"1RUNNING HEAD Adult Illiteracy Adult IlliteracyNameCourseInstructorDate 2RUNNING HEAD Adult Illiteracy IntroductionIlliteracy is a significant issue mostly to the adults and globally about 880 millionadults are regarded to lack the basic learning skills. In the United States, it is estimatedthat approximately 90 million adults are functionally illiterate since they lack theminimum skills required to be functional in the society. In contrast to the adults, theschool age children have an easy access to programs and interventions that enable themto acquire the literacy skills. Also, the policies like, No Child Left Behind, many childrenare encouraged to acquire the basic literacy skills. For the adults, it is challenging toaccess the education programs targeted to reduce illiteracy and in many regions, theprograms are not fully implemented. Most of the illiterate adults tend to hide theirinabilities by engaging in other societal issues. Illiteracy is associated with stigma andmost of the adults never admit that are not proficient in various literacy aspects. Thenegative attitude towards illiteracy forms a basis of a cycle of limited literacy skills whichis challenging to overcome (Sudore, et. al., 2006). It is only the use of effective literacyprograms using workable strategies for adults, that the problem can be solved. Thevarious causes and solutions to adult illiteracy are discussed in the paper. Illiteracy doesnot only limit full growth of individuals and their participation in the society, but also hasimpacts to the individual’s family environment, hinders the access to benefits ofdevelopment, and limits the enjoyment of the human rights. There have been efforts bythe states and the civic society to address the problem, but the attempts have not beeneffective.3RUNNING HEAD Adult IlliteracyThere exist several definitions for adult illiteracy but their use depends on theintended purpose of the paper. Using the definition offered in 2002 by the NationalCenter for Education Statistics, literacy is the ability of using printed and writteninformation for individuals to be functional in the society, achieve their goals, as well asdeveloping knowledge and potential. Thus, illiteracy is the failure to use information tobe functional in the society, achieve one’s goals, and nurture their knowledge andpotential. The definition goes beyond the basic reading and writing skills since adultsrequire more than that to be functional members of the society. Background information on how the problem developedIlliteracy stems from various general and inter-related causes which conclusivelycreate a series of barriers to the people involved. As evident, the people born into theunderprivileged parents who acquired limited formal education are likely to experiencesimilar or serious learning challenges. For the adults, the major causes of illiteracyinclude little schooling of the parents, lack of books and motivation to the importance ofreading, dropping out of school, poverty affecting the living conditions, and learningdisabilities like dyslexia. Many of the adults aged 45 years and above having low literacyskills belong to the time where there were well-paying job opportunities for people with alower level of schooling (Jogwu, 2010).Such people have worked in the same fields aswell as their families without necessarily advancing their studies. The closure andcollapse of many companies in the manufacturing sector has left many of such adultshelpless and unable to acquire new jobs since they are illiterate. They cannot meet thecurrent market requirements for the available jobs."