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Reading difficulties in Austria: Warning signal for the education system!
Current insights into the reading problem in Austria: causes, social effects and necessary solutions.
Reading difficulties in Austria: Warning signal for the education system!
In Austria, alarming figures show a significant increase in adults with reading problems, the results of the international education report “PIAAC 2023” are extremely worrying. Compared to other participating countries, Austria scored 254 points in reading, well below the OECD average of 260 points. What is particularly challenging is that 29 percent of the adults surveyed can only solve the simplest reading tasks, which makes them functionally illiterate, as education expert Andreas Schleicher reports. The proportion of people with maximum reading comprehension rose from 16 to 27 percent between 2012 and 2023, indicating a worrying trend that highlights serious problems in the country's education system.
Challenges in education and family
Part of the problem arises from unfavorable conditions in many families, where access to literature is often lacking and reading role models are not available, reports Small newspaper. These circumstances lead to feelings of shame and a low interest in reading, as many believe that they can get by without reading and writing. Even at school, reading problems can only be solved to a limited extent, as there is often not enough individual support there and the learning methods do not suit all children. Students are increasingly failing to meet basic requirements, which has negative consequences for their later educational success.
The need to destigmatize the topic is evident, as many of those affected are ashamed to admit their reading problems and therefore often do not take advantage of important educational opportunities in adulthood. Muckenhuber, who has dealt extensively with the challenges faced by adults with reading problems, calls for more visibility and low-threshold offers to help those affected. These measures are urgently needed, while statistics show that 70 percent of people with reading problems in Austria do not have a migration background. Although the proportion of immigrants in literacy courses has increased, there remains a general need for courses to be offered to all those affected in order to sustainably improve reading skills.