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Value of Literacy

Literacy plays an important role in developing students into socially active citizens beyond the basic level. Being able to read and write allows you to stay up to date on current events, communicate effectively, and comprehend the issues that shape our world. Literate people have access to this information. Literacy is important in eliminating gender, racial, nationality, and religious disparities in access to school, property, work, health care, legal representation, and civic participation. It is vital to learn to read in the initial years of elementary school to retain and succeed in subsequent grades. The cornerstone of development is literacy. It leads to greater health, more job possibilities, and a more secure and stable society.

When students have higher reading levels, our economy benefits. Literacy abilities that are effective open the door to greater educational and employment opportunities, allowing people to escape poverty and chronic underemployment. Individuals must constantly extend their knowledge and gain new skills to stay up with the speed of change in our more complicated and swiftly changing modern world. Adults have difficulty reading a newspaper, completing out a job application form, or comprehending a lease; 49% have difficulty calculating a tip, creating a budget, calculating sales tax, or comprehending credit card interest rates. As a result, it’s no surprise that over a quarter of British Columbians lack the literacy skills necessary to properly engage in today’s knowledge-based economy.

Individually, adequate literacy abilities are required to engage and function happily within and contribute to communities. Newcomers to Canada must have appropriate English language abilities to develop friendships; otherwise, they risk isolation, loneliness, and anxiety. Through their ability to receive and analyze health information, those with appropriate reading skills maintain better health. They are better able to communicate coherently with their medical caregivers, learn and practice preventative health behaviors, recognize issues early so that they may be treated, and make appropriate health care decisions. They are also more capable of communicating with their children’s teachers and assisting them with schoolwork. A literate community is a dynamic community from a collective standpoint; a community that shares ideas and engages in the debate is more innovative and productive. Sharing ideas, viewpoints, and concerns leads to increased mutual understanding and caring, as well as a strong sense of community.

Infant mortality rates are lower when parents are literate. Because illiteracy has a direct impact on one’s health and well-being, the value of education in terms of physical health is critical. Those who lack education are more susceptible to health issues; for example, increased learning lowers the chance of HIV infection. Literate women are three times more likely than illiterate women to know that a person in seemingly good health can be infected with HIV, and four times more likely to know how to protect oneself from AIDS, according to a study of women from 32 nations. The wider social and economic benefits that come as a result of educating girls can be seen in their communities. Putting a greater emphasis on women’s education has a good impact on each generation, as it raises aspirations and boosts self-esteem. Improving literacy makes it easier for both men and women to find work, which benefits the economy and community as a whole. Women with primary education had lower infant death rates, while those with a secondary education have even lower rates. It is estimated that every year of schooling gained reduces infant mortality by 9%. This is because girls and women may educate themselves on health issues, which can help break the cycle of poverty and lower mortality rates in the long run.

In conclusion, literacy is an important part of the social studies classroom in the twenty-first century. Students with strong literacy skills can successfully develop content domain knowledge and transferable learning skills across fields.Reference

Rosenfeld, M., Leung, S., & Oltman, P. K. (2017). Identifying the reading, writing, speaking and listening tasks important for academic success at the undergraduate and graduate levels. [TOEFL Monograph Series MS-21]. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service

Spivey, N. (2020). Transforming texts: constructive processes in reading and writing. Written Communication, 7, 256e287.