[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-565932-105":59,"doc-detail-565932-en":124},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":117,"head_meta":119,"extra_data":121,"updated_unix":123},105,"en","lliteracyproblem-grows-news-feature","lliteracyProblem Grows - News Feature","","Illiteracy in English limits adults’ ability to perform everyday tasks such as reading signs and completing job applications, leaving many trapped in a shadow world of unemployment and isolation. Government research estimates 17–20 million Americans are illiterate, with additional costs measured in billions of dollars for training and public assistance. The text outlines who is affected and discusses causes including low value placed on written language, learning disabilities, and schools passing students despite reading difficulties.",{"@graph":69,"@context":116},[70,84,99],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":53,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/lifestyle/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/lliteracyproblem-grows-news-feature/565932/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"author":86,"headline":65,"publisher":89,"fileFormat":92,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":93,"datePublished":93,"encodingFormat":92,"isAccessibleForFree":94,"interactionStatistic":95},"DigitalDocument",{"name":87,"@type":88},"Levi","Person",{"url":74,"name":90,"@type":91},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-13",true,{"@type":96,"interactionType":97,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":98},"ViewAction",{"@type":100,"mainEntity":101},"FAQPage",[102,108,112],{"name":103,"@type":104,"acceptedAnswer":105},"How many Americans are estimated to be illiterate in English?","Question",{"text":106,"@type":107},"A U.S. Government study cited reports that an estimated 17 million to 20 million Americans may be illiterate in English.","Answer",{"name":109,"@type":104,"acceptedAnswer":110},"Who are the illiterate adults described as coming from?",{"text":111,"@type":107},"The text says today’s illiterates form a cross-section of U.S. society, including people of different genders, races, and age groups, with many living in cities, towns, and suburbs.",{"name":113,"@type":104,"acceptedAnswer":114},"What causes illiteracy does the document highlight?",{"text":115,"@type":107},"It highlights limited value placed on the written word, possible learning disabilities, English not being spoken or read at home for some, and schools passing students forward even when they cannot read.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":118,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":90,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":120,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":122,"site_id":62},565932,1791860278,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":125},{"doc_id":122,"user_id":126,"nickname":87,"user_avatar":127,"doc_module":4,"category_id":52,"category_name":53,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":128,"file_id":129,"file_url":130,"file_type":131,"file_size":132,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":133,"language":134,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":135,"faqs":136,"seo_title":137,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":123,"read_time":138},7971461740909,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","# lliteracyProblem Grows\n\ntionally illiterate in English.This meansthat they are able to read a little,but notwell enough to function in daily life be-cause they cannot perform common taskssuch as reading street signs or filling outjob applications.  \nGovernment FindsThat 17 To 20 MillionAmericans Cannot Read  \nThoxyng cund atmarc silot markonslip calt.  \nThose words are nonsense,of course.But to as many as 20 million Americansthey look little different than the rest ofthe words on this page.These are peoplewho are illiterate,who cannot read—towhom written English is an unsolvedpuzzle.  \n## Who They Are\n\nIn the past,it was thought that illiter-acy was mainly a problem of recent im-migrants or older people in farm areaswho had never gone to school.But themost recent studies show this idea is outof date.Today's illiterates form a crosssection of U.S.society.They are maleand female;black,white,and Hispanic;young and old:  \nA recent U.S.Government study bythe Bureau of the Census reports that anestimated 17million to 20millionAmer-icans may be illiterate in English.And asmany as 40 million more may be func-  \nAge—Most illiterates are young adults.More than 68 percent are between the  \nages of 20 and 60.  \nHome—Most live in cities and towns.The majority—51 percent—live in small-owns and suburbs,with only 8 percentliving in farm areas.  \n●Background—The largest singlegroup of illiterates in English areEnglish-speaking whites(41 percent).Blacks and Spanish-speaking people eachform 22 percent of all illiterates.Othernon-English-speaking people make up 15percent.  \nRegardless of who is illiterate or wherehe or she lives,illiteracy can result inhuman misery.Many adults who cannotread or write are forced to live in a kindof shadow world,cut off from others.Many are unemployed.And their inabil-ity to read has sometimes resulted in·tragedy.According to Time magazine:  \n\"Reports tell of an industrial workerkilled because he could not read a warn-ing sign,a sick child given a pink deter-gent instead of stomach medicine by amother who could not read bottle labels,and another mother who endorsed whatshe thought was a routine permission slipfor a school field trip only to discoverthat she had released her daughter to ahome for the retarded.”  \nIlliteracy also costs employers money.Many employers say that worker errorsin reading,writing,and math have forcedthem to set up basic skills programs.Na-tionwide,the cost of such training is es-timated to be at least $10 billion a year.  \nBolleu—Frenkfort State Joumed,1986 Rothco  \nThe U.S.military now spends mil-lions on reading classes for recruits.Without such classes,the Army says,soldiers cannot even begin the trainingthey need to handle complicated militaryequipment.  \nAn additional public price for illiter-acy comes in payments to the unem-ployed and those on welfare—anestimated $6 billion yearly.Researchshows that persons with less than a highschool education are far more likely thanothers to be out of work and applying forpublic assistance.  \nContinued on Next Page  \nContinued from Page 1  \n### Causes\n\nBut perhaps the greatest tragedy ofilliteracy is that—for most people—itsimply doesn't have to be.The vast ma-jority of America's illiterates have theability to learn to read.The reason theydon't is due to many factors.  \nMany illiterates have grown up in fam-ilies or in communities where little valueis placed on the written word.Many alsomay have learning disabilities.For someHispanics or recent immigrants,Englishis simply not spoken or read at home.Even though these people may be able toread their native languages,they may beilliterate in English.And in many cases,schools haven't helped.  \nMany schools are guilty of passingstudents on to the next grade even whenthey don't know how to read.The Na-  \ntional Commission on Excellence inEducation found that at least 13 percentof all U.S.17-year-olds are illiterate;many of these are still in school.Otherestimates have put English illiteracyamong black","cbCaitF0s7yY1TrU","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitF0s7yY1TrU","pdf",3162732,11,"English","# Who They Are\n# Causes\n# Ongoing Efforts","[{\"question\":\"How many Americans are estimated to be illiterate in English?\",\"answer\":\"A U.S. Government study cited reports that an estimated 17 million to 20 million Americans may be illiterate in English.\"},{\"question\":\"Who are the illiterate adults described as coming from?\",\"answer\":\"The text says today’s illiterates form a cross-section of U.S. society, including people of different genders, races, and age groups, with many living in cities, towns, and suburbs.\"},{\"question\":\"What causes illiteracy does the document highlight?\",\"answer\":\"It highlights limited value placed on the written word, possible learning disabilities, English not being spoken or read at home for some, and schools passing students forward even when they cannot read.\"}]","lliteracyProblem Grows - News Feature | PDF",17]