Professor Vollaro ENC 1101

February 4, 2013 Effect Cause Paper Illiteracy The society, the American economy, many people’s health, and even the justice system are all affected by illiteracy. The lack of the ability to read and write has a huge impact, one way or another, on the everyday life of every person. Twenty percent of the American population is functionally illiterate, which means they cannot read at all or they read below the fourth grade reading level. It is important to make sure as many people as possible are able to read and write to be able to complete all necessary daily activities, both at home and at the work place. A person needs to be able to read and write to fill out job applications, follow rules and directions, and maintain financial records. Some of the common causes of illiteracy are poverty, the lack of literacy within the family, and learning disabilities. Due to poverty some children are needed to work outside of the home, to help compensate the family’s income, instead of being able to go to school to receive the education that is needed. Therefore, poverty leads to the lack of literacy within the family. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly twenty-two percent of all of the adults living in the United States scored below basic skills during an assessment in 2003 (“Illiteracy: The Downfall”). “Sixty years ago, most illiterate adults were people who were uneducated” (Kunerth). Today, learning disabilities are often the cause of illiteracy in adults. The Florida Literacy Coalition estimates that half of the adults in literacy programs now, have learning disabilities. In the 1970s teachers used a one-size-fits-all type of program to teach adults how to read. It was the same program that school aged children were using. The old method did not work for those persons with a learning