Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US
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Daily Toreador: 3.17.2021 by Madeleine Hall
COVID-19
caused a shift in everyday routines for everyone, but in the midst of tough
times, service organizations in Lubbock adapted to continue to provide for the
community.
One
organization that changed pace during the pandemic is Literacy
Lubbock, a volunteer-based organization offering
programs such as GED and other high school equivalency test prep, English as a
Second Language programs, early childhood and family literacy education and
adult education.
With
the issue of illiteracy not going anywhere, Elizabeth Laughlin, the director of
operations and development at Literacy Lubbock, said the organization worked
hard to evolve to meet the needs of the community.
“Lubbock
County has an illiteracy rate of 13 percent, which means one in eight people
are illiterate in the Lubbock area alone,” Laughlin said. “That’s staggering,
so we suddenly had to come up with an entirely new system (when COVID-19 hit)
to ensure that our students were still getting the education they wanted.” READ MORE ➤➤
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Daily Local: 3.18.2021 by Fran Maye
During
the pandemic, the Adult Literacy Program based in Exton has seen demand for its
services grow so quickly, there is a deep shortage of volunteer tutors. And
without tutors, students who need to get their GED or to learn the English
language to get jobs must wait until more tutors become available.
"We
currently have 38 pairs working virtually together but have a long list of
students waiting for a tutor," said Debbie Rikess, the Adult Tutoring
Program Coordinator for Chester County OIC,
an adult literacy program that serves Chester County. The program has a
long-standing partnership with the Chester County Library
in Exton.
The
waiting list exceeds 40 people. The program, which is free and receives funding
from the state, is currently all virtual, eliminating the need for Rikess to
place volunteer tutors in close proximity with their students. But as the
county gradually eases out of the pandemic, there could be individualized
one-on-one instruction later this year. READ
MORE ➤➤
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Newport News Times: 3.18.2021 by Paul Haeder, Shangri-La employment counselor
I
used to get my elbows up into many literacy projects as an English and writing
faculty member at community colleges, universities, prison school programs and
writing/journalism workshops for people who are exploited because of their
status as low income or as former felons, and those homeless citizens as well
as adults living with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Events
like “Banned Books Month” (October) or National Poetry Month (April) I worked
hard to promote/support. Big journalism organizations like Project Censored and
groups like Reporters without Borders are still in my blood.
I
am now working again in a small rural community dotted with small towns. I am
not only supporting folks with job development and on-the-job training and
coaching, but I am helping two Lincoln County citizens with reading literacy.
In
my situation with Shangri-La,
these two are adult men in their 30s who are seeking reading literacy programs.
It
may come as a surprise to citizens, lawmakers and politicians alike, but
Lincoln County does not have a literacy center. There is no one-stop place for
people who need literacy tutoring, whether they are functionally illiterate in
their English skills as a U.S.-born citizen, or those who are English as a
second/third language learners. READ MORE ➤➤
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