Literacy: Spanning North America :: Toronto ON :: Centre Co PA :: Greensboro NC

Literacy: Spanning North America

@LiteralChange 

Toronto women using literacy to change the lives of men in jail

Literal Change volunteers visit two of Ontario's maximum security detention centres weekly

CBC: 8.07.2017 by Talia Ricci

It's often something we take for granted — the ability to read.

But it's a skill former inmate Steve Richards used to feel insecure about. Richards suffers from dyslexia, but had the opportunity in the 12 months he spent at the Toronto East Detention Centre to participate in Literal Change — a program he says changed his life.

"It had a big effect on me," Richards said. "I used my skills for writing people on the outside while I was there."

Richard wrote letters to his girlfriend and his 7-year-old son. He said it felt good to maintain that connection through writing personal letters — something he didn't previously have the skills to do on his own.

An essential skill

Robyn Keystone and Martha Jodhan launched Literal Change last August. The non-profit program has volunteers visit two of Ontario's maximum security detention centres weekly to help incarcerated men improve their reading and writing.

The two women have a background in education and a unique approach to literacy coaching. One-on-one literacy lessons aren't always accessible or affordable, but the skills are essential.

"Everything is reliant on print and text in the world today," Jodhan said. "We've met some guys who can't read simple things like street signs or a menu."   READ MORE @

@MSLCLiteracy

Volunteers share skills through Mid-State Literacy Council

Centre Daily: 8.08.2017 by Murrie Zlotziver

Illiteracy is an invisible condition that, according to census data, affects 11 percent of Centre County residents. Walking down College Avenue, as Penn State students pass with backpacks full of books, you would say that’s impossible. Yet an estimated 17,462 people have difficulty navigating everyday tasks, reading directions, filling out forms, opening a checking account, getting a job and reading to their children, making them wary of being discovered, vulnerable and often marginalized as they struggle.

Mid-State Literacy Council opened its doors in 1971 to assist adults providing tutoring to teach reading. Ruth Kistler, founding member who is now in her 90s, recalls, “I taught our first student to read in my car on a mountain top in Centre County.”

Today one-on-one tutoring and small classes are offered by 225 trained tutors to more than 300 adults in Centre and Clearfield counties. Trained volunteers share their skills by teaching reading, writing, math, English, basic computer, health and financial literacy.

The literacy council’s focus is to achieve results that allow adults to read instructions on medicine labels, speak to their doctors about symptoms, obtain a job or seek a promotion and read to their children.  READ MORE @

@readingconnect

Reading Connections Enriches Lives Of Low-Literates In Guilford County

WFMY: 8.08.2017 Laura Brache

WFMY News 2 and the TEGNA Foundation are teaming this year to help local organizations further their initiatives in the Piedmont Triad area that enrich our communities.

WFMY News 2 awarded the fourth of its five grants for the 2017 year to Reading Connections, an organization dedicated to adult and family literacy.

One of their main adult literacy programs is held at McGirt-Horton Library in Greensboro on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Family literacy programs are held during the academic school year.

Jennifer Gore, Executive Director, says the teaching staff is highly trained, and ranges between first-time teachers and experienced ones.  WATCH