Literacy – Spanning North America :: Albuquerque NM :: Plankinton WI :: Prince Edward Island

Literacy: Spanning North America

@ReadingWorksAbq 

Local group aims to improve quality of life through Adult Literacy program

KRQE: 9.14.2017 by Katy Diffendorfer

Adult Literacy gives individuals the power to lift themselves out of poverty and provide a better life for their families. The nationally-recognized group, ‘Reading Works’ is championing the movement locally.

Reading Works is a nonprofit that provides free tutoring in reading, writing, math, digital literacy and English as a Second Language.  WATCH VIDEO

@WisLiteracy 

Milwaukee's effort to combat adult illiteracy

Thousands still struggle to read and write

TMJ4: 9.14.2017 by Elise Preston

As kids head back to school teachers and families are focused on making sure students grasp their work; setting them up for a successful school year and life. But, there is also a push to make sure their parents, grandparents and other adults are being educated as well.

TODAY'S TMJ4 caught up with Sonny Daniels as he worked with his tutor Kate at Literacy Services of Wisconsin.  The two have been working on spelling, reading and sounding out words for the last couple years.

“If you don't how to read or count in this world,  they gonna’ take advantage of you,” said Daniels.

As a kid, Sonny didn't grasp reading in school and dropped out. In his 30's, he’s struggled to read things like menus, signs on buildings and job applications. He would often ask for help.

“Then I would feel ashamed afterward,” said Daniels.

@LiteracyWI 

Sonny is far from alone. Ginger Duiven, with Literacy Services of Wisconsin, says about 500 adults a year are tutored just at one location on Plankinton.

“Students walk in the first time; their eyes are down on the floor, shoulders are slumped, and in months they are smiling. holding their head high,” said Duiven.

An estimated 60,000 Milwaukee adults can't read at a third-grade level. Much more aren't reading past fifth, seventh, and ninth grades. In the state of Wisconsin, the number jumps to one million and a half adults.  WATCH VIDEO

Holloand Coll

Adult Education

'I feel really proud': Former dropout wins Literacy Award, credits kids for inspiring him

Shawn Stewart dropped out of school in Grade 10

CBC News: 9.13.2017

P.E.I.'s 2017 Council of the Federation Literacy Award recipient has a message for students that may be struggling in school and are considering dropping out: never give up.

Shawn Stewart dropped out in Grade 10, but said he regretted the decision as he got older.

The father of two said he was inspired by his children to go back to school and to stick with it this time around.

"I couldn't really quit this time because there's so much on the line," he said.

"Trying to set a good example for my children."

@workplacepei

'I feel really proud'

Stewart took about three years to graduate, starting at Holland College and then moving to Workplace Learning PEI.

"It was hard at first," he said.  READ MORE @

2017 Library of Congress Literacy Awards :: Children’s Literacy Initiative :: NCFL :: Pratham Books

Library Announces Winners of 2017 Literacy Awards

Library of Congress Literacy Awards: 9.01.2017

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the winners of the 2017 Library of Congress Literacy Awards tonight at the Library of Congress National Book Festival gala.

Three organizations received awards from Hayden and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein: the Children’s Literacy Initiative; the National Center for Families and Learning; and Pratham Books.

Originated by Rubenstein in 2013, the Literacy Awards honor organizations working to promote literacy and reading in the United States and worldwide. The awards recognize groups doing exemplary, innovative and replicable work, and they spotlight the need for the global community to unite in striving for universal literacy.

“Literacy is the first line of defense against so many problems—unemployment, hunger, poor health—and gives people a foundation for a brighter future,” Hayden said. “Through the generosity of David M. Rubenstein, the Library of Congress is proud to honor these exemplary organizations for their continued efforts to raise reading levels. Their work is moving and truly life-changing, and it is our privilege to recognize them here tonight.”

Prizes and Recipients

David M. Rubenstein Prize ($150,000):

Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI), Philadelphia

works with pre-K through third-grade teachers to improve early literacy instruction so children become powerful readers, writers and thinkers

American Prize ($50,000):

National Center for Families Learning, Louisville, Kentucky

Established in 1989 by its current president, Sharon Darling, the NCFL works to eliminate poverty through educational solutions for families.

