literacy news stories on Newser

In Laos, Bringing Books to Children—Via Elephant

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:37:00 CST

In Laos, many children had never seen a book until “Uncle Sasha” came to town. American Sasha Alyson first visited the impoverished country in 2003, and was struck by the lack of books for children. “Many [kids] don't even know what a book is. Sometimes you have to show them...

Many English Speakers Don't Understand English

Kevin Spak — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:43:42 CDT

Loads of native English speakers lack even a basic understanding of the language, according to a surprising new study from Northumbria University. The researchers gathered a group of adults, some of whom were postgraduates students, and some who had dropped out of school at age 16, and tested them on...

Let's Rethink How We Teach English

John Johnson — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:54:07 CDT

Take it from a first-year college instructor: The writing skills of young adults are a joke. "They have either forgotten the rules of writing, or they never learned them in the first place," writes Kara Miller of Babson College. And while the media focuses on the need for better science...

Seattle: America's Most Literate City

Rob Quinn — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:38:00 CST

The most literate cities tend to be safer, healthier, and have thriving singles' scenes, according to Central Connecticut State University's annual ranking of American cities. Seattle topped the list again this year, which was cross-indexed with statistics and other surveys for the first time. Washington, DC, came in second, knocking...

'Candid' Laura Bush Tells Her Story

Matt Cantor — Sun, 24 May 2009 10:14:33 CDT

Shortly before the election last November, Laura Bush sought to shape her somewhat hazy legacy. The former first lady spoke to historians, reporters, and other DC insiders in a 3-hour “legacy lunch,” at which she was called “candid,” “funny,” and “open” as she answered questions, Politico reports. “No first lady...

Braille Read by Less Than 10% of Blind Americans

Harry Kimball — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:20:25 CDT

Less than 10% of blind Americans know how to read Braille, and just 10% of blind children are being taught the printed language, the AP reports. A study by the National Federation of the Blind also pegs Braille illiteracy to unemployment. While the blind population faces 70% unemployment overall, that...

Howard Dean: Dems Must Not Cave on Health Care

Gabriel Winant — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:55:01 CDT

Howard Dean didn't get the health cabinet post he wanted, and doesn't want the job that's open—surgeon general—but is pushing President Obama's health-care plan just the same, the Washington Times reports. "Democrats can’t cave," says the former doc. Obama’s plan is "perfect," and since it stresses choice it...

32M Lack Basic Reading Skills

Peter Fearon — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:18:15 CST

One in seven American adults in the US—about 32 million people—have such low literacy skills that they cannot read a newspaper story or a prescription bottle, a new federal study says. "They really cannot read paragraphs (or) sentences that are connected," says an Education Department researcher. The numbers...

Minneapolis, Seattle Top List of Most Literate Cities

Peter Fearon — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:29:00 CST

New York may be America's cultural capital, but Seattle and Minneapolis top the list as the nation's most literate cities, reports LiveScience. The rankings are based on newspaper, magazine, and online news readership, library usage, book purchases, and educational levels. The two cities also topped the list last year.