Why can't someone who can't read just pick up a book and learn to read?

Answer 1

They would prefer to be read to. It's much more intimate than having to read to yourself.

Answer 2

For much the same reason that you cannot just learn to read text (without learning clues) in another foreign alphabet (hebrew, chinese, russian, whatever you're unfamiliar with).

You need some way to link the written text to the objects or events being described, or to spoken words whos meaning you already know. This is the role that a teacher or a well structured book/cassette would play.

As a thought experiment imagine archaeologists discovering ancient stone tablets in a long-forgotten written language. Highly educated experts could easily spend years trying to decipher what the text says, as they apply whatever knowledge they have of the society/culture/climate/living conditions of the people who wrote the tablets. Without somebody to connect the dots for them (e.g. two diagonal squiggles means "river"), they face a possibly impossible task.

Answer 3

Language needs to learned one step at a time. Like learning the alphabetes, then simple words, then sentances, then paragraphs. Then Chapters, then books. That is why a person can't just pick up a book and read. Hope this helps :) Good luck!

Answer 4

If they can't read sugar how are they going to "pick up a book and learn to read?"

Answer 5

Get yourself a book written in Japanese, or some foreign language.
Now, you cannot read it, can you.
Well, just pick it up and learn to read.

Your question makes so much sense. But less than my answer.

Answer 6

Same reason why you can't learn Chinese on your own. It would not make much sense without some basic knowledge of it or someone you could learn it from.

Answer 7

The first of everything is always the hardest to take. But it is the first step that matters the most and determines half the success. Isn't it quite sad that many are like as you said? :(

Answer 8

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Answer 9

I imagine because the symbols would have no context, and would therefore mean nothing... unless it was a picture book, or one of those "I cann read" books.

Answer 10

because writing is a 'code' invented by people to represent and record the spoken language, which came first. You need someone to help you decipher the code.