What does it feel like to be an adult who struggles with reading? The staff at Turning Pages meets several potential clients per week. Each one has a unique story, and a different motivation for wanting to learn to read better, and yet they all share some similarities.
They tend to live in fear of someone finding out their “secret.” They have developed creative strategies, both for hiding their struggle with reading and also for solving problems that may come up. Many adults who don’t read well have excellent visual and spatial skills. They can accurately hold many pieces of information in short-term memory. They can verbally elicit important information from a bank teller or pharmacist, without “tipping their cards.” Yet, they recognize life would be easier as a reader. Here are the most common responses given by our clients when asked, “why do you want to learn to read better?”
- “To perform better at my job.”
- “I want to get a better job.”
- “I just want to be able to read the Bible.”
- “I want to read children’s books to my child/grandchild.”
- “To earn my GED.”
- “My child is in school and I can’t help with his/her homework. I want to set a good example.”
- “To speak English better.”
- “I want to learn to use the computer… nothing fancy, just to send emails.”
- “I’m embarrassed that it took me this long to get help. I really want to be able to read! I have so many ways to avoid it, now I want to learn how!!!”
- “I read okay, but I really wish I could read BETTER. “
Turning Pages 