Henry Sweeney learned to read and write at the age of 49

Henry Sweeney has gone through almost his entire adult life unable to read or write.

School had been tortuous. Bullied by other kids, he said the teachers didn't have time for him, so he sat at the back of the class.

"I couldn't read or write, I could just about write my name, I couldn't write my address at all," he said.

He has made it through life by getting other people to read for him - mail, food labels, medicines.

Since leaving school, Henry has made a living from gardening and landscaping, and has become an expert on plants.

But as his parents got older, he realised he could not rely on them to help him read.

Eighteen months ago he discovered an adult learning class in his home town of Motherwell. Nervously he went along, fully expecting - at the age of 49 - to be the oldest there. He wasn't.

"You're thinking you're the only one at that age, but when you get settled in, you get to know you're not the only one, there are a lot more," he said.

It has been life-changing.

"I can do a lot more stuff in the house now, like my bills. Any letters that come in, I take my time and I can read it," Henry said.

Going to the supermarket is easier too. "I can go and pick a packet of beans or tomatoes or cucumber and read it," he added.

Henry was what is known as "functionally illiterate". This is someone who can only read or write basic words like a name.

Most can get by, but might struggle to understand a food label, medical prescription, menu or even a text message.

The last Scottish government survey was in 2009 and put the number of people in Scotland who have problems with literacy at around 26%.



Irene McGregor also left school unable to read and write.

"It affected me a lot, I had no confidence in myself, I couldn't even fill in a form. When someone asked me I'd just started shaking, started panicking, wee panic attacks".

At school one of her teachers called her a "dunce", saying "you're stupid". She was put into a class, in a corner, with a colouring book.

Leaving at 16, Irene went to work at Boots. She loved it and longed for promotion. That never came - because of the lack of reading and writing skills.

Irene, who lives in Airdrie, began learning to read in her 20s and now she can read a whole novel. More importantly she can read to her grandchildren.

"I'm actually sitting reading a book that I would never, ever do in a month of Sundays," she said. "It helps you with your life, with your children, with your grandchildren, especially with all this new tech stuff"

Both Henry and Irene take part in North Lanarkshire Council's adult community learning classes.

Irene is such a passionate advocate for adult learning, she runs classes in Airdrie.

As for Henry, he recently learned he is dyslexic. His struggle to read and write makes sense but he wants people to know they are never too old to learn.

Nicola Barlow, the council's community learning and development officer, said there was still a stigma to having low literacy skills.

"Even in 2023 people feel embarrassed," she said.

"For many adults they've lived their lives feeling that they've had lots of constrained opportunities.

"They can't apply for certain jobs, because of their limited skills, they can't support their children with their homework."

She said people who attend the classes realise that they did not have the opportunity to learn at school - whether it was because of illness, supporting their parents, or moving around.

Lindsay Paterson, professor emeritus of education policy at the University of Edinburgh, was critical of the Scottish government's lack of up-to-date data on adult literacy.

"It [the Scottish government] has declined to take part in the respected international studies of literacy and numeracy and has declined to do that in over a decade.

"Other parts of the UK do take part, notably England and Northern Ireland.

"We should be doing that, we should be getting up-to-date global standard data to find out what's going on.

"However, from the most recent data we have, we can say the low levels of literacy and numeracy in Scotland are really quite concerning".

He said local authorities should be legally required to provide quality adult education.

The Scottish government said it was committed to supporting adult learners and has provided more than £1m of funding this year to adult learning organisations working directly in communities across Scotland.

A spokesperson said: "The further and higher education minister has also announced an independent review of community learning and development provision across Scotland which includes adult learning.

"The review will identify strengths in our current approach to community learning and development and highlight where improvements may be necessary as work continues towards reforming Scotland's education and skills system."












https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/i-was-49-before-i-could-write-my-own-address/ar-AA1mEJka?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=74a7bed64f69468eb78af40ab04a9d84&ei=13SOURCE

Omo

English is just a language. I don't know why this is too difficult to understand.

There are more illiterates in America and Europe than in Africa and Asia.

A Taxi driver in South Korea is learned and literate than a Registered Nurse in America.

Almost every educated Nigerian know more about the USA than most adult Americans. FACT!

oglalasioux:
Almost every educated Nigerian know more about the USA than most adult Americans. FACT!

Most educated Americans think Africa is a country.

A lot of Black American men can also not read and write.

These are Nigerian's that the angels incharge of putting babies in the womb mistakenly switch them to UK

ShoeGetSize:


https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/i-was-49-before-i-could-write-my-own-address/ar-AA1mEJka?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=74a7bed64f69468eb78af40ab04a9d84&ei=13SOURCE

Why did you mischievously change the original title of the article you presented?

