Literacy ▬ Spanning the US :: Concord NC :: Collierville TN :: Grafton WI :: Altadena CA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

Cabarrus County
 Public Library

Cabarrus Libraries, Literacy Council Partner To Feed Minds And Those In Need
WBTV: 4.22.2021 by David Whisenant

The Cabarrus County Public Library System is collaborating with the Cabarrus Literacy Council (CLC) to promote reading and giving through the new Pages for Pantries challenge.

Cabarrus Literacy 
Council

During the month of May, readers can join the Pages for Pantries challenge on the Beanstack app to read as part of a community team. The community team with the most minutes read will have a $2,500 donation made to their local food pantry to help support food assistance programs.

The $2,500 total is a combination of matching funds from the literacy council and donations made in memory of Mary Anne Irvin.

Irvin was a local literacy advocate who passed away in December 2020 after a lifetime dedicated to education and giving back to her community. She passionately promoted a love of reading within her students, first as a teacher and then through her work with CLC. Upon her passing, family asked that memorial donations be made to the literacy council, which sparked the Pages for Pantries partnership.

“I can think of no greater tribute to Mary Irvin’s legacy of learning than sponsoring this program in her name,” said Christy Wilhelm, CLC Board Member. “Pages for Pantries will carry out her work of encouraging a love of reading to continue nourishing the minds of our community, along with stocking our food banks to nourish their bodies.  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)

 

@literacycville

Collierville Literacy Council Expands Vision Under New Leadership
Daily Memphian: 4.22.2021 by Abigail Warren

Penny Aronson wants to expand the reach of the Collierville Literacy Council setting her sights on more programs to help the community.

Aronson took over as executive director of the non-profit in January and has her sights set on a larger reach and more programs.

“I really saw the forest of the trees, and I kind of saw what the city needed,” said Aronson who became executive director in January after three years as the program coordinator. “This is all about serving. Service over self.”

Third-grade retention law causes suburban superintendents angst

The non-profit CLC with its three employees previously focused on helping adults with reading and pursuing their GED. Since 2017, the program has concentrated more on helping people read and less on the equivalency of a high school diploma.

“This new mission is our vision,” Aronson said. “When we talk about literacy, it’s not just learning to read.”  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)

 

@ALCOzaukee

Despite Pandemic, Adult Literacy Program Still Helping Immigrants
TMJ 4: 4.21.2021 by Julia Fello

A Russian couple moved to Cedarburg just weeks after the start of the pandemic.

An adult literacy program in Ozaukee County has remained open through it all to continue to help immigrants during this pandemic.

Julie Soloveva and her husband had 48 hours to move from Moscow to Wisconsin last March, “Because all the borders were shutting down at this time.”

Her husband landed a coveted work visa in the United States and she is ready to get to work in IT as well, “I need to find a job here and it appeared that I don’t know how.”

That is where she met her tutor, Lisa at the Adult Literacy Center of Ozaukee County.

🔽
This free program has been running at Grace Lutheran Church in Grafton for more than 30 years.

They serve about 50 students per year, and tutors like Lisa volunteer who says, “I really love this country.”   WATCH 02:13

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 9

Reading Level: standard / average.

Reader's Age: 13-15 yrs. old

(Eighth and Ninth graders)

 

Adult Literacy Program at the Bob Lucas Memorial Library & Literacy Center

@AltadenaLibrary

Altadena Library: 4.22.2021

Funded in part by a grant from the California State Library, the Adult Literacy Services program, “Let’s Read Altadena,” of the Altadena Library District has been serving the residents of Altadena since 1988. Instruction is provided by volunteer tutors who have completed a self-paced, online tutor training course.  WATCH  02:04

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Kingsport TN :: Richmond VA :: Redlands CA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

@LiteracyKPT

Literacy Council, Its Students Finding Creative Ways To Navigate COVID-19 Pandemic
Times News: 3.21.2021 by Leigh Anne Hoover

March is National Reading Month. Most people in the Kingsport community are familiar with my adult literacy student, Ralph Buck.

