Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Adult Literacy Awareness Month

Adult Literacy Awareness Month
spotlight on SCLLN literacy programs

Anaheim Public Library Adult Literacy
714 . 765 . 1880

Anaheim offers tutoring for adults who want to improve their reading, writing, spelling and communication skills. The tutors are volunteers from the community who are trained and able to help. Services are free.

READ/OC Literacy operates the Anaheim Public Library adult literacy program. Please call or contact them by email for additional information. 714 . 566 . 3070

Adult Literacy Program at Beaumont Library District
THE PROBLEM
One out of every five American adults has trouble with day-to-day literacy activities. Things like reading a prescription label, writing a phone message, identifying the differences between cat food and tuna- fish are impossible tasks. This does not mean these adults lack intelligence. It simply means they did not get the kind of reading and writing help they needed when they were young. The problem exists in big cities and in rural areas. It exists in Beaumont.


THE SOLUTION
In 1993, the Beaumont Library District under the administration of Clara DiFelice Library, Director received funding from the California Literacy Campaign and the U.S. Department of Education to start a literacy program. She engaged La Vergne Rosow to design and coordinate a leading edge volunteer program based on her research. Twelve members of the community volunteered to become the pilot tutors. Each volunteered for a minimum of 50 hours or six months of student contact time after being paired up with an adult learner, based on convenient times for both. Most served as volunteers for considerably longer. Learners heard about the program from fliers, newspapers, TV public service announcements, radio programming, or word-of-mouth. Initially, most met at the Beaumont Library. As the program grew, the Beaumont community provided quiet places where two people could work together. The San Gorgonio Hospital and Wyle Labs accommodated the cause of literacy.


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