It’s our birthday! And the lovely people at the Richland Library are hosting a party for us! We would love for you to come join us. We’ll have friends, fun, refreshments, and cake (of course)!
Please do come join us.
Tag Archives: literacy columbia
Holiday Bazaar to Benefit Local Nonprofits
Friends, I’m happy to announce that we are receiving some support from Trinity Episcopal. They have chosen us as a beneficiary of their Holiday Bazaar. Please come support the Bazaar on Saturday November 9th from 10 to 2 PM at 1100 Sumter Street. There will be family activities and games, delicious food, AND you can get a jump on your shopping lists while supporting several local charities and nonprofits. Hope to see you there
Help for 73,000 illiterate adults
Editor’s note:(This editorial first appeared in the Lexington County Chronicle June 13, 2013)
How many illiterate adults do you know? How many who can neither read, write nor even count change? What if you were in the same fix? Imagine what your life might be like — filled with shame that even your children are learning skills that you don’t have. You can’t help them with their homework, or read the Bible, as many of the learners we work with in the Turning Pages tutoring program are motivated to do. Adults who struggle with reading are among an estimated more than 27,000 Lexington County residents — 10% of the county’s population.
They are not alone. Richland County has 46,000 adults who read below a 6th grade reading level. That’s 12% of Richland’s population. In all, 73,000 functionally illiterate adults live in our two counties and studies indicate that 19% or more of the population are below this threshold, in parts of the Midlands. Functional literacy is the ability to read, write and speak proficiently in English, use technology, solve problems, be a life-long learner and effective in life.
Illiterate adults are not stupid. Many have learning disabilities that make it difficult for them to read and write. Many have mastered skills the rest of us would find daunting. Some are like the short order cook who holds a dozen orders in memory and prepares them without being able to read written orders from the wait staff. Or the driver with a perfect on-time delivery record who cannot read the addresses on the packages he handles. But he can follow a map and his spatial memory is exceptional.
Last week, 60 public-spirited people came together for our first Reading Between the Wines dinner, hosted by Main Street Cafe owner George Trifos and Palmetto Wines & Spirits owner Sandi Patel. The dinner raised almost $1,500 to help Turning Pages tutors make a difference in the lives of their learners.
At the Chronicle, we were happy to be among the dinner’s sponsors with the West Metro Rotary Club, Lexington Young Professionals, AGG Advisers and Pine Press Printing. We hope to arrange a similar fund-raising dinner soon.
Signs of progress
Many Turning Pages learners have their sights set on attaining their GED diplomas. Their reason: They can qualify for better jobs with higher pay and careers with a future.
The latest good news is that tutoring with us and through other Adult Education programs has raised the GED test passing rates to an all-time high of 77.6%.
According to Jay Ragley at the S.C. Education Department, enrollment in adult education programs has steadily declined the last 10 years due to several factors. The federal government has been emphasizing student performance, not program enrollment. The United States Department of Education is more interested in the students we serve making progress toward their education goals than how many students are served.
Since State Adult Education funds are based partially on student performance, not just head count, more adult education programs are concentrating on keeping students longer in their tutoring programs. Increased high school graduation rates and reduced dropout rates may have had an impact on the number of individuals enrolling in Adult Education.
Even though Adult Enrollment has declined, the number of individuals earning a GED diploma and the increased GED pass rate is an indicator that student performance has improved.
This does not mean we can sit back and relax.
The latest figures on functionally illiterate adults in Richland County is 12% of the total population and 10% in Lexington County. We are talking about more than 70,000 of our friends and neighbors who are reading at below sixth grade level.
If you would like to become a tutor or know someone who needs tutoring, please call us at 782-1210.
Bring ’em Back Alive
Editor’s note: Today’s post comes from community leader and Board member Jerry Bellune. We find Mr. Bellune’s enthusiasm to be infectious, do you?
One of my favorite books in the 6th grade was big game hunter and animal trainer Frank Buck’s biography, “Bring “Em Back Alive.” One of my teachers complimented me for reading a high school level book. Such compliments mean a lot of anyone learning to master reading skills.
Mr. Buck led a colorful life on many continents. That fired my imagination and made me think of adventurous career choices. That was relatively easy for a budding writer as storytelling was a staple in our family.