Over the past several years, in addition to not being able to read, Ralph has been battling ongoing issues with his hearing. He has endured ear problems and hearing difficulties since childhood. Ralph was born with a cleft palate, which has resulted in hearing issues, hearing aids and multiple surgeries.

Over the past year, Ralph’s hearing has decreased beyond the point of being helped with hearing aids. His ear, nose and throat specialist in Kingsport has done everything possible for Ralph, and has referred him to a specialist in Knoxville for evaluation to determine if Ralph is a cochlear implant candidate. The complete evaluation requires numerous tests, immunizations and trips to Knoxville, but Ralph is a willing and compliant patient.

🔽
During 2020, COVID restrictions forced the Literacy Council of Kingsport and First Broad Street United Methodist to temporarily close.

All of this changed Ralph’s routine in a big way.  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)

 

@TheREADCenter

Supporting Reading in RVA
For 40 years, The READ Center has helped adults build fundamental literacy skills
Richmond Magazine: 3.21.2021 by Paula Peters Chambers

March may be National Reading Month, but literacy is always the focus at The READ Center, a local nonprofit that helps adults acquire and expand skills they need for personal and professional success. With an estimated 73,000 Richmonders lacking basic literacy skills, there’s plenty of work to be done.

“Every important social issue is impacted by low literacy: health, poverty, parenting, housing, education, civic engagement and employment,” READ Center Program Manager Nausha Brown Chavez says. “Building fundamental reading, writing, math and digital skills gives people the power to find and keep sustainable employment, lower health care costs, increase their earnings, and lift themselves out of poverty. These literacy skills help people improve their self-confidence and self-sufficiency and, ultimately, change their lives.”

Founded in 1982 as the Literacy Council of Metropolitan Richmond by Altrusa International Richmond Inc. — a professional businesswomen’s service club — The READ Center provides free one-on-one and group instruction to adults who read below a seventh-grade level. Students are assessed when they enter the program and typically start in classes that meet twice a week for two hours. Students reading at the fourth-grade level or above have the option of working privately with a tutor and must commit to meeting at least once a week for two hours. During the 2019-20 school year, nearly 150 students received instruction through the center.

Research indicates that 100-150 hours of instruction, on average, are needed to advance a single reading level.   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)

 

@AKSmileyPL

Literacy Program Challenges Redlands To Get Caught Up In ‘Charlotte’s Web’
Redlands Community News: 3.11.2021 by Shari Forbes

This year’s Redlands Community Read selection is E.B. White’s classic book “Charlotte’s Web,” first published in 1952 and illustrated by Garth Williams.

Sponsored by the A.K. Smiley Public Library’s Adult Literacy Program, the annual Community Read Challenge is open to all who wish to participate.

The challenge features monthly activities related to the book, culminating in a community celebration in the fall of 2021. Illustration and writing activities can be submitted to the library and may be chosen for display in the library or other city facilities.  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)

 

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Wichita Falls TX :: Kinston NC :: Elizabethton TN :: Allentown PA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

WALC

WALC Book Fair Finds New Home at MPEC This Weekend
Newstalk 1290: 3.03.2021 by Dave Diamond

The Wichita Falls Adult Literacy Council is saying this book fair will have double the books and triple the space of their previous events.

The 21st annual WALC Book Fair is this Thursday through Saturday and it's in a brand new location. For several years the book fairs have been held at the Sikes Lake Center building at Midwestern State University. The room was filled with rows of tables filled with books and just enough space for readers to wander through and find their treasures. This year the Book Fair will be held in the Ray Clymer Exhibit Hall at the MPEC. That means the WALC will have a lot more space to work with so shoppers can spread out and maintain some social distancing as they browse.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 9

Reading Level: fairly easy to read.

Reader's Age: 13-15 yrs. old

(Eighth and Ninth graders)

 

@neuselibrary

Greene Library Outreach Helps Adults Improve Literacy Skills
Reflector: 3.04.2021

When it comes to community resources, the Greene County Public Library takes pride in having it all: internet access, job assistance, community spaces, you name it. One of our first and foremost objectives is to promote literacy. To that end, we would like to ask this question: would you or someone you know like assistance with improving your reading, writing or other essential functions? If so, we invite you to come and register for our Literacy Without Barriers Adult Literacy Program.

