The Harris Literacy Center at Wayne State University and Reading Works have joined together to present PULSE on Friday, November 15th from 8 am – 3 pm.  Network with other adult education and literacy practitioners to learn research-based best practices in the field of adult literacy with an emphasis on reading, writing, math application, data interpretation, technology, integrated education, and work readiness.

The keynote speaker will be JEFF DONOFRIO, the new Director of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity for the State of Michigan.  Breakout sessions include:

• Digital literacy
• Making Adult Education Relevant for Working People
• The Essential Credential: a Faster Route to HSD/HSE
• Engaging adult learners through storytelling
• The power of the arts in the adult education classroom
• ESL and diversity in the workplace
• Trauma-informed teaching
• Math strategies for everyone

PULSE 2019 Flyer

Register here for PULSE 2019!!

The sun shone brightly Saturday on Oakland Literacy Council’s 35^th Anniversary celebration.  At the Picnic in the Park held at Waterford Oaks Park, about 100 students, tutors, community members, and families gathered for food, games, conversation, and entertainment.

Just like the magic of learning that students and tutors create together, Baffling Bill amazed the audience with his magic tricks.  The upbeat music of the banjo duo, Brian Newsom and Morgan Humecky, brought even more joy to the event.  Tutor Susan Lipson exclaimed, “Today was absolutely glorious! … The entertainment was just plain fun, and we really had fun getting to know more students and tutors.”

Stories of challenges and accomplishments were shared throughout the afternoon.  Student Lilian Faranso recalled how her tutor went through extra training just to learn how to better help her.  With her new language skills, Lilian can now use the GPS and drive on her own to Chicago. “We are all learning a lot. Our life changed. I hope it will continue forever!”

Oakland Literacy Council Board President Judy Lindstrom reflected on the day and its meaning. “I was so proud and touched to see so many students and tutors at the event.  This organization has touched so many hearts and changed so many lives over 35 years.  Today we celebrated our past, present, and future and our dedication to spreading literacy in our community.”

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Students, tutors, friends, and family members will gather for a Picnic in the Park on Saturday, September 14, 2019, to celebrate the 35^th Anniversary of the Oakland Literacy Council.  The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Paradise Pavilion at Waterford Oaks Park.  The 100+ guests expected at the picnic come from cities and townships across Oakland County and over 20 countries of origin, reflecting the diversity of Southeast Michigan.

More than 105,000 adults in Oakland County are functionally illiterate.  For 35 years, the Oakland Literacy Council has been pairing trained tutors with adults seeking to improve their English language literacy to advance on pathways toward employment, citizenship, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.   In 2018, the Oakland Literacy Council delivered 12,500 hours of instruction to adult learners.

In 2019, Oakland Literacy Council has been celebrating 35 years of service in Oakland County with its online series, 35 Faces of Oakland Literacy, highlighting the compelling stories of adult students whose lives have been transformed by learning to read and write English and the volunteer tutors and community members who have made such a personal difference in their lives.

Executive Director Lisa Machesky explains, “Through our 35^th anniversary and 35 Faces of Literacy, we have been able to shine a light on the everyday stories of our students, their struggles and accomplishments, and the passionate volunteers that have joined them on this literacy journey.”

Last night Paula Tutman interviewed one of our oldest students and his tutor.  See the interview here:

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/its-never-too-late-metro-detroit-man-learns-to-read-at-the-age-of-84

 

Smiling faces and tears of joy were on display last week at the Oakland Literacy Council’s annual graduation ceremony at its offices in Bloomfield Hills. Thirty-two students graduated the reading and/or listening program.  With their proud families and tutors in attendance, the literacy grads gratefully accepted their certificates from the Council’s Board President, Judy Lindstrom.

During the ceremony, students spoke of the impact the tutors had made in their lives, both as

teachers, mentors, and friends.  A Russian student, Elena Babin, who came with her infant son, explained how her tutor, Irene Sinclair, gave her confidence during her labor and delivery.  Prior to the birth they practiced conversations with nurses and doctors to assertively communicate her needs.  Elena said, “I didn’t have to worry about English while giving birth.”

