America the illiterate

[Unkotare]

There is a generational decline in literacy, that is clear. My wife sees it at university level. She teaches GRAD students who struggle to write simple papers and even though they are "literate" they can't write for shit. If that is indicative of graduate level students imagine how bad it is in general. The enormous amount of time young people spend on social media is also to blame, you can't lay it all on the educational system although public education is deeply flawed.

I have some kids in class - Juniors and Seniors - who had never been taught basic grammar, or the structure of an essay. Some kids honestly don't believe me when I correct them about double negatives.

 

[Unkotare]

I received my MBA in 2010. For one of the last group research papers I had to do with three other students I volunteered to piece everyone's contribution together into the final paper. When one of the women sent me over her portion I couldn't believe all the grammatical and punctuation error she made. ...

"errors"

 

[Unkotare]

...

Intelligent people learn by doing.
....

Tell that to your pilot or your surgeon.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

We must invest in Pubik Edukation and get rid of every private skool in Amerika and know Home Skooling either bekauze how r we going to indoktornate these young minds?

Trotsky must be smiling about now!

 

[Woodznutz]

.

Well ... That only applies to how a person views the information and any conflict they may have with it.

If they want to have a personal conflict with the information or the source ... They surely can.
If they want to explore Critical Thinking, and the idea that what they themselves think may be wrong ...
Accept fault on their part ... Then the target of the conflict changes and opens doors to really learning something they might not have known.

So, I get your point ... But again, that is based on the approach to an idea ... And how to gather something of value from what you read.
It doesn't mean you blanket anything you read with automatic acceptance ...
Just that if you have a question, answer the question or accept that you haven't answered it by just believing it isn't true.

.​

Well-meaning 'experts' are trying to build on shaky premises laid down by other 'experts' in the past. They are trapped in the original error and most don't realize it.
"If your premise is flawed, your conclusion will be ridiculous."

 

[Woodznutz]

Tell that to your pilot or your surgeon.

I'm a pilot. I learned by doing. Ground school (classroom work) teaches you the rules and principles. Hands on instruction in the aircraft (doing) teaches you how to fly. Flight hours then increases knowledge and confidence.

 

[Woodznutz]

I have some kids in class - Juniors and Seniors - who had never been taught basic grammar, or the structure of an essay. Some kids honestly don't believe me when I correct them about double negatives.

Aren't those communication skills absorbed in the home and among early peer groups? Once of school age isn't it really too late?

 

[Unkotare]

I'm a pilot. I learned by doing. Ground school (classroom work) teaches you the rules and principles. ...

Without which it would be pretty unwise to just throw a kid into an airplane and say "have at 'er, boy!"

 

[Unkotare]

Aren't those communication skills absorbed in the home and among early peer groups? ...

Depends on the home and the peers.

 

[gipper]

I merely question the willingness of people to accept findings such as this without the benefit of knowing anything about the poll or the studies...

The American education system has long had problems. If one can graduate high school yet be illiterate, something is wrong.

Americans like to think they’re the best at everything. Ignoring reality.

America Leads the World. Or Does it?

The quality of American education, as we will see, is far lower than the world has been led to believe, and the quality in China is in many cases much superior to that in the US. Americans might care to ask why it is that Chinese elementary or high school students moving to the US are often promoted by one or two grades. The reason is that they know so much more than their American counterparts they would suffer terminal boredom if forced to remain at their prior grade level.


The myth persists that the US has always led the world in quality of education, but this is nothing more than branding propaganda and part of the indoctrination process of American moral superiority that is wholly unsupported by facts. Consider this quote from an American education expert:

“The US has never been first in the world, nor even near the top, on any international tests. Consistently over the past half century, American students have typically scored near the median at best, but most often being in the bottom quartile. The historical record indicates that American elementary students are only average at best, their performance degrading year by year until high school seniors perform last in almost all international tests. The International Science Studies that began in high schools in the late 1960s and early 1970s found that 14-year-olds were below average and seniors scored last of all countries. In the International Mathematics tests that began in the 1960s, American high school seniors scored last of all nations. In the 1982 International Mathematics Study, high school seniors placed at the bottom on almost every test. In terms of the PISA tests, American students – placing last – are simply following the pattern that has been consistent for the past 50 years or more.” [5a]
Dumber Than the Average Human

 

[Unkotare]

... Once of school age isn't it really too late?

