Eleven million adults in the United States speak no English or know so little they can't read a prescription or sign a form, the Education Department said Thursday.
In addition, 23 million people who were born in the U.S. can barely perform such simple tasks, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy...
...Seven million adults, defined as those over age 16, spoke very little English. Four million others spoke no English at all. A majority of these 11 million were Spanish speakers, though more precise numbers weren't available...
[The researchers] did make note of the influx of millions of non-English speakers into the U.S. in the past 12 years...
...Only 13 percent of adults were considered proficient.
In a puzzling trend, even those with bachelor's and graduate degrees showed lower English skills compared with 1993. Schneider said that researchers were stumped and that the trend must be analyzed to figure out if college standards are sliding...
Politics · Sat, 12/17/2005 - 12:45 · · Importance: 1
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Comments
Regarding our "ruling elites": There is no doubt in my mind that they absolutely think that they can "live comfortably and flourish" no matter how much they louse up the world for the rest of us. They may well be dead wrong in the long run; still on the issue of education right now, they are winners. The schools they have helped screw up, their children don't attend. Their money and status assure that they will either live in a neighborhood where only those like them can afford to live or they send their children to private school. Naturally this gives them a leg up when it's time for college.
Remember the Clintons? When they moved to DC, Chelsea, their daughter was placed in an exclusive private school by our "first black President" (so called by a black leader whose identity I forget). Clinton's slogan on affirmative action was "mend it, don't end it". So did he give Chelsea's slot at Yale to some deserving minority? Well, no - Chelsea, a double legacy went to Yale.
Posted by: D Flinchum at Dec 19, 2005 3:27 AM
"separating students by achievement levels"
But these measures are often VEHEMENTLY opposed by Black and Hispanic parents (let's face it: these are, by far, the most problematic students -- those most in danger of being 'left behind') and their misguided, politically correct allies. The usual reason given is that these programs, e.g. an 'Honors Program', are "non-inclusive" -- meaning quite often (disproportionately) few Black and Hispanic students qualify. A number of times in recent years I have seen plans for just such programs scuttled by shrill, thoughtless protests. Even sadder, oftentimes those in the educational establishment join in: school administrators resign in protest rather than participate in the introduction of these programs.
There is a reason why people seek out and pay for private schools, and homeschooling is more and more popular.
Posted by: eh at Dec 19, 2005 2:00 AM
About the future, ask yourself: How would you like to be a teacher and held accountable, via the 'No Child Left Behind' nonsense, for the failure of these students to learn and achieve? It is hard to see how things will get better because 1) the inflow of these marginal students/English learners won't stop anytime soon, and 2) fewer and fewer capable people will choose to become teachers.
Posted by: eh at Dec 19, 2005 1:49 AM
You have to assume that our ruling elites have little concern for the future of the USA as a discrete entity. Do they really think that they can live comfortably and flourish in a multipolar environment of three superpowers:the rising powers of China and India and a USA/North America in slow decline? Never place too much trust in the loyalty or intelligence of your rulers.
Posted by: perroazul del norte at Dec 18, 2005 10:38 PM
From my own experience, separating students by achievement levels and abilities allows individuals to continue, progressively (in the traditional sense of the word) learn. When you immerse more qualified and capable persons in groups that include the lower and lowest achievers and abilities, what occurs is the brightest are not challenged and actually begin to lower their achievement levels. Meaning, the large influx into our public schools by the illiterate, extremely under educated from other countries (Mexico, specifically) has, in fact, lowered the achievements of students overall.
Because, the level of challenge accommodates the lowest achiever and fails to challenge on any ongoing level the higher achievers. Unless there's a separate teaching process for the achievement levels and that means separating the lowest-lower-middle-aboveaverage-excellent in curriculum and overall challenge and quality of instructors and instruction overall.
Too many of the lowest-lower ranges among any population even outside a teaching environment lowers the overall achievement levels and that's what's now being reflected here.
More of why limiting immigration to those who QUALIFY for citizenship and/or skills/educational levels/abilities is important to the overall health and accomplishments of the nation itself.
Posted by: -S- at Dec 18, 2005 4:45 PM
Not to mention that 5% of the population here is now unable to answer any questions on a literacy test, compared to maybe 1% in other many other countries, which are now in a position to move ahead of us. How's that for strength from diversity? this is good for national security?
Posted by: John S Bolton at Dec 18, 2005 11:11 AM
Remember this the next time you hear about how we need to give more money to our schools. The problem here isn't money. You can't continuously dump students who can't speak English and who may have had little schooling in their own country into our schools and expect them to excell. We can't educate the world; and if we try to, we can't educate our own citizens.
Also give this some thought when Bill Gates and pals start crying about the decline of science and math in US schools. Advanced science and math are not mandated but ESL is. Guess which gets the most emphasis and money?
Posted by: D Flinchum at Dec 18, 2005 4:23 AM