Create a bulletin board that explains to students what remaining illiterate or at a basic level of literacy can cost them. Statistics illustrating the plight of the illiterate may help students see the value of entering tutoring programs, mentoring relationships and other assistance programs that can help them improve basic reading skills.
According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), two-thirds of students who cannot read by the end of the fourth grade will end up on welfare or in jail. The Department of Justice reports that 60 percent of prison inmates are functionally illiterate and 85 percent of juvenile offenders are functionally illiterate. Forty-three percent of adults who scored at the most basic of literacy levels live at or below the poverty level. These statistics paint a bleak picture of the future for students who lack functional literacy skills.
Contrast the potential futures of students based on their literacy skills.
For example, according to the 2003 NAAL statistics, 25 percent of children can't read. These children are more likely to have a juvenile record, drop out of school, serve jail or prison time as adults, live in poverty, have poor health and rely on welfare and food stamps for basic necessities.
Contrast this with the 13 percent of adults who are proficiently literate in all areas (prose, document, quantitative) and can perform complex and challenging activities based on their reading skills. Literacy proficient adults are less likely to be incarcerated and less likely to live in poverty in need state or federal assistance. These individuals are more likely to go to college, have good paying jobs, financially support their families, maintain good health and feel positive about their lives.
The NAAL defines fourth grade reading levels as a crucial benchmark for literacy levels. Create a bulletin board that provides examples of various reading levels so that students can help assess their own literacy levels. Provide a list of resources that students can use if they want to improve their skills.