International Prize ($50,000):

Pratham Books, Bangalore, India

has helped millions of children have access to engaging, affordable, multilingual books. In order to scale the creation and distribution of multilingual content, Pratham Books launched StoryWeaver, India’s first open-source, digital repository of multilingual stories.

The Library of Congress Literacy Awards program is also honoring 15 organizations for their implementation of best practices in literacy promotion. These organizations are:

The Asia Foundation, San Francisco

Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecomb, Maine

Centre for Knowledge Assistance and Community Development, Hanoi, Vietnam

CODE, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

CommonLit Inc., Washington, D.C.

Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities/PRIME TIME, New Orleans

Reading Partners, Oakland, California

Reading Works Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sealaska Heritage Institute, Juneau, Alaska

Serve Minnesota, Minneapolis

State Library of Western Australia - Better Beginnings Family Literacy Program, Perth, Australia

Story Share Inc., Boston

Tales and Travel Memories, Elgin, Illinois

Yayasan Sulinama, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia

READ MORE @

2017 Urban Libraries Council Top Innovators :: Adult Learning

2017 Urban Libraries Council Top Innovators

Congratulations to ULC's 2017 Top Innovators and Honorable Mentions! We are thrilled to celebrate your work on our website, in our annual Top Innovators publication and with the press.

The 2017 Urban Libraries Council Innovations Initiative showcases programs that provide lifelong learning opportunities, meet the unique needs of diverse audiences, leverage technology to connect people with each other and vital resources and address community issues. Today, the ULC website houses more than 1,400 leading practices that reflect library missions, strategies, achievements and community contributions. We thank you for contributing to this valuable resource.

Learning: Adults

Innovations in reading and all literacies; GED/high school diploma; ESL, cultural enrichment; partnerships for adult education.

2017 Top Innovator
After Hours Computing >
St. Louis County Library, Missouri

2017 Honorable Mention 
San Francisco's First Digital Inclusion Week >
San Francisco Public Library, California

#ICTBC - Live Facebook Book Club ›
Wichita Public Library, Kansas

Food for Thought: A Cookbook Discussion Group ›
Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, Washington

Leap into Literacy: Navigate the World Confidently ›
Toronto Public Library, Ontario

Outreach to the Incarcerated  ›
Toronto Public Library, Ontario

LEARN at SAPL ESL Field Trip ›
San Antonio Public Library, Texas

Compose Yourself ›
Memphis Public Library and Information Center, Tennessee

Adult Literacy and Education Center ›
El Paso Public Library, Texas

The Memory Cafe: Fun for the Memory Loss Community ›
Denver Public Library, Colorado

Fun Conversation Circles for Language Learners ›
Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, Washington

Your Life's Work, Reimagined ›
Dayton Metro Library, Ohio

AARLCC’s Harlem Renaissance Exhibit and Program Se ›
Broward County Library, Florida

Community Camera Club ›
Hennepin County Library, Minnesota

GED Testing and Workforce Development Project ›
Dallas Public Library, Texas

Versatile Program for Digital Skills Development ›
Kansas City Public Library, Missouri

San Francisco’s First Digital Inclusion Week ›
San Francisco Public Library, California

Tech Training Certificate of Completion Program  ›
Jacksonville Public Library, Florida

Center for Adult Learning - Reinvented  ›
Jacksonville Public Library, Florida

Empowering Latinos/Reaching New Heights ›
Baltimore County Public Library, Maryland

Innovations and History of Brewing in Maryland ›
Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, Maryland

Promoting Inclusion by Removing Barriers ›
El Paso Public Library, Texas

READ MORE @

Literacy – Spanning North America :: Winnipeg MB ::Eastern Oklahoma Co OK :: Philadelphia PA :: Orleans Co LA

Literacy: Spanning North America

Adult Literacy Course Boosts Self-Esteem and Social Equality

Salvation Army Blog: 9.07.2017

Imagine, at age 59, being unable to spell boat, step or help. “It feels disgusting when you can’t read or write,” says Bob. “But now I’m doing something about it.”

