Literacy ▬ Spanning North America :: Orlando FL :: Winnipeg MB :: Southern Pines NC :: Kingston JM

Literacy In The News :: Spanning North America

@oclslibrary

Orange County Libraries Offer Free English, Spanish Courses For All Levels
Click Orlando: 5.04.2021 by Crystal Moyer

The Orange County Library System offers English and Spanish courses for all skill levels, free of charge.

The course use to be taught in-person at several of its branches, but because of the pandemic, they’ve had to go virtual. You can now learn English or Spanish from just about anywhere.

“As a new immigrant I wanted to improve my language, I want to get more in the community,” said Hetty Huang.

Huang was born and raised in China. A few years ago, she moved to the U.S. with hopes of studying at the University of Central Florida. With little English, she took the college entry test.

“I failed, but I didn’t give up, I continued to study,” said Huang.

She started taking English courses with the Orange County Library System. The curriculum created 15 years ago by ESL Specialist Jelitza Rivera.

“We have writing courses. Writing clearly with grammar and we work slowly to help them get to whole paragraphs and cover letters. Then we have speaking classes where we work on pronunciation,” said Rivera.

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Rivera said moving from in-person classes to virtual provides more flexibility for her students. She said the program now has more than 200 students from many different cultures.

“We have Chinese, Mandarin and Vietnamese students. We have Arabic students and we have a lot of Brazilians, not just Spanish,” said Rivera. “I get exposure to a lot more culture, a lot more language. As a professional, I become better informed.”

The library also offers several free digital resources to help you continue learning outside of class, from your phone or computer.  WATCH 04:42

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 7

Reading Level: standard / average.

Reader's Age: 11-13 yrs. old

(Sixth and Seventh graders)

 

Elmwood Community 
Resource Centre

Reading And More At Community Resource Centre
Winnipeg Free Press: 5.08.2021 by Susan Huebert

Some people might barely remember a time before they could read. Others, however, might struggle long into adulthood to be able to comprehend what they see on the page. For people like these, the GOAL adult literacy and upgrading program at the Elmwood Community Resource Centre is available to help.

The need for literacy is everywhere in Canadian society, from filling out job applications to reading instructions or recipes to sitting and relaxing with a good book on quiet afternoons. In many jobs, good reading comprehension is essential. When people are unable to develop the necessary skills in childhood, learning as an adult can help.

The GOAL program is geared towards the needs of its students. Adults aged 18 and up can register at any time of the year, as the program has a continuous intake of students. New arrivals receive a quick assessment of their skills and a customized learning plan, designed to help them earn a GED certificate or gain a work promotion.

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As Condo says, the organization has "20 years of being in the community, serving the community."  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)

 

Moore County 
Literacy Council

Moore County Literacy Council Builds Self-Esteem, Skills, New U.S. Citizens
Sandhill Sentinel: 5.07.2021

The Moore County Literacy Council had two new tutors graduate on May 4 from its tutoring training program. Aggie Cohen and Flavia Abele will now offer tutoring in English as a second language. The tutoring program assists in both learning English and in attaining U.S. citizenship.

Cohen retired to Moore County after living in Pennsylvania for 30 years. She said she could complain on the sidelines and moan about how many people do not have jobs and cannot read – or help someone.

Abele has lived in Moore County for one year since her spouse retired from the military. She volunteered as a tutor in Maryland and said it was a lot of fun. She said so far she has only helped with Spanish-speaking students.

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“I get to see people improve their lives, especially see their self-esteem go up every time they come,” Program Specialist Susan Lamm said.

There is a wide range of languages and dialects entering Moore County Literacy Council. Students from the Philippines, Italy, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Taiwan are a few. “Asian students have a difficult time because they don’t have r’s in their language,” Lamm said. “They have to learn that weird sound.”  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 7

Reading Level: standard / average.

Reader's Age: 11-13 yrs. old

(Sixth and Seventh graders)

 

JFLL

There's Hope Amid The Difficulties
Jamaica Observer: 5.10.2021

Available statistics — up to four or five years ago — appear to suggest that close to 88 per cent of Jamaicans were classified as literate; that is, able to read and write.

That's still way behind a number of this country's Caribbean neighbours, and, without doubt, COVID-19, which has mostly hindered or prevented face-to-face schooling since March last year, will worsen upcoming literacy indicators.

However, for older Jamaicans, who go back to the early 1970s when Jamaica's literacy rate among adults was only about 50 per cent — triggering Mr Michael Manley's adult literacy programme — the current situation is a vast improvement.

