrier.  If the schools I have experienced are any indication, there's not much being done about the language problem.  There seems to be this policy of "Learn English" or fall behind, because we teach in one language and one language only.  Its not good.
315227
This is a difficult question to answer because the data would be hard to find.  If by "reading problems" you mean dyslexia, etc., there is no way you're going to find an answer.  People, especially adults, with such problems will not be eager to admit to the problem.  If by "reading problems" you mean illiteracy, US's illiteracy rate is about 1-2% (along with most other industrialized countries).\n\nYou can get pretty high up, too, with reading problems.  Check out this article from last November: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/11/news/profile.php\nHead coach of the Montreal Canadians admitted to being illiterate.
786245
In terms of a nation-wide scale, the answer is yes. It is rather common. Especially among the less educated population.
437127
I don't mean to depress you even more, but it isn't just Science and math.  Go check your school district's scores and whether they met their AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) according to Pres. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act.  (You can generally do this on your state/district website).  American children are lagging behind in virtually all subjects. \n\nI am a teacher in a low-income urban school.  The majority of my students recieve free lunch, free transportation to school, with many of their parents are on welfare.  My students may not come to school with pens or paper, but their outfits look great and they all have cell phones or two-ways.  \n\nStatistics have shown that children who come from these areas come to school much less prepared then their middle and upper class counterparts.  Imagine a 6 year old coming to school with little prior communication with others, a 600 word vocabulary - compared to a child who went to nursery school, preschool, whose parents teach and talk to them, with a 6000 word vocabulary.  The class disconnect and general deterioration of our society has caused these issues. \n\nNo one can agree on how to fix them, which only delays improvement.  Then we can't find good moral people who teach well.  \n\nWe don't value education in American society.  We want material items and we want them immediately.  A book doesn't blink, play the latest Mp3 or text message you back.  Kids cannot start off with that type of stimulation and be taught to love a good quiet book, then discuss it intellectually. \n\nblah, blah blah... No Child Left Behind takes a stab at these issues - but in the wrong way (much like most of what Bush does).  If you haven't read it.. please do.  If you don't know what AYP or the new standards are - then become familiar with them.  Anyone in America who will be affected by the product of our schools should be outraged at what our kids cannot do!
1115851
The American education system works very well for the US but it lacks something many other countries have. And that is GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. Italian schools for example don't aim much at providing us with a specific school target (as it happens in the US) but the purpose is that of providing each student with the widest possible knowledge, although pointing at specific sectors at university. On top of that, many countries like India, China and Japan have old traditions in family education and lots of philosophy, while in the US superficiality rules. All this gives guys from those countries a higher capacity to look into problems, often with a multilateral approach, that Americans normally don't have. On top of that, Americans educated in the US normally have such a level of specialization that they end up by following only their professional field, rather than gaining a general, wider knowledge, which sooner or later comes useful also at work. This makes US people appear less intelligent than others, even if in actual fact the problem is not the IQ but rather the way they use the same amount of intelligence. Chinese, Japanese, Indians, see much more in depth than Americans, while Americans always go for Easier, Simpler, More Straighforward solutions, which are not always the best solutions. In a word, they are rarely able to work out solutions that are as complex and efficient as those that an Indian, Chinese or others would do. (See war in Iraq for example. It was tackled in such a naive way that the results are before the eyes of the whole world. And those plans were made by the people who are supposed to be the best US have on hand. Even if they did it only for Oil, the plan would still look tremendously naive).
1110051
The percentage is is rather high. If you would like numbers here you go.  1 out of every 5 children has a reading/wtiting disability.  1 out of every 10 is diagnosed as Dyslexic.\n When you think about it if you were to take all the people that are deaf, blind or mute in the world there are more people that can not read or write for their appropriate age or grade level.\n\nAt my college, there are about 3,000 students pe semester, out of that number we have 200 to 350 student that are refered to disability and suport services. That mean that 6-12 % of the school student population needs some type of help.
1006570
No, it really irritates those of us who bothered to learn proper grammar and spelling in school.  The problem today?  It's called No Child Left Behind (aka dumbing down the curriculum).