What a silly question--right? I mean, at first glance it appears that everyone has the ability to accomplish some sort of decoding, whether it be with pictures or symbols. But I think the question goes beyond that. While I believe that everyone who can communicate on a basic level can read, the level of reading, the motivation, the skills--these are all factors that must be considered.
First, what is a reader? I consider anyone who is engaged in reading, both for pleasure and for information, to be a reader. The skill level doesn't qualify one--it is the motivation that is the determinant. The materials are irrelevant. Choosing to read makes one a reader.
Thus, choosing not to read, for whatever reason (skill level, interest, fear) is what makes a non reader. Many students pass through my classroom each year with the skills to read complex materials, but they lack the desire to do so. I identify these as non readers. And it is my intent each year to tempt them with at least one excellent piece of writing that they will devour--and hopefully go searching for more of the ambrosia that awaits them on the shelves of libraries or the screens of e-readers.
So, in answer to my own question, yes, non readers do exist. It is my job to persuade them to try the offerings of the banquet that will fortify their lives.
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