An Adult Literacy Program Developed in Cuba is Now Being Used in More Than 30 Countries :: via Quartz

An adult literacy program developed in Cuba is now being used in more than 30 countries

Quartz: 3.30.2017 by Neha Thirani Bagri

A literacy program developed in Cuba is quietly spreading adult education in more than 30 countries.

This week, it was reported that the program—known as “Yo, sí puedo” or “Yes, I can”—is being used by Brazil’s Landless Rural Workers’ Movement to educate 7,000 adults in the state of Maranhão. It has been used to educate Aboriginal communities in remote rural areas and has perhaps been most successful in Venezuela, where it was adopted in 2003. Just two years later, UNESCO declared the country illiteracy free.

The program was developed and promoted by the Latin American and Caribbean Pedagogical Institute of Cuba, which now says over 10 million people from Venezuela to Nigeria have now learned to read and write through the program. “Yo, sí puedo” aims to provide free education to adults who did not have the opportunity to attend school as children.

In 2006, the institute was awarded the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize for its work in advancing “individual and social potential through innovative teaching methods” globally. The program is uniquely effective because it uses pre-recorded video lessons, adapted for each country, that are delivered by a local facilitator.  READ MORE @

Yo Sí Puedo

Latino Alliance for Literacy Advancement de New Mexico

LALA de New Mexico takes inspiration from the UNESCO award-winning “Yo Sí Puedo” adult literacy program, which has taught more than 6 million people to read and is currently in use in more than 30 nations.

LALA is proud to be the first United States literacy organization to utilize this incredible, effective and innovative program.

“Yo Sí Puedo” means “Sure I Can” in Spanish. The “Yo Sí Puedo” program was developed by educator Leonela Relys of the Latin American and Caribbean Pedagogical Institue (IPLAC) in Havana, Cuba, and is in use in many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Spain, Jamaica, Argentina, Uruguay and more. Astoundingly, the program was used in Venezuela to make 1 million people literate in just 5 months.

The “Yo Sí Puedo” program was created in 2001, to aid Cuban educators who were sent to Haiti to teach literacy and numeracy to impoverished adults living in third-world conditions. The program is intense and quick – anywhere from four weeks to three-months  – and is designed to foster a strong sense of self-worth along with literacy and numeracy skills in a highly flexible and culturally appropriate setting.

“Yo Sí Puedo” uses 17 videos, containing 65 classes, and a manual, with guidance provided by a highly-trained and, in our case, paid facilitators. The program is effective in large part because of its flexibility; it was designed to be highly adaptable to different languages, cultures and social realities.

Literacy – Spanning North America :: Phelps Co MO :: Lancaster/Lebanon PA :: Chatham-Kent ON

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@getliterate 

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The Adult and Teen Winter Library Contest is an initiative aimed at encouraging literacy and promoting the public library and the services it offers in your community.  READ MORE @

National Literacy & Library Events :: April 2017

National Literacy & Library Events :: April 2017

SCLLN

Literacy & Library Events & Conferences

- Local, California and National -

visit

the Southern California Library Literacy Network

for more information

Financial Literacy Month

National Poetry Month

School Library Month

Apr 01   International Edible Book Festival - Books2Eat

Apr 01   Young People’s Poetry Day

Apr 02   International Children's Book Day

Apr 02+ COABE Disney Coronado Springs Resort FL

Apr 02+ Value of Play Clemson Univ SC

Apr 03+ National Adult Learner Leadership Institute VALUEUSA Washington DC

Apr 04+ Wisconsin Health Literacy Summit Madison WI

Apr 05+ NAREN Conference Baltimore MD

Apr 05+ TASP Conference Rochester NY 14607 USA

Apr 06+ Virginia Hamilton Conf on Multicultural Literature for Youth Kent State

Apr 07   Elementary Literacy Conference UNI Cedar Falls IA

Apr 07+ Head Start Conference Chicago IL

Apr 09+ National Library Week "Libraries Transform"

Apr 10+ Summer Library Reading Program Collaborative Conf Charleston SC

Apr 11   National Library Workers Day

Apr 12   Drop Everything & Read Day

Apr 12   National Bookmobile Day

Apr 16+ Cowboy Poetry Week

Apr 17   Haiku Poetry Day

Apr 18+ BOOST Conference Palm Springs CA

Apr 20+ DPLAfest 2017 Chicago IL

Apr 22+ Money Smart Week

Apr 23   World Book Night

Apr 23+ National Volunteer Week

Apr 25   Build Your Political Literacy Skills for Advocacy Webinar 3p EDT

Apr 27+ American Educational Research Assc Conf San Antonio TX

Apr 29   Indie Bookstore Day

Apr 30   Dia: El día de los niños/El día de los libros Díapalooza @ Public & School Libraries

