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Illiterate Britain: 1 in 20 adults have reading age of a 5-year-old | Illiterate Britain: 1 in 20 adults have reading age of a 5-year-old |
(35 minutes later) | |
A quarter of British adults have literacy levels so low they would struggle to read a bus timetable, new research has found. | A quarter of British adults have literacy levels so low they would struggle to read a bus timetable, new research has found. |
Government figures indicate some 28 percent of UK adults are at literacy level 1 or below, the equivalent to GCSE grades of D to G. A pass grade for GCSE level is considered to be a C or above. | |
Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found 5 million adults lack basic reading, writing and numeracy skills deemed necessary to carry out a job. | Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found 5 million adults lack basic reading, writing and numeracy skills deemed necessary to carry out a job. |
England is among the worst performing countries in the OECD, with roughly one in 20 adults found to have the literacy and numeracy levels of a five-year-old. | England is among the worst performing countries in the OECD, with roughly one in 20 adults found to have the literacy and numeracy levels of a five-year-old. |
It is also the only nation in the OECD where the average literacy score for 16- to 18-year-olds is lower than 55- to 65-year-olds. | It is also the only nation in the OECD where the average literacy score for 16- to 18-year-olds is lower than 55- to 65-year-olds. |
In other developed nations, young people tend to have much higher literacy and numeracy scores than their older counterparts, but in Britain the opposite trend is occurring. | In other developed nations, young people tend to have much higher literacy and numeracy scores than their older counterparts, but in Britain the opposite trend is occurring. |
Some 23 percent of 16- to 18-year-olds are at literacy level 1 or below, while the same figure is 19 percent for the older age group. | |
The same pattern extends to numeracy, where 29 percent of 16- to 18-year-olds are level 1 or below, compared to 26 percent of 55- to 65-year-olds. | The same pattern extends to numeracy, where 29 percent of 16- to 18-year-olds are level 1 or below, compared to 26 percent of 55- to 65-year-olds. |
“In a prosperous country like Britain, everyone should have the basic skills they need to participate in society and build a career,” said JRF Head of Policy Katie Schmuecker. | “In a prosperous country like Britain, everyone should have the basic skills they need to participate in society and build a career,” said JRF Head of Policy Katie Schmuecker. |
“But these shocking figures show millions of adults are being left behind in the modern economy, holding back their potential and the productivity of our businesses suffering as a result.” | “But these shocking figures show millions of adults are being left behind in the modern economy, holding back their potential and the productivity of our businesses suffering as a result.” |
In-depth analysis by the OECD published in January found literacy rates among young people to be among the lowest in the developed world. | In-depth analysis by the OECD published in January found literacy rates among young people to be among the lowest in the developed world. |
The organization ranked English teenagers aged 16 to 19 the worst of 23 developed nations in literacy and 22 out of 23 in numeracy. | The organization ranked English teenagers aged 16 to 19 the worst of 23 developed nations in literacy and 22 out of 23 in numeracy. |
The report, based on 2012 data, found England was better off investing its money in basic education rather than trying to broaden access to university. | The report, based on 2012 data, found England was better off investing its money in basic education rather than trying to broaden access to university. |
England has three times as many low-skilled 16- to 19-year-olds as top-performing countries such as Finland, Japan, South Korea and the Netherlands. | England has three times as many low-skilled 16- to 19-year-olds as top-performing countries such as Finland, Japan, South Korea and the Netherlands. |
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