Are basic literacy skills declining?



Son of Stan said:
After a few years out of working with the public I'm back doing some shifts in a community centre. As there's a gym, a lot of young 'uns joining up have to complete a membership form and it's become really noticeable to me how quite a few struggle to complete them. Today a Father had to explain what _'date of birth' is to his son and actually tell him what it was. Also, one of the questions is 'Ethnicity?' to which a few have answered: unknown, not known or none.

I am talking about Newcastle West here (I live here too :)) but I am still surprised. I'm not sure if standards have actually declined or I've just forgotten how things have always been.
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I'm a bit tipsy so I've left a few that I'm too alcoholically infirm to be sure about. I also have serious issues with your last sentence but I'm unsure as to why that may be. :lol:

Son of Stan said:
It's part of a medical questionnaire so pretty standard. And I have to say the majority answer is white British which is also true of this particular area.
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:confused:
 
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mcq10 said:
Mobile phones and text messaging
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Very much this, different world today to when I grew up. Basic "sums" as well! Always have a chuckle going into a shop with a young un behind the counter and buy 2 or 3 things and give them the right money--they look at you like you are Mastermind after their crosscheck on till or with pen and paper:lol:
 
I would say so, but personally mine have never declined as they are no existent, I cannot spell and I do not know were the punctuation should be, but on the plus side it has not held me back in life one bit as I am a grafter and good at what I do
 
Titus said:
Autocorrect generation.
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It’s noticeable how lazy I have become over the years. When I first started in IT I used to hand write a load of reports and do presentations on plastic sheets on projectors but now 24 years later my digital reports and presentations are littered with spelling and punctuation mistakes, and a few clicks later it’s all sorted...technology is compensating for certain parts of our brain.

The younger generations immediately use these things so I guess don’t need to educate themselves as much.
 

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