Seven years ago, Sundas arrived in the United States and applied for asylum, fearing for her safety if she returned home to Iraq. Now, she calls the United States her home country. On February 4th, she became a citizen!

No one is prouder than her tutor, Carole. Carole has been tutoring Sundus in English since 2018. Over the last year, Carol helped Sundus prepare for the civics test, the final exam of the naturalization process.

The civics test is an oral test given by an immigration officer. Candidates for citizenship are expected to correctly answer six out of ten questions about U.S. history and government. The ten questions are randomly selected from a possible 100 questions. Sundus and Carole went over test questions each week. Together they studied the Constitution and new vocabulary. Carole was confident in Sundus because of “how diligent she was about her studies.”

Indeed, the preparation paid off! Sundus answered the first seven questions correctly to easily pass the civics test. The naturalization ceremony followed. Due to COVID-19, Sundus could not have guests attend. But as soon as she left the building, she shared the good news with family and friends, including Carole.

Sundus is thrilled to be a U.S. citizen. “The best part is, now I can have an American passport so I can visit my daughter in Sweden, and I can vote.”

Congratulations and safe travels, Sundus!

Sundus was previously featured in Oakland Literacy Council’s “35 Faces of Literacy.” Click HERE to read more about her journey.

 

Oakland History Center, Oakland Literacy Council Present on Racial Integration in Pontiac Schools

PONTIAC, MICHIGAN – On February 18, 2021, the Oakland History Center and Oakland Literacy Council are partnering to offer free presentations on the History of Racial Integration in Pontiac Schools. The 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. presentations will be in a virtual format and preregistration is required.

“This year marks 50 years since the start of court-ordered busing of elementary students to facilitate the racial integration of Pontiac’s public schools – and 50 years since the traumatic bombing of ten school buses right as the school year was to begin,” said Mike McGuinness, Executive Director of the Oakland History Center.

“These past events have shaped our Oakland County communities, educational systems, and experiences of the adult learners we serve. They are connected to the educational inequalities we see today,” said Oakland Literacy Council Executive Director Lisa Machesky. “We are pleased to share this history with the broader community and thank Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union for supporting this event.”

“Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union strongly believes in the power of education and its ability to positively impact our communities. With that goal in mind, we are honored to serve as the presenting sponsor for the Oakland Literacy Council and Oakland History Center’s Pontiac history presentation. This program will examine an ugly moment in Pontiac’s history while illuminating the strides that have been made in the 50 years since,” said Ann Jones, MSGCU Vice President of Marketing and Business Development.

Those interested in attending can visit www.oaklandliteracy.com/pontiachistory to register or to find more  information.

 

Several of our U.S.-born students read at a very low level due to dyslexia or some other reading disability. This past summer, the Council invested in the Barton Reading & Spelling System, a proven curriculum designed specifically to overcome those challenges.

The curriculum, which can also be delivered remotely, is multi-sensory and phonics based. For example, students pull down colored tiles representing consonants or vowels to form words. They tap their fingers while repeating sounds and write on the screen. The lessons are carefully scripted, so volunteers know exactly what to say and do to build a foundation in phonics.

“It’s comprehensive,” says volunteer Lisa Heinze, who also draws upon her experience as a former elementary classroom aide to tutor a 20-year-old learner, who had a brain condition that impaired her cognitive abilities. The lessons, Lisa says, “are organized and easy to use.”

Oakland Literacy Council is working hard to bridge the “digital divide” in Oakland County, helping adults left behind because they lack technology, internet access, and computer skills.

The Council raised more than $100,000 in 2020 to hire a digital literacy coordinator, provide hardware and software, and deliver computer-skills training to adults in Oakland County. “We know that low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by a lack of digital access,” says Executive Director Lisa Machesky. “By helping adults bridge the digital divide, they can become fully literate, secure higher-paying jobs, and help their children learn.”

As part of this major initiative, adult learners receive laptops and complete the Northstar Digital Literacy curriculum to earn certificates demonstrating their computer proficiency–proof of job skills they can share with potential employers.

“This is something I’m doing to build myself up,” says Ms. Jackson, a Pontiac resident who never had a computer before. Now, she has weekly computer lessons with the digital literacy coordinator and online reading classes with a trained literacy tutor. She says she’s better able to support her children, who are doing online school from home.

Funding for this initiative came from the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, the Oakland County Library Board, Oakland Together Community Response and Recovery Fund, and the Lula Wilson Trust.

Spirits were bright in this Thursday conversation group! Students and facilitator Rebecca Moll joined together for a virtual holiday party.

The celebration actually started a few weeks ago. Each person in the group had a Secret Santa. They each filled out questionnaires so the Secret Santas would know more about their person. Instead of sending gifts, Secret Santas wrote letters and created something on the computer, such as a recipe or video.

