Gisela is a 6-year-old peruvian girl who lives with her family on a farm in a rural village. she often her father take produce to a market to sell. she does not know how to read, but she understands the cost of items and can make change without errors. sophie is a 6-year-old who lives in the us. she is in the 1st grade, is making great progress in learning to read and write, and is gaining skill in computer use. what is the best way to explain the development of these two children?

While illiteracy is a real problem in countries like Peru (but is being drastically reduced in countries like Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador), the children are still smart and capable of learning what they can from real life ie like Gisela learning how to make change. A peasant in El Salvador showed me his ingenuity as we didn't have a level in making a foundation so he used a garden hose with a little water in it to level the foundation and checking it later it was right on. Learning does not just take place in the classroom but at the same time it is a definite advantage to be literate in today's competitive world. Sophie on the other hand, like my granddaughter, is taking advantage of her ability to go to school and learn how to read and write and how to use the computer (though kids learn a lot of the latter at home nowadays) so she may be able in the end to gain a higher education and do work that she really likes not just get whatever job to survive with.