"4RUNNING HEAD Adult IlliteracyThe causes of adult illiteracy are diverse and there lacks a fully definitive answer.One major cause is the idea that school literacy is more important than other forms ofliteracy that make many scholars value grades than acquiring knowledge. It can also bedue to the overuse of labels and groups where such practices make adults to viewthemselves as weak and non-readers after school. Labeling causes low-self esteem andsuch adults never seek literary assistance. Every experience of a child in school has eithera positive or a negative impact to their quest for literacy. The children with negativeexperiences consider school and learning as one which they do not wish to participate.Some learning experiences disengage the leaner and fail to achieve fully even afterearning a diploma in a particular field. The family background can also be another causeof adult illiteracy in which it operates similar to poverty. Raising up children in anenvironment where literacy is not valued and the parents cannot read makes the childthink that literacy is not important. The child becomes an adult with poor skills and islikely to raise up their children with the same attitude which may become a repetitivecycle (Auerbach, et. al., 2013). Thus, it is only breaking the cycle that can help to dealwith adult illiteracy. Why adult illiteracy is a societal problemThe consequences of illiteracy are harmful in various ways. It does not only affectthe daily lives, but it also affects the society both socially and economically. Forindividuals, they have a limited ability to understand information, are unemployed, havelow income, have reduced access to professional development, and are more prone tohealth problems. The society suffers from reduced qualified personnel to handle certain 5RUNNING HEAD Adult Illiteracy tasks that would provide solutions to the problems in the society. A high proportion ofadults with low literacy proficiency translate to slowed overall long-term GDP growth.Illiteracy makes it difficult to understand the societal issues thereby lowering the level ofcommunity involvement and civic participation (Martinez & Fernandez, 2010).Illiteracy among adults enhances the current and future socioeconomicvulnerability. It is also a considerate factor in the generation of similar vulnerability tochildren. Illiterate persons face great challenges in regard to social inclusion at a personallevel, the family, and at a societal level. Such persons also face serious employmentissues due to their limited knowledge and expertise (Roman, 2004). The problem isattributed to a lack of formal schooling or an exit from school to enter the labor market.The illiterate persons are not aware of their rights and duties and are forced to accept thelow-quality employment contracts that arise.The impact of adult illiteracy falls under the major categories of health, education,economics, and social integration. Focusing on health, research highlights that illiteracylimits the ability of an individual to understand and absorb knowledge that is necessaryfor the due care. It affects their health, hygiene, and nutrition. In regard to education, theilliterate parents have low educational expectations for themselves and that of thechildren. There is a close relationship between parent’s schooling and the academicperformance of their children. Focusing on the economic perspective, literacy andschooling have a significant effect to individual income. Many people who do notcomplete their schooling period are less likely to acquire jobs that can help them to avoid 6RUNNING HEAD Adult Illiteracy poverty. For social integration factor, the illiterate persons lack social recognition andalso suffer from low-self esteem (Martinez & Fernandez, 2010).Proposed solutions and evidence from researchThere are several proposed solutions to address adult illiteracy as described.Among the solutions is encouraging corporate basic training which is a part of lifelonglearning process. The strategy leads to greater effectiveness at work, greatercompetitiveness and productivity, better occupational health and safety, and facilitatesknowledge transfer for the employees of all ages.Another effective solution is fostering the development and recognition of theskilled manpower which aligns with the 1% law. The method enhances the workforceskill levels and fosters employment. It also allows the adjustment and entry intoemployment and reduces the shortage of man power in various organizations(Glushchenko, 2016).The creation of a culture that encourages reading and promoting the functionallearning skills from an early age can be an effective solution to illiteracy. Some culturalfactors limit the student’s access to the learning opportunities and also lower the desire toachieve educational goals. As such, it is necessary that humans are exposed to functionalliteracy programs from a tender age for them to grow to fully functional adults in thesociety. The need to prioritize early childhood is due to the realization that more effortsand resources should be devoted to end illiteracy from the source (Glushchenko, 2016). A "