Comments on: How does one set out to be functionally illiterate? https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27913 DanS Fri, 18 Oct 2013 18:50:53 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27913 ...and heaven help if it's both. …and heaven help if it’s both.

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27912 DanS Fri, 18 Oct 2013 18:13:04 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27912 ...sounds like fun. …sounds like fun.

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27911 DanS Fri, 18 Oct 2013 18:09:47 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27911 ...know what different words look like, that's it, and only the really important ones. It helps if they're backed by a commonly used symbol, as with stop and yield signs. Go is generally a green word. Some people don't really learn to read until later in life, finding that knowing what different syllables look to be quite sufficient -- for a while. Then they try for the professional field, one where they’re expected to spell words correctly and use proper grammar in their interoffice emails. You don't actually set out to become functionally illiterate, like it was a goal -- things come along, life changes occur, and it just sorta happens. …know what different words look like, that’s it, and only the really important ones. It helps if they’re backed by a commonly used symbol, as with stop and yield signs. Go is generally a green word. Some people don’t really learn to read until later in life, finding that knowing what different syllables look to be quite sufficient — for a while. Then they try for the professional field, one where they’re expected to spell words correctly and use proper grammar in their interoffice emails.

You don’t actually set out to become functionally illiterate, like it was a goal — things come along, life changes occur, and it just sorta happens.

]]> By: alcaray https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27891 alcaray Thu, 17 Oct 2013 16:55:04 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27891 Some attended schools that were more like prisons than they were like schools. Some came from areas of the US and times in our history when it was easy to avoid going to school altogether, and there weren't competent adults around to make them do so. Volunteer at your local literacy project if you want to know more. From the project itself, you would learn a lot more about what to do about it, than how it happened. But when you tutor someone, you learn their story. Some attended schools that were more like prisons than they were like schools. Some came from areas of the US and times in our history when it was easy to avoid going to school altogether, and there weren’t competent adults around to make them do so.

Volunteer at your local literacy project if you want to know more. From the project itself, you would learn a lot more about what to do about it, than how it happened. But when you tutor someone, you learn their story.

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27890 Jody Thu, 17 Oct 2013 16:53:05 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27890 Would you hold this hand grenade while I take the pin out and clean it? Would you hold this hand grenade while I take the pin out and clean it?

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27889 Jody Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:24:04 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27889 that is a given. The people who choose not to learn. The immediate dismissal of trying to understand and conquer that which is foreign and frightening. I will never choose to learn a foreign language. I don't need it to survive. I know very little about classic literature. I don't need it to survive. But the choice to not engage in that which, to me is basic survival is left me scratching my head in disbelief. that is a given.

The people who choose not to learn. The immediate dismissal of trying to understand and conquer that which is foreign and frightening.

I will never choose to learn a foreign language. I don’t need it to survive.
I know very little about classic literature. I don’t need it to survive.
But the choice to not engage in that which, to me is basic survival is left me scratching my head in disbelief.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27888 bowser Thu, 17 Oct 2013 12:22:36 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27888 Just lucky, I guess. Just lucky, I guess.

]]> By: FrankC https://habitablezone.com/2013/10/16/how-does-one-set-out-to-be-functionally-illiterate/#comment-27887 FrankC Thu, 17 Oct 2013 07:44:06 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=39663#comment-27887 First you have to define functionally illiterate. It means different things to different people. It is a subject of much discussion. There are some who live a fairly normal life as a functional illiterate. This includes those who never read for pleasure, but read well enough to do all the basic stuff in life. They may be mildly dyslexic or just disinterested. Many defined as functionally illiterate are from lower income classes and do not do well at all. This category includes the kid who has a low IQ or is dyslexic. They are held back in school and often wind up as drop outs. They read so poorly they can't fill out some forms or read some instructions. They are barely above illiterate. My youngest daughter was in gifted classes until she was half way through high school. Her inability to enjoy reading (she hated it) caught up with her and she struggled a little for the last two years. She was a C student in college and dropped out after 3 years. She has begun to read for pleasure in the last 4-5 years but her taste in literature is also C average at best. :) She is close to being a functional illiterate by some definitions. Too bad Mary Anne is not around to chime in on this subject. She is brilliant on the subject and could answer all your questions better than me. First you have to define functionally illiterate. It means different things to different people. It is a subject of much discussion.

There are some who live a fairly normal life as a functional illiterate. This includes those who never read for pleasure, but read well enough to do all the basic stuff in life. They may be mildly dyslexic or just disinterested.

Many defined as functionally illiterate are from lower income classes and do not do well at all. This category includes the kid who has a low IQ or is dyslexic. They are held back in school and often wind up as drop outs. They read so poorly they can’t fill out some forms or read some instructions. They are barely above illiterate.

My youngest daughter was in gifted classes until she was half way through high school. Her inability to enjoy reading (she hated it) caught up with her and she struggled a little for the last two years.

She was a C student in college and dropped out after 3 years. She has begun to read for pleasure in the last 4-5 years but her taste in literature is also C average at best. :) She is close to being a functional illiterate by some definitions.

Too bad Mary Anne is not around to chime in on this subject. She is brilliant on the subject and could answer all your questions better than me.

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