Can't Read Write Documentary Illiteracy in Britain John Simm

[BruceDeitrickPrice]

Mona McNee in the "The Great Reading Crisis" explained the UK insanity.

In USA, the insanity is called Whole Word. Please stop it. (For one remedy, Google "54: Preemptive Reading," and "42: Reading Resources" for a quick explanation of the crime.)

[ReadAustralia]

We DO know how to help every single person read. Its a pity they didnt do the documentary with someone who knows this- or to work with him? Google the Reading Whisperer and keep a look out for her work in the future. Adults not being able to read doesnt have to happen. Its nothing to do with intelligence- and at least 20 - 30% of ALL kids have the same problems. They can be indentified at 5- but arent?! Its mad.

[qasimz1025]

I wanna hug these students, Guy's "ALLAH WILL HELP YOU DON"T WORRY KEEP TRYING OK JUST KEEP PUSSHING YOUR SELF"

[agun17]

Just make pictures of what you want to buy.

[SuperGermany77]

Where's the rest of the show :(?

[jijileila]

BREAD? BANANAS? I wonder how is it possible to be unable to distinguish those two words? I don't believe that someone just hasn't learnt how to read. It must be some perception dificiency. I see that those people are average, intelligent people but obviously something in their brain doesn't let them to comprehend letters... Do someone know more about the subject? Dyslexia is something different, what about complete illiteracy then?

[ReadAustralia]

@jijileila Its called poor phonemic awareness- and the focus needs to be first on which sound pics (letters) represent which sounds. Ironically id you focus on spelling first reading is much easier. That means helping them hear the sounds in words and know how to represent them, For example the 8 different ways to represent the 's' sound...and to know what order to write the sound pics, to blend into the word.

[Cakerolled]

Everyone feel superior now?

[Kilmer5]

I wonder if John Simm got to select the opening music: Waterfall, by one of his favorite bands, Stone Roses!

[mwells219]

fuckin chavs.

[bbryanbernal]

@mwells219 nice assumptions.

[nonfiction88]

5 million people!!! wtf? thats a disgrace, their families should be ashamed , yes i blame the family, not gavernment, people should take more responsibilities for their lives.

[Elkapan]

@nonfiction88

> not gavernment

> gavernment

[nonfiction88]

@Elkapan

lol, typo,

[033819]

As long as they want to learn and willing to take the time to teach them. Some of them refuse to learn.

[TheGinesis]

There is no one reason for illiteracy. There are a lot of reasons as shared in this documentary, most of which are encouraged by the cruelty of a society with no understanding.

[abdulbade]

as a college lecturer, i find it hard to belive why would sane people not know how to read?

[MultiSmartass1]

Illiteracy has nothing to do with sanity and insanity but either lack of instruction or educational problems like dyslexia.

I do share your sense of unease and surprise about this issue.

This is shameful and disgraceful. Especially in a supposed first world country like England.

By the way, it should read "I find it hard to believe" period.

After all, you are supposedly a college lecturer.

[abdulbade]

@MultiSmartass1

yes i am a college lecturer, but english is not my first language, i am from saudi arabia, and thus , i teach my students with arabic instructions rather than english.

[MultiSmartass1]

@abdulbade I don't know what the literacy rate is in Saudi Arabia but the lack of literacy seen in this series is probably due to either learning problems or passing kids on to the next grade without teaching them to read. Either way, the older one is, the harder everything is including learning how to read.

[Azimuth1]

How can I watch the whole episode? It's not on 4oD :(

[gromral]

I live in the estate you can see at the beginning. Fancy that :D

[johnsirin]

This teacher is illiterate himself. An idea cannot be 'laying' festering, it 'lies' festering. Symptom of the decay in teaching over recent decades. Teachers no longer have the grammar or intellectual grounding to do their job properly.

[raydar878]

Interesting. Is the way we write the way we speak? Unless you're a self-obsessed linguist, seldom do humans speak grammatically correct. Ow wite gov?

[MIKE1238673]

What do you know about it? Are you a teacher, as I am, facing the reality of being at the whiteboard?

[johnsirin]

Yes Mike, I am a teacher - an NQT in a London comprehensive. Many of my colleagues are, I'm afraid to say, not literate or educated enough themselves to cope with the highly demanding and crucially important job of educating children.

[DaMuttzNutz]

I agree with you John. The teaching profession should be taking the brightest and best of graduates, not, as is so often the case, those that struggled to graduate with a third.

[ohiovr]

" Symptom of the decay in teaching over recent decades."

Read that again you idiot.

[saraomidvar]

@johnsirin at least he's going around trying to help people, what the hell are you doing besides complaining?

[johnsirin]

I too am a teacher, as stated above. I think it is important that those who teach literacy should have a clear grasp of the principles of grammar themselves.