Thinking back on those early days makes me realize how fortunate many of us are to have been born into families of readers, surrounded by books and encouraged to aspire to any career our little hearts desired. Unfortunately, about one in 10 of us has no such privileges. They grow up in homes with no books, only TV sets, the electronic baby sitter.
Award-winning speaker and business philosopher Jim Rhon (pronounced Rone as in bone) observed that successful people have large libraries. Unsuccessful people have large TVs. My purpose is not to disparage TV. Sesame Street and many other educational programs for children are far better than nothing.
But we should never forget that penologists project how many prison cells will be needed within the next 8 to 10 years by the number of 4th graders who cannot read well.
Turning Pages has played an inspiring role in the lives of many of these unfortunates who some how slipped through the cracks of our great public education system. Your support as a donor or volunteer tutor is welcome. We invite you to join us.
Take a Look – They’re in a Book! Awesome Teachers …
Editor’s note: Today’s post comes from volunteer and Board member Allison Matthews. She teaches fourth grade.
We all can think of exemplary teachers who have taught us powerful lessons. Our government and communities cry out for more highly-qualified teachers in the classroom, and districts across the country nominate one outstanding Teacher of the Year annually. There’s no doubt about it: We love teachers who excel at what they do! But in all our talk about exemplary educators, we have marginalized one group that’s been crying for attention for years: imaginary teachers. That’s right, friends! We can learn a TON from characters in books. They have no voices with which to speak, and yet the lessons they emblazon in our minds will last much longer than the pages on which those lessons are written. We have been ignoring these fictitious, fake teachers among us, and it’s time we recognize the contributions they have made to our well-being. I’ll start with a few shout-outs to some of my favorites.
When I’m tempted to make excuses for my shortcomings, I always picture Emma’s noble Mr. Knightley, furrowing his brow and saying, “There is one thing, Emma, a man can always do if he chooses, and that is his duty.” That message is especially powerful in the book because he’s sharing it with Emma, a person he actually likes and cares for a great deal. But that doesn’t stop him from telling it like it is and giving her a reminder she needs to hear. You just can’t sneak anything by Mr. Knightley—he doesn’t take junk from anyone, and he doesn’t play favorites.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed by an obstacle in my path, I think of Santiago, the old man from The Old Man and the Sea. He taught me that even when you’ve worn blisters into your hands and there’s a bone spur in your heel and you’ve spent 3 dehydrated days trying to catch a giant fish … you can still think to yourself, “We were born lucky!” because, hey, at least you don’t have to catch the moon or the sun. Who can whine when such a cheerful teacher is leading the class?
One of my favorite lessons was taught by a boy called Alec Bings, Who Sees Through Things. This Phantom Tollbooth character shows his friend, Milo, a bucket of water and explains, “from an ant’s point of view, that’s a vast ocean, from an elephant’s just a cool drink, and to a fish, of course, it’s home. So, you see, the way you see things depends a great deal on where you look at them from.” I think of that bucket of water a lot when I’m trying to understand why other people act the way they do. Their decisions may not be what I would choose, but then again, they’re starting from a completely different point of view. Alec Bings is a teacher who knew the power one simple picture can have in driving a lesson home.
Then, of course, are the teachers who lead by example. One of the greatest fictional leaders I can think of is from that illustrious, time-honored, highly sophisticated classic, The Little Engine That Could. In the face of nearly insurmountable difficulties, she just tells herself, “I think I can! I think I can!” — and she can. And if a goofy blue train from a children’s book can be that powerful, what’s to stop me from overcoming the obstacles in my path?
Stuffy Englishmen, tenacious old men, floating fantasy characters, and talking trains—I have been a student of all these exemplary teachers and more. I’m so blessed to be a tutor for Turning Pages, because it gives me the opportunity to make these ltierary lessons available to other people!
Luck of the Draw
Editor’s note: Today’s post comes from community leader and board member Jerry Bellune.
The need for Turning Pages tutoring constantly reminds me how lucky I am. I was born into a middle class family of readers and story tellers. My mother read to us at bedtime and taught me to read and write at age 4.
She wrote to my father who was away in school in Chicago several times a week. She always let me append a few words about what I was doing while he was away. That was a real thrill. I could picture my father in my mind reading what I had written. He was hundreds of miles away from us in South Carolina but with words we could talk. I have been reading and writing ever since.
My parents’ influence and my education have made major differences in my life. They led me to become a journalist, editor, teacher and business owner. Now I also write, edit and publish books.
I am far more fortunate than millions of illiterate Americans.
