Literacy

It is hard for me to really fathom what it would be like to be illiterate. I spent a lot of time when I was growing up reading books so my childhood would have been very different without them. I think promoting literacy at an early age increases comprehension and vocabulary skills.




There are many things that we can learn without reading or writing such as the things we learned as a toddler. We learned how to walk, talk, show manners, share our toys, and the list goes on and on. As we grew older, we learned how to play sports, fly a kite, and ride a bike to name a few from having another person tell us how to do it or by demonstrating it for us. I think about all of the questions my grandson asks about the sun, how our eyes work, what a volcano is, etc. and he absorbs all of that information without knowing how to read yet.



As I think about some of the things that would not be possible or limited by the inability to read or write, it is mind boggling to me. First of all, I would not be able to pick up a good novel and read it for relaxation or pleasure. I would not be able to read the newspaper or news posted on the internet to keep up with current events. Since reading recipes would not be possible, I would have to memorize the steps for anything I wanted to cook. Although I would be able to place a phone call to friends and family, I would not be able to shoot off the quick email or text message to stay in touch with loved ones.



From a career prospective, I know I would not have the position that I do if I were unable to read or write. I spend the majority of my day reading and writing emails, researching regulations, preparing briefings, etc. so literacy is imperative. I would not be able to read my employees self-assessments or write their annual appraisals and awards packages.



I realize there are many illiterate people in the world who perform well and have been very successful. Numerous job skills can be taught through verbal means or demonstration. A lot of blue collar jobs definitely require literacy while others do not. Some have great “people” skills and can do quite well as a salesperson.



I have to wonder how much of an embarrassment it is to those who were never taught to read or write though. Take the successful salesperson, for example, who has kept their illiteracy a secret. If they are selling a new product that they are not well informed about and the customer has questions, it must be quite frustrating to have the answers at your fingertips in the form of sales literature, a manual, etc. and not be able to read it. If the sales manager asks for a written sales report from the salesperson, it must also feel very uncomfortable to make excuses for the inability to produce it. Generally speaking, promotion potential would be limited without literacy skills.



While a person can function well in life without being able to read or write, I do feel that many doors remained locked for them. The intellectual growth that can be acquired from reading, researching, and studying is restricted as well as many other opportunities.