[MultiSmartass1]

I would agree with you, saraomidvar.

What johnsirin is really doing is dismissing Beadle as a teacher because he doesn't sound like Laurence Olivier.

How many other teachers in England are doing what he has done here? It's very hard to teach grown men and women to read after years of illiteracy.

Instead, he puts down a person willing to help because he doesn't sound like a BBC newsreader.

If he is a teacher, I pity his students.

[saraomidvar]

hey calm down MultiSmartass1, I wouldn't knock Johnsirin as a teacher, it seems like he's a pretty intelligent and passionate person. It his criticism of Beadles grammar that just didn't make sense to me

[MultiSmartass1]

Why not? He's taking shots at Beadle.

He's a snob who wants people to fail.

If you aren't part of the solution, shut up and get out of damn way, Johnsirin.

[saraomidvar]

lol but he IS a part of the solution, he's a teacher

[MultiSmartass1]

What's up with you?

You bitched about him complaining now you're defending him.

Pick a side and stick to it.

[MultiSmartass1]

Your comments are grounded in illogic.

How can a teacher who knows how to read be illiterate? That's a contradiction.

What you are really criticizing is Phil Beadle's class background and lack of "recieved pronounciation."

He doesn't speak like Jeremy Irons therefore he is illiterate.

No wonder the English are so screwed. Oppressive class system in action.

[baynrw92]

fucking stupid pikeys

[lerox22]

hahahahah!!!!!!!

[kloiten]

This is shocking: Britain isn't some sort of Third World country where it's expected you can't read! I might be taking my literacy for granted, but these people had all of the tools to learn to read! Anyway, this guy is amazing. If I were him, I wouldn't stand that guy who insulted me. 5 stars. =]

[MultiSmartass1]

You mean England isn't some third world country, don't you?

Actually, it's more like a second world country now. Part of the erosion that has taken place since the end of world war 2.

It really started with WWI. The losses of millions of men under arms and the origin of the disintegration of the empire.

Loss of empire means of loss of resources from elsewhere and thus loss of capital. This reduces the living standards of average English citizen.

[bababuba]

This program touched me dearly. They are so brave to face they're fears, and construct a new and better life. Not being able to read has NOTHING to do with intelligence!

[Norlink]

I saw this on norwegian tv yesterday and I got so happy-cause this is a bigger problem then we think of (or want to think of). I cantw ait for the next shows. I hope this makes the booksmarts syllabus makers gets a wakeup call.

[flodnak]

The first episode was on Norwegian TV last night. I'm studying to be a high school teacher and was fascinated by this. How will I help my students who struggle with reading?

One thing I thought of, though: Some of the learners benefit from a very physical way of connecting to the letters, because that is their learning style. This connection is a key part of the Montessori method for teaching reading to young children. Could Montessori materials be adapted for adult learners?

[lemonrind]

I would write a comment encouraging people who can't read to get help, but they wouldn't be able to read it anyway. Ha!

[MIKE1238673]

Ignorance is bliss.

[IndianMetalHead333]

Phil Beadle Is visiting my school for a few weeks. He's absolutely amazing.

Nothing about us not being able to read, hes just coming over to see how schools work.

Today he kept us in 20minutes into our lunch break and still we didn't care, because his talking was amazing.

He says stuff like "if you day dream in class, that's fine because you're actually thinking about stuff" and "It doesn't matter if you get a good job with A* GCSEs, all that matters you're happy at the end of the day.

[SimmFan]

That sounds like an amazing experience IndianMetalHead333. Say hello to Phil from an admirer in Mexico.

[IndianMetalHead333]

yeah man sure I will

[Andypilot333]

I notice she's (Linda) got Marina Lewycka's "Two Caravans" on the bookshelf ! Well, I can personally bet that she'll enjoy reading that one !!

[Andypilot333]

My abseloute favourite part of the three programmes? When Linda writes for the first time, despite being terrified of it.

"Linda's so wrapped up in the game, she doesn't realise she's actually writing". Just great....

[Andypilot333]

This was a great series. Shame it lasted for only 3 episodes, I could easily have watched another months' worth! Whomevers' idea it was to use the instrumental from "Waterfall" by the Stone Roses as the theme tune gets a big congratulation from me !!!

[turner60]

This is a national scandal and an indictment of failed government policy. You make me sick you politicians with your egos, and start spending our money on this problem illiteracy instead of the f@@@@@ royals.

[BoozyBeggar]

Have no fear: we're well on our way to catching up with the Brits in th illiteracy department. Soon we will surpass your pathetic levels of illiteracy and America will be #1!

^sad joke

[sfe1234567]

yes coz i am 16 and i now what its like

[nummilk]

This is a great documentary, I wish the rest of it was available somewhere so more people could watch it.

[tardisdreamer]

Actually it is. It's available via certain torrent sites.