Can somebody please explain to me (in simple terms please!) what Breakthrough to Literacy is?
920996
Breakthrough to Literacy has been around for quite a long time.  It was developed in the 1980's, and has been considerably updated since then.  It is a program to teach literacy skills to  young children, usually up to about 8 years old.  It has complete packages of materials for grades K to 3.  It uses a variety of strategies to teach reading, writing, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, etc. \n\nThese sites will give you more information.
969428
A decline in reading.\n\nAn increase in visual media that bypasses the critical thinking function that reading stimulates.\n\nA lack of awareness of history. When history is promoted, it is usually heavily edited to promote an agenda or to sensationalize it; source documents are ignored if they don't fit the plan. Literature classes are more likely to be selectively laced with politically correct readings which fit proper political indoctrination.\n(Anyone taken a Women Lit class that features writings by Ayn Rand? ---Just wondering...)\n\nAnd don't forget to do your drugs (or was that THX 1138?)\n\nWith cameras on every corner (1984), stem cell research and human cloning (Brave New World) and the disappearance of the written word (F. 451) it's no wonder that some of us old geezers feel like we're strangers living in a strange land....
495953
I'd say just keep reading.  Find something you enjoy and isn't too hard for you to read.  After that,  pick something a little more challenging but just as interesting.  Also, there may be literacy volunteers in your area trained to help adults read (for free).  Good Luck.
354988
**calms the people down**\n\nHonestly, we've had trends like this for years and years. This is what continues to make school systems all over the country continually adjust their curriculums. This is a good thing. This is not a panic situation. Let me see if I can explain......\n\nDo you remember when we were young and they introduced "New Math?" It was always the brunt of many jokes because people then wanted to know how it differed from the "old math." But it was a trend. The true basis of the trend was in upping the awareness of the necessity of math. We were moving toward metric; we were using measurement and applied mathematics. And with awareness......science and math scores rose. Then what happened? We felt deficits in reading and writing. So what was the trend then? "WHOLE LANGUAGE!" This catch phrase was used throughout the land. Incorporating reading and writing into an integrated whole language approach. Was this really much different from what we were already doing? Not so much. But did it raise awareness of the need? Absolutely! So my first point is that trends of math scores and language scores vying for top marks has been around for years and years. \n\nNow on to proficiency levels. This is good news as well. As a whole, our population's testing scores have risen. So happens as a result? Well.....we need a statistics expert here to explain this more accurately than myself. But surely my novice explanation might make a bit of sense. As scores as a whole rise, the median score rises. What once was above average performance may now only fall in the "average" range because of the rise in scores as a whole. Naturally as the proficiency level rises.....a great population is then put into a lower achievement level. (does this make sense at all?) The media often pounce on this. Perhaps to have news to report to scare the beejeezus out of everyone, or again, to help with "awareness." But regardless, it puts people that are not involved in education in a panic mode. Proficiency tests don't always measure achievement. And luckily enough, schools do. :) We use these scores yearly as a checks and balances system to make sure that skills are being taught and learned. We use them to notice changes in childrens levels and abilities as well. \n\nNow about your question. pfffffft don't worry! The "nerdis Americanus" is still alive and living within us. I'm afraid we'll keep breeding them over and over for years to come! :)\n\n*sniffs and pushes her glasses up on her nose**
95344
Read outloud as we make our children do. It will improve your reading and speaking. Listening will come with a better understanding of English. Writing goes with reading. Your writting will improve the more you see how things are written when you read.
1055588
No ...but how do you explain a book to a person that cannot read?\nHow do you explain math to a person who cannot count? Hmmmm !!!