Woo Jin Yoon, a student from South Korea, talked about how her tutor, Hannah Hilbert, became her first American friend.  The friendship, according to Yoon, blossomed when they went to a brewery and beer festival.  Yoon plans to start a party planning business soon.  Another graduate, Hpwe Lwin, from Burma already owns two businesses and was grateful her tutor helped her improve her English skills.  Each graduate expressed appreciation for the time and patience given to them by their tutors.

Job Descriptions- Development and Communications Assistant

In celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Oakland Literacy Council, we have lined up an amazing guest speaker for our biggest fundraising event of the year, the Ex Libris dinner. On Thursday, November 14, 2019, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Washington Post editor David Marannis will share a riveting story from his childhood in Detroit. The story about how his father was swept up in the anti-Communist fear that swept the country in the 1950s is the subject of Marannis’s newest book, A Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father. Please save the date for this wonderful evening in which we will hear Marannis’s story as well as honor the many stories of our students, tutors, and long-time advocates who together weave a powerful tapestry of our collective work in Oakland County. And consider becoming a sponsor of this wonderful fundraiser. More information on sponsorship can be found here.

 

This spring, seven conversation groups for our English language learners are underway throughout Oakland County. Currently, groups meet in Troy, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, and Rochester Hills. Some meet during the day; some in the evening.

Conversation groups are organized with students whose listening and speaking ability is about the same level. This approach differs from other conversation groups in the area that are open to everyone. Our approach ensures all students can participate equally.

Samantha Most is facilitating her second, six-week conversation group at the West Bloomfield Township Public Library on Thursday evenings. The group attracts English language learners from Poland, Ukraine, China, Japan, South Korea, and Syria.

“I’ve noticed that the students love learning about other cultures,” says Samantha, who also tutors a student one-on-one through Oakland Literacy Council. Recently, she asked her conversation group how the arrival of spring is recognized in students’ home countries. Some countries had special celebrations.

At each conversation group, Samantha also introduces a few vocabulary words, and the students practice using the words in conversation.
The intention behind the conversation groups is to give students another venue for practicing their listening and speaking skills beyond their individual tutoring sessions. The more practice they get, the faster they will progress in their studies.

The Trump Administration’s proposed fiscal year 2020 budget calls for a 24 percent cut to Title II Adult Education State Grants, from which Oakland Literacy Council receives funding.

Low literacy is as prevalent now as 20 years ago, yet there are fewer public resources dedicated to solving the problem. In the state of Michigan, a cut at the federal level would be a continuation of a trend, as support for adult education has fallen 87 percent from the 1995-96 school year.

The funding decline has hit already under-served cities particularly hard. The latest casualty is Hazel Park, a city where the poverty rate hovers near 30% and two-thirds of the high-school students drop out before graduation. Budget shortfalls forced Hazel Park to shutter its adult education program in July 2018.

Some programs have closed as well, while others remain operational but with reduced service. Walled Lake, for instance, could not afford repairs to its outdated community education center, so adult ed programming was forced to share space with a middle school, which led to the elimination of daytime programming for adult ed, triggering a decline in enrollment. Evening programming is difficult for many low-literate adults who lack evening child care. Pontiac, another impoverished community, almost closed last summer, too, and now operates on a slim staff and emergency funding.

Currently, no adult education programming currently exists for adults in high-need Oakland County communities of Madison Heights, Oak Park, Hazel Park, or Southfield. While surrounding adult ed classes will enroll adults whose communities lack their own programming, we know that this population often lacks transportation to access services beyond their neighborhood borders.

While the Trump Administration’s proposed budget has been received with criticism and may not pass, it is true that adults in Michigan have increasingly limited access to adult education programming that could lift their literacy levels. The bottom line: it’s even more important today that Oakland Literacy Council is here to bridge the gap.