At Thursday’s party, Secret Santas were revealed! Then students shared how they guessed (or not) their Secret Santas.  But the fun didn’t end there. They played online games, including Name that Tune, Charades, Catch Phrase, Scavenger Hunt, and Survey Says.  The group also shared holiday traditions.

Along with the joy of gathering together, the holiday party was a great opportunity for the students to practice reading, writing, speaking, and digital skills.

As of December, there were 15 conversation groups meeting weekly with trained Oakland Literacy Council facilitators. Group learning is an important supplement to one-on-one tutoring because it helps students gain skills more quickly and form friendships.

 

Thank You for shopping at Leon & Lulu during the spookiest day of the year, Halloween.  A portion of your purchase on October 31st, 2020 went to the Oakland Literacy Council. The Oakland Literacy Council is the only organization dedicated solely to ending adult illiteracy in Oakland County.

Want to know more?

Watch our video:

https://youtu.be/3HQ0vdQYkyQ

Want to volunteer?

Become a tutor:

https://www.oaklandliteracy.com/become-a-tutor/

Want to brush up on your reading skills?

Become a student:

https://www.oaklandliteracy.com/become-a-student/

Want to invest in our work?

Donate:

https://www.oaklandliteracy.com/donate/

• An upcoming 4-part series will highlight experts from an array of Metro Detroit educational institutions who will share important resources for parents of school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic
• In addition, weekly conversation groups allow parents to connect with one another to share concerns and ideas
• Presented by the Oakland Literacy Council with funding from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

Oakland County, Michigan – Educators from an array of Metro Detroit educational institutions will share insights with immigrant and refugee parents of school-aged children during an upcoming online speakers’ series. Sessions provide learning tools for children of multiple ages, information on how to access community resources, and ways to reduce conflict with children and increase their competence. The sessions kickoff Thursday, October 15th and will be presented this month and next. To register for any session, please visit www.oaklandliteracy.com/eslparenthelp.

Immigrant and refugee parents are also offered the opportunity to join small, online parent conversation groups facilitated by a trained volunteer. These groups are designed to bring English-limited parents together to share their concerns about student learning and emotional well-being. Together the parents will share ideas and support one another. Their discussion topics may include technology issues, motivating children to engage in learning, where to go if there is a problem, and how to manage anxiety and depression. There are groups available for parents of elementary children, middle school, and high school youth. To find out more about the conversation groups, please email amy.g@oaklandliteracy.com.

The speaker series and conversation groups for parents are supported with funds from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and presented by the Oakland Literacy Council.

Learn New Tools! 

Oakland Literacy Council has been awarded a grant to host a training session for tutors and other educators to learn about including Google’s Applied Digital Skills training into their instruction.  Google’s Applied Digital Skills curriculum is a series of videos that feature project-based ready-made lessons that will help your adult learner build digital skills while enhancing your current lessons.  These skills allow for easier communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking through technology – and play an important role in preparing students and learners for the jobs of today and tomorrow.  Learn more about Google Applied Digital Skills.

The 3-hour training is scheduled for Monday, October 26th from 1-4 pm.  Please register for this free training via Zoom at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UNmdp1vyR16-Vh7UgHbInA

The Oakland Literacy Council is seeking a Digital Literacy Coordinator.  This part-time position will lead a new effort to enhance digital literacy in Oakland County particularly in the City of Pontiac.  For more information, see the job description.

They were born three decades apart. Their lives cross three continents. Yet tutor Don Haffner and student Esayas Tasew share so much in common.

Both have dedicated their lives to helping people. Don worked in the Peace Corps teaching English in Korea. He lived in Korea for a total of 15 years, continuing to teach English at schools and U.S. military bases. When Don later returned to Detroit, he produced books for blind and dyslexic people. Don now teaches world history at Oakland Community College.

Esayas immigrated from Ethiopia three years ago, joining family already in the Detroit area. He leads a congregation of 50 parishioners at St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Ferndale. Esayas’ wife and young son still live in Ethopia. He looks forward to the time when they can join him in the United States.

Both enjoy talking about current events and learning about each other’s countries and cultures. Don reads BBC and Reuters every day. Whenever he finds an article about Ethiopia, he makes a copy to read and discuss with Esayas. Don explains, “It is interesting for the student because it is their country but also shows that I am interested in his country, not just the other way around.” 

Don also has a chance to get a deeper understanding of Ethiopia. “He [Esayas] knows more about it than what is in the article.”

Esayas is an eager learner, with the goal to learn English well enough to attend an international theology school. Prior to the pandemic, the pair were meeting up to four hours a week at the Ferndale Library – twice the required weekly hours. Once the library closed, Esayas and Don tried to meet over Zoom, but Esayas doesn’t have a strong Internet connection and finds the computer challenging.

Don and Esayas have found a new way to meet. Don prints and leaves study materials in Esayas’ mailbox every few weeks. Then they have phone meetings twice a week.

While the arrangement might not be ideal, it is working. Esayas is grateful to Don: “He is my prize, my light.”