Studies in Utah have shown that 47 percent of school-aged children are not reading up to grade level by the fourth grade.

"Two thirds of students who can not read proficiently by the fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare," said Louisa Moats, EdD, a nationally-acclaimed reading specialist.

It is almost without exception, that illiterates feel ashamed, stupid and unwanted. They tend to disengage from society, are truant from school, join gangs and become involved in drugs, and crime.

In order to combat these alarming rates, programs have been implemented in these facilities to help both children and adults learn how to read.

"If they can learn how to read, then they can learn to do anything," said Denece Kitto, Director of Sectors for the Family Literacy Program.

The Family Literacy Centers is a non-profit organization that assists families and individuals to effectively read, write and communicate in English. Of the adults participating in programs at the Family Literacy Center 43 percent could become employed, compared to 14 percent of adults who are not currently enrolled in assistance programs.

"Our goal is to teach parents in the community how to teach their own children to read," Kitto said.

She explained that illiteracy is generational. A student who has a hard time reading most often has parents and grandparents who also struggled with reading. For that reason, the Family Literacy program focuses on helping parents improve their reading skills as they learn how to tutor their own children.

Besides working with parents and families, Family Literacy has donated both time and books to run the illiteracy program in the Slate Canyon Youth Correctional Facility.

"After learning how to read, only 15 percent of those in penal institutions are ever arrested again as opposed to over 70 percent when they remain illiterate," said Dr. Edward Greene, professor of instructional psychology at BYU.

The developing illiteracy problem in Utah can be attributed in part to the change in society where both parents are now in the work force.

"If parents would read with their children for twenty minutes a night, they would never be below grade level," Kitto said.

Increasing literacy has also been shown to benefit children in other subjects, such as social studies, math and science and increases their ability to be employed as adults.
Copyright Brigham Young University 22 Oct 2003