Literacy In The News ::
Spanning the US
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| National City Public Library |
National City Library Literacy Services Newsletter: April 2021
In 1978, I worked at the International Center
for Language Studies in Bogota, as an ESL instructor during an extended stay in
Colombia. I found the experience rewarding and the eagerness learners displayed
inspiring. On my return to the U.S., I enrolled in college, met my future
husband, and life continued. Nonetheless, I remembered with fondness my
experience teaching ESL to learners, ranging in age 18 to 60, who were seeking
employment as flight attendants, in the field of hospitality and tourism to
established corporate executives to retirees, stay-at-home mothers, and other
delightful individuals.
Fast-forward to January 2018. An email I received from the literacy services at the National City Public Library highlighted an opening for a volunteer ESL tutor. On the spot, I applied. After orientation, I was asked to lead a class. I entered the classroom with a flutter of butterflies in my stomach, but instantly, I felt at ease. Soon after, I was assigned to tutor a learner preparing for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam. Within a few months, a learner skilled with computers joined, then the third learner, and a wonderful ESL trio was formed. Shortly thereafter, I was offered a group of learners for an evening class followed by another group for a morning class, and the fun amplified.
Why I Recommend Tutoring:
Whether an individual is a tutor or a learner, everyone has something to contribute. Seek tutoring in math, ESL, computer readiness, writing classes, as well as unconventional classes, such as driver’s license and citizenship test preparation—knowledge is key. I often share with learners: as I am getting older, the more I realize there is still a great deal for me to learn.
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Oswego County Today: 4.26.2021
Oswego
County Opportunities (OCO) Literacy
Volunteers of Oswego County tutors were named
co-recipient of OCO’s prestigious Howard Wilcox Volunteer of the Year Award.
Established in memory of a very special OCO
volunteer, the Howard Wilcox Volunteer of the Year Award is presented annually
to a volunteer that goes above and beyond in offering their time and talents to
an OCO program.
Literacy Volunteers of Oswego County (LVOC)
provides one-to-one tutoring to adults seeking assistance in reading and math.
LVOC’s Literacy Leaders team is comprised of eight volunteer tutors. These
dedicated individuals provide weekly tutoring services in reading, writing,
math, English speaking, computer, and workplace skills to adult students to
assist them in reaching their educational and employment goals. Tutors develop
individualized learning plans taught at a pace that works best for the student.
Literacy Volunteers of
Oswego County
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented
the LVOC program and its tutors with a number of obstacles. The transition to
distance learning was not an easy one but the tutors stepped up to overcome
those obstacles and provided a variety of remote learning options tailored to
each student’s technological capabilities. From Zoom and Go-To meetings to
delivering learning packets to students and tutoring via telephone, the tutors
did what was needed to continue to help students meet their literacy goals. As
a result the LVOC program and its students have thrived during a very
challenging time. READ MORE ➤➤
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Marshall News Messenger: 4.28.2021 by Jessica Harker
When Marshall citizens were forced indoors a
year ago due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, many community members
chose to take the time to further their education.
Whether it was to improve their job
prospects, or to fulfill a personal goal, the Marshall Harrison County Literacy Council
supplied the tools these community members needed to get their General
Educational Development certificate, or GED’s.
“People don’t finish high school for a huge
variety of reasons, and when they come into the office interested in getting
their GED, that already is such a huge step,” said director Karen Bickerdike.
She said that the difference in wages from
somebody with a GED and someone without one is about $4 or $5 an hour.
“A lot of people decided that when they had time, they were going to seize the opportunity and try for their GED,” Bickerdike said.
“One third of Harrison County is low literate or what we call ‘functionally literate’,” Bickerdike said. “That can be stressful, and burdensome for someone to deal with every day.” READ MORE ➤➤
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Texomas Homepage: 4.28.2021 by Shatanya Clarke
According to the Wichita Adult Literacy Council
officials, one in five adults in Wichita County is at the lowest literacy
level.
They’re working to change that, but they say
they need more volunteers and donations.
Nikki Schwartz, board vice president of the
Wichita Adult Literacy Council said she enjoys being a part of an organization
that supports the advancement of individuals in the community.
“We’ve seen people who just want to read the
bible, we help save people, we help people be a better parent, be a better
employee which in turn helps our community,” Schwarts said.
Executive Director Carla Arinder said the
sole purpose of WALC is to improve the literacy skills of each individual it
serves all while promoting awareness of the literacy issues within the
community.
“We predominantly have students here in Wichita Falls but we do have about an 11 county range,” Arinder said.
Officials with the organization said they were forced to cancel two major fundraisers because of the pandemic hence they’ve seen a $40,000 decrease in what it generally takes to keep the doors open.
“This past year, the year of COVID we still were able to provide over 5,000 hours of tutoring services,” Arinder said. “The year before in 2019 we were able to do almost twelve thousand so it was cutting in half.” WATCH 02:19
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