Sunday, January 31, 2016

Literacy – Spanning the US: Greensboro NC :: New Orleans LA :: Wisconsin :: Arkansas

English Department
HoltOne Book One New Orleans
Literary Alliance
read at a 5th grade level
@LiteracyWI
The State Of Adult Literacy In Wisconsin

It’s estimated that approximately one million Wisconsin adults quality for adult literacy and English language services, but few are actually receiving them.  Joy’s guest assesses the state of adult literacy in Wisconsin, and what’s being done to bring services to those in need of them.  
Host(s): Joy Cardin  Guest(s): Ezi Adesi  LISTEN

Literacy Services of Wisconsin got its start in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa Now: 1.05.2016 by Abby Nitta

Literary Services of Wisconsin celebrated its 50th year of providing reading classes to undereducated and English as a Second Language students — and it all began at First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa.

Longtime church member Gordon Ralph first heard the world-famous Dr. Frank Laubach speak about the need for literacy at a Baptist assembly
@LiteracyGB
in Green Lake in 1965. Laubach, a missionary dubbed the "Apostle of Literacy," created methods for teaching literacy skills and is credited with bringing reading and writing skills to millions.

When Laubach asked who would start a local chapter of literacy services in Wisconsin, Ralph stepped forward.

He first looked for volunteers within First Congregational.

"I made 34 phone calls and 32 said 'yes' — all were from the church," Ralph said.

After raising funds to send one of their volunteers to Baltimore to receive training, the group held their first meeting at Christ Presbyterian Church on 20th and Walnut Streets in Milwaukee. The group's initial focus was to teach reading and writing to illiterate adults in the city.

A "little miracle" happened at that first meeting, Ralph said, when one of their volunteers decided to take the literacy workshop and adapt it for use in teaching English as a second language.

By the end of 1965, members of the group had held 20 to 30 similar workshops, training tutors in 20 counties in Wisconsin.

"It's people helping people, and that's what I love — it's a very loving, caring, sharing thing, and heaven knows the world needs that," Ralph said.

Ralph also accompanied Laubach for three weeks to Kenya in 1965 to launch the "Kenya National Literacy Campaign" in partnership with the Kenyan Literacy Center and the Kenyan government.

Now 84 years old, Ralph lives in a retirement community in Florida with his wife, Jacquie.  

The group says that in the Central Arkansas area, more than 145,000 adults read at or below basic levels. Most do not have the reading skills necessary to succeed in the workplace; address their health care needs; read to their children; help with homework; talk to their teachers or read schedules, labels or billboards. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read to aloud everyday than are children in families with incomes at or above the poverty line.  READ MORE @


Friday, January 29, 2016

National Literacy & Library Events :: February 2016

National Literacy & Library Events: February 2016

SCLLN
Literacy & Library Events & Conferences
- Local, California and National -
the Southern California Library Literacy Network
for more information

@ncte  #aari16


Feb. 02+ ATIA Conference & Exhibition, Orlando FL  @ATIAorg
Feb. 03 Global School Play Day #GSPD2016
Feb. 05 @naacpimageaward Outstanding Literature, Pasadena CA 7p
Feb. 13 Autism Sensory Friendly Films KUNG FU PANDA 3 10a
Feb. 14+ Arizona Adult Literacy Week   @azadultlw
Feb. 16 Literacy Day at the Capitol, Atlanta GA
Feb. 23 Autism Sensory Friendly Films ZOOLANDER 2 7p
Feb. 26 Literacy Dyslexia & ADHD, CSU San Bernardino, Palm Desert 1p
Feb. 27 Autism Sensory Friendly Films KUNG FU PANDA 3 10a
Feb. 29+ Everyone Reading Conference, CUNY Graduate Center, NY NY


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Declaration of European Citizens' Right to Literacy :: ELINET

Declaration of European Citizens' Right to Literacy 
1.22.2016

The 2016 ELINET European Literacy Conference

The 2016 ELINET European Literacy Conference offers participants first-hand access to new research and good practices in all areas of literacy created over the past two years by members of the European Literacy Policy Network (ELINET). More than 230 participants, including international experts in different fields of literacy, are taking part in the conference, which runs from 20 to 22 January 2016. The conference has been organized by ELINET.

The 2016 ELINET European Literacy Conference provides an interactive platform to share knowledge on literacy based on the network’s collaboration with twenty-eight countries. The objective is to share new results, findings and tools – including the European Framework of Good Practices in Raising Literacy Levels of Children, Adolescents and Adults – that have emerged in Europe over the past two years, and to discuss ways of shaping and implementing future literacy policies. Furthermore, conference participants will discuss and adopt the Declaration of European Citizens’ Right to Literacy.

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is one of the seventy-eight partner organizations working with ELINET on literacy policymaking in Europe. UIL emphasizes that it is still important in Europe to discuss and advocate better literacy policies and initiatives at national and international levels. According to available data, one in five young adults (i.e. adults aged between 15 and 24) in Europe lack adequate literacy skills, and millions of people still lack basic reading and writing skills.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Literacy – Spanning the US: Chicago IL :: Wichita Falls TX :: Altus OK :: New Bern NC :: Franklin DE


With unique techniques, Literacy Works tutors can reach adult learners
Chicago Tribune: 12.20.2015 by Lolly Bowean

Tears welled up in Nube Vidal's eyes when she remembered how lost, confused and scared she felt when she arrived in Chicago from Cuenca, Ecuador.

Not only was she in a new city and new country, Vidal couldn't speak English, couldn't read the street signs and couldn't find her way around, she said.

"My daughter was in kindergarten, she had homework I didn't understand," Vidal said. "The letters, the bills. I couldn't understand the paperwork for the doctor I had to fill out. Because I could not explain to the doctor, I'd have to wait and wait for a translator. It's so hard when you don't understand English."