Not at all.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Two Americas…illiteracy in America. I knew it was bad, just not this bad. Is it any wonder many Americans are easily deceived, when they can’t read or write. Many Americans are unable to think logically.

I may be veering off from the intent of the way the piece was framed, given that it focused mainly on physical reading and writing comprehension, but you can just speak with someone and get them to give you the answer that you want, depending on the manner in which you frame dialogue.

You coul ask someone the same question in a different way and get two completely different, opposing responses.

It doesn't make a nickel's worth of difference how well one can read or write if they are just plain old unaware and therefore incapable of reason when presented with a scenario. A lot of times people respond in an emotional way which contradicts logic.

 

[Woodznutz]

Without which it would be pretty unwise to just throw a kid into an airplane and say "have at 'er, boy!"

You don't learn anything about actually flying an airplane in ground school. And when in the plane an instructor is there beside you giving hands on instructions, to your hands. There are no books in plane.

 

[Woodznutz]

Depends on the home and the peers.

That's what I mean, for better or for worse. "Once the twig is bent..."

 

[Woodznutz]

The old saying applies.

"You can lead a horse to water".
Is the horse incapable of drinking or just doesn't want to?

Maybe it's not what the 'horse' is used to drinking. Ask a college grad to do physical work and he'll look at you like you have two heads.

 

[Canon Shooter]

That is the problem. Criminals don't think it's immoral to rob, assault, and murder people.

Oh, I believe to my core that they know it's immoral.

They just don't care...

Everyday immorality causes many problems as well.

What, exactly, is "everyday immorality"?

 

[Woodznutz]

Oh, I believe to my core that they know it's immoral.

They just don't care...



What, exactly, is "everyday immorality"?

Immoral behavior that isn't illegal. Although it sometimes leads to anger or illegal behavior in others. For example, adultery isn't illegal in some states, although it is grounds for divorce. It often leads to violence, even murder, if discovered. Even thoughtless disrespect can lead to such violence. 'Dissing' frequently leads to violence among blacks.

 

[Woodznutz]

"errors"

I think you are being too kind.

 

[Woodznutz]

You don't learn anything about actually flying an airplane in ground school. And when in the plane an instructor is there beside you giving hands on instructions, to your hands. There are no books in plane.

Edit: There are no books in the plane (time to edit expired).

 

[Woodznutz]

The American education system has long had problems. If one can graduate high school yet be illiterate, something is wrong.

Americans like to think they’re the best at everything. Ignoring reality.

America Leads the World. Or Does it?

The quality of American education, as we will see, is far lower than the world has been led to believe, and the quality in China is in many cases much superior to that in the US. Americans might care to ask why it is that Chinese elementary or high school students moving to the US are often promoted by one or two grades. The reason is that they know so much more than their American counterparts they would suffer terminal boredom if forced to remain at their prior grade level.


The myth persists that the US has always led the world in quality of education, but this is nothing more than branding propaganda and part of the indoctrination process of American moral superiority that is wholly unsupported by facts. Consider this quote from an American education expert:

“The US has never been first in the world, nor even near the top, on any international tests. Consistently over the past half century, American students have typically scored near the median at best, but most often being in the bottom quartile. The historical record indicates that American elementary students are only average at best, their performance degrading year by year until high school seniors perform last in almost all international tests. The International Science Studies that began in high schools in the late 1960s and early 1970s found that 14-year-olds were below average and seniors scored last of all countries. In the International Mathematics tests that began in the 1960s, American high school seniors scored last of all nations. In the 1982 International Mathematics Study, high school seniors placed at the bottom on almost every test. In terms of the PISA tests, American students – placing last – are simply following the pattern that has been consistent for the past 50 years or more.” [5a]
Dumber Than the Average Human

Perhaps this is because America has, without excelling in education, that which other countries are stiving to attain, through education.

If a guy can get sex without having a good job, nice car, or nice clothes, why continue to strive for these things when your ultimate goal was to use these things to attract women for sex.
Thank you, sexual revolution.