[Editor’s Note: This is the 8th in a series of blogs that examine how education developed throughout history until the present. Links to previous blogs are included at the bottom of the post.] Between 3000-2500 BCE, the period during which the Semitic alphabet arose in the West, the Chinese developed a very different writing system … Continue reading “A History of Education: China”
Tag: Illiteracy
The History of Writing and Reading – Part 27: The Future of Writing (part 2 of 2)
[Editor’s note: This is the twenty-eighth of an ongoing series that examines the rise of writing – and therefore reading – around the world. We will be looking at the major developments and forces that shaped the written languages we use today. Links to all the previous posts are listed at the end of this … Continue reading “The History of Writing and Reading – Part 27: The Future of Writing (part 2 of 2)”
Common Myths about Reading and Reading Habits – Part 1
Reading, while almost ubiquitous in the developed world, is a complicated endeavor, one that we spend many years both in and out of school learning and perfecting. Even people who read well are often confused to a certain extent about the process, and they cling to a number of “myths” that actually run counter to … Continue reading “Common Myths about Reading and Reading Habits – Part 1”
Illiteracy in America – Part 2
In part 1 of this blog topic, we talked about the tremendous problem of adult illiteracy in this country, looked at the staggering numbers, and contemplated the possible correlations with varying social conditions. Now, though, we need to answer the questions those figures raised – what can we do to help those who are illiterate, … Continue reading “Illiteracy in America – Part 2”
Illiteracy in America – Part 1
Functional illiteracy is defined by the non-profit Literacy Volunteers of America as “the inability of an individual to use reading, writing, and computational skills in everyday life.” Think that’s not a problem in as developed a country as America? Well, you’re wrong. It’s a big one – a really big one. The National Center for … Continue reading “Illiteracy in America – Part 1”