Five years later, Vidal is not only fluent, she helps her children with their homework, handles all of her household logistics and even assists her friends and neighbors with learning the language. Because she now can read at a proficient level, she has earned her driver's license, passed the exam to become an American citizen and even landed a part-time job caring for children.

Vidal, 33, is one of thousands in the Chicago area who have benefited from literacy tutoring and adult learning programs offered by Literacy Works. Trained volunteers and professionals go to community centers, churches and educational centers, using the techniques they've learned to teach adults literacy.  READ MORE @

One woman’s story of rising from illiteracy
Times Record News: 12.23.2015

Do you know her?

Throughout the years we have given you statistics about literacy, described programs, and offered solutions. This month, we interviewed a student about what changes have occurred since she came into our office. She is not ready to use her real name, so she and her tutor will be identified as May and Trudy, and the student's employer will not be identified.

I asked May what brought her into the Wichita Adult Literacy Council's (WALC) office.

"The final push was humiliation. I had never been put in that position before. I have always been able to hide. At work one morning, the credit card machine wasn't working and a message was on it. I didn't know what it said so I called the company and told the man on the phone I couldn't read or write and didn't know what it said. I would spell the words for him. He yelled at me and said that I needed to read the words, not spell them. I got so mad I hung up. I had to go find someone else in the building to call for me. I found a friend and told her I needed help. I told her what happened and said that I can't read or write. She said not to worry she would take care of it. She called the company back and resolved the problem. I was humiliated because I didn't want anyone to know. I never wanted another person to hurt me the way he did. I went to the work office and asked my HR lady if she know where I could go to learn to read. She knew of WALC and Region 9 because of other employees. I called the next day and it was the best call I ever made."

I asked who else knew she couldn't read before she started tutoring.

"My hiring boss discovered it when he interviewed me, so for 10 years he knew. My two best friends and my brother, sisters, and two grown children."  READ MORE @

Citizenship certificate early gift for Ortiz
Altus Times: 12.26.2015 by Ida Fay Winters, Great Plains Literacy Council Coordinator

Christmas can be a special time of receiving gifts, but Andres Ortiz of Altus received his gift early…the US citizenship! Unlike some presents, his citizenship was not free as it took determination, money, study, time and hard work to learn about the United States. He passed the citizenship test on Nov. 9 and attended a formal ceremony in Oklahoma City on December 8th to swear a solemn oath to this country. His wife Hortencia traveled with him to give support at the ceremony.

“I am very happy about becoming a new American, and I am thankful to all who helped me at the Great Plains Literacy Council at the Altus Public Library,said Ortiz. “I knew I wanted to become a citizen for many years.

Andres grew up in Mexico. He first came to Houston, Texas, in 1974 and later arrived in Altus as his cousin said there were better jobs in this area. He has worked in maintenance with the Altus Public Schools since 1987. Using his “Green Card” entitled him to permanent US residency with immigration status, but it had to be renewed every ten years. The citizenship study really began in 2009 when Ortiz enrolled in a Great Plains Literacy Council’s citizenship group class held at the Plantation Assisted Living Center. Maria Shelley, the volunteer tutor from the Altus Air Force Base, taught weekly classes for eight weeks on social studies, writing, speaking, and the testing procedure. Later Noel Beltran became his tutor. But due to other conflicts, he put his goal on hold for a few years. Then in April 2015, he notified the literacy council that he wanted to reach his citizenship goal. In August, Andres traveled to the Naturalization Service in Oklahoma City to begin the background check process before the final exam.  READ MORE @

READ MORE @


But learners must actively participate and study to truly benefit.  READ MORE@



Thursday, January 21, 2016

Worldwide Special Educational Need Statistics :: texthelp

Worldwide Special Educational Need Statistics
texthelp: 1.19.2016



In the United States . . .
5.7 million students (8.4%) have special educational needs (under an IDEA)
2.3 million of these (almost 40%) have specific learning disability
Almost 40% of students with disabilities don’t graduate
In the United Kingdom…
Over 15% (1.3million, or average 3 children per classroom) of pupils in England have SEN (identified): 649,605 of these are in primary school, 454,140 are in secondary school
Almost 24% of these pupils have a moderate LD (as their primary need)
About 60% of SEN children are educated in mainstream school

The Lives Unseen: experience the life of someone living with illiteracy :: Project Literacy

The Lives Unseen: experience the life of someone living with illiteracy

The following stories have all been inspired by real people who were kind enough to share a glimpse into their responsibilities, fears, hopes and coping strategies as an iliterate person.

Project Literacy is sharing stories via virtual reality in the hopes of inspiring you to join Project Literacy and advocate for improved literacy on a global scale. So put on a mask and experience a frozen moment in the life of someone living with illiteracy.

Project Literacy has left 757 million spaces on this petition to represent every illiterate person on the planet. Illiteracy fuels poverty, hunger, radicalisation, the spread of HIV, child brides, infant mortality and gender inequality. And it has to stop. Sign for those who can't.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Worldwide Literacy Statistics :: texthelp

Worldwide literacy statistics
texthelp: 1.19.2016


Only 36% of 4th graders, 34% of 8 graders, 38% of 12 graders are at or above proficient reading level 8th grade reading level has dropped since (the last Nation’s Report Card in) 2013
Struggling readers are four times as likely to drop out of high school

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Literacy – Spanning the US: Lincoln NE :: Orlando FL :: Dallas TX :: Seattle WA :: Honesdale PA

READ MORE @

@RALC_Literacy

Many of the volunteer tutors are retired teachers who serve prison programs along with the adults who come to local libraries for tutoring.  READ MORE @