1. Access the videos for this assignment here: What's at Stake? | Children of the Code
2. Academic Danger
2.1. One of the issues in education is that we aren't addressing the fundamental issues of literacy early on. We expect kids to just pick it up along the way.
2.2. One of the most accurate predictors of academic success is early literacy.
2.2.1. 1st grade literacy predicts 3rd/4th grade which predicts 7th/8th which predicts 12th
2.2.2. 68% of 4th graders are reading below proficiency and the probability of catching up is slim.
3. Emotional Danger
3.1. How would you feel is you were required to constantly do what you don't do well?
3.1.1. This is how struggling and non readers feel about school. They don't do literacy well. It is the foundation of school. They feel like failures every single day.
3.1.2. An emotional spiral is triggered by school. Student struggles with literacy--> student begins to feel like a failure--> student shuts down --> student gets further behind.
3.1.3. Failing at reading is tied to self esteem. Students who are struggling readers often feel shame or guilt and blame themselves with a "there must be something wrong with me" narrative.
4. Social Danger
4.1. What happens when you can't trust your own brain to process literacy correctly?
4.2. The emotional danger play a role in the social danger. Lost self esteem leads to social pathologies.
4.2.1. All of the following are tied to reading struggles: juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, non graduation, drug use
4.2.1.1. Prison capacity numbers are calculated by literacy levels of 3rd graders
4.2.2. Guilt/Shame of being ignorant is not socially acceptable, but it is socially acceptable to be the "bad kid."
4.2.2.1. A student will choose to be the "bad kid" over the "dumb kid" every time.
5. National learning Disability
5.1. Illiteracy is our national learning disability
5.1.1. We should be doing as much to eradicate illiteracy as we would with a disease with visible scars.
5.1.2. The scars of illiteracy are invisible, but very costly.
6. Reflect
6.1. How will my teaching change as a result of this information?
7. Reading Matters
7.1. Literacy is the root of our society. It makes you smarter.
7.1.1. How does it make you smarter? The way we acquire vocabulary after the 4th grade is through print sources. We are not longer gathering those vocabulary words through verbal interactions with people.
7.1.2. Acquisition of knowledge is limited when a person can't read. They are left out of the conversations when the academic vocabulary doesn't grow.
7.2. Proficient readers have learned HOW to learn.
8. Costs
8.1. Economic Costs
8.1.1. Reading crisis -->education crisis --> economic crisis
8.1.1.1. Businesses can't find high quality workers to do the jobs they're creating.
8.1.1.2. On a larger scale, we are not contributing to the global society.
8.2. Health Costs
8.2.1. Due to illiteracy 40% of hospitalizations are unnecessary.
8.2.2. Those who cannot read are unable to read basic preventative measures for health. $75 billion is spend on health care due to health illiteracy.
8.2.3. Communications for free services are written at high levels, so children are not getting health services because adult literacy is low
8.3. Drag on Democracy
8.3.1. A literate population is essential to a functioning democracy.
8.3.1.1. Those who can't read, pull back from society and maintain a life of self isolation to avoid embarrassment.
8.3.1.2. In order to be an informed voter, a person needs to make inferences. Those who can't read, aren't able to draw conclusions or make educated choices.
8.4. Poverty
8.4.1. "You can't have prosperity unless people can read." -George W. Bush
8.4.1.1. Illiteracy is a link to poverty
8.4.1.1.1. The work that doesn't require reading doesn't pay.
8.4.1.1.2. There is an $8000 average annual income difference between graduates and non graduates.
8.5. Price Tags
8.5.1. We pay a literal price for low literacy
8.5.1.1. All societal issues are tied to literacy and that costs taxpayers money in support program.
8.5.1.2. If a student is not a fluent reader by the end of 3rd grade, it will cost 7-8 times as much in time and money to get that student to reading at level.
8.6. Consumer Costs
8.6.1. Society is driven by consumer behavior
8.6.1.1. Adults reading a low levels tend to avoid consumerist behavior to avoid embarrassment at the check out.
8.6.1.1.1. Ultimately, if a majority of our adults are illiterate they will not participate in the consumer market and the whole nation will miss out economically.
9. Reframe
9.1. The problem of illiteracy is only getting worse.
9.1.1. How do we fix it?
9.1.2. Why are we not stopping everything to fix it?
9.1.3. Where is our sense of urgency?
9.1.4. What can we do to fix it because it's not a one size fits all solution?