Literacy – Spanning the US :: St. Lucie Co FL :: Lee Co AL :: Los Angeles CA

Literacy: Spanning the US

@LearntoReadSLC

Literacy Program Receives Dollar General Grant

All Things Treasure Coast: 9.10.2019

Learn to Read of St. Lucie County was recently awarded a $10,000 Dollar General Foundation Grant to help purchase and Implement CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System). According to Learn to Read St. Lucie County Executive Director Matt Anderson, “CASAS is the most widely used competency-based assessment system in the United States designed to assess the relevant real-world basic skills of adult learners. CASAS measures the basic skills and the English language and literacy skills needed to function effectively at work and in life. Use of the CASAS skill level descriptors and assessment for ABE (Intermediate Basic Skills) and ELL (High Intermediate Level) in all five skills areas (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing, Interactions) to establish learning program objectives for all learners.”

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Learn to Read St. Lucie County was created in 1981, when Dorothy Brennan read a newspaper story about a child who nearly died of an overdose because his mother couldn’t read the instructions on a medication bottle. Brennan couldn’t bear the thought of this tragedy happening to one more family, so the Fort Pierce woman created Learn to Read St. Lucie County, a nonprofit organization which would provide free literacy services. Nearly thirty years and thousands of students later, Learn to Read St. Lucie County honored Brennan by dedicating its new facility as the Dorothy Brennan Learning Center.  READ MORE >>

@LeeCoLit

Lee County Literacy Coalition Growing, Pursuing New Technology While Commemorating ‘National Literacy Month’

Opelika Observer: 9.11.2019 by Kelly Daniel

The Lee County Literacy Coalition (LCLC), which provides free basic education to adults, is growing and evolving to meet the changing needs of growing Lee County communities.

To recognize National Literacy Month, which takes place in September, the LCLC is asking adults to read aloud their favorite children’s book on video and to share their video. In a Facebook post, the LCLC said, “With your help, we hope to demonstrate the joy of reading and engage a community of new learners. Submissions will be posted on social media throughout the month of September.   READ MORE >>

@LAPublicLibrary

Spotlight on Literacy: A Dream Come True

LAPL Blog: 7.31.2019 by Luisa Latham, Adult Literacy Tutor

Randall Hinson, Librarian, Office of Education and Literacy

Last July, three students began a journey toward literacy via Leamos, a computer-based literacy program, at the Pacoima Branch Library. Leamos teaches Spanish speaking adults, who may not have had the opportunity for formative education, to begin working toward competency in reading and writing in their native language. It also equips them with basic computer skills. It can serve as a pre-ESL(English as a Second Language) course as well.

Nine months after beginning their study, two dedicated and hardworking students have stayed the course and continued their journey toward literacy. Ana Teresa Batrez and Silvia Barahona Garcia come to the library each Monday for two hours to reinforce and extend their reading and writing skills. To date, they have succeeded in reading a wide variety of texts including children’s books, newspaper headlines, employment applications, food and prescription labels, crossword puzzle clues, horoscopes, riddles and the reflections of previous students who completed Leamos.  READ MORE >>

Leamos :: Learning Spanish First California Libraries Pilot Unique Literacy Program via Am Libraries

Learning Spanish First

California libraries pilot unique literacy program

American Libraries: 5.01.2018 by Cathay Reta

At age 7, Efren Sanchez got separated from his mother in the crowd at a Mexico City festival and wound up living on the streets. He never went to school or learned to read. In his early 30s he moved to the US. Now, at age 52, Sanchez has learned to read and write in Spanish. He was one of the first adults to enroll in the Leamos course at the Louis Robidoux branch of the Riverside County (Calif.) Library System.

Leamos is a licensed online course geared to adult learners. Typically, learners need assistance logging into the course but, with practice using the mouse, they soon become adept using it alone. A virtual instructor takes them through 46 lessons to learn how to read and write basic Spanish. Some libraries set class times in their computer labs, some provide volunteer tutors to work with learners, and others involve library staff to provide needed support. Learners can also study at home or anywhere that has internet access after becoming comfortable with the course.

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Leamos @ the Library was developed with two goals: to teach basic literacy skills to Spanish speakers, and to explore its effectiveness as a tool to reach nonlibrary users. The results? We reached 117 adult learners, more than half of whom (66 individuals) got their first library card when they enrolled in the program. Many became regular patrons and began to use other library services, as we had hoped. For example, since Santa Monica Public Library patron Maria C. (last name withheld) learned to read, she can hardly put a book down. When her brother-in-law asked, “What happened to your house? It’s not as clean as it used to be,” she replied, “Oh, now I’m reading!” In the summer of 2017, she read 20 books and received a Summer Reading Program certificate of completion.

While success stories like these have been repeated across the state, they have not come easily, and they have not happened in every community.  READ MORE >>