We've ventured down this road as a direct result of two articles in yesterday's Sunday Observer which touched squarely on the importance of basic literacy.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 16

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

Literacy ▬ Spanning the US :: Lee MA :: Cocoa FL :: Philadelphia PA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

@litnetsb

Four LitNet Learners Are Recipients Of Diane Laurin Memorial Fund
Berkshire Edge: 4.28.2021 by Amanda Giracca

The Literacy Network of South Berkshire (LitNet) recently announced that Guadalupe Miranda, Claudia Villamil, Viviana Moreno, and Carolina Escobar are the recipients of the Diane Laurin Memorial Fund Scholarship, a grant for LitNet learners established to honor the memory of LitNet Board member and colleague Diane Laurin, who passed away suddenly in 2009. LitNet’s volunteer tutors were asked to nominate learners who fit the scholarship descriptor: learners who demonstrate commitment to their learning goals, to improving their financial stability, and to gaining independence, and who will use the fund to further their educational and civic goals. The $150 award is to be used as the recipient sees fit.

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“It was such a pleasure to read the nomination letters from tutors and to then hear the sense of gratitude and inspiration from the learner recipients upon receiving these unexpected funds,” said LitNet Executive Director Leigh Doherty. “My guess is Diane Laurin herself would feel very proud to be able to acknowledge such committed people who are on the road to transforming their lives.”

Diane Laurin was the publisher of Laurin Publishing in Pittsfield and throughout her life was involved with several area nonprofits, educational programs, and cultural venues, and was serving on the board of LitNet at the time of her death.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 17

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

 

Literacy for Adults 
in Brevard

Volunteer Programs Helps Adults With Literacy
Hometown News: 4.29 2021 by Josh Whitener

The adult illiteracy rate in the United States is 21% according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Literacy for Adults in Brevard (LAB) is a local nonprofit staffed by volunteers from around the county who work with adult residents on literacy composition. LAB started in 1971 and the organization will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in October.

“It actually got started in Titusville by a group of Methodist women who wanted to help the migrants,” said Vicky Dunn, volunteer and vice-president of LAB.

For the past five decades the organization has helped residents qualify for jobs, work towards citizenship requirements and improve the quality of their reading and writing skills.

“We’ve been up and down and all around with how many volunteers we’ve had and of course COVID has had an impact on us,” she said. “We were pretty quiet during 2020. We couldn’t meet in the libraries which is our primary space to see our students, but we’re coming back to life now. A lot of our volunteers have already had their vaccine and we’re reaching out to our students that we’ve had to see if they are ready to start up again.”  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 11

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. olds

(Tenth to Eleventh graders)

 

Beyond Literacy

Beyond Literacy: Combining Nearly 90 Years Of History Into One Org
Generocity: 4.29.2021 by Grace Shallow

Access to a college education changed Enrico Crispo’s life about 25 years ago.

“I went to a public high school in a blue-collar town in North Jersey, and I was lucky to get an athletic scholarship to go to a good college and get a good education,” Crispo said. “For me, education opened a lot more doors.”

Crispo now serves as the board president of Beyond Literacy, the product of a merger between two long-standing Philadelphia organizations—the Community Learning Center and the Center for Literacy. He credits the The Nonprofit Repositioning Fund and William Penn Foundation for providing critical support and funding to aid the merger and its strategic planning activities.

Beyond Literacy (BeLit) will focus on expanding opportunities for adults through education and workforce readiness.

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Education gaps are a prevalent issue in Philadelphia. According to an interactive mapping tool by the National Center for Education Statistics, 32 percent of Philadelphians lack basic literacy and 49 percent lack basic math skills. These numbers have serious implications; a report by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board linked low levels of literacy with poverty, poor health and the likelihood of incarceration. The same report noted adult education as a powerful driver of the local economy.  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)

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Tyler TX :: Lakeland FL :: New Bedford MA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

@lcotyler

Literacy Council of Tyler Continues Mission To Improve Adult Literacy Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Tyler Paper: 3.31.2021 by Raquel Torres

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of life, including education and literacy.

@LiteracyTexas

Literacy Texas and Baylor University Diana R. Garland School of Social Work released survey results last week that identified barriers — lack of technology and education — created by COVID-19 impacting Texas nonprofit adult literacy providers and students.

Leaders of the Literacy Council of Tyler participated in the survey. Though researchers determined that lack of access to technology is a major hurdle in literacy training, they identified a passionate and resilient community of professionals and volunteers committed to Texas’ adult literacy achievement.

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“Because of all the changes in the workforce, people are either out of work for the first time in a long time, or they might be underemployed, or something has changed within their job and they realize they need their GED, or they need to go a totally different direction,” Patterson said.

This is where she says the low-literacy adults would come to the surface, because they may have been in the same job for so long and perhaps literacy wasn’t crucial to their job.

