Literacy can often be a foundation for personal growth and success. The ability to read empowers individuals everywhere into fulfilling ambitions and seeking out interest and autonomy, as well as broadening their horizons and make informed decisions. But what happens when literacy skills are compromised— and if support isn’t applied and literacy skills bolstered, what happens across the life course for individuals? 

In this blog SWD are exploring just how literacy significantly improves life chances, and shedding light on the consequences that long-term low literacy might have, such as the school-to-prison nexus and the impact felt on career progression and finances. 

Low Literacy in Education 

Education enables individuals to acquire knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities. Low literacy levels have detrimental effects on educational outcomes: learners who find reading difficult score lower in exams, and can easily find themselves becoming disengaged from learning itself.  
 
A data-proven phenomenon known as the school-to-prison nexus emerges when individuals, — often Black or Hispanic boys with low literacy skills— face disproportionately and unfairly high rates of school disciplinary actions, which lead to exclusions from school. These exclusions become long-term exclusions and removal from schools, and are agreed by most experts to contribute hugely to lifelong low literacy, increasing the amount of learners who go on to engage with the criminal justice system. 

Furthermore, limited literacy can constrain opportunities for further study and higher education. Proficiency in reading and writing is crucial for accessing complex academic materials, engaging in scholarly discourse, and fulfilling the requirements of higher education degrees. Individuals with low literacy skills are at a disadvantage when it comes to pursuing degrees or vocational training, thereby limiting their potential career paths and professional advancement— and that means their earnings might be limited, too. 

Low Literacy and the Job Market

Literacy plays a pivotal role in career prospects and employment opportunities. 

In 2023’s knowledge-driven economy, communication and information exchange are paramount in the recruitment space. Individuals with low literacy skills will often face significant challenges in securing the careers they desire: they may struggle to read job requirements, complete application forms, or construct resumes and cover letters. As a result, they may find themselves excluded from high-paying careers and locked into low-skilled, low-wage jobs that offer limited avenues for growth and financial stability. 

Moreover, in the business world, effective communication is essential. Literacy empowers individuals to articulate their ideas, negotiate with confidence, and contribute meaningfully to professional environments, discussions, and projects. Those with limited literacy skills may encounter barriers when it comes to expressing themselves or engaging in persuasive discourse. These challenges can disadvantage career progression and hinder the attainment of leadership roles again contributing to lower financial security for those with lower literacy. 

Low Literacy and Individual Health  

Low literacy not only affects education and career prospects, but also has a significant impact on health outcomes. Let’s take a look at some data from the US as an example: 

According to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, individuals with low literacy skills face greater challenges in understanding and navigating healthcare systems, accessing preventative care, and managing chronic illnesses. Limited literacy can hinder the comprehension of medical instructions and prescription labels, as well as impact a general climate of knowledge about things like nutrition and health: these things are often written in a dense way with a lot of subject-specific lexis, and it can be impossible to decode sometimes. 

It is more than a simple causal relationship, however: it’s not just about reading about health. Those with low literacy are far more likely to live below the poverty line, which in turn means that access to medical attention, information and preventative care are likely to be limited compared to an individual with a median income.  

à And what about life expectancy? We’ve got some important figures from the UK here, too: A boy born in the centre of Stockton, County Durham (a location with some of the most serious literacy challenges in the country) has a life expectancy that’s 26 years and 2 months shorter than a boy born in North Oxford (which has some of the fewest literacy challenges in the country.  

Low Literacy and the end of the career course 

Strong readers who migrate from school into college and university often find themselves in higher-paying job roles. This means that they’re in a position to create a more secure financial future for themselves with pensions and investments, as well as accruing a larger degree of available capital throughout their lifetimes. Compared to an individual with low literacy who may have spent the majority of their life in a low-wage profession, when they get into their sixties, they’re far more likely to feel confident in their finances enough to be able to retire comfortably. That means individuals with low literacy work longer—  but not always. 

By the age of 37, those with low literacy tend to be unemployed far more often than people with average and high levels of literacy. They’re also the group most at risk of redundancies and long-term unemployment, too, so it’s not always a case of longer working years. 

Literacy is a powerful tool that unlocks numerous opportunities, empowers individuals, and enhances life chances. In contrast, low literacy levels have far-reaching consequences:  from potentially limiting educational attainment and career prospects to adversely affecting health outcomes, it can have powerful negative effect. 

By recognizing the significance of literacy and investing in comprehensive literacy programs, assistive tech and better industry awareness across the board, in 2023 we have the potential to create a more equitable and inclusive future where individuals can fully realize their potential and thrive in all aspects of their life.