Through individualized instruction, Literacy for Life helps learners achieve their personal literacy-related goals in diverse areas such as employment, parenting, and citizenship. While working at Literacy for Life, learners:
- Registered to vote
- Voted in November election for the first time
- Wrote a resume
- Got a better job
- Started a pet sitting business
- Finished the entire Interactive English series (reading, writing, listening & speaking)
- Obtained U.S. citizenship
- Complimented on her improved English by her employer
- Obtained a library card
- Wrote a note to her child’s teacher
- Took her child to the library for the first time
- Took a job as a substitute teacher
- Passed the Virginia driver’s test (written and behind the wheel)
- Made a doctor’s appointment by phone for first time
- Learned how to use the # and * keys when listening to a pre-recorded phone prompt
- Were told by her daughter’s teacher that her English has improved
- Surprised her tutor with her first email
- Improved writing skills
- Greatly improved typing accuracy and speed
- Passed 3 levels of an EPA certification course for using pesticides at a resort
- Began a class at New Horizons
- Learned 6 new English words today and how to count to 10 and recognize numerals
- Learned how to spell and say her numbers, ordinals, months and days properly
- Started dividing polynomials
- Completed a research paper with citations
- Passed the Virginia Placement test
- Passed the Northstar Microsoft Excel digital literacy test
- Passed all four GED tests
- Passed the TEAS (admission test for RN program)
In September 2019, Literacy for Life tutors reported:
Ma… decided to speak only English at home with daughters!
Al… is using better English pronunciation
Ah… did well writing a brief summary of a Readers’ Digest article using the 3 “W’s” tip.
Sy… was recently hospitalized and was able to interact with doctors and nurses successfully in English during her stay, even though her husband was not able to always be there to translate.
SS finished Barton Reading Book 2 and we are moving on to Book 3. She is a very motivated learner.
EJ is very concerned about her son in preschool. He is 4 years old and is not yet playing with the other children and generally does not speak English. I spent our time going over ways to encourage English dialog between my learner and her child. She was excited to borrow two children’s books to share with him. She has also purchased her own copy of the Korean/English Picture (Oxford) dictionary that we have been using here.
No…Her English is getting better and we almost read an entire book.
La… is now “Adam” and is a US Citizen!
Bo… worked on directions to put an outside light up. he did really well.
Hu… had an interview at the Williamsburg Inn for a housekeeper’s job. She is waiting to hear. We spent our hour looking at articles online about how to be a hotel housekeeper and wrote down and learned all the words and expressions she might encounter in the job: from soap and shampoo and conditioner to coffee makers and caf/ decaf to mini-bar, sofa bed, remote, lost and found—dozens and dozens of pertinent terms. While I am writing this, she just got an offer! The hours are good for her to be with her children, so she might take it.
Jo… finished Book 1 “Patterns in Spelling”
Ir… plans to take the TOEFL in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
Ma… is starting to get the difference between present, past, and future tense of to go.
Al… and his tutor celebrated their fiftieth lesson!!!
Next Door Neighbor magazine
- Learner Martha Suarez-Shaheen shares her story, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Nov. 2019
- Volunteer Wendy Ruffle , Next Door Neighbors magazine, March 2019
- If you want to help children, Next Door Neighbors magazine, January, 2019
- Get a Better Job with Our Employ Ed Program, Next Door Neighbors magazine, November, 2018
- Reading Between the Wines fundraiser, Next Door Neighbors magazine, October, 2018
- Empowering Parents Program, Next Door Neighbors magazine, September, 2018
- As different as we are, we all want the same thing, Next Door Neighbors magazine, March, 2018
- Learner Meiber Gonzalez with staff member and ESL Program Manager Jason Thornton, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Feb. 2018
- “We’re thankful for our volunteer tutors and they’re thankful too,” Next Door Neighbors magazine, Nov. 2017
- Reading Between the Wines: Board member, Terry Murphy and Learner Maria Iruka, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Oct. 2017
- “If you want to help children, invest in adult literacy,” Next Door Neighbors magazine, Aug. 2017
- Literacy for Life Launches New Work Skills Program, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Sept. 2017
- Dr. Richard Lodwick and tutor Pat Russo (HEAL program), Next Door Neighbors magazine, May 2017
- Learner Santina Achiro and Ellen Fithian, M.D., Ph.D. Next Door Neighbors magazine, April 2017
- Learners Rosana Furhmann and Fei Bao and with ESL instructor Sean Sukol, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Mar. 2017
- Learner Nelvia Higgins with tutor Martha Dean, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Jan. 2017
- Learner Edwin Rivera with tutor Betsy Turner, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Dec. 2016
- Outreach Coordinator Andrew Martin, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Oct. 2016
- Learner Alfonso Alves with tutor Steven Heaston, Next Door Neighbors magazine, Aug. 2016
- Learner Stephen Alute with tutor Michelle Hanley, Next Door Neighbors magazine, July 2016
- Learner Shamar with tutor Virnell Bruce, Next Door Neighbors magazine, June 2016
- Rocio Gordillo Bresnahan, “From Bogotá to the ‘Burg,” Next Door Neighbors magazine, May 2016
- ESL instructor, Mary O’Brien, and learner Mado Mameya Next Door Neighbors magazine, May 2016
- Learners Olibar Reynosa and Roger Flores with South of the Border owner, Raul Segovia Next Door Neighbors magazine, April 2016
- Learners Asmita & Jay Patel with tutors Judy Hilburger and Jim Sivells, Next Door Neighbors magazine, March 2016
- Learner Anh Tran with LFL board president, Nathan Mortier Next Door Neighbors magazine, Feb. 2016
- Learner Halyna Drutsul with Monty Hargrove Next Door Neighbors magazine, Jan. 2016