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Oakland Literacy Council

Everyone Has a Fundamental Right to Literacy


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New reading curriculum offers hope for adults with learning disabilities

December 21, 2020

 

OLC tutors can now give specialized instruction to students with learning disabilities. https://bartonreading.com/

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.”

Category: News

Council and funding partners bring digital literacy opportunities to Oakland County

December 20, 2020

Digital Literacy Coordinator Patti Shayne, (left) helps a learner navigate a new laptop provided by the Council.

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.

Category: News

‘Oh, what fun it is!’ as Secret Santas are revealed in this conversation group

December 20, 2020

Students and facilitator Rebecca Moll celebrate a year of learning and friendship.

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.

Category: News

Thank You for Shopping at Leon & Lulu

October 28, 2020

 

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/

Category: News

EDUCATORS SHARE INSIGHTS WITH IMMIGRANT PARENTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

October 6, 2020

  • 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.

Category: News

Oakland Literacy offers Google Applied Digital Skills Training for Tutors and Other Educators

September 22, 2020

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

Category: News

Seeking dynamic individual to coordinate digital literacy efforts

July 1, 2020

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.

Category: News

Phone Calls Replace Field Trips, but Learning and Sharing Endures

June 9, 2020

Don and his wife, Carol, have shown Esayas around Detroit, including the DIA. Esayas has hosted Don at the Ethiopian church where Esayas serves as priest.

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.”

Category: News

Amid the Health Crisis, English Learners Build Professional Skills, Confidence, and Friendship

May 1, 2020

Helpful. Excellent. Cooperative. Positive. Purpose. Words we all need right now. Words the participants use to describe Oakland Literacy Council’s (OLC) newest learning group.

This group of English language learners, led by OLC tutor Hannah Hilbert, works together to grow their professional skills – resumes, networking, interviewing, workplace culture, and more. It’s the first for Oakland Literacy Council on this topic. And one of the first groups to go virtual – they meet over Zoom every Thursday evening.

The timing could not have been better. The adult students are experiencing common frustrations of the pandemic. Lenise, originally from Brazil, wants to start looking for a job, but now “everything stopped.” For Sudha, a native of India, “24 hours staying home is difficult. It’s hard to manage kids and family.” Not being completely fluent in English yet, they feel an added layer of isolation during the shutdown.

It turns out the group is fostering more than professional skills. It is also fostering friendship. Sudha looks forward to sharing these 90 minutes each week with new friends. “It is very memorable and excellent for me.”

The facilitator, Hannah Hilbert, a regional business development specialist for Mercedes Benz Financial Services, has been an OLC tutor for 3 ½ years. Along with tutoring, she actively contributes to the OLC community at  professional development, social, and fundraising activities. Her inspiration for becoming a tutor came from an “alternative spring break” experience in college. She spent the week in Georgia volunteering with an organization that assists refugees with resettlement, including learning English.

Hannah speaks Spanish, German, and Portuguese. The idea for the professional skills learning group came from her involvement with foreign language professional groups here in the Detroit area.

Heading into the first session with the new group, Hannah wasn’t sure what to expect. She was so pleased that “everyone clicked really fast and they were really interested in helping each other out.”

Each week, Hannah sends the students vocabulary lists and an assignment to prepare for the upcoming session. During the session, the group has time to socialize, share homework, give each other feedback, and review new lessons. For Takara from Japan, it has been helpful to learn to write a resume in “the American way” and understand the differences in work culture between the United States and her home country. Lenise appreciates learning all the new vocabulary needed to apply for a job. Sudha feels more prepared to introduce herself to prospective employers now that she has prepared an “elevator pitch.”

Abir, a native of Lebanon, is in the process of interviewing for jobs. She values this opportunity to improve the quality of her English. “All of us have hope to be more confident in English. Hannah gives us hope. Gives us motivation. [Hannah tells us], ‘Yes, you can do it! You’re going to do it! You’ll be fine.’ It’s a positive feeling.”

Talking to Hannah, it is clear the positive feeling goes both ways. “I feel like I am giving back to society, to the greater good. There were times when I felt lost in a foreign country because I couldn’t speak the language, and someone took me under their wing. Now I can pay it forward.”

Category: News

Great online learning resources for children

April 8, 2020

Oakland Literacy Council  hosted a free webinar for parents, grandparents, and anyone helping children learn during the Covid-19 shutdown. Felicia Geeter, language arts instructional coach and OLC testing coordinator, shared online resources to educate and engage children — from English and math to virtual field trips.

