Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US
Get ready to enjoy storybooks in a whole new way!
Midcoast Literacy, a non-profit organization that provides free literacy tutoring to people of all ages, is putting on its second free, live Readers Theater production on Sunday, April 25, at 4 p.m. It will feature local, professional actors reading “Doctor DeSoto” by William Steig and “Today I Will Fly!” by Mo Willems. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event will be held over Zoom. Viewers will need an online performance link which you can get by going to www.midcoastliteracy.org or by contacting Midcoast Literacy at admin@midcoastlit.org
“A Readers Theater performance is a great way to experience children’s books in a whole new way. It’s a read-aloud and a theatrical show all in one,” said Don Lader, Midcoast Literacy’s executive director. “After our debut online event in December, we heard so much positive feedback from families we decided to do another production this spring.”
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“We’re making Readers Theater a tradition at Midcoast Literacy,” said Lader, “and are optimistically looking forward to hosting a live performance in a local theater in the not-too distant future.” READ MORE ➤➤
Based on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 8
Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 12-14 yrs. old
(Seventh and Eighth graders)
✽ Illiteracy Creates Hurdle For Clevelanders Looking For COVID Vaccine Information
Seeds of Literacy Blog: 3.24.2021 by Steven Hernandez Maria Rodriguez did not learn how to read full documents until she was in her 50s.
Now, she’s helping others with similar struggles at Seeds of Literacy in Cleveland’s West Side, while encouraging them to find the right information about the coronavirus vaccine.
“I feel what they feel, and I feel the scare, the worry, the tension,” Rodriguez said.
While many Clevelanders want to get their dose of the vaccine, adult illiteracy means they are easily swayed in the wrong direction by rumors and false information. According to research from Case Western Reserve University, 66 percent of Clevelanders are functionally illiterate.
Rodriguez, who has interacted with residents with similar struggles, has heard of these faulty reasonings first-hand.
“‘I’m allergic to this kind of food,’ or ‘I’m not going to take the Covid [vaccine] because someone told me if I take the [vaccine] with my issue I might die,’” she has heard.
Adult illiteracy is also a significant hurdle to overcome for minority communities. The same Case Western study notes that some neighborhoods have an illiteracy rate of 95 percent, predominantly in areas with high numbers of minorities. WATCH 01:55
Based on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 12
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 17-18 yrs. old
(Twelfth graders)
✽ Seeds of Literacy Helping Ohioans Receive Accurate Information About COVID, Vaccines
Seeds of Literacy Blog: 3.25.2021 by Kevin Freeman Many Ohioans complain about the troubles they encounter, trying to make a reservation for a COVID-19 vaccine. But for people who struggle to read and write, getting accurate information about the coronavirus and vaccines, in general, can often be a daunting task.
“When you’re a student who struggles with literacy, then being able to make sense out of all the information that’s out there, that can be very challenging,” said Carmine Stewart, vice president of programming for the Seeds of Literacy.
Sorting through information and misinformation, related to coronavirus and how to get the COVID-19 vaccine can be mind-boggling for just about anyone. But for someone who is functionally illiterate, it can be overwhelming.
“They struggle with basic tasks, like reading, writing, taking information, numerical or printed and then being able to understand what they’re reading and then being able to apply that,” said Stewart.
Stewart says 66 percent of Cleveland residents are considered functionally illiterate. 88 percent of people in the program lack the most basic computer skills, which puts them at a major disadvantage when trying to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination. WATCH 02:02
Based on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 14
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 21-22 yrs. old
(college level)
Rogers County Literacy Council (RCLC) will be offering Zoom Citizenship Classes beginning March 29-June 10 2021. Interested Learners can contact Malinda Brown, 918-923-1338, by calling or texting, or contact Edel Godwin, RCLC Director at 918-277-4331. Classes will be designed on days and at times most convenient for the greatest number of Learners. Youtube videos will also be provided for information review.
The RCLC has been awarded a grant from the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA), which is administered by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and Oklahoma Museum and Library Services. “The demand for Citizenship Classes has increased and the RCLC is proud to have once again been awarded the LSTA grant to serve this community need,” says Edel Godwin, Executive Director of the RCLC.
These small-group classes are designed to help strengthen the learner’s language and literacy skills as he or she prepares for the United States citizenship examination.
“Learners must learn the rights and duties of citizens as well as utilizing the basic English skills needed to understand the questions on the naturalization exam,” Godwin explains. READ MORE ➤➤
Based on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 13
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 18-19 yrs. old
(college level entry)
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