Bob is a participant in The Salvation Army’s STages Education Program (STEP) in Winnipeg. The community-based adult literacy program is open to anyone with a low literacy level, usually below Grade 6.

“Literacy gives people a foundation where they have skills, self-worth and realize their goals,” says Carley, LEEP teacher. “Things they thought impossible become possibilities.”

The consequences of dropping out

As a teen, Bob struggled to complete Grade 7. “I was pushed to advance to the next level but felt I still needed a lot to learn,” says Bob. “I was frustrated, so I left.”

Over the years low literacy levels affected many areas of Bob’s life such as his ability to read his mail, help his children with school work or read instructions on a medicine bottle.

“I was at my last job for 15 years,” says Bob. “When they found out I couldn’t read or write, they said,  ‘Get out the door.’”  READ MORE @

Needs and Deeds: Literacy Link

News OK: 9.11.2017 by Alex Strohm

Words on a page or screen can be just that — words. It's the ability to comprehend that gives meaning.

Literacy Link is a literacy group in Eastern Oklahoma County that teaches reading and writing to adults 18 years and older with functional illiteracy.

Board member Lynn Hicks said she loved to read as a child and started as a Literacy =Link volunteer before eventually joining the board. She said teaching her students was a bright spot in her day.

“Anytime you can enhance an individual's self worth or their abilities to help themselves and their community, you're helping the whole world,” Hicks said. “It might start in tiny corners, but where else do you start?”

In a recent interview, Hicks spoke about how Literacy Link fills the gaps and encourages adults who struggle to read.

Q: What is the history of Literacy Link?

A: Literacy Link was established in June 1986 by a group of individuals who were dedicated to improving literacy in Eastern Oklahoma County. It started out with Frances Wester, a sociologist for the Department of Human Services, and Aaron Corwin, an active member in the Oklahoma State Library system. They held a meeting, and some people were interested. Literacy Link was incorporated that same year with a board, and they found a permanent location at the Midwest City Library.  READ MORE @

@Center4Literacy

At 46, this Philly woman learned to read - and then published a book

Philly.com: 9.14.2017 by Kristen A. Graham

At age 46, Wanda Steward was illiterate, and much of the world was a mystery to her.

At age 47, Steward is an author whose charming children’s story was read by actor Idris Elba as part of a global literacy campaign.

“It’s a miracle,” said Steward, of Southwest Philadelphia.

Steward always struggled in school. She tried hard, but reading did not come naturally to her. She tried to escape attention, never volunteering in class, but teachers would call on her eventually, and classmates were cruel.

“That took a toll on me — I didn’t forget it,” said Steward.

She showed up and did her work, typically scraping by with Ds every year — at Ferguson, McKinley, and Penn Treaty schools, and then at Kensington High. But by the time she had her first child at 18 and dropped out because she had no one to watch her baby, Steward still could not read.

Illiteracy complicated everything: How much water do you add to the mix when one of your children wants a birthday cake? What does that bill say? How much medicine do you give the child who has a fever?

“I would just put medicine in the cup, and give it to the baby and just pray that I did it right,” said Steward, who has five children.

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So she asked someone: Were there programs to help someone like her? Through the city’s Office of Adult Education, she was directed to the Center for Literacy, a city nonprofit that helps residents bolster their reading skills — a whopping 40 percent of adult Philadelphians struggle with literacy. By this spring, Steward was enrolled in classes at a center close to her home, an eager pupil who never missed class.  READ MORE @

OCALS

OCALS recognizes devoted volunteers

Daily News: 9.13.2017 by Virginia Kropf

An organization which started on a shoestring celebrated 11 years of success at its annual meeting Tuesday night at Millville United Methodist Church.

OCALS was founded by Don and Rose Ruck after they learned Literacy Orleans had closed its Albion office and it was brought to their attention that literacy needs in the county were not being met.

With only their own money and a few friends, the Rucks started seeking volunteers to build a new literacy organization in Orleans County.

They operated without a permanent home or a regular source of funding for several of those first years, relying on volunteers, money from family and friends and the generosity of local organizations which loaned them places to meet and tutor. READ MORE @

10 Current and Emerging Trends in Adult Learning via Getting Smart

10 Current and Emerging Trends in Adult Learning

Getting Smart: 10.21.2017 by Tom Vander Ark

What Do Harvey and Irma have to do with learning?