Throughout the past year and into the upcoming spring season, one of the objectives of the Neuse Regional Libraries has been to help increase the literacy skills through strategic partnerships with community entities and the educational expertise of our librarians. This dream has been made tangible due to a $29,121 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Due to the abundant provisions of this grant, we have been able to make our library a free tutoring center for adults who need assistance in enhancing their basic life skills.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 16

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: College graduate

 

RSM

Local Program Seeks Tutors To Continue Work With Adult Learners And Literacy
Elizabethton: 3.03.2021

A local project that pairs high school students who desire to be teachers with adult learners who want help with literacy skills needs a helping hand.

Adult tutors are needed to work with the adult learners who are part of the faith-based recovery program, Recovery Soldiers Ministry (RSM), in Elizabethton.

The high school students create specialized literacy packets for each adult learner which are then sent to the adult learners, and tutors are just needed to provide hands-on help for the adult learners as they move through the packets.

The program was born when RSM founder and director, Josh Scalf, approached Alex Campbell, who works at Elizabethton High School, about the literacy needs of some of his residents.  READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 13

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 18-19 yrs. old

(college level entry)

 

@TLCAllentown

Talking Business with Tina Hamilton: Developing Skills For The Remote Workforce
The Morning Call: 3.05.2021 by Tina Hamilton

A few weeks ago, many of you witnessed a viral video of a lawyer who got stuck on a Zoom kitten filter during a virtual court case. He is attempting to talk to a judge while his face is a kitten looking side to side.

While it was entertaining, the reality is that technology is a struggle for remote workers who are not accustomed to managing technology independently from home.

The people who struggle range from managers and hourly workers who aren’t technologically adept, to executives who no longer have an assistant sitting nearby to fix their technology mishaps. Even digital natives who can operate the technology often grapple with how to communicate effectively across them.

🔽
There are solutions for those willing to make a change and upgrade their skills. One of the best kept secrets in the Lehigh Valley is The Literacy Center. Many know of the not-for-profit The Literacy Center is offering English as a Second Language classes and GED instruction, classes it has provided for decades.

It also offers training to advance the skills of anyone in the local workforce.  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)

Literacy – Spanning North America :: Nashville TN :: Green Bay WI :: Thunder Bay ON

Literacy In The News :: Spanning North America

@NashvilleLit

The Nashville Adult Literacy Council Helps Adults Achieve Their Educational Goals
Nashville Scene: 2.04.2021 by Kelsey Beyeler

Speaking and writing well in your community’s dominant language is a privilege that’s easy to take for granted when you’ve been doing it most of your life. But for some, language is an everyday struggle. Marceline Sibomana, a refugee from Burundi, is all too familiar with the difficulties language barriers bring. When she came to Nashville 14 years ago, she was only able to attend one month of school.

“I had to know how to write my name in English, how to greet people in English,” Sibomana says. “I didn’t have a chance to continue because the life was so hard. I had to pay bills, I had a baby to take care of, so I dropped.”

Sibomana’s story echoes those of many other Nashvillians, both immigrants and nonimmigrants, who have had to prioritize survival over education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, one in eight adult Nashvillians lacks basic literacy skills; meanwhile, the population of residents who have immigrated to Nashville has grown from 2 percent to more than 12 percent over the past two decades.

Though many non-native English speakers can converse well, they may still need assistance with advanced language topics or specialized instruction related to their professions. The Nashville Public Library estimates that 250,000 adult Nashvillians need educational assistance with English language learning, high school equivalency testing and basic literacy skills. According to the NPL, not only could increased literacy help more adults progress, it could also lower unemployment, poverty and crime rates.  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)

@LiteracyGB

As Literacy Green Bay Bounces Back From Pandemic, The Non-Profit Calls For Tutors
WBAY: 2.03.2021 by Kati Anderson

Literacy Green Bay is celebrating 40 years of offering classes to English Language learners, but are facing several challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“When the pandemic hit, we just didn’t have as many people enrolling and a lot of people who were enrolled dropped off,” said Robyn Hallet, executive director of Literacy Green Bay.

