Frequently Asked Questions.
§ My organization wants to focus on improving ADULT LITERACY in our community. Where do we begin?
§ How can my organization support existing programs?
§ I’m aware of reading problems among members of my own organization. How can I offer assistance?
§ What if my organization wants to develop a literacy program?
§ How does my organization go about training our volunteers?
§ What is the best way to deliver literacy instruction?
§ Do "learning styles" have anything to do with "learning disabilities"?
§ What should we consider when scheduling literacy services?
§ What do you mean by support services?
§ How can we accurately determine the needs of our students?
§ Where can my organization find funding to support our program?
Q: My organization wants to focus on improving adult literacy in our community. Where do we begin?
A: Find out about literacy programs in your area. Discover what resources already exist, what is needed, and what issues/root causes have already been identified. Consider becoming a member of the Literacy Council of Jacksonville. This group meets every other month to share information and lend support to local literacy efforts. Meetings are held the third Tuesday from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. and are hosted by various members of the Literacy Council. Call Sharon Jaskula at 630-0353 (or e-mail to request a schedule of meeting dates and locations.
Q: How can my organization support existing programs?
A: Many programs that provide free reading assistance for adults depend heavily upon volunteer tutors to deliver these services. Such programs offer training but have a difficult time recruiting enough volunteers to meet the needs of the community. Motivating your employees or members of your organization to serve as volunteer tutors would help tremendously. Those interested in tutoring adults should call Learn to Read, Inc. (238-9000) or the Women’s Center of Jacksonville (722-3000 ext 233).
Existing programs can also use gifts of reading materials, donated advertising space in newsletters or bulletins, donated tutoring space, and assistance with fundraising or special events.
Q: I’m aware of reading problems among members of my own organization. How can I offer assistance?
A: This question is often asked by employers, faith-based organizations, or residential treatment facilities. Be sensitive to the fact that struggling readers typically feel quite vulnerable when it comes to their reading abilities and trust very few people (if any) with this information. Rather than approach someone directly whom you suspect cannot read, you may want to begin by creating an environment within the organization that supports and respects adult new readers. It is essential to break down stereotypes about illiteracy. Many struggling readers are intelligent individuals with families, jobs, special talents, and civic responsibilities. When members of your organization no longer fear ridicule or loss of status and have confidence in themselves, they are more likely to ask for help. In the meantime, make it known to the entire organization that information about literacy programs is accessible (and can be obtained confidentially).
Q: What if my organization wants to develop a literacy program?
A: Begin by assessing the resources you have. Can you designate a project leader or literacy contact? Will you need to hire teachers or will volunteers from your organization provide instruction on a consistent basis? Does your organization have the space and equipment (tables, chairs, blackboards, etc.) to support a literacy program? How will you serve learners of various reading levels? Can instruction be delivered with a degree of privacy and confidentiality?
Determine the population you will serve. Will you teach children or adults? English speakers only or those who need to learn English? Very often the needs of the surrounding community will steer you in the right direction.
If you choose to serve children, will you provide after-school homework assistance (which uses materials brought by the student) or formal reading instruction (which usually requires assessment tools and a structured curriculum of some kind)? Consider safety issues related to adult volunteers working with children and the possibility of requiring background checks.
If you choose to serve adults, you may want to utilize a particular curriculum, or you may want to use materials selected by the student (religious texts, newspapers, etc.). A publication entitled “Tutor” by Literacy Volunteers of America costs about $25 and describes ways to use a variety of print materials to teach reading. You can request a free catalog from New Reader’s Press (800-448-8878) to order this handbook and other adult literacy materials. Establishing a lending library of non-print materials (texts with audio support or instructional DVDs) would be helpful to adults with limited reading skills or vision problems.
Family Literacy programs typically provide structured, age-appropriate learning activities for children and separate literacy/parenting instruction for caregivers. Afterwards, participants are brought together for shared reading activities. Information related to family literacy can be obtained from the National Center for Family Literacy (1-502-584-1133) http://www.famlit.org or the Title I Parent Center of the Duval County School System (630-6728) http://www.duvalschools.org .
Literacy programs that teach people how to communicate in English are referred to as ESL (English as a Second Language) or ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programs. Students learning English need practice conversing and listening in English as well as instruction in reading, grammar, vocabulary, and common American idioms. FSCJ (633-8484), the Jacksonville Public Library (630-2724), and Deermeadows Baptist Church (642-2200) are a few of the agencies that provide ESL instruction.
Finally, it is important to be realistic about program duration and outcomes. It can take some adult learners many months – even years – to become better readers. It may be helpful to ask other programs about their average student gains and outcomes when setting your own goals.
Q: How does my organization go about training our volunteers?
A: This can depend upon the curriculum you want to use and individuals you are serving. Organizations that provide tutor training usually charge a fee to cover the cost of materials. Learn to Read, Inc. (http://www.learntoreadinc.org/ 238-9000), Literacy Pros of Jacksonville (http://www.literacypros.org/ 358-7323) and the Clay County Literacy Coalition (http://www.clayliteracy.org/ 272-5988) are a few local agencies that train and certify tutors. You may want to have your project leader become a certified tutor-trainer and conduct your own training sessions in-house. The Florida Literacy Coalition also keeps abreast of other training opportunities throughout the state (http://www.floridaliteracy.org/ 800-237-5113). Also, Thinkfinity Literacy Network delivers free, top-quality online educational resources for literacy instruction and lifelong learning for adults and family literacy programs (http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/TLN/)
Q: What is the best way to deliver literacy instruction?
