I’m not sure what this means for the United States, but as a scholar and author this is concerning: More than half of all adults in the USA have a literacy below the 6th-grade level. A fifth of all adults in the US are illiterate. www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/post/literac... - ThreadSky

damonyoung.com.au • 23 days ago

I’m not sure what this means for the United States, but as a scholar and author this is concerning:

More than half of all adults in the USA have a literacy below the 6th-grade level. A fifth of all adults in the US are illiterate. https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/post/literacy-statistics-2024-2025-where-we-are-now

Comments

huggybare.bsky.social•23 days ago

You can include Trump in that group

kanyudiggit.bsky.social•22 days ago

If I'm correct on the numbers, it means 40% of adults born here are functionally illiterate? Is that right? Statistics are not strong with this one.

lindasteph.bsky.social•22 days ago

Frightening but mostly sad

fumanchu7563.bsky.social•23 days ago

Hmmmm .. "poorly educated" you say? .... gotta love em🙄

marquatro.bsky.social•22 days ago

This one - grin - “34% of adults lacking literacy proficiency were born outside the US.”

realgennyb.bsky.social•22 days ago

This was the main objective of the CONS’ unrelenting assaults on Education over time - a population that is easily conned and corrupted due to absence of critical thinking. It put King Moron at the helm of the most powerful country in the world. SAD 😔!

sylvie2u.bsky.social•22 days ago

25th the 47th

hpvpaul2.bsky.social•22 days ago

Pretty sure that 34% for residents born outside the US is because they don’t speak English or it’s their second language so probably shouldn’t be included in this analysis.

timcoronel.bsky.social•23 days ago

Australia is similar

damonyoung.com.au•23 days ago

Similar, in terms of functional literacy (and especially here in Tasmania). But better nonetheless.

austrich.bsky.social•22 days ago

defunding the department of education and micro-blogging sites have certainly contributed to this.

unfortunately, trump channeled into the growing functional illiteracy rates by speaking at a 3rd grade level when the opposition continued to speak above a 6th grade level.

milosmom01.bsky.social•15 days ago

So, what are we to do? I’m certain we are heading to private education for those who can afford it.

jenbone.bsky.social•22 days ago

Perfect marks for a dictator

martygabriel.bsky.social•22 days ago

100% of presidents of the United States since January 20th, 2025 are illiterate.

sst814.bsky.social•15 days ago

And this will get way worst.

edinterest.bsky.social•22 days ago

There’s your trump demographic right there. Illiteracy leads to a void in reasoning capability. The illiterate are more easily conned. Oh, this explains ALL the conservative politics.

claytonclent.bsky.social•23 days ago

Suggest not using difficult to read words like "illiteracy".

damonyoung.com.au•23 days ago

Hmm can you suggest some handy synon— uh some handy words that mean the same thing

kimpreston.bsky.social•23 days ago

The aim should be to use plain language when writing for broad audiences. You may also consider top level summaries in "simple" or "easy" english. This style guide may help: https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/writing-and-designing-content/clear-language-and-writing-style/plain-language-and-word-choice

claytonclent.bsky.social•23 days ago

Many English words translate pretty closely to the American by simply dropping the "u", or substituting "k" for "c" and "z" for "s" in their spelling.

milennialzero.bsky.social•22 days ago

Which has been the intentional goal of the Republican Party since Reagan. They have succeeded. And that is why Trump is wrecking the country.

captainhober.bsky.social•22 days ago

This says a lot about how we got here. And it’s scary as hell.

nafoengineer.bsky.social•23 days ago

As a scholar and an author you may well not have seen this insightful movie…
Idiocracy …combine it with ‘A Hand Maids Tale’

Under his eye

requinfatigue.bsky.social•22 days ago

It's even worse ; Camacho at least has good intend ... Here it's the late stage capitalism "let's make people so dumb they won't be able to revolt" situation.

maven501.bsky.social•22 days ago

wern61.bsky.social•23 days ago

Hence Trump

pollhereford.bsky.social•22 days ago

Australian statistics from the Australian government style manual.
https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/accessible-and-inclusive-content/literacy-and-access

donnalew.bsky.social•23 days ago

IDK about other districts, but our reading curriculum is absolute crap. Money, not need, seems to drive most of the decisions at the district level… and then teachers are told they are not doing enough🤷🏻‍♀️🙈

lambo01.bsky.social•22 days ago

What are the stats for Australia?

fladdle.bsky.social•22 days ago

See reply above.

myview66.bsky.social•22 days ago

Damon, as a teacher, I find this appalling! But, it really is the best way to control people.
It's working.
Sad.

greatfausto.bsky.social•22 days ago

It’s exactly what republicans want… uneducated cheap labor that die quickly after they’re of no more use

trivalve.bsky.social•23 days ago

Are the 34% or a slice thereof literate in other languages? What about numerate?

damonyoung.com.au•23 days ago

I haven’t looked at that data, but I’m sure it’s public available somewhere.

trivalve.bsky.social•23 days ago

It works be, yes. Just thinking, when you give people tests in a language they don't know or aren't that familiar with, well...

But they wouldn't do that, would they?

becadroit.bsky.social•23 days ago

This is compared to a random places in the world like Gaza, where the adult literacy rate was 97.84% in 2022.

liberaser.bsky.social•22 days ago

Thanks Department of Education & teachers unions!

swerkmeister.bsky.social•23 days ago

I’ve talked to my students about this, emphasizing that those who can read and write control society (mainly through laws). One question I have is whether literacy here is related specifically to the English language—e.g., would some of the 34% be literate in their home languages?

weyolfson.bsky.social•22 days ago

If people don’t know what’s going on, they can be controlled!
Welcome to Trump 2.0

seb-gardener.bsky.social•22 days ago

research into class over generations suggests most people, despite education etc, never change class. America is still evangelical idealists prone to superstition & Australia every bit the convict settlement it ever was. Neofuedal peasants

manjusrii.bsky.social•23 days ago

Yes that is concerning. I wonder what Australia % is?

ginarinehart.bsky.social•23 days ago

50% of adults in Tassie were "functionally illiterate" in 2012 according to the OECD!

thenoseknow.bsky.social•23 days ago

And it shows !!!

mrsmasaki.bsky.social•15 days ago

I'm sure getting rid of the Dept of Education will make that better. The way dictators and oligarchs remain in power is by keeping the common person uneducated and unaware. They are succeeding at an alarming rate.

helsbells.bsky.social•23 days ago

I know Americans have been conditioned to believe in the American exceptionalism myth, but the rest of the world just shake our heads and wonder how you don’t know. 🤷🏼