Two related news stories caught my attention this week. One was entitled "They Can't Read: [Hoover Institution Senior Fellow} Victor Davis Hanson Shares Horror Stories That Drove Him Out Of University." The other piece is called "Gen Z are arriving to college unable to even read a sentence – professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates."
As the titles imply, there are entire cohorts of young people emerging from public education functionally illiterate. The latter article begins: "As Gen Z ditch books at record levels, students are arriving to classrooms unable to complete assigned reading on par with previous expectations. It's leaving colleges no choice but to lower their expectations. One shocked professor has described young adults showing up to class, unable to read a single sentence."
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The crisis of literacy goes back decades, arguably generations. "Why Johnny Can't Read" was first published in 1955 and drew national attention to the failures of the "look-say" method of teaching (as opposed to phonics) that signaled the beginning of the end for literacy.
We are so obsessed with books in our family that this hits home ... hard.
We've also had lively discussions in our household about the issue. Is reading even "necessary" in our modern society? Clearly illiteracy isn't an insuperable handicap for everyone. History is rife with brilliant people who succeeded despite their inability to read. Today's younger generations are clearly succeeding even though reading is no longer a priority.
I guess what I find distressing is our modern culture seems to actively cultivate functional illiteracy. Children are surrounded by screens instead of books. They're encouraged to watch videos about something rather than reading about it. Parents don't model reading; they model viewing. Artificial intelligence is poised to take the need to read away from us. Children no longer grow up with the expectation that reading is not only educational, but fun. University professors are reaping the rewards of this change in attitude and ability.
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Recently a reader related a frustrating experience with an AI bot and asked rhetorically, "You'll do better finding your answers in a book somewhere. What will we do when books are gone?"
An excellent question. We're on a personal mission in our family not to let that happen. Let's hope future generations are able to overcome their illiteracy.
This country is on a totally doomed track as you know, and it has come from withing by infiltrators. I fisrt noticed the decline in youth morality when years ago I had to go to my kids high school to pick one of them up for a dentist appointment and I was in complete SHOCK when i was caught in a hallway with the kids changing classrooms, they were all using horrid foul language, that was not allowed when I was in school and I even heard a couple of teachers using it as well. I deemed that the beginning of the end for our kids. It has done nothing gotten worse as you know.
ReplyDeleteOh get real Gramps. I'm 60 and we all grew up with "horrid foul language." None of it has to do with literacy.
DeleteThis is all in keeping with the "Keep them stoned, stupid, and entertained" mechanism being employed by "The Powers That Be" in our society now; a modern take on "Bread and Circuses," and with the same goal in mind! Indeed, many kids can't even tell time on an "analog" clock! Ignorant and uneducated people are easy to steer. God, help us all... Please...
ReplyDeleteI teach high school. I have kids who can't read an analog clock, can't read cursive, have low reading levels in general, and have dreadful writing "skills." My state outlawed phones in schools and kids are showing signs of withdrawal. That phrase about stoned, stupid, and entertained is incredibly accurate.
Deletewhy do kids need to read an analog clock or write cursive? I would like an answer other than THAT'S HOW I GREW UP. Life changes as technology changes. Be glad you have running water, working toilets, etc.
Deleteand I still have no idea how to use a slide rule. SHOCK HORROR! Calculators replaced them. (And please don't assume I'm no good at math, because I am.)
DeleteWhen I was in high school I started to read the whole library. I never completed the task but got about 50% done before I graduated. Reading is such fun!
ReplyDeleteI love to read! I can't imagine how awful life would be if I couldn't read. In our society there is no excuse for illteracy.
ReplyDeleteAt 76 my eyes are weak enough that I do most of my reading on nook and kindle. Still have a couple thousand books including old books from the grand mothers, some being cook books with old time recipes.
ReplyDeleteWe need more like people like VDH. We're so thankful he is recovering from surgery. Who will fill his shoes?
ReplyDeleteThis is so painful! It's not something I can comprehend. I lived and breathed books at that age. How I desire those wistful days of completing homework and chores and burying myself in the latest book. Or even better when a book was the homework! Our children, early 30s, both love to read. We made weekly library trips all through their school years. I remember being stunned once when our library account said we had 98 books checked out as a family. I would rather read than do most anything. Reading is like breathing!
It explains a lot about society today. We refuse to educate ourselves. We don't know how to think and reason for ourselves. So many are misled , where do we start? The church is weak because so few read their Bibles. We pray 🙏 🙏🙏
As a nurse, I'm amazed with the amount of young people who can't read an analog clock or cursive. But, they're also able to do a lot of stuff on their phones that I can't, so I guess it balances out. Sort of.
ReplyDeleteI am certain that when I graduated high school in 1970 there were students who could not balance a check book, or possibly read. And while I could read and do arithmetics, I was not very good at it. But several years later I found subjects I could not get enough of so my reading increased, and my Joy of reading increased. As for Arithmetics, well my Father was a wizard with numbers, and this from a man whose schooling was through 11 years. His school did not have a 12th year. And he was a veteran of WW1 Army in Europe. Reading and numbers opened the world for me!
ReplyDeletei wonder why universities are accepting students that can't read and write. do they not have minimum requirements anymore? i simply don't believe an entire generation all had parents that didn't value education for their children. there is more to it that is not being told.
ReplyDeleteI know phonics is worshipped in conservative circles. It never made sense to me. I taught myself to read when I was three, and at age six, phonics was just a confusing mess. At least we now acknowledge that children learn in different ways. That said, I'm a voracious reader as are my kids. (I also write books! heh)
ReplyDeleteI always read to my 5 children growing up. I also took them to the library.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was a high school teacher for a short time & was very upset that high school students couldn't read. she blamed it on the parents for not reading to them as children & teachers for just pushing them along.
When I started babysitting my first grandchild at 2 months old I read to her. My other daughter thought I was nuts, but I told her that she will know that Nana is going to read to her. She & her sister love books. They look forward to me watching them every week.
Debbie in MA