Functional illiteracy
Visualization of narrower problems
Name(s):
Adult illiteracy
Undeveloped functional literacy
Insufficient literacy levels
Inadequate literacy skills
Nature
A functionally illiterate adult can read, write, and do basic mathematics calculations, but not well enough to fulfil all the tasks society expects of him. He lacks the skills required to function effectively in his community. He may have received little or no formal education, or his formal education may have been inadequate to the point that he remained functionally illiterate.
Incidence
An 1997 OECD survey of its 12 member countries stated that, depending on the country, between 25% and 75% of the respondants aged 16 to 65 did not have a literacy level considered 'a suitable minimum skill level for coping with the demands of modern life and work.' Sweden had the highest functionally literacy level, Poland the lowest. There was no statistically significant difference among Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, UK, and the USA.
Narrower
Aggravates
Verbal ugliness [in 10 loops]
Injurious accidents [in 22 loops]
Educational gap between generations [in 1 loop]
Illiteracy as an obstacle to acquiring skills [in 17 loops]
Aggravated by
Strategy(ies)
Reference(s)
Type
(D) Detailed problems