Reading test – proficiency levelComplete the following test with the words below Failure in Basic school lessons haunts adult underclass for lifeLow levels of literacy and numeracy have a damaging impact ON almost every aspect of adult LIFE , according to a survey Published yesterday, which offers evidence of a developing underclass.Test and interviews with hundres of people born in a SINGLE week in 1958 graphically illustrated the handicap of educational underachievement. The effects seen in WERE unemployment, family breakdown, low incomes, depression and social inactivity. Tose who LEFT school at 16 with poor Basic skills had been employed for UP to four years less than good readers BY the time they reached 37.professor john Bynner, of city University, who carried OUT the research, said that today’s unqualified teenagers World FACE even greater problems because the supply of manual jobs had up.Almost one IN five of the 1,700 people inter _______ viewed for yesterday’s report had poor literacy SKILLS and almost half struggled WITH numeracy, a proportion IN line with other surveys for the Bassic Skills Agency. Some could not read ALOUD from a child’s book, and most found difficulty IN following written intructions.Poor readers were twice as likely to be ON a low wage and four times AS likely to live a household where NEITHER parnert worked. Women in this position were five times as likely to be classified AS depressed, while both SEXES tended to feel they had no control OVER their lives, and to be less trusting OF others. Tose WITH low literacy and numeracy skills were seldom envolved IN any community organisation MUCH and less likely than others to have voted in a general ELECTION . There had been no improvement IN the level of interviewees reporting problems SINCE the sample was surveyed AT the age of 21. Alan Wells, the agency’s director, said “The results emphasise the dangers WE face of developing an underclass OF excluded people, out of work, increasingly depressed and often labelled BY themselves as failures. There is a VICIOUS circle of marginalisation, with the dice LOADED aganist these people and their families.” Last year almost half of 11- year – olds LEFT primary school without reaching the expected level IN English and mathematics. Mr Wells welcomed ministres ‘. Commitment TO improving Basic skills. He said, however, that imaginative programmes WERE needed, possibly including incentives FOR participating, if the problems WERE not to persist the the adult population. Only 300,000 people OUT more than five million thought to have poor Basic SKILLS take remedial courses each year. Mr Wells said that a “major cath-up initiative”. World BENEFIT society AS wellas the individuals CONCERNED. “ It is not JUST that 20 per cent have been getting nothing OUT of education in the last five years, but maybe 50 years, “he said.” The long tail of under – achievement is SOMETHING we have always had. The survey is FART of the National Child Development study, which has tracked 17,000 people at five-yearly INTERVALS since 1958. The current study INVOLVED eight reading nine mathematical tests of varying difficulty. They included the ability to USE. A YELLOW PAGES DIRECTORY TO FIND A PLUMBER AND CALCULATING THE FLOORSPACE OF A ROOM.
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