Literacy: Spanning North America
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@LoudounLiteracy
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Loudoun Literacy Council Celebrates 40
Years of English Instruction
Loudoun
Now: 2.20.2020 by Patrick Szabo
Decades ago, nearly all Loudouners were
American born. In 2000, about 11 percent of the 312,000-resident population was
foreign born, according to county data. Today, about a quarter of the
413,000-resident population was born outside the United States, with 32,000
Loudouners reporting they do not speak English well, according to the most
recent U.S. Census data.
That’s where the Loudoun Literacy Council comes
in—working with more than 500 registered volunteers and a staff of seven to teach
English communication to families who struggle to find the time or money to
learn the language.
This year, the council is celebrating 40
years of that work.
Loudoun Literacy Council was set up in
1980, when, according to Executive Director Nikki Daruwala, the county reported
its first influx of refugees. To help those new residents learn English to live
in America to their fullest potential, a handful of women began hosting ad hoc
tutoring classes.
The program grew throughout the next two
decades, adding more classes and events to better help adult English learners
grasp the language. In 1998, the council even added a family literacy program,
which additionally gives children the chance to learn English.
In the past four decades, Loudoun
Literacy has helped more than 10,000 adults and served close to 4,000 families,
all while distributing tens of thousands of books, with nearly 15,000
distributed in the last fiscal year alone. From July 2018 to June 2019, the
council helped 315 adults learn English and provided 1,830 low-income families
with literacy resources. READ
MORE
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 11
Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old
Tenth to Eleventh graders)
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Katrina Watson is an Alabama Bright Light illuminating the Path to Literacy
AL News Center: 2.21.2020 by Karim Shamsi-Basha
Most people do not witness miracles every day. Most people might witness a miracle once in their lifetime, but not every day. Witnessing a miracle every day is perhaps seen only in movies and on television.
There is a place in downtown Birmingham on First Avenue North, a humble place full of shelves upon shelves of books, where people greet you with a smile and a desire for each visitor to be a miracle. That place is the Literacy Council of Central Alabama.
Katrina Watson is the executive director of the Literacy Council. On a daily basis, she witnesses people changing their lives for the better through literacy. She has seen people come in feeling ashamed and defeated, then a few months later hold their heads up high.
“Personally, this is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had, working here at the Literacy Council of Central Alabama,” Watson said. “It’s amazing to see the changes in people. Whether it’s a physical change or an emotional change. People who come in with their heads down, leave with their heads up because they have an improved confidence in their abilities.”
Literacy Council of Central Alabama’s Katrina Watson carries a bright light to read by from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
=The Literacy Council opened in 1999. Its main mission is to help adults and their families improve their lives by teaching them to read, write and speak English.
“What we offer includes programming in adult basic literacy, which is one-on-one tutoring or small group tutoring, and English, which is for non-English speakers and is given in a classroom setting. We also have GED programming in conjunction with Jefferson State Community College,” Watson said. “We also work with school-aged children in Walker County, but we primarily work with adults.”
The Literacy Council offers volunteer training monthly for those interested in changing lives and witnessing miracles. According to its website, there are 92,000 people in Alabama who cannot read at all or cannot read simple materials. Changing those statistics for the better is Watson’s mission in life. READ MORE
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 10
Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 14-15 yrs. Old
(Ninth to Tenth graders)
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‘Let’s Read Together!’ During Campbell River Family Literacy Week 2020
Campbell River Mirror: 1.16.2020 by Mike Davies
It’s an annual celebration that’s all about the love of literacy, and it starts this weekend.
“Family Literacy Week is the Campbell River Literacy Association (CRLA) and its community partner’s gift to the families of Campbell River,” says CRLA executive director Kat Eddy. “All events are free and celebrate the parents of our city as their children’s first and best teachers.”
The 2020 theme for Family Literacy Week is “Let’s Read Together!”
“Reading together as a family is your child’s first introduction to reading,” Eddy says. “Children love it when their families read with them, even when children can read on their own. This time spent as a family creates a time to cuddle and love one another, deepens connections and builds imagination. There are so many ways to engage with your kids and build their learning some great examples are; telling stories, singing, silly rhymes, playing games and exploring outside. All of these special times spent together help kids to learn about their world.” READ MORE
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 10
Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 14-15 yrs. Old
(Ninth to Tenth graders)
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The Call of Literacy
Newberry Observer: 1.26.2020 by Joseph McDonald
Greetings from the Newberry County Literacy Council where excitement is in the air. Walk into our office on Main Street and look and listen: people reading books, discussing current events, computing taxes, learning about healthy cooking, or sometimes just hanging out. The cooking is part of a program called Cooking Matters and has been a great success. Talk to Barbara Chapman about signing up for future classes. The tax computing is through a program called VITA, sponsored by the IRS, that helps people prepare their income tax returns, at no charge. Call 276-8086 for information or an appointment.
Our Weekly Reader Book Club is reading a book by Newberry’s own Dr. William Dufford, entitled “My Tour through the Asylum: A Southern Integrationist’s Memoir.” He has agreed to meet with us as we complete the book. The People’s College, our college-like series of seminars, is in the middle of its Winter Term class called “Conversations About Justice.” We are exploring the concept and meaning of justice through readings and discussions. The main book for the class is about Dorothy Day, the Catholic activist and founder of the Catholic Worker Movement in the 1930s. It is a fascinating look at Dorothy, the Catholic Worker Movement, and Dorothy’s daughter, Tamar, written by Kate Hennessy, Dorothy’s granddaughter. I will report more about this book in a future column. We all can benefit from an understanding of Dorothy’s life journey and her compassion. READ MORE
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 9
Reading Level: standard / average.
Reader's Age: 13-15 yrs. Old
(Eighth and Ninth graders)
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