One survey estimates 42 million in our country can’t read above sixth grade level. That’s a shocking statistic in a country with mandatory public education. What’s even more shocking is that 1 million more join them each year.
To help raise money for literacy tutoring, we offer copies of my books for donations. If you are interested in a personally autographed copy, call us at 782-1210. For a $20 donation, I will autograph one of these inspiring books for you.
Jerry Bellune
The #2 Small Business Authority
Yes, like Avis, we try harder
PO Box 1500
Lexington SC 29071-1500
Winners have faith.
They believe in themselves,
their purpose and higher calling.
But Seriously, Folks.
With the comedy night coming up, we’ve been tending toward the humorous over here.
But, we’ve got to keep in mind… Literacy is no laughing matter.
In South Carolina, about 25% to 30% of adults read below a sixth grade reading level. What was your favorite book in 6th grade? I checked the Barnes & Noble book suggestions for children ages 9-12. (Sixth graders are usually 11, turning 12.) Here’s what they recommended:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl. The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg. Have you read any of these?
OMG, you guys, these are a few of my FAVORITE books from childhood. When talking about Turning Pages, I have repeated that sixth-grade reading level benchmark over and over; it’s considered the defining line that denotes “functionally illiterate.” (I hate that phrase.) But this is the first time I’ve dug deeper into the real meaning of the “sixth-grade reading level.” Here’s what I’ve found…
As I reflect on these books, I’ve realized just how much each one has impacted my life, even into adulthood. I have read them over and over. I’ve wished for my own chocolate river and everlasting gobstoppers. I’ve seen the movie adaptations– after high school graduation — ie. well past sixth grade. (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was pretty creepy at the drive-in).
As a child, my dad read From the Mixed Up Files to my brother and me, a chapter at a time, at bedtime. (We would beg him not to turn the light out, to keep reading…) I’ve gone to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, for the express purpose of looking for the fountain where Claudia and Jamie took baths when they ran away from home to live in the museum. (Yes, I found it.) And when my youngest brother was 7 or 8, I made sure the book was read to him.
I remember discussing The Phantom Tollbooth with a friend, when I was 19, in the cafeteria of our college dorm. I read A Wrinkle In Time last summer on the beach. I was in sixth grade when the very first Harry Potter book came out, but now, as an adult with a Master’s degree, I’ve added a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to my bucket list.
They may be “just” children’s books, but clearly the reach is farther than that.
Adult education tends to focus on the practical. At Turning Pages, we do learner-led instruction, which means that often, learners want to cover material related to getting their commercial drivers license, or balancing their bank account, or making some healthy recipes. But other times, they want to read what their child is reading in school, or want to read something to their child. We can never predict the true meaning of helping someone bring reading into their life, but we can be sure that the meaning is there.
Read more about becoming a tutor, or other ways you can help.
Success Stories
Editor’s note: Today’s blog post comes from community leader and board member Jerry Bellune.
You and I have a lot to be thankful for. We can read and write, have a great job or a secure retirement, loving families and comfortable homes. Not everyone is as blessed as we are.
The first employee we ever had who could not read or write was a young man named Jimmy. When his deep, dark secret was discovered, Jimmy walked away and we never saw him again. He harbored that secret a long time and was humiliated when he was found out.
There’s hope for the Jimmys of this world. Through the good work of volunteer Turning Pages tutors, hundreds of illiterate adults in our area are learning to read, write and other skills they need to land good jobs and take care of their families.
Genevieve Ray Lyons who works with us at Turning Pages shared several success stories about the progress of our learners. Alex is an example, Genevieve writes. He is a public school dropout who started learning to read at around a second grade level four years ago. Today he has advanced to a high middle school level. He’s gone from a disadvantaged background to a married father of several kids. His wife is a nurse.
In another example, Former Turning Pages director Debbie Yoho worked with Alice who started at mid-elementary level and progressed several grade levels before Debbie retired. Now Alice is working with another tutor and found a job in a middle-school cafeteria but has higher goals. She is able to read such popular fiction writers as Nora Roberts and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books. And Alice wants to set a good example for her granddaughter who lives with her.
