Although we may think of schools as the main source of learning, literacy development actually starts at home. A young child's home life affects the child's school readiness, and according to the Educational Testing Service, studies have shown that greater school readiness leads to greater academic success. Some children come to kindergarten able to recognize letters of the alphabet and common words, while others do not. This may be influenced by the child's home reading experience. Children whose parents read to them daily are better prepared to develop literacy skills in school.
School readiness is linked to socio-economic status. For example, the 2002 study by Educational Testing Service showed that 85 percent of children from families with high socio-economic status could recognize letters of the alphabet, while only 39 percent of children with low socio-economic standing could do the same. High status kids are more likely to recognize sounds and words, and their families read to them more frequently than those of low status. Children with low status experience more TV viewing, less reading and less school readiness.
School readiness leads to academic achievement and higher levels of educational attainment. Educational attainment, in turn, leads to better literacy skills. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, America saw a surge in educational accomplishment and adult literacy over the course of the twentieth century, largely because of increased opportunities for women, black citizens and other minorities. Therefore, keeping today's students to school is vital to keeping literacy rates high.
Low literacy seriously limits a person's ability to participate in society. Someone who has trouble reading maps and transportation schedules may avoid traveling. Impaired literacy may cause a person to fall behind on current events, leading them to shy away from joining conversations with friends and co-workers. Someone with low literacy is less likely to continue her education through college, graduate school or certification programs. Hence, literacy troubles stunt an individual's potential for growth.
Most jobs require some degree of reading or writing skills. Thus, low literacy hinders a person's ability to gain and keep employment. A 2009 Canadian study by Scott Murray, which was discussed in the Vancouver Sun article, "How low literacy narrows a person's world," suggested that improving literacy could increase workers' productivity and provide a major boost to the economy. The study estimated that investing in Canadian literacy skills could result in an annual rate of return of 80 to 250 percent, suggesting that literacy really does have a quantitative value for society.