Literacy in American Lives

Literacy in American Lives PDF

Author: Deborah Brandt

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2001-05-28

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780521003063

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This book addresses critical questions facing public education at the twenty-first century.

Uncovering the Logic of English: A Common-Sense Solution to America's Literacy Crisis

Uncovering the Logic of English: A Common-Sense Solution to America's Literacy Crisis PDF

Author: Denise Eide

Publisher: Logic of English, Inc

Published: 2011-01-27

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 1936706075

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"English is so illogical!" It is generally believed that English is a language of exceptions. For many, learning to spell and read is frustrating. For some, it is impossible... especially for the 29% of Americans who are functionally illiterate. But what if the problem is not the language itself, but the rules we were taught? What if we could see the complexity of English as a powerful tool rather than a hindrance? --Denise Eide Uncovering the Logic of English challenges the notion that English is illogical by systematically explaining English spelling and answering questions like "Why is there a silent final E in have, large, and house?" and "Why is discussion spelled with -sion rather than -tion?" With easy-to-read examples and anecdotes, this book describes: - the phonograms and spelling rules which explain 98% of English words - how English words are formed and how this knowledge can revolutionize vocabulary development - how understanding the reasons behind English spelling prevents students from needing to guess The author's inspiring commentary makes a compelling case that understanding the logic of English could transform literacy education and help solve America's literacy crisis. Thorough and filled with the latest linguistic and reading research, Uncovering the Logic of English demonstrates why this systematic approach should be as foundational to our education as 1+1=2.

Illiterate America

Illiterate America PDF

Author: Jonathan Kozol

Publisher: Doubleday

Published: 2011-11-02

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13: 0307800571

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It is startling and it is shaming: in a country that prides itself on being among the most enlightened in the world, 25 million American adults cannot read the poison warnings on a can of pesticide, a letter from their child’s teacher, or the front page of a newspaper. An additional 35 million read below the level needed to function successfully in our society. The United States ranks forty-ninth among 158 member nations of the UN in literacy, and wastes over $100 billion annually as a result. The problem is not merely an embarrassment, it is a social and economic disaster. In Illiterate America, Jonathan Kozol, author of National Book Award-winning Death at an Early Age, addresses this national disgrace. Combining hard statistics and heartrending stories, he describes the economic and the human costs of illiteracy. Kozol analyses and condemns previous government action—and inaction—and, in a passionate call for reform, he proposes a specific program to conquer illiteracy. One out of every three American adults cannot read this book—which is why everyone else must.

Literacy in America

Literacy in America PDF

Author: Edward E. Gordon

Publisher: Praeger

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13:

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This book is the first comprehensive history of how the American people achieved varying degrees of literacy from early colonial times to the modern era. The authors demonstrate that literacy education is not synonymous with schooling. By focusing on people rather than statistics, including literacy among women and minority groups, they explore the literacy agents, methods, and materials used at different times and places throughout the history of the country. The authors define literacy as the degree of interaction with written text that enables individuals to be productive members of their societies. Family literacy is essential to awakening the personal responsibility and motivation necessary for children to develop a love of reading. This effort requires more intensive collaboration procedures between the home and the school, some of which are detailed here. Based largely on primary materials, this historical survey reveals important lessons from the past that can be applied to achieve higher levels of 21st- century literacy.

Cultural Literacy

Cultural Literacy PDF

Author: E.D. Hirsch, Jr.

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 1988-04-12

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0394758439

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A must-read for parents and teachers, this major bestseller reveals how cultural literacy is the hidden key to effective education and presents 5000 facts that every literate American should know. In this forceful manifesto Professor E. D. Hirsch, Jr., argues that children in the United States are being deprived of the basic knowledge that would enable them to function in contemporary society. They lack cultural literacy: a grasp of background information that writers and speakers assume their audience already has. Even if a student has a basic competence in the English language, he or she has little chance of entering the American mainstream without knowing what a silicon chip is, or when the Civil War was fought. An important work that has engendered a nationwide debate on our educational standards, Cultural Literacy is a required reading for anyone concerned with our future as a literate nation.

Improving Literacy in America

Improving Literacy in America PDF

Author: Frederick J. Morrison

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2008-10-01

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 0300130252

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divAn alarmingly high number of American students continue to lack proficiency in reading, math, and science. The various attempts to address this problem have all too often resulted in “silver bullet” solutions such as reducing class size or implementing voucher programs. But as the authors of this critically important book show, improving literacy also requires an understanding of complex and interrelated social issues that shape a child’s learning. More than twenty years of research demonstrate that literacy success is determined by a combination of sociocultural forces including parenting, preschool, classroom instruction, and other factors that have a direct impact on a child’s development. Here, Frederick J. Morrison, Heather J. Bachman, and Carol McDonald Connor present the most up-to-date research on the diverse factors that relate to a child’s literacy development from preschool through early elementary school. Urging greater emphasis on the immediate sources of influence on children, the authors warn against simple, single solutions that ignore other pivotal aspects of the problem. In a concluding chapter, the authors propose seven specific recommendations for improving literacy—recommendations that can make a real difference in American education./DIV

Illiteracy in America

Illiteracy in America PDF

Author: Gary E. McCuen

Publisher: G E M/McCuen Publications, Incorporated

Published: 1988

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13:

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A collection of essays presenting a variety of, often conflicting viewpoints concerning the problem of illiteracy and what can be done about it.

Girls and Literacy in America

Girls and Literacy in America PDF

Author: Jane Greer

Publisher: ABC-CLIO

Published: 2003-05-23

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13:

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This work offers a tour of the opportunities, obstacles and achievements in girls' education from the limited possibilities of colonial days to the wide-open potential of the Internet generation. It features six essays focused on particular historical periods.