State Library Associations :: Conferences

African American Book Events

Book Fairs by State Library of Congress

Children’s Book Council Kid Lit Events

College Children’s & Young Adult Literature Conferences Festivals

Everfest Book Festival Calendar

ILA :: Literacy Calendar Worldwide

Storytelling Events

US Book Festivals

7 Reasons Libraries Are Essential, Now More Than Ever :: via Bustle

7 Reasons Libraries Are Essential, Now More Than Ever

Bustle:  3.21.2017 by Sadie L. Trombetta

I grew up down the street from my local library, so I spent a lot of my childhood there, either hidden away in the stacks reading books, using the internet to access Myspace, or meeting up with friends to work on school projects. I've always understood the value of such an institution, but in today's current climate of untruths, intolerance, and ignorance, it's becoming clear that libraries are essential, now more than ever.

2017 has been dubbed by many the year of resistance, and over the past three months, the country has seen that play out in an increasingly interesting number of ways. There's been no shortage of protests, marches, and strikes, but aside from the traditional demonstrations of civil disobedience, people across the country have come up with new and surprising ways to speak out against the dangerous political agenda of the current administration and stand up for their rights and the rights of others.

1 They offer free educational resources to everyone.

2 Libraries are safe refuges for the homeless and underserved populations.

3 They help boost local economies.

4 They play an important role in English language learning.

READ MORE @

EveryLibrary

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Tucson AZ :: Marinette & Oconto Cos WI :: Solano Co CA

@TFOB 

Local literacy groups benefit from success of Tucson Festival of Books

Tucson News Now: 3.10.2017 by Janice Yu

@LitConnectsAZ 

READ MORE @

The program works because volunteers from all over Solano County come together to help adults who, for whatever reason, never learned to read and write.  READ MORE @

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Porterville CA :: Little Rock AR :: Camarillo CA

Latino adult literacy targeted

Porterville Record: 3.08.2017

The Porterville City Library has been selected as one of nine libraries across California to join a pilot program – Leamos™ (Let’s Read) @ the Library.

The pilot program aims to bring the Centro Latino for Literacy online literacy course to the state’s non-literate Spanish speakers, which number 573,866. The two-year pilot project is supported by a grant awarded by the James Irvine Foundation to Centro Latino to explore partnerships with public libraries.

Greg Lucas, California State Librarian, said, “In a state which gained a Latino plurality [in 2014], it seems at a minimum good common sense to encourage programs like Leamos. Without literacy skills in their native language, proficiency in English becomes significantly harder, if not impossible, to attain.”

Porterville Library Supervisor Rebecca Jauregui, who heads up the Adult Literacy Center, is very excited about being selected. She said the city did not apply, but was chosen. It is the only library in the Central Valley chosen.

“This is unique,” she said of the program. They are still recruiting volunteers, but are ready to begin.

The program is to teach adults who have very little — less than two years — or schooling in their native country. It is to teach them to read and write in Spanish.  READ MORE @

Volunteers partner with Literacy Action to teach female inmates how to read

THV 11: 3.08.2017

In January 2016, volunteers From Westover Hills Presbyterian Church partnered with to provide one-on-one tutoring through the separation glass with the female inmates at the county jail.

@LiteracyAction 

One year later, in response to the rising interest in tutoring services, Literacy Action, through volunteer tutors from Westover Hills, now offers literacy classes to 15-20 women once a week in a more traditional classroom at PCRDF.

Beginning this year, Literacy Action will also begin offering its first literacy class for male inmates. There are already 4 students signed up and eager for the opportunity to improve their literacy skills. Sara Drew, Executive Director of Literacy Action, comments, "Some of the men in this program are veterans, so this gives them a chance not only to voice their war-time experiences, but also an opportunity to improve their employability when they leave the facility."

Meeting in a classroom has given the students more opportunities to interact with their volunteer tutors to receive instruction and to complete group projects. The student population is constantly shifting as women transfer to prison, return home, or enter rehabilitation programs. Yet, these challenges do not deter the students from learning. By working on vocabulary, punctuation and writing, the tutors are able to improve the skills that inmates will carry with them as they move forward in life.  WATCH 📺

Library volunteer savors job perks

Literacy tutor’s students thank her with homemade dishes

Camarillo Acorn: 3.10.2017 by Stephanie Sumell

Barbara Wagner may not have a passport, but the volunteer has happily sampled cuisines from around the globe. It’s one of the perks of being a tutor with the Adult Literacy Program at the Camarillo Public Library.