“Speaking of working in cafeterias,” Genevieve writes, “we have several learners who work at USC in various housekeeping positions. Another works at the Marriott in the kitchen and another, Sarah, worked as a sous chef at a popular local hotel’s restaurant, but dreams of attending culinary school. Some learners are lucky enough to get tutoring at work. “At a local hospital, we had weekly tutoring sessions with a small group of employees, during their workday.” One learner, Samantha, improved from fourth to sixth grade level, and the hospital, seeing her improvement, switched her into computer-based, on-the-job training to help put her on a track toward promotions.
“It always fascinated me how many learners came by after work,” Genevieve said. “Their goals were not necessarily to simply get a job but to do better work at their current job to get a promotion. “It is always important to emphasize that the people who come to Turning Pages are highly motivated. Many of them are currently employed, or retired after working many years. The Lord helps those who help themselves.”
Turning Pages Board Chairman Bruce Donatelli of Lexington is working with me to raise $10,000 to keep the tutoring going. For a $100 donation, I will give you five autographed copies of my books. They make great Christmas gifts. Just call me at 359-7633 to make a donation.
Read Jerry’s Success Strategies at http://www.JerryBellune.biz
Learning About Adult Literacy: Literacy and Healthcare
As an aside, this is my first post here at Turning Pages as a contributor, and I wanted to begin with the admission that I knew/know little of adult literacy in America. I mean, I have always known that it is a “problem” in the abstract sense: people should have the ability to read, of course. And I could, vaguely, understand the link between social status, economic standing, race, and illiteracy. It made sense, even if I had not put much thought into it.
I found that I exemplify one of the most interesting facets of the adult literacy “situation” in America. We often assume that because someone “functions,” because someone “gets” by in a world driven by reading and writing, by text, that they are literate (in the traditional sense of being able to read English text). But (as I found out during my initial research), this sense of operational contentment sort of breaks down when an illiterate individual has to face some sort of medical emergency or financial trouble. Then, these individuals run into problems with insurance, with prescriptions, and with following treatment instructions. I found that this is not just the case for what I had deemed as “illiterate” adults. In my view, illiteracy meant that you cannot read, Period. But my research has illustrated various forms and ranges of illiteracy. So an individual who gets by with reading particular documents or signs (road signs, for example) can still very easily make a mistake in regards to interpreting healthcare documents and instruction.
I also found that, to a certain extent, the rest of us are allowed to think about it as “their” problem: if they get along, great. If they can’t read, it isn’t a big deal. What does it mean to the rest of us that a small cross-section of our population doesn’t read? We need to complicate this view. Academic Journals such as The Journal of Internal Medicine and The Journal of Learning Disabilities feature articles confronting this issue, with more than one author referring to it as the “crisis of health literacy.”
It goes like this: adults with little or no appreciable skills in reading or writing have continued into advanced age with the help of other parties (a spouse, children, other family friends) who can read. When the support system for some reason is removed from the situation, or when the individual finds themselves confronted by a situation that involves reading or interpreting documents or instructions without the help of others, mistakes are made. In the case of the elderly of those who require intensive medical care, the inability to read instructions or fill out forms is a huge gap: not only does that adult have no way to communicate with the faceless doctor or medical institution behind that document, they may have no way to reach out to others for assistance.
This, in turn, becomes an issue for everyone. The inability of those who cannot read to interact productively with healthcare providers and insurance companies costs the healthcare industry billions of dollars by way of unnecessary emergency treatments. Those who could avoid specific treatments or symptoms often do not when they are unable to read instructions or communicate effectively with their healthcare provider. Furthermore, those with emergency illnesses or injuries who visit emergency rooms often leave with written instructions regarding how to treat wounds, ingest medication, and handle foods and liquids that they cannot read. Inevitably, these people return to the hospital or their doctors for further treatment of the same illness or injury to compensate for their inability to remember or understand their own healthcare documents.
My first questions regarding adult literacy encountered, overwhelmingly, this issue of healthcare. And, obviously and unfortunately, this problem does not go away unless we address both our educating practices for our youth as well as offer services to those who have already entered adulthood without the skills necessary to navigate institutions they rely on for their health and well-being.
This is why organizations such as Turning Pages need support, through donations or volunteers: there are people who want help, who want to learn how to help themselves. But they cannot do it on their own, and more often then not they cannot do it with the support system they have. And it is not just a problem “out there:” adult illiteracy is an issue that affects us all. Educators and tutors with adequate funding and support can commit themselves to helping adults gain the proper skills to be able to go to the hospital, to follow medical instructions, and to take care of their own health and wellness.
Turning Pages 