If the 9M number is even remotely true, this is a disaster of epic proportions. This should be an “all hands on deck” situation, but the government seems to take the “meh, whatever” approach.
What’s happening in the UK?
Love Island culture is taking its toll. But honestly, it’s taking its toll everywhere in the world. The rest of us just haven’t been checked, or checked properly.
How high are the standards in this case?
Isn’t that more than 10% of the population? I just cannot believe it
Just move to Poland already. Education until you’re 18 is mandatory here.
Unfortunately this is the case everywhere in Europe. A lot of kids leave the education system without learning to read.
In the old days it was explained by kids dropping out of school, but nowadays everyone finishes 12 years of schooling yet a lot go through this experience without learning anything.
It might be possible that this is a natural state for humanity. A fifth of the population is not interested in reading.
In all seriousness though, the Netherlands was estimated to have about 1,5 million people who are functionally illiterate in 2008. Although not as high of a percentage of the population, still a shocking 10% of people at the time. It’s not just British, people in general don’t read enough so their reading isn’t up to the level you need it to read things like official documents comfortably.
from the topic and from the colorscheme I though this was a vicy3 sub post
Same reason only 50% of germans can speak/read/understand english, even tho we learn it pretty extensively in school. People somehow get by never learning it properly. They avoid it wherever they can, and then after 5 years on not using it there is just nothing left. At that point they wont start from scratch, and thus 5 years turn into 50. Exactly the same thing happens with reading. Everytime they have to do it they just avoid it by having someone read it for them etc. a.e. “I dont understand this, can you explain this text to me?” or “can you double check this for me?”
No, no, no! My child cannot read because you are a bad teacher. My child is not sick. My child is not abnormal. We are pulling him out of school. Expect a complaint because you are a bad teacher. You Are A Bad Teacher!
I live in the UK. This doesn’t surprise me. There are a few people on this thread saying it’s a Europe wide problem, but as someone who has worked with lots of people from mainland Europe from different economic backgrounds and who has traveled extensively throughout Europe, I think the problem is far worse in the UK than anywhere else on the continent. There is quite a strong level of anti-intellectualism among certain classes and regions of the country, and tabloid culture has really dumbed down the population. Many people consider tabloids serious news sources.
The answer is right-wing austerity paired with their disdain for public education and ordinary people.
Romania: Hold my beer. 46% functionally illiterate. You Brits have *nothing* on us!
Lack of discipline in schools and at home is my reckon
Assimilation is the answer for this problem. It will take at least ~500 years. Enjoy your ghettos until then.
> The 1 in 7 figure is based on a 2006 World Literacy Foundation report but does not tell the full story. That’s because reading ability can differ significantly from one person to another. Literacy skills are measured by test tasks with passages and questions that assess comprehension skills, such as the ability to extract details, understand the gist of a text, recognize inferences, and make predictions based on a reading.
It’s still a lot but it sounds for me more like 1 in 7 people is… more challenged than the rest.
16 comments
Original source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/mar/03/literacy-white-working-class-boys-h-is-for-harry
If the 9M number is even remotely true, this is a disaster of epic proportions. This should be an “all hands on deck” situation, but the government seems to take the “meh, whatever” approach.
What’s happening in the UK?
Love Island culture is taking its toll. But honestly, it’s taking its toll everywhere in the world. The rest of us just haven’t been checked, or checked properly.
How high are the standards in this case?
Isn’t that more than 10% of the population? I just cannot believe it
Just move to Poland already. Education until you’re 18 is mandatory here.
Unfortunately this is the case everywhere in Europe. A lot of kids leave the education system without learning to read.
In the old days it was explained by kids dropping out of school, but nowadays everyone finishes 12 years of schooling yet a lot go through this experience without learning anything.
It might be possible that this is a natural state for humanity. A fifth of the population is not interested in reading.
Edit: https://blogs.fasos.maastrichtuniversity.nl/EUS2516/lowliteracyineurope/
20% functional illiteracy is common in Europe.
Brexit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In all seriousness though, the Netherlands was estimated to have about 1,5 million people who are functionally illiterate in 2008. Although not as high of a percentage of the population, still a shocking 10% of people at the time. It’s not just British, people in general don’t read enough so their reading isn’t up to the level you need it to read things like official documents comfortably.
from the topic and from the colorscheme I though this was a vicy3 sub post
Same reason only 50% of germans can speak/read/understand english, even tho we learn it pretty extensively in school.
People somehow get by never learning it properly. They avoid it wherever they can, and then after 5 years on not using it there is just nothing left. At that point they wont start from scratch, and thus 5 years turn into 50.
Exactly the same thing happens with reading. Everytime they have to do it they just avoid it by having someone read it for them etc.
a.e. “I dont understand this, can you explain this text to me?” or “can you double check this for me?”
No, no, no! My child cannot read because you are a bad teacher. My child is not sick. My child is not abnormal. We are pulling him out of school. Expect a complaint because you are a bad teacher. You Are A Bad Teacher!
I live in the UK. This doesn’t surprise me. There are a few people on this thread saying it’s a Europe wide problem, but as someone who has worked with lots of people from mainland Europe from different economic backgrounds and who has traveled extensively throughout Europe, I think the problem is far worse in the UK than anywhere else on the continent. There is quite a strong level of anti-intellectualism among certain classes and regions of the country, and tabloid culture has really dumbed down the population. Many people consider tabloids serious news sources.
The answer is right-wing austerity paired with their disdain for public education and ordinary people.
Romania: Hold my beer. 46% functionally illiterate.
You Brits have *nothing* on us!
Lack of discipline in schools and at home is my reckon
Assimilation is the answer for this problem. It will take at least ~500 years. Enjoy your ghettos until then.
Based on [this definition](https://www.readandspell.com/functional-illiteracy)
> The 1 in 7 figure is based on a 2006 World Literacy Foundation report but does not tell the full story. That’s because reading ability can differ significantly from one person to another. Literacy skills are measured by test tasks with passages and questions that assess comprehension skills, such as the ability to extract details, understand the gist of a text, recognize inferences, and make predictions based on a reading.
It’s still a lot but it sounds for me more like 1 in 7 people is… more challenged than the rest.