Classrooms have been empty for almost a year after the non-profit closed its doors for the first five months of the pandemic.

Getting adult English language learners back on track, even virtually, has been a struggle.

“A lot of them are working whatever hours they can work. They’re busy helping their children with their own academic advancements at home, just keeping up with those basic needs and they put their own education on the back burner,” said Hallet.

Now the organization is seeing some students come back and the organization is looking for volunteer tutors.  WATCH 02:00

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)

 

Thunder Bay 
Literacy Group

Literacy Group Teaching Important Digital Skills During Pandemic
TB Newswatch: 2.05.2021 by Doug Diaczuk

As people’s lives are moving more and more online during the COVID-19 pandemic, a local organization is continuing its tireless work to ensure everyone has the skills needed to navigate this digitally dependent world.

Thunder Bay Literacy Group is seeing significant demand for services during the pandemic and continues to offer supports remotely to those in need.

“When you are moving through this pandemic more and more, things are moving online, which makes things challenging,” said Holly Karsten, executive director of Thunder Bay Literacy Group.

“We have had a huge increase in demand for computer classes. So people having to even place a grocery order online or having to do their banking online for the first time or helping their children access schooling online. We’ve had a really big jump in demand for computer classes.”

Karsten said for the first time in its history, Thunder Bay Literacy Group has moved all its programming online due to COVID-19 restrictions. It offers classes in basic reading, writing, math, computers, and test taking and these skills are needed now more than ever.

“Literacy skills are needed every day in work, home, school, and in the community and 40 per cent of Ontarians don’t have the literacy skills they need for work, home, and life,” Karsten said. “We empower adults to reach their goals and improve their quality of life.”  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)

Literacy – Spanning the US :: Azusa CA :: Maryville TN :: Lee MA

Literacy In The News :: Spanning the US

Inspired Citizenship: Martha Zamora
Azusa Literacy Updates: Fall 2020

Our Inspired Citizenship program has seen 200 new citizens of the United States of America. Inspired Citizenship offers a Civic classes and one on one tutoring.

Martha is one of the learners in our Inspired Citizenship program at the moment. Martha also participates in our Gr ESL program. I talk with Martha about what Citizenship means to her. To listen to our short discussion please click the link below.  LISTEN 03:01

@AdultEdofBC

Adult Education Foundation of Blount County Urges Community to 'Share the Love of Learning'
Daily Times: 1.17.2021 by Amy Beth Miller

COVID-19 has been a triple hit to adult education efforts.

The need to address skill gaps is more intense, pandemic precautions make delivering instruction complicated and funding is critically low.

The Adult Education Foundation of Blount County had planned a big celebration for its 25th Annual Adult Spelling Bee in April 2020, an event that traditionally brings in more than $4,000 but had to be canceled because of COVID-19.

🔽
The AEFBC partners with other organizations to offer a wide variety of programs. Despite the county’s relatively low unemployment rate, the need for higher literacy, numeracy and workforce skills is high.

Estimates based on data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies put one in six Blount County residents at the lowest level of literacy.

“They can’t really comprehend printed material,” particularly beyond short paragraphs, Taylor explained.

Nearly 39% are at Level 2 on the three-level scale, struggling to do more than simple measurements.  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)

 

@litnetsb

LitNet Launches Monthly TV Show
Berkshire Eagle: 1.19.2021 by Jeannie Maschino

The Literacy Network of South Berkshire announces the launch of its new monthly cable TV show, "Literacy Network of South Berkshire Presents …."

Co-hosted by LitNet Executive Director Leigh Doherty and LitNet board member and local educator Roselle Chartock, each episode will delve into LitNet's past, present and future by featuring learners, tutors, individuals significant to the organization's history and development, community leaders, educational professionals and more.

The show’s goal is to spread awareness of the work the organization does, to delve into topics surrounding adult and ESOL education, and to inform the community of how it might become involved with LitNet.

In the show’s first episode, "Tutor Talk," Doherty speaks with four LitNet tutors — two seasoned, two new — about why they became involved in LitNet, what their journeys with their learners have been like and their advice to prospective tutors.  WATCH 28:35