Literacy – Spanning the US ::Marin Co CA :: Worthington MN :: Cape Verde AZ

ESL classes quadruple thanks to school and library collaboration

Point Reyes Light: 3.23.2017 by Silas Valentino

English as a Second Language classes are set to quadruple in West Marin thanks to a joint effort between Shoreline Unified School District and the Marin County Free Library, which together roped in $26,000 from state adult education funds to hire five new teachers and increase the number of classes.

Beginning this week in Point Reyes Station, six free morning and night classes are now offered at the Dance Palace Community Center from Monday through Thursday, with concurrent free child care. The same services will be offered in Tomales in April. Bonny White, West Marin branch manager for the library system, said E.S.L. classes used to only be offered once a week in Tomales and Point Reyes Station. It was a conversation Ms. White had with Bob Raines, Shoreline’s superintendent, in which the two agreed that a language couldn’t be properly learned with just one class a week, that prompted the effort.  READ MORE @

If you’ve ever considered volunteering in a school but have hesitated because you lack a background in education, it’s time to rethink your position.

“Teaching is not a pre-requisite for volunteering,” assured Betty McAllister, a regular volunteer with the Southwest Adult Basic Education (ABE) program in Worthington.

“You just need to like people, know how to read yourself and be willing to help people learn English.

“Any necessary materials are provided for you, and the staff recommends what to do if you’re at all unsure.”

Although McAllister is a retired teacher and school administrator, she emphasizes that an open mind and patience are the two most valuable resources a volunteer can bring to the local ABE program. She’s spent about 90 minutes weekly for the past nine years assisting adult English language learners at the West Learning Center.

“The people working on building their English language skills are so appreciative that someone is willing to help them — and it’s a lot of fun, too,” attested McAllister.  READ MORE @

Adult education expands literacy to Verde Valley

Cape Verde Bugle: 3.25.2017 by Bill Helm

There’s not a single soul at the Camp Verde Adult Reading Program and LEARN Center who works as much as 26 hours in a given week.

From the director to the office manager to the instructors, each is available 25 hours each week to meet the needs of the area’s adult learners.

Even if the Verde Valley’s sole in-house adult education program wasn’t losing state funding as of July 1, the program has always been on the proverbial shoestring budget.

When CVARP first opened for business in 1988, the program started with a 16-member board of business members and teachers.

The teachers were actually volunteers. Maybe they had teaching experience. But CVARP wasn’t paying them.

Even today, CVARP relies on volunteers. One of its teachers, Elida Proper began as a volunteer.

“I first became involved with CVARP when I was working on my master’s degree at NAU studying English as a Second Language,” Proper says. “After graduating, I became one of the ESL instructors. In 2010, I began helping adults get their GEDs.  READ MORE @