632182
a HUGE impact. look at the da vinci code. even the author said it was completely fiction and people still took it seriously and started to question their ways of life and religion. or take the red book everyone carried in communist china. that little book ruled their lives (along with mao, but he was the author so it's all connected). there you go. it can change a person's whole point of view almost instantly
38828
Please see the list in the sources section, but there are several countries that share the #1 spot at 99.9% literacy, but I'm not sure how you want the information presented, so I'll just give you the link and you can sort the data how you see fit :)
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)
384147
easy ask a reading expert an epertice question ex:the way that they put this doesnt make since and no one get it what does it mean??
1075328
My husband is illiterate. Life is very hard some times for him. He is very intelligent, but has a learning disorder. There are a lot of illiterate people out there and you would never know it. It is well hidden, and very sad that our school systems do no better than this.
429952
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/local/literacy/PDF/pa016.pdf#search='resource%20stimulus%20sheet'\n\nGo here it shows a sample that might help you!
620318
Tips:  It allows for effective communication.  It allows for personal expression.  It leads to the ability for written communication and expression.  Hope this gets you started.  It opens the way to reading.
660097
My English improved immensely (I'm French) when I started to read exclusively in English.  Start with well written children's books.  My first was Anna Sewell's Black beauty but Harry Potter would be a good choice or any subject that interests you.\nBuy a good dictionary (my favourite is Chambers).\nStart reading and whenever you come to a word you do not understand look it up in the dictionary.  You can even have a little note book to record those words.\nThis is hard work at the beginning but I promise you that it works.\nYou have a better chance of remembering those new words because you have taken the time and made the effort of looking them up.\nThis is pro-active learning.  Only you can improve your vocabulary, no-one else can do it for you.  \nBut by the end of your first book not only will your vocabulary have improved immensely but you will have gained a great sense of achievement, then just keep going and read more difficult books.\nDo this in small chunks.  Say, 15 minutes a day to start with.  You will find it is very tiring but this is a skill for life and the more you read the easier it becomes.  I have completed a Master's Degree in English and some of my research has even been published so you see it pays to persevere.\nHave a go and good luck, the future is in your hands.
119096
Technology.\n\nIronic that something that was created to quickly access knowledge in a convenient way has served to take away from learning as well.\n\nLet me explain....\n\nOur students have been experiencing ADD in higher numbers. One finding in research is that we have become a "push button" society. Children are "plugged in" and "unplugged" numerous times during a day. At one time it was the fault of a "remote control" of a tv that allowed people to surf through numerous channels looking for the right show to stimulate their needs. Now let's not only add the TV to the picture but include the internet. They may have four or five windows open jumping from email to answers to a game to chat site back to their homework. If one doesn't give them the stimuation needed they hop to another and to another. Click to this and back to that.......get bored.....move to next window.\n\nIn addition, students have lost the art of using books for research. They "google" or use wikipedia and rely on answers fed to them from sites that aren't always as reliable as documented print in books. Oh sure.....there are many wonderful sites out there too. Don't get me wrong. But it is not enough to just "google." Students really need to master researching skills and technology has enabled quick access but at a price of accuracy. \n\nWriting is suffering as well. Students are found writing papers in "chatonese." For example:\n\n"This book is the one 4 u! It is so hilarious that I was lol. J/K!" \n\nTeachers can teach writing in brilliant forms. However, if students continually chat on the net in chat speak, it becomes a habit that is hard to break in school.\n\nTechnology is a wonderful thing! But I fear that learning has become "easier" for children. Part of the learning process is taking responsibility for your learning rather than expecting an answer to be fed to you via the net. I'm very anxious about seeing where technology will progress positively in the class room.
967424
How do people come up with that?  Yes it really is amazing.  It boggles my mind to try to think of how someone figured all that out.  I dont think it proves anything about the book though.
380350
You'd get more answers if you posted this in "higher education" rather than "special education." Special Education focuses on helping people with special learning needs/differences in school.\n\nI can say that if you are reviewing literature in the English language, a way to speed up your reading would be to read the first and last sentence of each paragraph. If these two sentences look interesting, go back and read through the whole paragraph. Use the headings to give you an overall idea of each section.