Audio version of this blog: I Can Not Read, Sam I Am
March 2, is Dr. Seuss’ birthday, yet 14% of the population could not even read this sentence. 774 million people worldwide can not read or write. Only 12% of legally blind children in the United States can read braille. This is down amazingly from 50% who could read braille in the 1960′s. On a positive note, 90% of jobholders who are blind, are braille literate.
One would think with all the cell phones and twittering and texting going on that we must be more literate now than ever before. But one only sample some of that texting to see grammar, spelling, and even correct use of abbreviation errors abound.
Another revelation coming out of the economic crisis is that factory workers being laid off and suddenly their dark little secret is out in the open: they can’t read. (Not all of them, but many) And now learning to read classes are cropping up. But…and tell this to all the young adults and teens out there you know…it is harder to learn to read later in life than it is when you are young. Good paying jobs these days require more than a high school education.
Challenges come with or without sight. Reading and writing are essential parts of communication. It doesn’t matter if you are reading black and white text or letters made from braille. What matters is this is a challenge worth taking. Learning to read is not just for communication and job related activities, but also because there are many beautiful stories out there worth reading.
