WASHINGTON (TNND) — Viral social media videos claiming America’s school children are “illiterate” are fueling growing concern about the state of education in the U.S.
In some widely shared TikTok clips, students struggle to pronounce words like “silhouette” and “extraordinary,” while teachers post videos saying their students “can’t read.” But education experts say the reality behind the numbers is more nuanced — and more complicated.
The Fact Check Team found that while they may not be what’s considered “illiterate,” meaning they can’t read and write sentences, the majority of U.S. children lack standard reading comprehension skills.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, roughly 64% of fourth graders are not reading at a “proficient” level. Only about one-third of fourth graders meet proficiency standards in reading.
Researchers say there’s a major difference between basic literacy and reading proficiency.
Basic literacy generally means someone can read simple words or sentences. Reading proficiency, however, refers to a student’s ability to fully understand, analyze, explain, and retain what they read.
Education specialists say a proficient reader should be able to:
- Comprehend grade-level material
- Use context clues
- Draw conclusions from text
- Retain and explain information
- Analyze meaning and themes
In other words, a child may technically be able to read words aloud while still struggling to fully understand the material.
Experts say several factors may be contributing to declining reading scores nationwide, including:
- Pandemic learning loss
- Teacher shortages
- Increased screen time
- Classroom disruptions
- Changes in reading instruction methods
Researchers say the issue is less about widespread illiteracy and more about students struggling to read and comprehend at the level expected for their age…
