ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM-TV) – Did you ever stop and think for a moment, “What if I couldn’t read?” Many of us take this skill we learned around the age of 5 or 6 years-old for granted; the ability to read emails, texts from friends, or a nutrition facts label.
For many Americans, the thought of not being able to read never even enters their mind. Yet, for the approximately 32 million adults in America who are illiterate – it’s something they think of daily.
Read is a crucial life skill. According to the U.S. Department of Education and The National Institute of Literacy, 14 percent of the United States population is illiterate, making illiteracy a continuing problem in our country.
Here are some other statics from the U.S. Department of Education;
- > 21 percent of U.S. adults read below the 5th-grade level.
- > 19 percent of high school graduates can not read.
There is help here in the Twin Tiers for those who can’t read to learn. Over the next month, 18 News will highlight some of these resources for you in our special four-part series, “Literacy in the Twin Tiers.”
To view some local literacy statistics, simply click HERE.
