Re: Suzanne - literacy programs -

[Guest guest]

You're welcome !

Have you had a chance to look into any of your local literacy programs yet?

The main problem in my area is follow through. People sign up to become

tutors, go through the training, maybe take on a student or so then drop

out. I guess too much trouble? So there are always way more students than

tutors.

I guess we all have interesting immigrant stories. My husband's mother's

family came to the US from Ireland, his father's parents came from

Lithuania. I love hearing the stories. We have a neat wedding portrait

painting of my husband's father's parents.

You mentioned that people who can't speak or read English have trouble

getting jobs, finding their way around. So true, and such a common problem

with US born illiterate adults. It is a constant surprise to run into

someone who " graduated " high school and can't read. And there are many of

them out there.

Suzanne

Re: [ ] Just talking

>

>

> > Hi (and Iris!)

> >

> > I graduated from college with a degree in Elementary Education.

> Although I

> > never taught school formally, I have certainly used my education in

> many

> > forms over the years. For the last 5 or 6 or maybe 7? years I have

> been an

> > adult literacy tutor. It is a wonderful undertaking, very rewarding,

> and

> > there are so many people who really need help! I find it startling

> even

> > now, how many folks just can't read or can only barely read. There is

> also

> > a program to help people learn English who speak another language. It

> is

> > called, not surprising, English as a Second Language. I never got

> involved

> > with that program, but always thought it looked interesting.

> >

> > I find, unfortunately, since the advent of RA that my fatigue level is

> such

> > that it is a monumental effort to continue to meet with my student. We

> meet

> > now for an hour, once a week, at 5:00 pm, right after I get off work.

> I'm

> > lucky that we meet at a library right next door to my office. Still,

> I

> > don't have the heart to quit, the need is so great. So, I say to both

> of

> > you, go for it!! And I hope you find it as rewarding as I have over

> the

> > years.

> >

> > Suzanne

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Suzanne, I have contacted a Literacy Volunteers of America office in my

city and hope to begin training at the end of this month. They told me I

would have 18 hours of training first and then meet with a student 2

hours a week after that. I'm really looking forward to it.

The focus will be on ESL, but, as you mentioned, English-speaking

illiterate adults are common and may be included in the student pool as

well.

You'll have to give your husband and his parents a great big LABAS! from

me. Lithuania was my mother's birthplace. When she was four, the

Russians and Germans were fighting over her country and her mother

decided that they should get out while they could (my grandfather wasn't

so sure until my grandmother said she was taking the children and

leaving - with or without him). They left with whatever they could

carry - my mother (4), her brother (2), a few possessions, some items to

trade, and a cart. Not only did they leave most of what they owned

behind, they also bid a final farewell to many people they loved there,

too. Over time, they walked a few hundred miles to Germany. A good part

of the next eight years was spent in DP camps and apartments. My

grandfather was a physician and my grandmother was a nurse, so they

could usually find work. When they realized there was no sense in going

back to Lithuania, they decided to make a new life in the United States.

My 94-year-old grandmother is still alive and in good health!

Re: [ ] Suzanne - literacy programs -

> You're welcome !

>

> Have you had a chance to look into any of your local literacy programs

yet?

>

> The main problem in my area is follow through. People sign up to

become

> tutors, go through the training, maybe take on a student or so then

drop

> out. I guess too much trouble? So there are always way more students

than

> tutors.

>

> I guess we all have interesting immigrant stories. My husband's

mother's

> family came to the US from Ireland, his father's parents came from

> Lithuania. I love hearing the stories. We have a neat wedding

portrait

> painting of my husband's father's parents.

>

> You mentioned that people who can't speak or read English have trouble

> getting jobs, finding their way around. So true, and such a common

problem

> with US born illiterate adults. It is a constant surprise to run into

> someone who " graduated " high school and can't read. And there are

many of

> them out there.

>

> Suzanne