Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
WISH LIST: $100: 10 books for the Learning Centers Program; $2500: training for 25 volunteers to assess new adult learners; $5000: 10 weeks of Family Learning classes for 20 adults and their children
Serving an area where 120 different languages are spoken, and one in three families speaks a language other than English, the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia’s adult program is in great demand. Between 1990 and 2000, the limited English-proficient population increased by 80% and last year alone the Council educated 2,315 people in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English–because studies show that literacy really matters, not only for adults but for their children (students in the program have some 850 dependent youngsters). Children of illiterate parents perform less well in school and, as adults, earn far less on average than the children of literate parents. So the Council provides classes for individuals and families, one-on-one tutoring, and self-paced, computer-assisted courses. It has tripled its size in 16 years by recruiting and training 1,900 volunteers who work alongside of trained experts. The idea here is to educate and to empower – so that adult learners participate more fully and confidently in their communities. Reading, writing, and speaking: it’s just that fundamental.
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