[NLA] Does poor literacy equal poverty?

[AWilder106@aol.com]

Dear Debby,

I'm not quite sure why I asked the question, now, but it does seem we skate 
around the word "poor" and "poverty."  If you read the NALS I think it is 
clear that poorer people are less literate (using their scales).  It seems to 
me that perhaps we are substituting one stereotype for another--courageous 
people who struggle is substituted for helpless, lazy non-productive 
individuals.  

The poorness ties into why adult learners have trouble getting child care for 
the time the are in class.  It also ties into educational payback for 
literacy--getting a better job, or being able to move to a new job.  Though, 
this runs into the issue of "over qualification"  that others have brought up.

Poorness does not equal low literacy, it simply ups the probability, as far 
as I can tell.

Neither does poor literacy equal poverty.

I think we are working in the main with a group of people who are poor and 
low literate.  We make an assumption that if people are more literate they 
will be less poor (supported by one NCSALL study).  Our concern is reducing 
poverty through increases in literacy.

Tom Sticht has spoken of the AELSystem--would this do more than help low 
literate adults?  Would people duck into and out of it in order to learn new 
skills?

The "literacy is a good investment" idea I have usually thought of in terms 
of the adult learners themselves--people investing in themselves, an 
entrepreneurial spirit, and so on--better chances for their children.  
However, this does not cover adults who are mandated to attend adult literacy 
programs.  The economic argument is also used about increasing the tax base, 
I know.

I went farther into this question, to Amartya Sen, "Development as Freedom."  
I haven't written up my work on this yet, but he does support the idea that 
increases in literacy and reduction in poverty ALSO helps people at higher 
income levels.  Who just brought up marketing?  I think this is a direction 
in which to go--an overall picture.  We're in this boat together.

There is another argument in here which looks at the structure of low 
literacy and poverty, a Freirian /Giroux/Kozol theme.  This I think is where 
literacy as social analysis/critical thinking comes in, touched on by David 
in the CEI program. 

I see all the time newspaper articles which juxtapose hunger/poverty with 
food/wealth.  Yesterday, an article in the "Boston Globe" about a guy who 
would travel 50 miles for fresh vegetables in winter was in one section while 
discussion of a fundraiser for the Boston Medical Center to combat 
malnutrition/hunger in Boston was in another.  $600/plate. (I think they both 
were in yesterday--Boston Globe, anyway.) I can't stand this stuff.  It's all 
of us at whatever literacy levels we have who need to use critical literacy.

Andrea
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