Writing for Reading
Because yesterday was International Literacy Day, I feel like dropping in a few ideas on the importance of being able to read. Yes, I know the post would have been more appropriate 24 hours ago, but I didn't discover the date soon enough. Either they're not doing a very good job of promoting ILD, or I'm not paying attention.
Why should people be able to read? Aside from reading for pleasure, to get through school, and to progress in employment, reading can be life-saving. Without that ability, you must memorize instructions given by a doctor or pharmacist to overcome an illness. How about using a map (I need directions written in words)? Finding any sort of information?
My grandfather could decipher a few words, and so he pretended to read the daily newspaper and menus in restaurants. He always ordered a hamburger. He could sign his name on a check, but he could not fill one out. He retired from "The Fridigidaire" plant after working 30 years in the same position as he entered, a millwright, the lowest job available. His life was painfully narrow and limited.
When I think about illiteracy, I know it surrounds me, even in urban America, but I usually think of indigenous peoples, living as their ancestors did. People like the Aborigines in Australia who choose to trek through the wild regions of that glorious landscape. And I think of the ones who don't want to live that way, who are drawn to the towns but may not be able to decipher the traffic and street signs. They have a tough row with no hoe.
Presumably everyone who reads this blog is a writer. Reading is paramount to our careers from both directions: our reading and our work being read. Literacy is vital for writers.
Why should people be able to read? Aside from reading for pleasure, to get through school, and to progress in employment, reading can be life-saving. Without that ability, you must memorize instructions given by a doctor or pharmacist to overcome an illness. How about using a map (I need directions written in words)? Finding any sort of information?
My grandfather could decipher a few words, and so he pretended to read the daily newspaper and menus in restaurants. He always ordered a hamburger. He could sign his name on a check, but he could not fill one out. He retired from "The Fridigidaire" plant after working 30 years in the same position as he entered, a millwright, the lowest job available. His life was painfully narrow and limited.
When I think about illiteracy, I know it surrounds me, even in urban America, but I usually think of indigenous peoples, living as their ancestors did. People like the Aborigines in Australia who choose to trek through the wild regions of that glorious landscape. And I think of the ones who don't want to live that way, who are drawn to the towns but may not be able to decipher the traffic and street signs. They have a tough row with no hoe.
Presumably everyone who reads this blog is a writer. Reading is paramount to our careers from both directions: our reading and our work being read. Literacy is vital for writers.
Labels: reading
posted by Georganna Hancock M.S. | 8:25 AM
1 Comments:
Georganna,
I don't think it was promoted very well. I didn't know about it until I came to your blog after the fact.
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