What Are the Causes and/or Effects of Illiteracy

Most powerful weapon. Illiteracy is defined as the inability of an individual to use reading, speaking, writing and computational skills in everyday life situations. According to Adult Literacy Tutor Association (ALTA), Paula Lucie - Smith, in April 2010. She indicated that forty-five percent (45%) of Trinbagonians are illiterate. Also twenty-two to twenty-three percent (23-23%) or one out of four persons in Trinidad and Tobago is unable to cope with everyday reading and writing skills. It is a problem because it inhibits people from communicating efficiently with one another. Literacy equips persons with all that is needed to open doors to brilliant career opportunities and fetches better prospects in career and growth. Learning disabilities, poverty and education are the main factors/ components which contributes to illiteracy.
Learning disabilities may be a major cause of illiteracy. A learning disability is a neurological disorder. Dyslexia is the most common cause of language incapacity. Persons with dyslexia have difficulties with accurate and/ or fluent word recognition, poor spelling, mirror printing, reverse letters, phonics and decoding abilities. Due to this they would not be able to comprehend what is being taught. According to the Dyslexia Association five to ten percent (5-10%) of all school – age children in Trinidad and Tobago have dyslexia. Another cause of illiteracy is short term memory. With this disability people have serious problems remembering things seen. They may forget work covered very easily. About ten to fifteen percent (10-15%) of people in Trinidad and Tobago suffer from this according to National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD). Central auditory processing disorder is a complex problem affecting about five percent (5%) of school age children in Trinidad and Tobago states the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD). They have difficulty in storing information heard because of this disease they have a low