“Sometimes they just go under the radar and nobody really knows that they struggle so much with reading and writing,” Patterson said.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 14

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 21-22 yrs. old

(college level)

 

Read Lakeland

Read Lakeland Looks To Improve Adult Literacy In The Community
Tampa FP: 3.31.2021 by Conner Johnston

Currently, it is estimated that 24% of adults living in Lakeland are functioning at the lowest level of literacy. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, this 3% higher than the national average of 21% in the U.S. Read Lakeland, a local non-profit organization that started in 1995, is working to combat illiteracy in Lakeland amidst COVID-19.

Read Lakeland was originally planning their 25-year anniversary along with their annual “Kiss the Pig” fundraiser in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic forced the country to shut down. A year later, the organization is focusing on the future and how they will continue to help the community.

“A group of school teachers realized there was a need and that adults, not just children needed help,” said Beth Hesseltine, the Executive Director of Read Lakeland. “Getting a tutor for children is not a hard task but for someone over the age of 18 it can be hard to find someone who teaches an adult.”  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)

 

Discovery Language 
Academy

New Bedford's Discovery Language Academy To Offer Free Adult English Language Program

Herald News: 4.01.2021 by Lurdes C. da Silva

The Discovery Language Academy will be offering a free Adult English Language Program (AELP) with Family Support for local immigrants to learn English thanks to a $6,000 grant received from the Polaroid Fund of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts.

“The major goals of this program are to recruit 25 new AELP participants and provide nine months of intensive classroom instruction which is rigorous but enjoyable,” said Dr. Leslie Vicente, executive director of the Discovery Language Academy.

“By participating in immersive English class work, adult learners improve their language confidence and are better able to self-advocate and participate in the workplace, engage in civic events such as elections and contribute to and strengthen the fabric of the Southcoast,” added Dr. Vicente.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 17

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Edison NJ :: Quincy MA :: Bradenton FL

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

Literacy NJ

* Dreams for a Peaceful Future
Literacy NJ: Jan 2021

Dreams for a Peaceful Future: Literacy NJ Student Writing

In January 2021, Literacy NJ hosted a series of virtual events to celebrate our students and our volunteer tutors in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In preparation, our tutors taught lessons on Dr. King. Our students wrote these pieces in response, exploring themes including Dr. King’s legacy, life during the pandemic, and their own dreams for the future. Thank you to all the students who contributed. These stories help anchor us, in this tumultuous year, to our history and to our shared hope for a more peaceful and just future.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 8

Reading Level: standard / average.

Reader's Age: 12-14 yrs. old

(Seventh and Eighth graders)

 

@ThomasCranePL

Quincy Literacy Program Shows That Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way
Boston Globe: 3.03.2021 by Julia Hong Globe

On Wednesdays, Wesline Désir, 46, of Brockton, attends English literacy tutoring from the small screen of her cellphone.

Désir, who works as a home health aide in assisted living, emigrated from Haiti nearly 28 years ago. For over four years, she has been a student of the Literacy Program at Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy. The library’s literacy department, funded by the city of Quincy and the Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts, offers free reading and writing lessons to local adult residents with below sixth-grade levels.

Literacy Volunteers
of Massachusetts

These one-on-one lessons became virtual with the COVID-19 pandemic — a challenge, considering that some tutors and many adult students were inexperienced in technology.

On the other line, Désir’s tutor, Lisa Hemphill, 62, of Hingham meets with her by video chat. Sometimes, poor sound quality or a choppy connection can disrupt their lessons, especially when they are practicing letter or word pronunciations.

“I don’t have a whiteboard like I do in the tutoring room, so it just seems like everything takes maybe 20 or 30 percent longer,” said Hemphill, who tutors three students for an hour to 90 minutes each week. “Trying to judge how much they are really getting it — that’s harder to do.”

To compensate for the physical distance, Hemphill has been mailing out worksheets for students to complete and text photos of the pages for feedback. During lessons, she might hold her phone up to her laptop screen for Désir to follow along with online readings — a complicated but necessary setup, considering that Désir does not know how to use a laptop yet.

Despite these technology hurdles, Désir is determined to obtain a GED someday.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 12

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 17-18 yrs. old

(Twelfth graders)

 

@Manatee_Reads

With 68 People On The Waiting List, The Manatee Literacy Council Is Searching For Volunteers
Your Observer: 3.03.2021 by Liz Ramos

Lakewood Ranch’s Maria Alvarez knew that in order to get a job, she would need to become more proficient in English.

Although she was a psychologist in her home country of Venezuela, Alvarez said she wouldn’t be able to get a job in the same field in the U.S. because of the language barrier.

Since she moved to Lakewood Ranch in September 2020, Alvarez has been working as a nanny and delivery driver. She’s thinking about pursuing a career in massage therapy.

