Literacy – Spanning the US :: Oakland Co MI :: Titusville PA :: Kenosha WI

Literacy: Spanning the U.S.     

Oakland Literacy

Council

The joy of being a literacy tutor

Oakland Press: 6.06.2018 by Laurie Weeks

Imagine getting an emergency text but not being able to read the message.

Imagine shying away from your child’s teacher because you cannot speak the language.

Imagine seeing a false charge on your credit card statement but not being able to complain because the company’s automated phone system is too hard to follow.

This is the reality of daily life for many adults — a reality that prompted me to volunteer as a tutor for the Oakland Literacy Council, which estimates that more than 170,000 adults in the county are illiterate. I wanted to give the gift of literacy to another adult. Little did I know the rewards of this volunteer work would far outstrip my efforts.

Three years ago, the council paired me with a mother of two who moved to the United States from South Korea with her husband. She came here with an upper elementary ability to read and write English but struggled to understand spoken English and speak the language herself.

My student has a broad smile and laughs easily. During our tutoring sessions, we always find something to chuckle about. Take English idioms, for example. My student’s look of horror upon first hearing the idiom “break a leg” turned to a laugh when she understood this strange expression carries good intentions. Acronyms make us chuckle, too. Recently, we noticed the acronym “PTO” means one thing in a school newsletter (Parent-Teacher Organization) and another thing entirely in a job ad (Paid Time Off). And is a USB or an SUV the object you plug into a computer or park in a garage?  READ MORE >>

Titusville Regional

Literacy Council

Titusville Adult Diploma Program holds 49th graduation

Titusville Herald: 6.09.2018 by Jeff Ottney

The 49th annual adult education commencement featured some improvisation and emotional speeches, resulting in the graduation of 12 adults learners.

A group-sing of the National Anthem wasn’t originally planned, but it set the stage for an evening of sharing among the graduates of the program and family members and friends in attendance.

Two students from Penncrest School District and 10 students from Titusville Area School District turned their tassels by the end of the ceremony. Stacy Houck, Titusville district administrator for the Titusville Regional Literacy Council, set the tone for the evening’s events with a welcome and a prayer.

Houck reminded the soon-to-be graduates to use the night as a “springboard for success.” Houck then introduced Kelli Davis, executive director of the Titusville Regional Literacy Council. Davis commended the students’ perseverance, noting that she’s “amazed with what students have to overcome to get where they are.”  READ MORE >>

@KenoshaLiteracy

Welcoming newcomers to Kenosha

Kenosha News: 6.09.2018 by Cassie Christianson, Kenosha Literacy Council Program Coordinator

As the program coordinator at the Kenosha Literacy Council, I get to experience the joy of working with KLC’s adult learners.

Without a doubt, it is the most rewarding experience because I get to hear about the successes our learners achieve and the challenges they overcome.

There is nothing like having a mom or dad come to tell you, “I did it! I did the parent teacher conference at my child’s school!” or “I talked to the doctor and didn’t need a translator!”

English is just one of the challenges KLC learners face when they move to the United States. Understanding how to navigate the community and familiarizing themselves with the culture, increase the difficulty of adapting to a new life in Kenosha.

One program at the Kenosha Literacy Council takes all three of these challenges head on, the ELL Civics class. Learners who participate in the ELL Civics class are learning English while gaining the skills to navigate the community.

Throughout the year, learners study the public school system, the public library, banking and finances, healthcare, housing, safety, and government.

As the instructor for the Civics class it is exciting to see learners grow to become independent in the community. They are excited to share their success stories as they use the skills they learn in class in their everyday lives.

Carmen, who recently achieved her U.S. Citizenship says, “Learning English is important to me because I want to be able to communicate and support myself! Now I am able to communicate with my teachers and people in the community. When I go to the doctor I only need a translator sometimes.”  READ MORE >>