College English majors can't read

a year ago

Only 12% of US adults score at literacy level 4 or higher, which is necessary for college-level reading and comprehension.
A study found that 58% of English majors could not understand the opening paragraphs of 'Bleak House' by Dickens, despite having access to dictionaries and phones for reference.
38% of the students could understand about half of the sentences, while only 5% had a detailed, literal understanding of the text.
Many students struggled with figurative language, often misinterpreting metaphors and unfamiliar vocabulary.
The study highlights a significant gap between students' actual reading levels and the literacy skills required for complex texts in higher education.
The authors of the study express concern that universities are awarding diplomas to students who lack the necessary literacy skills for their professional and personal goals.

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