The Write Offs: What Happened When Eight
Adults Who Struggled With Reading & Writing Took A Crash Course In Literacy
iNews: 9.18.2020 by Rachael Pells
One of
the most embarrassing moments of Tommy Dawkins’ life happened as he arrived at
US immigration in Florida ahead of a family holiday. “We were given the arrival
forms to fill in on the plane and my wife was helping me,” he recalls. “But
when I got to the desk at the airport they said, ‘You’ve done it wrong – go and
stand over there and fill it in properly’.
“I
was with my kids and my grandchildren and I felt humiliated. It took me right
back to my schooldays, having to stand in the corner like a naughty child.”
At
66, Dawkins is one of the estimated 8.5 million adults in the UK who struggle
with basic reading and writing skills. This makes seemingly straightforward
tasks such as writing down an address or reading instructions a huge and
stressful ordeal.
The
shame of adult illiteracy
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Since
then, Dawkins has become heavily involved with public speaking on the subject
of adult illiteracy, even earning an MBE in the process. He is also one of
eight volunteers to appear in the Channel 4 documentary The Write Offs, which
starts tomorrow.
Making
The Write Offs
The two-part series, presented by Sandi Toksvig, follows a group of participants aged 22 to 66 as they are given a crash course in basic literacy skills and challenged to take part in some daunting everyday tasks, such as following directions in an unknown town, grocery shopping or following a recipe. In doing so, they highlight how impenetrable the world must feel to those who can’t interpret it. READ MORE ➤➤
Episode 1
Based
on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 10
Reading Level: standard / average.
Reader's Age: 14-15 yrs. old
(Ninth to Tenth graders)
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