Reading / Libraries / Home Environment

We are surrounded by the written word. Being able to read is a necessity. Yet 1 in 10 people have dyslexia & 1 in 6 adults only have the reading skills of an 11 year old.
http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/page/facts-and-figures-about-dyslexia-0

According to the National Literacy Trust 2012 survey - www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/.../Literacy_State_of_the_Nation_-_2_Aug_2011.pdf  - One in five parents easily find the opportunity to read to their children, with the rest struggling due to fatigue and busy lifestyles. Of the parents that read to the children, 67% are mothers compared to just 17% of fathers. 1 in 5 mums and dads may not be able to read confidently with their children.

Illiteracy levels in Prisons are very high & widespread throughout our jails.
https://ioelondonblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/prisoner-literacy-levels-a-worrying-lack-of-statistics/ 
http://www.prisonerseducation.org.uk/media-press/new-government-data-on-english-and-maths-skills-of-prisoners
"In the first set of comparable figures for over a decade, the government has published data revealing that 46% of people entering the prison system have literacy skills no higher than those broadly expected of an 11 year old child. This is three times more than the 15% of people with similar skills levels in the adult population generally. 52% of those assessed have the equivalent capability in numeracy which compares with 49% of the general public. The statistics also show that 46% of newly assessed prisoners have Level 1 and Level 2 literacy skills, (GCSE equivalent) which compares to 85% of the general population"

Reading opens the window on both fiction & non fiction - On history, the world we live in, other cultures......etc etc. Whether we read books, comics, newspapers, maps, Kindles, computer screens - whatever, a world of knowledge & understanding is lost to anyone who cannot read well.

Books are now cheaper than they have ever been & bookshops are well laid out & inviting with very knowledgable staff. But even if you don't have the money to buy books our wonderful libraries will order any book for you for a very small fee & provide a stimulating & quiet environment to read if you don't have that at home. The fact that many libraries are now run by volunteers shows how undervalued they are by the government & conversely how much the public do value them. http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/about-public-libraries-news/list-of-uk-volunteer-run-libraries
I owe a lifelong debt to libraries.

Our challenge as a nation is to recognise the problem with poor readers & to effectively utilise the skills and knowledge, which are available, to help both adults and children who have reading difficulties. It is in our interest as a nation & in the interest of poor readers themselves to open the doors of opportunity to them through reading.

We need to create a home & wider environment where there is no stigma attached to reading difficulties & where everyone supports & encourages poor readers to get full enjoyment from the written word. It's a simple aim, & should be a right, but we are a long way off from fulfilling it.