View the presentation and resource list here:

Power Point of Presentation

Resources for Child Learning During Coronavirus

Category: News

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In the News

Check out these articles about Oakland Literacy Council!

The Joy of Being a Literacy Tutor
Read between the ‘lions’
Give a little, give a lot
Seeking volunteer tutors

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Oakland Literacy Council
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Lesley TauroLesley Tauro
12:43 05 Sep 24
I love being a English Tutor with Oakland Literacy Council on a one-on-one basis as well as for a conversation group. Through OLC, I have had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people, many who have become friends.
Cynthia WersteinCynthia Werstein
23:48 04 Sep 24
I have enjoyed my ESL tutoring with Oakland Literacy Council. We received training to help us, help our students. I feel like I can reach out for additional help if needed. Not to forget, they offer outside activities, on occasion, so that the students and tutors can do some typical, but fun activities! OLC is a great organization to volunteer with.
Lisa BurnsLisa Burns
21:33 04 Sep 24
I've been volunteering with the OLC for about a year and a half, and it's been a great experience! I very much enjoy the tutoring sessions with the student whom they paired me with. She is a lovely person and I've learned a lot from her too. OLC makes tutoring easy for volunteers, with an easy-to-use curriculum, training, support, and social events. Highly recommend!
Qambar Ali SarwariQambar Ali Sarwari
19:50 04 Sep 24
Great team, motivational atmosphere, Thank you for your always support and help, especially the refresher training you provide to the tutors.Warm regards ,Ali
Brad RothBrad Roth
19:07 04 Sep 24
When I retired in 2020 (in the middle of the covid pandemic) I wanted to find ways to volunteer. As a former college professor, I am particularly concerned about education and literacy. Working with Oakland Literacy Council has been a wonderful experience for me. The staff at OLC (particularly Laurie Weeks) is so helpful and appreciative. I've gotten more hand-written thank you notes from Laurie in the last four years than from everyone else throughout the rest of my life combined. Volunteering for OLC lets me give back to society but enjoy retirement too. I highly recommend it.
Kelly TurnerKelly Turner
11:12 23 Aug 24
I would like to say How amazing Oakland literacy Council is I came in May To Continue my education and I thank god I found them they where at the bottom of the list when they should have been at the top of the list first off the staff is amazing they did everything by the book I did placement testing to figure out where to place me they took the time out to get the best tutors they also called and checked in on me and also motivated me to keep going and never give up they gave me the option to go online for tutoring or in person Stewart my tutor was amazing he took pride in educating me and never made me feel like I was bothering him patricia was amazing she stayed on me and stayed consistent they made me feel like familythe icing on the cake was how they acknowledged me on graduation day the whole team was there for me and my family and I was so happy and me and my kid's could feel the love it's nothing that I would not do for Oakland literacy I will be there spokesperson for life cause it's worth it and they have top notch tutors employees and the online tutor services is Phenomenal if you're seeking to continue your education look no more this is the place to go
Sanghee HanSanghee Han
11:59 22 Aug 24
I was so lucky to meet oakland literacy Council. Since OLC has been a great institute for me almost 2 years. And they helped my english improve and give me some good talking classes for learning new culture here as well. Now that I graduated from a reading program at OLC, I feel like I'm still with them. Really appreciate it.
BAIYANG LAIBAIYANG LAI
19:36 15 Aug 24
In the past three years I learned English with Oakland Literacy. I met quite a few tutors in one by one tutoring and some conversation groups. Those tutors were so incredible and awesome! They really really helped me a lot in my English. My gratitude to all of them is beyond words!
jung min sonjung min son
17:36 15 Aug 24
Thank you for having me with your excellent support.. I really enjoyed learning English and having conversation class with others. I made some good friends and I think Oakland Literacy Council is very good for people who need English support 👏 👍
Joseph Lee (Jo)Joseph Lee (Jo)
16:39 15 Aug 24
Oakland Literacy Council was a very good program for me as my second language. I evaluated my English ability through English listening and reading tests and matched my tutor accordingly. As a result, my English improved a lot. And most of all, it was free.
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OAKLAND LITERACY COUNCIL 51111 Woodward Ave., Suite 720, Pontiac, MI 48342

(248) 253-1617, info@oaklandliteracy.com

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