Empowering others to support literacy in any learner

GED and remedial reading at Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center - Out of school youth age 16 – 26 - Finishing a GED, high school diploma, etc. -Trade training - Residential program

Talking about and experiencing low literacy Thinking about what tools and strategies you can pull from what I’ll share to help an “other” support writing Tutors have given us the feedback that they find these activities and tools very helpful so we continue to use them

Adult low literacy can be connected to almost every socio- economic issue in the United States: More than 60% of all inmates (state & federal) are functionally illiterate. Low health literacy costs the U. S. $106 – $238 billion each year. Low literacy costs the U.S. $225 billion or more annually due to non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and unemployment.

21% of adults in Grand Rapids, and 14% of Kent County are considered functionally illiterate. Michigan’s high school dropout rate is 15%; national rate is 10.9% In Grand Rapids, the high school dropout rate is 22%. At least 60% of students entering community colleges in Michigan require remediation.

Adults get one-on-one tutoring in literacy once a week for 2 hours at a location and time of their choice.

You are an expert in English. Really. And, you are able to affect change with extensive influence. Our adult tutoring program would not be able to exist without this fundamental belief.

-How can tutor* be empowered to work with students? -What tools will help? *Who are these tutors? - educational support professionals -Tutors in the classroom or pull out programs - parents -_________________ -___________________ -____________________ -___________________ My goal for our time today

Act I

KIDS (K-12) Resistance to reading Hesitation to write Acting out in class Lack of homework Poor grades Low confidence ADULTS 18+ Excuses for not reading Missing appointments Not answering s Takes a long time to read or sign papers Becomes anxious around text Avoids text! Asks to take materials home

Concept developed by science educator Mary Budd Rowe in the late 1960s Positive changes in climate and quality of interactions Increased levels of cognitive functioning We tell tutors to wait 7-12 seconds when asking a question Do not ask more than one question at a time Do not rephrase the question when the learner doesn’t answer

Act II

Allow opportunities to write in non-threatening ways, like using whiteboards, flashcards, letter tiles, etc. Importance of positive body language

Act II

Wait time Not rephrasing questions Positive body language Setting clear guidelines and goals Using in-context opportunities to read and write Non-threatening writing practice Stressing empathy for the situation

Thank you for listening!

Costa, Arthur L., and Robert J. Garmston. Cognitive Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon, Print. National Center for Family Literacy: Rowe, M. (1986). Wait time: slowing down may be a way of speeding up! Journal of Teacher Education, Jan-Feb: Wilson, S. M., Shulman, L. S., & Richert, A. E. (1987). "150 different ways" of knowing: Representations of knowledge in teaching. In J. Calderhead (Ed.), Exploring teachers' thinking (pp ). London: Cassell.