Adult Literacy Awareness Month
September Spotlight on SCLLN literacy programs
Beverly Hills Public Library
One-on-one tutoring is designed to teach English-speaking adults to read and write or improve existing skills. Volunteer tutors are given a twelve-hour workshop to prepare them to work with the adult learner. Classes for adult learners are one-on-one. They are held twice a week, and each class is one and one-half hours. Classes are free of charge.
Skills Taught: Reading, writing, comprehension. Recruitment: Adult learners are recruited through newspaper ads, flyers, media and word of mouth. A person 16 years of age can be admitted to the program if he or she has left high school.
Learner Orientation: Orientation is given in two-hour sessions, by appointment. The program is explained in detail and the adult learner is tested and placed at his/her individual reading level. Placement: After testing the learner is placed at the appropriate level with a tutor. If a tutor is not immediately available, the adult learner can begin the process in the reading lab with the assistance of the reading lab coordinator.
Time in Program: Since the tutoring is individualized, the time and progress of each student depends on individual goals, commitment and willingness to learn. There is no set time to complete the program.
Tutoring Sites: Tutoring sites are provided at the library and other community social service agencies, churches, synagogues and business associations.
Brawley Public Library LAMBS
The LAMBS (Literacy And Mobile Book Services) unit is a 32’ long vehicle designed by Mathews Specialty Vehicles.
The vehicle has been designed inside to accommodate a wide variety of literacy activities. The hydraulic wheelchair lift has been fitted with a removable puppet stage. There are two laptop computers with software for both parents and children. Internet sites can be cached so that patrons can view them from the unit, even though we don’t have direct Internet access on the unit. There are two color printers. There is ample shelf space to house the materials that will be available for parents and children to checkout and also for books that will be given to the children to keep at the end of each program. There is a TV and VCR for use with literacy presentations and other educational experiences.
The vehicle will be traveling throughout Imperial County giving underserved children ages 0-5 years and their parents access to literacy activities and services provided by others in our collaborative. These include but are not limited to the Health Department, the Burn Institute, Tri-County South Tobacco Education, the Center for Family Solutions, Child Abuse Prevention Council, Imperial County Office of Education, Riverside Office of Education, Imperial County Free Library and branches, Camarena Library, El Centro City Library, Literacy Volunteers of America/Imperial Valley and the Housing Authorities. The unit was made possible through a grant from the State Proposition 10 Commission, California State Library and Imperial County Proposition 10 Commission.
