[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-589090-105":59,"doc-detail-589090-en":130},{"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":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","naming-the-elephant-literacy-classism-human-rights-and-the-need-for-a-new-conversation","\"Naming the Elephant\" - Literacy Classism, Human Rights and the Need for a New Conversation","","Adult literacy remains marginalized within postsecondary education, with many low-literacy adults hidden in society by stigma and structural neglect. The article examines how funding scarcity and negative public image have become treated as “normal,” while highlighting that about 107,000,000 adults in North America experience low literacy. It argues the field must shift toward a new conversation about literacy classism as a human-rights issue.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@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":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/naming-the-elephant-literacy-classism-human-rights-and-the-need-for-a-new-conversation/589090/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/naming-the-elephant-literacy-classism-human-rights-and-the-need-for-a-new-conversation/589090.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Nguyễn Văn Học","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why does the article say adult literacy funding and image struggles have become “normal”?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It argues that adult literacy has been on the margins for so long that many professionals assume ongoing underfunding and poor public perception are expected rather than unacceptable.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What does the article mean by “literacy classism” (the elephant in the room)?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"It presents literacy classism as a hegemony inherited from social class structures that leads ALE to be placed on the lowest rung of prestige and resources.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What argument does the article make about human rights for adults with low literacy?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It states that meaningful change requires a new discussion that advocates for human rights for adults living with low literacy, both within programs and across society.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},589090,1792209782,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":24,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":29,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},1374402739827,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/14000c97e7351f1a627?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1787885694763230660","ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION Fall 2021  \n| [http://doi.org/10.35847/BQuigley.3.3.41](http://doi.org/10.35847/BQuigley.3.3.41) |  |\n| --- | --- |\n|  | Viewpoint |\n\n\"Naming the Elephant\": Literacy Classism, Human Rights and the Need for a New Conversation .  \nB. Allan Quigley, St. Francis Xavier University  \nAbstract  \nAdult literacy has been on the margins of postsecondary education for so long that many in our field assume our ongoing struggle for adequate funding and a better image is somehow \"normal.\" It is not normal that some 107,000,000 adults across North America are marginalized, with many hidden in society due to low literacy. This article argues it is time to reconsider the position of our field concerning funding and image beginning with a new conversation concerning literacy classism—the \"elephant in the room.\"  \nNote: My thanks to Margaret Patterson and Leona English for their input to this article.  \nKeywords: adult literacy, marginalized populations, classism  \n\"Adult education is a phrase originally meaning the education of adults who have not been properly educated as children.\"  \n—Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1953  \nIn an earlier life, I was responsible for the  \nABE and GED programs offered through a Canadian province’s colleges and career/technical institutions. One of my darkest moments was in a budget meeting seated around the table with other program managers. I had the (rare) opportunity to make the case for more funding for adult literacy and basic education (ALE). I began with the latest\"shocking\" low-literacy statistics and went on to describe the economic benefits our province could realize with added funding for these programs. I then started in with some of our learners’  \nsuccess stories when, suddenly, a department head interrupted me and, in a too-loud voice, demanded: \"Why should we invest more money into programs for ‘losers?’\" The ALE budgets were all reduced that year. The reason given was: \"lack of resources.\"  \nHowever, virtually all the other college and career/technical programs got an annual increase. The following year saw even more funding cuts to ALE. A grassroots letterwriting campaign arose and the Minister of Advanced Education received hundreds of  \nletters from adult learners and practitioners across the province demanding more funding and improved program access. That year, more funding was found. But only for that year.  \nCorrespondence: [aquigley@stfx.ca](aquigley@stfx.ca) 41  \nOver the years since, I have asked: \"What made the other career/technical programs such higher priorities?\" Further, \"Why did no one disagree with that blatant ‘losers’ statement?\" Even more important today: \"Why has so little changed? After a more than 150-year history of adult literacy education in North America (Quigley, 2017), \"Why is adult literacy education still seen as a ‘temporary need?’\" Given our long history and given the sheer numbers of adults living with low literacy: \"Why is ALE typically only funded with annual grants?\"Further, \"Why is long term planning and staff job security so unheard ofin ALE?\"  \nThis leads to some deeper societal questions. For example, Beder (1991) observed, \"[While it is] no longer socially acceptable to publicly denigrate Blacks, Hispanics, and welfare recipients, it is acceptable to denigrate…illiterates.\" (p. 140).  \nToday, we could add it is unacceptable to denigrate the LGBTQ community, those living with HIV/ AIDS, those with disabilities, the aged, Native Americans; and, here in Canada, First Nations, Métis, and the Inuit. These changes tell us there is hope. Over the past few decades, such previously marginalized populations have gained a voice, at least some levels of respect, and have now some degree of greater equity. Yet, why is it that, \"It is still \"acceptable to denigrate…illiterates.\"  \nWe have an estimated 107,000,000 adults living with low literacy in North America, many of whom are hidden in society (Quigley, 2017). This population comprises one of the","cbCaitJLM7KVf5zg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitJLM7KVf5zg","pdf",147859,"English","# Introduction\n## Adult literacy as a marginalized field\n## The “elephant in the room” idea\n# Societal stigma and class structure\n## Literacy denigration and inequality\n## The ladder of resources and prestige\n# Implications for change","[{\"question\":\"Why does the article say adult literacy funding and image struggles have become “normal”?\",\"answer\":\"It argues that adult literacy has been on the margins for so long that many professionals assume ongoing underfunding and poor public perception are expected rather than unacceptable.\"},{\"question\":\"What does the article mean by “literacy classism” (the elephant in the room)?\",\"answer\":\"It presents literacy classism as a hegemony inherited from social class structures that leads ALE to be placed on the lowest rung of prestige and resources.\"},{\"question\":\"What argument does the article make about human rights for adults with low literacy?\",\"answer\":\"It states that meaningful change requires a new discussion that advocates for human rights for adults living with low literacy, both within programs and across society.\"}]","\"Naming the Elephant\" - Literacy Classism, Human Rights and the Need for a New Conversation | PDF",1792066531,15]