You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Illiteracy has traditionally been viewed as largely a third world problem.
However it is becoming apparent that in countries such as the USA and
Australia, illiteracy is on the increase.
Discuss possible causes for this and its effect on society.
Write at least 250 words.
It is true that illiteracy is becoming a serious problem in industrialised
nations. This is surprising as most people think that this is a problem only
in under-developed nations such as in parts of Africa and India. Illiteracy
is related to many other problems such as poverty, over-population and
governmental corruption. Let us take a more detailed look at the causes of
this growing problem in many Western nations.
One of the most obvious reasons for the increase in illiteracy is the advent
of television. Children no longer have to read to obtain information. Neither
do they have to read to relax. Today children get home from school and go
straight to “the box” to watch their favorite program. Watching television
is much easier and more exciting than reading.
Another reason for the increase in illiteracy is the fact that so many women
work. This means that children are often alone at home and so they are
unsupervised. When parents get home they are often too tired to spend quality
time whit their children.
It is also true that many people blame schools for the decline in illiteracy.
In many countries there has been a move away from teaching basic skills such
as reading and writing.
There are many effects of this growing illiteracy rate. The most obvious is
unemployment. This may in turn lead to alcohol and drug abuse. Ultimately the
economy of the country begins to suffer and there is a drop in living
standards.
To address this problem, parents need to become more aware of their
responsibilities and schools need to consider a change in their teaching
methods. If this worsening trend is not reversed, the problem of illiteracy
will become very serious.