National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week kicks off

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) - September 18 is the start of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.

A shocking statistic shows that almost a quarter of Alabamians are illiterate. That is according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Illiteracy is not just people not knowing how to read. Some Alabamians are having issues understanding what they are reading.

While most people are able to read a book and tell you what happened, some people only read the words for what they are. People who are illiterate have excellent problem-solving and retention because they go through education and life without understanding the context of words.

That is according to Dr.Terri Dunn, the Director of Adult Education for Southeast Alabama Community Colleges. The problem occurs when these parents try to communicate with their children.

“Parents who come to us sometimes and they say, you know, “I just want to be able to help my child with their homework. I really feel like my child is advancing beyond my knowledge,” Dunn said. “What they are learning is more than I know.”

Dunn said that the best thing these parents can do, apart from developing literacy, is encouraging their children to read. That is why community colleges across the state are on a mission to promote literacy.

Lurleen Burns Wallace Community College is hosting a literacy event on September 19 in the Opp library from 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.

Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps.

Copyright 2023 WTVY. All rights reserved.