Comments for Book Publishing Member http://www.bookpublishingmember.com All things publishing and marketing Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:11:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Write Like a Wrestler by Brian Moseley http://www.bookpublishingmember.com/2011/11/09/write-like-a-wrestler/comment-page-1/#comment-2097 Brian Moseley Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:11:26 +0000 http://www.bookpublishingmember.com/?p=898#comment-2097 These are impressive articles. Keep up the sunny handiwork. These are impressive articles. Keep up the sunny handiwork.

]]> Comment on What Does Functional Illiteracy Mean? by Dr. Sarah Eaton http://www.bookpublishingmember.com/2011/04/26/what-does-functional-illiteracy-mean/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Dr. Sarah Eaton Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:49:40 +0000 http://bookpublishingmember.com/?p=628#comment-6 There are dozens of definitions of literacy. For example, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) outlines *9* skills adults need for what you might call "functional literacy". They're called the 9 Literacy and Essential Skills. They include: Reading text, Document use, Numeracy, Writing, Oral communication, Working with others, Continuous learning, Thinking skills and Computer use. (I've talked about them here: http://wp.me/pNAh3-qi) A statistic from Literacy Alberta says that there are 750,000 adults in Alberta who lack sufficient literacy skills to perform their jobs adequately -- and half of them are Canadian-born. That's 3/5 of a million people in Canada's richest province. Literacy is now seen as a continuum of skills that need to be built and reinforced throughout the lifespan. It's not a case of "Learn to read in grade 2 and you know how to read." We now know that adults can lose literacy skills if they don't use them. But that, of course, supposes that they're learning them in the first place. There are dozens of definitions of literacy. For example, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) outlines *9* skills adults need for what you might call “functional literacy”. They’re called the 9 Literacy and Essential Skills. They include: Reading text, Document use, Numeracy, Writing, Oral communication, Working with others, Continuous learning, Thinking skills and Computer use. (I’ve talked about them here: http://wp.me/pNAh3-qi)

A statistic from Literacy Alberta says that there are 750,000 adults in Alberta who lack sufficient literacy skills to perform their jobs adequately — and half of them are Canadian-born. That’s 3/5 of a million people in Canada’s richest province.

Literacy is now seen as a continuum of skills that need to be built and reinforced throughout the lifespan. It’s not a case of “Learn to read in grade 2 and you know how to read.” We now know that adults can lose literacy skills if they don’t use them.

But that, of course, supposes that they’re learning them in the first place.

]]> Comment on What Does Functional Illiteracy Mean? by Colleen http://www.bookpublishingmember.com/2011/04/26/what-does-functional-illiteracy-mean/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Colleen Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:28:12 +0000 http://bookpublishingmember.com/?p=628#comment-5 You are so right. I work in an area where people are required to fill in detailed information (in their own words) on forms. I could not believe the poor level of literacy - especially in men. I estimate that half of the people I deal with cannot write at a grade 4 level. They can't spell fairly simple words and they cannot write a complete sentence. It is really appalling. When I mention this to people, they say "Oh, yes, we have so many immmigrants". These are not immigrants!! These are Canadian born and educated people!! The level of literacy in the immigrant people that I have dealt with is higher than that of the Canadian born people! The fact that the men are more illiterate than women tells me that our school system is really failing the boys. I've seen this myself, having had one son and one daughter go through school. There was not much that interested my son. We've been so worried about girls in the last 30 years, that we have neglected the boys. You are so right. I work in an area where people are required to fill in detailed information (in their own words) on forms. I could not believe the poor level of literacy – especially in men. I estimate that half of the people I deal with cannot write at a grade 4 level. They can’t spell fairly simple words and they cannot write a complete sentence. It is really appalling.

When I mention this to people, they say “Oh, yes, we have so many immmigrants”. These are not immigrants!! These are Canadian born and educated people!! The level of literacy in the immigrant people that I have dealt with is higher than that of the Canadian born people!

The fact that the men are more illiterate than women tells me that our school system is really failing the boys. I’ve seen this myself, having had one son and one daughter go through school. There was not much that interested my son. We’ve been so worried about girls in the last 30 years, that we have neglected the boys.

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