Can't Read, Can't Write is a shocking and moving series that reveals the hidden realities of Britain's adult literacy crisis. The glimpses the series offers of illiterate Britain are often heart-rending. Nine illiterate adults enrol for a six-month reading course, which they hope will change their lives. What makes this course different from other literacy courses is that it is taught by the inspirational, controversial and award-winning teacher Phil Beadle.
In the second programme, Phil turns his attention to teaching his class how to write - and the problems and emotional barriers he encountered in teaching them to read start to present themselves immediately. Linda, who begged Phil to help her to read, is now able to read. However, the joy she expected to find in her new ability to read her beloved Shakespeare has turned to anger and frustration. Whereas Linda used to walk through her home-town enjoying its peace and beauty, she now feels overwhelmed by the signs which she can read for the first time in her life: "two-for-one offers", "buy this", "go there" have taken away her peace of mind and increasingly she is staying home. She's unable to face going to her local restaurant where she used to ask the waiter what on the menu was good; now she's forced to read it. When faced with the next stage of learning how to write, Linda refuses to pick up a pen.
In just six lessons, 58 year-old Teresa has learnt more than she did in ten years of school - and she is desperate to prove herself to her mother. It was her mother who contributed to the sense of shame Teresa has felt all her life about not being able to read a word. However she has now joined a library for the first time in her life and borrows Little Women , the book her mother told her she'd never be able to read. Yet when Teresa reads to her, her mother calls her a stupid bitch for making a simple mistake. Teresa is devastated, "Do you think she's pleased? She's still so snappy. Maybe I haven't achieved anything anyway."
Single mother Kelly is on the course not only to improve her own abilities, but also to help with her son's dyslexia. When she thinks about how she's unable to help her kids achieve more than she has, Kelly is reduced to tears. She doesn't understand the letters sent home from school and everything takes her so long to read that she forgets what it means. Bills and official letters pile up, adding to her frustration, and she fears for the future.
As the course continues, Kelly's skills improve, not only in that she's able to help her son, but in proving her talent as a writer. Phil reads some of her writing to the class and tells them that Kelly should be at university. It's a tragedy that she doubts her own abilities. But Linda is becoming increasingly challenging in the classes, questioning Phil's teaching methods, until in the end, she walks out, unable to cope.
Will Phil be able to find a way of teaching Linda to write so that she'll continue with the course? And will he be able to restore Teresa's self confidence so that she is able to feel proud of her achievement?
I loved watching this series - most of the time - I was just so angry with Phil for lying to Linda about the nature of the exam she was taking! That was unforgivable!
The students were all heroes for the way they got stuck in and tackled this in public. I salute the lot of you!
I was able to read from my earliest memories, thanks to my brilliant Dad and his thousands of books. I couldn't imagine not being able to do that. So many people are cheated by the education system and it makes me sooooo angry! This is why I spent time working in adult literacy - the most wonderful job I ever did.
I so loved the moment when Linda stood beside the sign and said "I am going to college!". She was bursting full of the same joy I had when I signed up with the Open University. What an amazing feeling.
I cried so hard when I realised how much Linda has achieved since the filming stopped - for herself, not for poxy government statistics!
You go girl!! The world is yours now!
August 8th - 7:12amJulie Parker said...
I am an ESOL teacher also responsible for teaching English to illiterate adults. Could you please, please give Mr. Beadle my contact details. I wish to much to get advice from him on how to teach adults to read. Thank you. Julie Parker, London tel. 0208 365 4945 and mobile 079 423 19075
August 5th - 10:34pmmarie wright said...
Good Lord is that linda off the telly on here? I was so impressed by the programmes that i had to search about it and it looks like the lady herself is on the internet! wow. What an inspiring man, who I suspect had the entire tv audience behind him with Linda, but many congratulations Linda for your success. Like the others I am so worried about the plumber! Everything crossed for him, for a source of support and encouragement- he aint getting it at home :-{
August 5th - 9:21amIris Harrison said...
I married an amazing man unable to read/write, and we found technology which reads/writes for him enabled him to run his business without my help. This technology has changed the lives of my profoundly dyslexic family and many others who have come to our home in Tenbury Wells such as a young boy, unable to read/write yet he has just finished his honour degree using this technology. It changes lives.
August 4th - 9:13amlinda worden said...
I have to say in my defence that editing is a great tool . It is a reality program and was filmed about a year ago . The program makers know how to make a program entertaining and need the viewer to feel for the students . So their must be some one you like someone you don’t and so on I by no meant took up to much of phils time . It is good editing . Yes I went their to learn to reed and write so I was not about to waste my time or theirs .
I feel that the statement that I am (grabbing all the attention is not only hurtful but totally untrue .Their has been lots of words out their about me and a lot of them have not been very flattering , I can deal with that as long as you remember EDITING.
July 28th - 10:53pmMaureen said...
I have watched the second episode of the channel 4 programme can't read, Can't write. Linda, Teresa, and the rest of the people on the programme are all very brave to seek the help. Teresa is amazing and I think she actually learns fast. Linda is amazing but was irritating in today's programme.She should have some trust and respect for Phil. I am worried that the plumber is not getting enough help while Linda is too busy to grabing all the attention. This is a relaity check and government should have a good action plan to tackle this problem.
I think this problem might be bigger than every one thinks. I think Universities see these problems a lot, where students have poor grammar and vocabulary problems and lectures have the burdent o train students to a professional standard. Phil is doing a great job.
July 21st - 10:38pmMaggir grimbleby said...
Hi
Am very interested in this subject. Did the work for adult literacy qualifications and was horrified when told that could not use phonics to teach adults to read. Would very much like to work with someone like Phil. Have praised Jolly Phonics since it was published and told all parents to make sure that their children learned that way. Both my kids got into grammer school out of catchment because I taught them phonics before they went to school. Would like to teach adults if i were allowed to teach them properly. They believe the failure is in them and the failure is in the lsd crazed prats who altered the functioning teaching system in the 60's. Word recognition my arse, as Ricky Tomlinson would say!
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