A: While some programs provide one-to-one tutoring, others teach small groups and/or utilize computer labs with educational software. There are pros and cons associated with each. One-to-one tutoring offers privacy and moves at the student’s own pace, but can isolate the adult learner and reinforce the feeling that they alone have this problem. It also requires the greatest amount of manpower, as each student requires his or her own tutor. Small group instruction builds supportive relationships among students and can improve retention, but can also be intimidating or move too quickly for some. Computer labs let students work at their own pace, boost the self-esteem of adult learners and capture the interest of children, but few software programs can sufficiently replace the need for structured, interactive reading instruction. The type of program you offer will depend upon your space, staffing, resources and the needs of the population you are serving. The Jacksonville Public Library’s Center for Adult Learning (630-2426) offers small group and computer-assisted instruction. Programs such as Learn to Read, Inc. (238-9000) and the Clay County Literacy Council (272-5988) also provide one-to-one instruction to adult learners and may be excellent resources for new programs.
Most effective reading programs employ multisensory instruction (utilizing visual, auditory and tactile learning activities). This helps ensure that all students have an opportunity to learn regardless of their learning style.
Q: Do "learning styles" have anything to do with "learning disabilities"?
A: Everyone has a learning style. Some people are strong visual learners; the use of graphics, colors and videos help them learn and remember information. A strong auditory learner may be able to learn phonics (letter sounds) easily and retain much of what is said during a lecture. A tactile learner is very “hands-on” and learns best by manipulating or tracing objects such as alphabet tiles. Imagine having three mechanics being trained to repair an engine. One might need to watch a demonstration in order to learn (visual), one might prefer to have someone tell him how to do it (auditory) while another may need to get in and work with the parts to understand how it comes together (tactile).
Most of us have heard the term “learning disability” or even dyslexia. Usually people are referring to problems related to processing information (sounds, letters, numbers, etc.). A learning disability is not an intellectual disability or related to low IQ. School-aged children are usually tested and an individualized educational plan developed if they show signs of such difficulties. Unfortunately, many adults who struggle with reading have never been tested for learning disabilities and may not understand why it is so difficult for them to learn. The cost of testing an adult for specific learning problems is quite high, though, and may not be an option for many. The Learning Disabilities Association of America and the International Dyslexia Association are excellent resources for information related to professional-level approaches to such learning challenges.
Q: What should we consider when scheduling literacy services?
A: Tutoring sessions typically last 1½ -2 hours to avoid fatigue. Tutoring should take place in an area with few distractions; a television playing in the background, conversations in the hallway, ringing telephones, etc., are not conducive to learning. Senior adults tend to prefer early morning classes, while working adults often need evening or weekend classes. Parents of very young children may require mid-morning sessions and access to childcare. Some programs allow students to attend as often as they’d like, while others meet only once or twice a week. It is best to consider the needs of your target population and be as flexible as possible when scheduling classes. However, scheduling can also be entirely dependent upon the availability of space, volunteers, and support services.
Q: What do you mean by support services?
A: Support services reduce the barriers that prevent students from attending your program. Support services may include on-site childcare or free transportation to the tutoring site.
Perhaps a student can’t read well because he or she needs glasses, or stops attending because of overwhelming personal problems. Quite often, addressing a literacy need uncovers other issues that require the assistance of local social service providers.
Q: How can we accurately determine the needs of our students?
A: Most programs rely on a combination of interviewing and testing. An interview helps determine what personal, employment, or academic goals a student may have (or if they need assistance in setting such goals). It also gives the student an opportunity to share any past educational experiences or concerns. The interviewer can use this time to describe the literacy program in detail, answer any questions, and discover what topics and materials are most relevant to the learner. Keep in mind that with basic literacy students, information gathering may need to be done orally and assistance should be offered when written forms are required. Also remember that test taking is a stressful activity for most individuals.
The types of assessments used to determine reading levels vary from program to program. Some literacy programs don’t test students at all, preferring to let the learner select materials on their own comfort level. However, if your organization seeks outside funding to support a literacy project, it is likely some type of assessment will be required.
The Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) is one assessment approved by the Florida Department of Education and is frequently used by agencies receiving funds from the DOE. Florida State College at Jacksonville (633-8478) administers the TABE to determine a student’s readiness for academic and vocational programs of various levels. Virtually any workbook series marketed for adult education comes with its own pre- and post-test. The ESLOA, CASAS, and BEST PLUS assess the oral language skills of students learning to speak English. Talk to other literacy providers to find an assessment that gives you the information you need without unduly frustrating those you want to serve.
Q: Where can my organization find funding to support our program?
A: This is always a challenge! Even with the support of volunteer tutors, there are often costs associated with teaching materials, office supplies, phone service, rent, staff, database maintenance, advertising, etc.). The Jacksonville Public Library’s Non-Profit Resource Center (on the 3rd floor of the Main Library) receives grant announcements and publications from foundations all over the country. While there are web sites that allow you to search for funding sources on-line, many sites charge a monthly fee for this service. A trip to the library could save you the expense. The Florida Department of Education’s web site allows you to sign up for e-mail notification of funding opportunities; the Florida Literacy Coalition also posts grant announcements on their web site.
The Literacy Council of Jacksonville is an active and committed network of literacy providers who seek to bring additional resources to the area; many are able to share samples of successful grant applications and are happy to answer any questions you may have.