The program provides free tutoring to adults who want to improve their reading and writing skills.

Some students like to bring Wagner tamales, casseroles and other dishes to show her how much they appreciate what she does.

“They are so generous in trying to thank me,” the tutor said of her students, most of whom speak English as a second language. “I’ve never been anywhere, but I’ve eaten food from all over the world.”

It’s one of the many bonuses the 80-year-old gets from helping others.

Wagner was recently named Volunteer of the Year by the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce.  READ MORE @

First Words

What does it take to break the cycle of illiteracy?

Project Literacy: March 2017

Watch First Words to find out.

It is a sad fact that almost one billion adults worldwide cannot read or write a simple sentence. Imagine not being able to fill out a form at the hospital, vote in an election, take the right bus, or send a text message to a loved one. That’s the reality for one in ten people alive today. What’s more, it’s a reality that affects more than just the individual; it affects their families and generations to come. Children of illiterate parents are more likely to grow up to be illiterate and go on to have illiterate children themselves.

With your help, we can break this cycle.

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Martin Co FL :: Chicago IL :: Arizona

Library Foundation

Martin County

Library foundation honors longtime volunteeer [sic]

Palm Beach Post: 3.02.2017 by Michelle Piasecki

When Leo Clancy first suggested that the Library Foundation of Martin County help adults who couldn’t read, it was difficult to get people who would admit they needed help.

So instead of letting them come to the program, Donna Musso, the program’s teacher, brought it to them.

“Our whole theme was we would go to the neighborhoods,” Clancy, 84, said. “In the beginning, we went anywhere and everywhere … even restaurants.”

The Library Foundation recently honored Clancy with the Kiplinger Literacy Award for his service. Clancy served on the Library Foundation Board from 2006 to 2012. During that time, he served as treasurer, vice president and president, and he has worked for causes such as adult literacy and raised the money to build an add-on to the Cummings Library in Palm City.

Clancy found his passion for volunteering when he retired from his job as the world-wide chief human resources officer for Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategy and technology consulting firm.

“I have been in fundraising for a long time,” said Clancy, who has lived in Palm City for 23 years. “I went to people who were well-to-do and generous. There is a segment of our society who are very generous with their time and money.”

His efforts, especially in the area of adult literacy, is something that Clancy still feels passionate about, even though he isn’t as involved as he once was.

“The need is absolutely immense,” he said about adult literacy. “It’s amazing the number of people who drop out of high school at a young age. My thought was that these are forgotten people who have no one to speak with them, and they won’t speak for themselves.”   READ MORE @

Dominican

Literacy Center

'Intense' surge in citizenship interest strains literacy programs

Chicago Tribune: 3.02.2017 by Denise Crosby

What a difference a few months — and a new president — can make.

When I showed up at one of the Dominican Literacy Center's citizenship classes before November's election, there were a couple of dozen students in attendance.

These days, those class sizes have almost tripled, and because of the large number, "we had to split into two classes and find another teacher to help us out," said Sister Kathleen Ryan, executive director of the Dominican Literacy Center.

@familyfocus_org 

Family Focus is among the Fox Valley agencies experiencing a similar swell. Previous workshops introducing the citizenship process had between 20 to 30 people, said youth development coordinator Julian Vargas. But at the most recent workshop Saturday, more than 200 Aurora-area residents showed up. Because employees, working 12 hours that day, were able to only sign up 95, the rest "were told to come back on Monday," Vargas said.  READ MORE @

@supportadulted

80,000 Pima County Adults Don't Have Diploma or GED

Arizona Adult Literacy Week celebrates those who've worked to overcome literacy challenges.

Arizona Public Media: 3.06.2017 by Andrea Kelly

More than 80,000 adults in Pima County do not have a high school diploma or GED, according to Pima Community College.

That statistic makes them less likely to have a job, and their children mirror their prospects, said Regina Suitt, a vice president of adult basic education at Pima Community College. She says the best indicator of how a child will do in school is his mother's education.

“The more we help mothers and parents, the more we’re helping children," Suitt said.

Gov. Doug Ducey declared this Arizona Adult Literacy Week, a chance to celebrate those who overcame the kind of barriers that crop up when someone doesn’t finish high school.

A high school diploma or GED is one indicator of a person’s literacy, Suitt said.  LISTEN