Alvarez started researching classes to help her learn how to speak and read in English and discovered the Manatee Literacy Council, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the level of functional literacy in adults in Manatee County.

The Manatee Literacy Council has volunteers who work with learners one on one or in a group to develop their skills in speaking and reading in English, prepare learners for the U.S. citizenship test and more.

The nonprofit also offers conservation and workplace literacy classes. The council is developing programs for digital and financial literacy with the hopes of starting them in the summer and fall.

Michelle Desveaux McLean, the executive director of the Manatee Literacy Council, said the nonprofit is always in need of more tutors, especially since the pandemic began and several tutors decided to stop volunteering because they didn’t feel comfortable tutoring online.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

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)

* Newsletters ◻ Blogs ◻ Stories

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Jacksonville FL :: Kinston NC :: Riverside CA :: Philadelphia PA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

@LiteracyAllNEFL

Free Digital Literacy Classes Offered To Help Jacksonville Adults
Florida Times-Union: 1.05.2021 by Teresa Stepzinski

Literacy Alliance of Northeast Florida Inc. will offer a series of shops in January to help residents learn and hone basic, but essential computer skills. All will cover computer and internet basics.

In addition, the alliance will have an online curriculum covering more in-depth topics focused on computer software and internet usage. Those sessions will allow individuals to work at their own pace at whenever time that they want.

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"This is all part of our effort out of seeing the impact of COVID and realizing how much, a lot of adult learners are struggling with transitioning to and living in an online and virtual environment," said Marcus W. Haile, the organization's executive director.

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Established in 1969 as Learn to Read Jacksonville, the Literacy Alliance of Northeast Florida provides free literacy instruction to adults seeking to improve their reading, writing, and math skills.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 12

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 17-18 yrs. old

(Twelfth graders)

 

@neuselibrary

Beyond the Books
Kinston.com: 1.12.2021 by Amber Hargett, Neuse Regional Library

Fresh from ringing in the new year, it is time to get back into familiar routines.  For most, that means going back to work or back to school, which continues to look a little different thanks to COVID-19.  In 2020, we began our Homework Help program through the Literacy without Barriers program, supported by federal funds awarded and administered by the State Library of North Carolina. Unfortunately, due to the current severity of COVID-19 we have had to briefly pause in-person homework help, but we are continuing to support the learners of our community through Family Literacy Kits, another component of the Literacy Without Barriers Program.

These kits are being released as a four part series, with the second Family Literacy Kit being released in January.  Participants receive a book they can keep to add to their home library along with an activity sheet and supplies to complete the project.  Books and activity sheets are provided in both English and Spanish.  The featured titles for the month of January are Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard, and The Feelings Book / El Libro de los Sentimientos by Todd Parr.  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)

 

@RivCntyLib

Riverside County Library Literacy Services Support Adult Learning From Home
Valley News: 1.08.2020 

Approximately 32% of Riverside County residents’ ability to understand print material is considered “at-risk” according to a study by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. Literacy skills increase the ability to read with their children, pass a driver’s test and apply for jobs online. Riverside County Library System Literary Services offers programs and services to close the gap and positively impact these daily activities. RCLS addresses the adult literacy gap with free community classes and one-on-one tutoring available to all Riverside County residents. Due to the pandemic, literacy services and programs are now offered online using video conferencing. Chromebooks and tablets are also available for checkout by enrolled adult learners.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 15

Reading Level: very difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

 

@FreeLibrary

How Did The Free Library’s Cooking School Go Virtual? By Reading Up On Social Media & Zoom
Philadelphia Inquirer: 1.12.2021 by Jenn Ladd

 How do you teach knife skills over the internet? How do you lead a cooking class without providing the ingredients, or the tools, to make the recipe? And how do you cultivate a sense of community via a computer screen?

Those were the challenges presented to the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Culinary Literacy Center, a cooking school/learning hub established at the Parkway Central Library in 2014. It’s guided by the idea that not everyone learns best by reading or listening to lectures. “There are all different ways to learn,” says CLC library supervisor Caity Rietzen. “You can learn through a book, or by a fork and a spoon.”

When the pandemic forced the CLC’s extensive programming — 30-plus events per month for adults and students alike — online, Rietzen did what any librarian would do: She brushed up on her digital skills by diving into library resources like Lynda.com, taking Zoom classes on Zoom itself, and learning more about best practices on social media.

“It really was a real fast learning experience,” she says.

Today, Rietzen is a pro. Since May, the library has hosted more than 60 virtual events, including chef-led cook-alongs covering everything from homemade hot chocolate and marshmallows to Syrian cuisine and summer galettes. In some ways the transition to digital programming has even expanded the library’s reach, allowing learners to log in from near and far — sometimes with long-distance company.  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)