by Melissa L. Bunch

The National Literacy Act of 1991 defines literacy as “an individual’s ability to read, write and speak in English and compute and solve problems necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one’s goals, and develop one’s knowledge and potential.”

Many of us take reading for granted and assume everyone around us can read, too. The truth is more frightening. According to Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta, there are more than a half-million illiterate adults in the metro area – one of the highest in the U.S.

Being able to read is vitally important to our daily lives. Here are just a few ordinary activities that rely in one way or another on being functionally literate:

• Drive a car
• Follow directions
• Administer medications
• Help children with their homework

Literacy isn’t just about being successful. It’s also a public safety issue. Imagine how many people driving on our streets and highways cannot read or understand important road signs. Perhaps they were able to memorize enough of them to get a driver’s license, but there’s no comfort in knowing it could be the person tailgating you on the Perimeter who cannot read the overhead DOT sign warning of construction ahead. The flashing words would have no meaning to an illiterate driver, and that puts you and everyone else on the road at risk.

While being illiterate is not a crime, there appears to be a statistical connection between criminal activity and not being able to read. About 70 percent of America’s prison inmates are functionally illiterate, and 85 percent of juvenile offenders have serious reading deficiencies. The National Institute of Literacy reports that juvenile offenders have almost an 80 percent re-arrest rate; yet if those same youthful offenders are involved in literacy programs while locked up, their recidivism rate declines sharply to 20 percent when they are released. Prison officials actually look at reading abilities in children as young as second grade to forecast prison populations down the road. It’s a sobering and scary thought.

Here are some basic things you can do to help end illiteracy.

• Give some of your time to tutor those who have reading problems.
• Donate money to organizations that focus on literacy and promote literacy.
• Help get books into the hands of children whose families may not be able to afford them or do not put a premium on reading.
• Talk to schools, businesses, churches, libraries and other organizations about sponsoring a literacy event.
• Help organize a book fair.
• Read to children every day. This will help instill a lifelong love of reading and learning.
• Encourage your children to read on their own every day and help other kids with their reading as well.

With a little help from everybody, we can change the world!

Melissa L. Bunch lives in Tucker with her husband and three children. She is an educational consultant with Usborne Books at Home and a preschool teacher at Shallowford Presbyterian Preschool.