Literacy – Spanning the US :: Chicago IL :: Racine WI :: Kenosha WI

Literacy: Spanning the US

Chicago Literacy 

Alliance

Learning To Read - It’s Never Too Late!

WMC Action News 5: 6.03.2020 by

A law school graduate, a startup entrepreneur helping to raise $30 million in venture capital, and often being one of the very few women in the boardroom, this smart woman has accomplished many goals.

But now in what she calls her biggest accomplishment yet, she is using her talents to help others succeed.

When adult learner H.C. Warfield retired, he decided to go back to school, to learn something he was never able to do before. “When I came here, I couldn’t read at all,” explained Warfield. He is one of the thousands of adult and child learners who benefit from a first-of-its-kind literacy collaboration called Chicago Literacy Alliance. “My reading is getting really good,” said Krystil Clemmings, a fellow participant.

“It’s like having a great big extended professional family in one place. Like a great big non-profit family reunion for literacy,” said Stacy Ratner, Co-Founder of the Chicago Literacy Alliance. With her experience in the venture capital world, Ratner used her expertise to build support for the idea that if literacy groups work together, their reach can be vast. “No one is going to be motivated or inspired or drawn to a group which is doing a few little projects in isolation,” said Ratner.

Instead, Chicago Literacy Alliance has a home base, where more than 120 literacy groups can rent workspaces, use resources, and collaborate with one another. Christine Kenny is the Executive Director of Literacy Works, which trains more than 600 volunteer tutors for adult learners.  WATCH 02:04

Automatic Readability Checker

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)

@RacineLiteracy

Racine Literacy Council Resumes Entry-level Classes the Week of June 15

New blended learning model will provide flexibility and safety for students.

Racine County Eye: 6.05.2020

For 55 years, the Racine Literacy Council has provided educational resources to help adult learners meet life’s challenges. The current pandemic is a new challenge, and RLC is rising to meet it.

The building has been closed since March 22. Existing student/tutor pairs have continued to work together through distance learning with materials mailed to them weekly by RLC staff. The entry-level STEPS program has been offered online via Facebook Live! with three weekly sessions open to anyone, whether previously registered or not.

The hope was to resume classes in the building once the Safer at Home order expired. Because high levels of Covid-19 continue in Racine County, RLC has decided to move to a blended learning format that combines instructor-led online classes, weekly sessions with a tutor, and self-paced learning resources. “Because schedules are difficult right now for many people, STEPS blended learning is designed to be flexible,” said RLC Executive Director Steven Mussenden. “A student can rely on instructor-led classes or do mostly self-paced learning with high-quality resources. Tutors will provide real-life practice and skills assessment in sessions scheduled by student and tutor.”

Here are the “new rules” for RLC STEPS students:  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

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)

@KenoshaLiteracy

Dreams Aren't Cancelled For Literacy Council Learners

Kenosha News: 6.05.2020 by Cassie Christianson

Uprooting your family in search of a better life in a new country seems like an impossible task to most people.

Leaving behind your job, family, and friends only to go someplace where you will need to learn to speak a new language, adapt to a new culture, and navigate a new community’s services.

For many of us, we get a taste of this experience when we visit a different country for vacation. It is fun to learn how another country operates, knowing that you will soon be able to go back home and be surrounded by everything familiar. But for Kenosha Literacy Council learners, this is their new reality.

As KLC’s program coordinator, I see firsthand the hard work and dedication that goes into making a new country home. KLC learners are excited to start their new life in Kenosha and know learning English is the first step towards their goals. Without English skills, job opportunities are limited, making it difficult to provide for their families, parents aren’t able to communicate with their children’s teachers or doctors, and completing simple daily tasks is stressful.

Every year the KLC offers the ELL Civics class, a unique experiential class that teaches learners how to navigate the Kenosha community. Students learn how to communicate with their children’s teachers, use the library, complete tasks at the bank, hold discussions with their doctor, search for quality housing, and utilize the city’s services; all while improving their English.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on (7) readability formulas:

Grade Level: 13

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 18-19 yrs. old

(college level entry)