Brussels, 07/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - The high level group of experts responsible for finding ways to raise literacy in the European Union is sounding an alarm call to member states to take more decisive action in this field. In a report unveiled during a conference organised in Nicosia on 4 and 5 October by the Cypriot presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, the group of experts deplores certain widely accepted ideas on illiteracy, especially the fact that this problem does not concern Europe, or that it is incurable after a certain age. It encourages European countries to overhaul their approach to combating illiteracy. “While reading and writing are more important and relevant than ever before in the context of our digitised world, our literacy skills are not keeping up. We urgently need to reverse this alarming situation”, said Androulla Vassiliou, the commissioner responsible for education, culture, multilingualism and youth. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, who chairs the high level group, said for her part: “We need clear, coordinated national strategies and much better awareness across Europe, not only in policy and educational circles but also in hospitals, workplaces and especially in families. It is time for Europe to raise its level of ambition and ensure literacy for all”. Princess Laurentien also highlighted the shame felt by those concerned, who try to hide the problem from others, thus involuntarily contributing to the lack of awareness of the problem which affects many people in Europe.
Given the changes that have taken place in the way people work, the economy and society more generally, a good knowledge of reading and writing is today more essential than ever. Europe, which is composed of developed countries, must aim to achieve 100% literacy for all its citizens. The 80-page document includes a series of both general and specific recommendations for combating illiteracy, sets out examples of successful literacy projects in European countries, together with first-hand testimony from those who have managed to overcome their handicap, and also undertakes to dispel the most common myths surrounding illiteracy.
The experts' report sets out recommendations for each age group. For young children, it is essential that member states implement family literacy programmes to improve reading and writing skills of both parents and children. The experts stress that investment in high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is one of the best investments countries can make in Europe's future human capital. Primary schools need to take on more specialist reading teachers and low performing pupils should receive individual assistance as soon as the need arises. Adolescents need more diverse reading material, from comics to set literary texts and e-books to motivate all readers, especially boys. Cooperation between schools and businesses should be promoted to make literacy learning more relevant to real-life situations. The taboo surrounding adult illiteracy needs to be broken, so that illiterate adults may gain the self-esteem they are so often lacking. NGOs, the media, employers, societal organisations and celebrities all have a role to play in communicating more widely about adult illiteracy and its solutions.
Another aspect raised by the report is the influence that multilingualism and migratory flow have on literacy, due to the growing mobility of people within Europe. Although weak reading and writing skills are not necessarily linked to migration (most children and adults that have reading and writing difficulties were born in the country where they live), more appropriate support is sometimes required. Language learning has become increasingly important as a tool for communication but also as a way to build mutual understanding, the experts say. (IL/transl.jl)