Literacy: Spanning North America
Public Writing Initiative Partners Writing
Class With Mid-State Literacy Council
On March 3, 2020, the Mid-State Literacy Council posted a special entry on their website that
featured a Penn State student’s interview with a member of the State College
community who had benefited from Mid-State’s educational program.
This student sought to understand the
lasting effects of tutoring and literacy coursework for adults in Centre
County. What that student, and 23 others, discovered is that because the global
community is filled with a rich web of languages and cultures, we all benefit
from expanding what we know about literacy.
This project — blogging about literacy —
began under the direction of instructor Layli Miron, who brought the Public Writing Initiative into her English 30 class, “Honors Freshman
Composition,” so that her students might put their writing skills to work for a
local organization like Mid-State. The Mid-State Literacy Council is a
non-profit organization that seeks to bring literacy in all forms to adults in
Centre County. In 2019, over 200 adult learners received services at Mid-State,
and nearly 250 volunteers ranging from Penn State students to retirees
generously offered their time and expertise to equip community members with
lifelong skills. Together, tutors and teachers help adults gain independence by
earning a driver’s license, becoming citizens and acquiring job skills.
Students in Layli Miron’s English 30
class listen to Amy Wilson discuss the mission of Mid-State Literacy Council.
Because the forms of literacy needed by
adults in the community range from the textual to the digital, from media to
health, Mid-State’s mission is often difficult to articulate to the
public. The Literacy in
Action blog, as conceived by Mid-State
Executive Director Amy Wilson, serves to concretize the range of literacy work
accomplished by the council in Centre County.
READ MORE ➤➤
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 16
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: College graduate
Colton Public Library Brings Forth
Edutainment During Quarantine
IECN: 3.31.2020 by Manny B. Sandoval
Amidst COVID-19 stay-at-home orders,
Colton Public Library brings forth creative activities for the entire family in
an innovative way to connect to the community.
Since the middle of March, the library
staff and its Literacy Program Assistant Thomas Robles (Library Tom) have
generated Facebook and YouTube videos, inclusive of story time, a sing-a-long music
segment and even cooking demonstrations.
“We began this online Library Tom
Storytime series about three weeks ago. The Community Services Department is
unable to engage with the community at this time, so we found a way to bring
stories, music and activities to children and families in Colton and beyond,”
said Robles. READ MORE ➤➤
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 15
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: College graduate
Clarington Public Library Offering Online
Literature Therapy Sessions
Bibliotherapy is the act of reading and
talking about books and stories to achieve a more positive sense of wellness.
The library says the online sessions
involve small groups led by a facilitator.
The facilitator will read literature,
poems and other forms of the written word, then encourage participants to share
their thoughts, feelings and personal interpretation of the material.
The library says this can help you reflect,
strengthen your bonds to the community and develop personal resilience.
Since many people are stuck at home and
unable to do the things they normally would, the library says it’s a great time
to try bibliotherapy.
It can also provide an opportunity to
reduce feelings of social isolation or loneliness. READ MORE ➤➤
Based on (7)
readability formulas:
Grade Level: 13
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 18-19 yrs. Old
(college level entry)
Support Life-saving Efforts
Of Nonprofits During The Pandemic
Cap Times: 4.16.2020 by Jeff Burkhart, Ex Dir, Literacy Network
With the coronavirus pandemic changing
dangerously and rapidly each day, fear is a common and understandable response.
Now, imagine living through these
challenging times if you could not understand the life-saving health guidance
and "Safer at Home" orders being shared in our state and across the
nation.
That is the reality for hundreds of
thousands across Wisconsin.
Adults who struggle with literacy are severely
impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. They are among the most at-risk because
they cannot comprehend health guidelines due to an inability to read, or
because English is a second language. In Dane County alone, one in seven adults
struggles with low literacy. That is enough to fill more than three Kohl
Centers.
These
individuals also face the greatest financial risk. For example, many Literacy Network
learners work in service industries, and as we’ve checked in with students each
week to assess their welfare and ongoing needs, we have found two alarming
trends:
• First, only 2% are working from home, which means many are leaving the
safety of their households and putting themselves and their children at risk of
catching the virus, and
• Second, nearly 60% of those employed have been laid
off or had their hours cut, with even less means to provide for their
families. READ
MORE ➤➤
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 13
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 18-19 yrs. Old
(college level entry)
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