The Conversation – Gabrielle Wilcox
“Reading is an important predictor of future academic performance in all subjects and through all levels of school. The World Literacy Organization notes that weak reading skills predict lower income levels as an adult, increased health care costs, decreased productivity and increased involvement with the criminal justice system. Approximately 42 per cent of Canadians have literacy skills below those “typically required for high school completion,” or what literacy researchers call level three literacy. At this level, someone’s reading and comprehension skills are advanced enough to follow multi-step directions and interpret and evaluate texts.” (more)