Disguised Illiteracy

Disguised illiteracy shows a basic level of reading and writing skills with a low level of understanding and analysis. In addition to hiding from and avoiding daily and social activities of a cognitive nature.

We may believe that illiteracy – in its traditional Concept – poses a real threat to future generations. Despite the hard and diligent work by the government systems, institutions, and civil organizations to bridge the gap which is left by illiteracy in educational plans, we are actually facing a bigger and more dangerous dilemma. There is another form of illiteracy, which embodies a fundamental aspect of knowledge and culture with an inability to keep up with cognitive activities, analysis, and understanding of data.

Facts about disguised illiteracy

Disguised illiteracy is a problem with a negative impact on society. “Its danger lies in the fact that the disguised illiterates are unaware of their illiteracy, which means their illiteracy is hidden from themselves as well as others. It also means that disguised illiterates do not fully understand the information and the ideas that are being received, studied, or applied. Their actions, feelings, and beliefs are based on their assumptions, ideas, and unknown misconceptions.”¹

Moreover, according to the United Nations “617 million young people are not achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics”² Therefore, it is possible that disguised illiteracy forms a ground for the spread of functional illiteracy represented by economic, educational, and other workplaces.

A person is functionally illiterate and cannot engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for the effective functioning of his group and community. So, we find that disguised illiteracy has a hand in the dysfunction that society is witnessing.³ Although disguised illiteracy is associated with poverty rates and social background. However, it can lead to social exclusion, lack of self-esteem, lack of development, and social interaction. Soon we will be confronted with the risks of disguised illiteracy in children with undiagnosed dyslexia and dysgraphia.

This is due to the increasing phenomena of begging and their negative intellectual growth on the ground of their exclusion, whether from family or school.

Signs of disguised illiteracy

Perhaps the most prominent feature that disguised illiteracy plants in the soul of disguised illiterate is shame, anxiety about knowledge, and lack of self-confidence. It is also manifested by signs that are usually hidden by disguised illiterates.

Disguised illiteracy in adults is represented by:

They do not read for pleasure, they also avoid reading loudly.
They ask someone to read something to them for an excuse that may not be honest (for example, forgetting their glasses).
They hesitate to read to children.
They get mad if they are asked to read something and reply that they are not great proofreaders.
They avoid writing checks, grocery lists, or cards.⁴

Children’s disguised illiteracy signs are as follows:

They just want to read the books they have read before and they might say that they don’t even like reading.
They generally mispronounce or misread, especially when reading aloud.
They guess words instead of pronouncing sounds as they move to an unfamiliar word.
They look at the listener’s face to see if their reading is correct and correct.
They get stomach aches, and headaches and have to go to the bathroom when they are asked to read or write, this may be true due to their fear and tension or pretending to do so.
A child may misbehave when he is asked to read or write something.⁴

Between silence and stigma

In general, illiterate people feel ashamed and embarrassed about their illiteracy due to the social stigma they are exposed to and the lack of access to their rights. In the case of disguised illiteracy, the illiterate ignores his ignorance and even claims knowledge. This is due to his lack of confidence to keep abreast of developments and knowledge around him, this worsens his psychological state and adversely affects his social performance.

Despite the widespread of this phenomenon, there is still silence around talking about and addressing it. This is due to the problems and issues intertwined with it. The most important method to address disguised illiteracy is to adopt an educational strategy that transfers all individuals at different educational levels from the stage of indoctrination to the interactive stage.

The Role of Society in Confronting disguised illiteracy

Eliminating the problem at its root is more important than addressing the effects of the problem. Considering education as the distorted axis of disguised illiteracy, successful response, and elimination lie in the adoption of the culture of interactive and continuous education. Encouraging self-learning processes, including online learning, is also a good option to catch up.

Such actions cannot be achieved without having social and participatory responsibility. Each individual can help their peers in the process of learning and gaining knowledge. In addition to enabling him to continue using reading, writing, and calculation skills for his personal development and the development of his society.

The goals of the Uplifting Syrian Women initiative are to address illiteracy

Quality education is one of the most important goals that the initiative seeks to achieve through its various services. To empower and promote women in general and Syrian women in particular.

The initiative provides monthly educational courses. These educational courses focus on different disciplines that support the academic education that the girl has received or are currently receiving. Also, for those wishing to learn from scratch, there are always courses for beginners in various fields.

In addition to workshops that help girls to have the necessary skills and tools to enter the labor market. Actually, disguised illiteracy is a multifaceted disaster, both economically and in terms of deteriorating mental and physical health, social isolation, dependence, legal issues, and others.

If education or a family cannot provide a lifeline for the child and enrich his education, There will be a dangerous and terrifying chance for the exploiters to put their ideas and principles in his mind, especially in the current technological era.

So don’t stop learning and Improving yourselves, Contribute to helping our youth, children, and parents and invite them to develop themselves scientifically and cognitively.

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References:

[1] Shafaq

[2] UN

[3] UNESCWA

[4] E3arabi