When (what we thought were) once in five hundred year storms hit every other week, it suggests there is something new going on–and another sign that we live in a world where the unexpected is the norm.

As more of us move into cities, connect and trade with people around the world, and take advantage of automation, the result is the clash of natural and man-made systems in ways that we don’t understand.

Urbanization, automation and globalization are resulting in unprecedented waves of novelty and complexity. The only thing we can be sure of is that change will occur more rapidly and more unexpectedly in the future. And that means we all need to learn fast and keep learning.

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What does all of this mean for adult learning? What about young adults who didn’t finish high school? What about the more than 30 million Americans that earned some college credits but not a complete degree. What about adults new to speaking English who need job skills–fast? We see 10 trends in this adult learning.

1-3. Online, mobile and blended are foregone conclusions.

4. Broader aims. Like leading K-12 schools, adult learning programs are adopting growth mindset (effort matters) and social and emotional learning (self and social awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making).

5. UI/UX. Adult learning programs are beginning to rethink user interface (UI) and the full user experience (UX).

6. Better Feedback. Adaptive learning systems and platforms are providing real-time feedback, and digital curriculum usually includes embedded assessments.

7. Learner supports. Access to support services is key to success. For learners who have struggled, these services often go unused unless activated through an advisory relationship.

8. Employer partnerships. HigherEd completion program positioned as an employee benefit.

9. Mix & Match + Support. “education as an employee benefit” partnerships. Academic coaches work with adults to assemble fast and cheap degree pathways.

10. Collaboration is key for scaling effective solutions. Personalized learning is promising, particularly for older learners who have struggled academically.

What’s Next?

1. Artificial intelligence behind everything.

2. Mastery transcripts. It’s increasingly a show what you know world. In many job categories, demonstrated mastery matters more than degrees.

3. Automated skill assessment. Like adaptive learning and automated writing feedback,  AI-powered skill assessment is improving rapidly.

4. Entrepreneurship. With more people freelancing and more employers seeking intrapreneurs, there is growing demand for entrepreneurship training–

5. On demand learning. Many adults have little patience for new courses to begin. An increasing amount of adult learning will be on demand or with rolling enrollments.

6. Own the learning plan. Now that we all need to keep learning, the scramble is on to support your learning plan.

7. National institutions. national service universities with (see Realm 4-5 in the graphic below) the development of tech-enhanced learning.

8. Impact opportunity. It’s never been easier to build an app, launch a campaign or assemble a big data set and analyze it with smart tools. The opportunity set allows young people to consider contribution now rather than 10 years from now.

9. Advocacy. Despite our best efforts, it’s quite likely that income inequality will grow in the information economy. We need to continue to teach and advocate for working adults.

10. Conditions for learning. Adult learning outcomes may be as much a function of who you are as what you do.  READ MORE @

Health Literacy :: Not All Patient Education is Created Equal

Health Literacy—Not All Patient Education is Created Equal

HealthWise: 9.21.2017 by Christy Calhoun, Senior Vice President, Consumer Health Experience

We live in a time of information overload. Health consumers are bombarded with tweets, alerts, fake news, contradictory studies, and more. So, if everyone can access information 24/7, why is health literacy still a problem? Because people can feel overwhelmed, uncertain about what sources to trust, and unable to make decisions or take action to care for their health.

Health literacy is a widespread challenge in the U.S., as these statistics show:

What is the impact of low health literacy?

The Institute of Medicine defines health literacy as “the degree to which people can obtain, process, and understand the basic health information and services they need to make appropriate health decisions.” Patients and families frequently lack relevant, accurate medical evidence and skilled guidance at the time of medical decision making.^iv It can be challenging for people with low health literacy to seek preventive care, understand and follow treatment plans, or take medicines correctly. This can lead to confused patients, frustrated clinicians, overuse of the emergency department, and ultimately higher costs.

What are the key components of an effective patient education solution?

Content that’s easy to understand

Unbiased and evidence-based information

Teach with visuals

Personal, relevant, and helpful

READ MORE @