They could speak with better phonetics than all this our cut and join English

Dem plenty die. They can speak that language but can't read or write. It's not diffey from a Nigerian that can speak their own language but can't read nor write it, and can also neither speak nor write English.

I heard that 70% of American youths are not graduates, England also has her own fair share of illiterates
Anyway, there own better you go school, you no go school you no go lack something doing at all, unlike Nigeria with your degree you no go see something chop

To make it capture your attention. I can see it worked😎

DaddyJapan:


Why did you mischievously change the original title of the article you presented?

Richtaiwo:
English is just a language. I don't know why this is too difficult to understand.

A language should also be written...moses spoke Hebrew and wrote in Hebrew...

A language is not complete, if u can't read and write it .... anyone that can't read or write is an illiterate

Zonefree:
There are more illiterates in America and Europe than in Africa and Asia.

Hahaha, you made my day with this statement. Na only us carry book for head.

I am not surprised, the only surprising thing is how Africa remain poor with all the human resources. We are intelligent, gifted, strong and creative, still we are not growing.

Beverlyjean:


A language should also be written...moses spoke Hebrew and wrote in Hebrew...

A language is not complete, if u can't read and write it .... anyone that can't read or write is an illiterate

Most of our ancestors didn't see any need to have a form of writing like we have today, most preferred "symbols". We humans create our society the way we want it to be, I laugh at people who insult our ancestors because of that, forgetting every society's belief differs.

If I fulfill the prophecy of taking over this country and separating Nigeria the right way, my people's native tongue will adopt Nsibidi and develop it like the Jews did to Hebrew. Although, people would still be able to read and write in English.

Demigod22:
I am not surprised, the only surprising thing is how Africa remain poor with all the human resources. We are intelligent, gifted, strong and creative, still we are not growing.

I can speak multiple languages and currently learning an East Asian language and its alphabets. Their history is rich because I really want to read it in their own language and gain knowledge of how they moved away from third world country to a first world country.

I hope to read their own scientific research papers and see what exactly is wrong with Africa even though I understand why the problem is coming from.

Being literate in many languages is fun and amazing, I would have been speaking at least 15 languages by now, if I had the opportunity a lot of people had. If it's possible I want to speak at least 100 languages before I die.

Wayne Rooney was one of them

Notin surprising here.

Many people can speak yoruba, hausa and ibo and cant even write it.

English is the language of England.. He can speak it but cant write or read it.. Its Normal

Just because a person is holding a newspaper doesn't mean he can read..

Nothing new there.
Just like me that can speak Hausa,but can't read or write in it.

Their type full Nairaland.

Zonefree:

Most educated Americans think Africa is a country.

Coupled with the fact that Africans are living in huts

Nothing new.

SuperOnyi:







I can speak multiple languages and currently learning an East Asian language and its alphabets. Their history is rich because I really want to read it in their own language and gain knowledge of how they moved away from third world country to a first world country.

I hope to read their own scientific research papers and see what exactly is wrong with Africa even though I understand why the problem is coming from.

Being literate in many languages is fun and amazing, I would have been speaking at least 15 languages by now, if I had the opportunity a lot of people had. If it's possible I want to speak at least 100 languages before I die.

Understanding different languages is one of the signs of an intelligent person. It's very important, although I didn't have the opportunity to learn different languages. I don't even understand my own language which is a big shame.

Demigod22:


Understanding different languages is one of the signs of an intelligent person. It's very important, although I didn't have the opportunity to learn different languages. I don't even understand my own language which is a big shame.

You can start now, it's never too late... I wasn't born in the East but at least, I'm proud to.say I can hold conversation in Igbo language. Even I was a kid, I didn't even think understanding hausa was important but when I understood the importance of understanding different languages — I began to pay attention. I can also hold conversations in hausa as well as read and write in it though not that well...

LooneyLester:




Coupled with the fact that Africans are living in huts

There's nothing wrong with living in huts, Mr. Dyingfetus. I'm surprised you made a reasonable comment 😳.

LooneyLester:




Coupled with the fact that Africans are living in huts

And Wakanda is a town in Africa.

SuperOnyi:








You can start now, it's never too late... I wasn't born in the East but at least, I'm proud to.say I can hold conversation in Igbo language. Even I was a kid, I didn't even think understanding hausa was important but when I understood the importance of understanding different languages — I began to pay attention. I can also hold conversations in hausa as well as read and write in it though not that well...

I spent six months in Ogoni land during NYSC, the three months was spent in frustration, the other three I started learning their language and Akwa Ibom too.

I am currently learning Hausa now.