Abstract
The following email to the first author of this chapter tells not only of the emotional consequences during adulthood of reading failure in school but also of a solution that she found for her reading difficulties. Tammy (not her real name) wrote:
I was one of the many that wasn’t able to learn in school. When someone is unable to read and spell life just seems to happen and your own dreams are hardly ever realised because you need these skills to be able to do most things. Along with that, the feelings of worthlessness and not belonging have such a huge impact. As an adult I have learnt about phonological awareness, how is it that I never knew sounds made up all the words of the English language. I have since learnt to read and spell far better than I ever could of imagined.
(Email abridged. 27 February, 2014)
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© 2015 James W. Chapman, Keith T. Greaney, and Jane E. Prochnow
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Chapman, J.W., Greaney, K.T., Prochnow, J.E. (2015). Literacy Performances of Young Adults in New Zealand: Outcomes of School-Based Literacy Instruction. In: Tunmer, W.E., Chapman, J.W. (eds) Excellence and Equity in Literacy Education. Palgrave Studies in Excellence and Equity in Global Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137415578_4
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