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
- Told by her daughter’s teacher that her English has improved
- Surprised her tutor with her first email
- Learned to use an iPad
- 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 January, 2019, Literacy for Life tutors reported:
MSS completed reviewing CNS Skills in preparation for Martha’s certification test this Friday.
VE finished reading Call of the Wild; as we worked through that book, she practiced her writing skills by writing summaries of each chapter.
MR finished 1A of Interactive English. We will start with 1B next week.
SA’s reading was much smoother today. We’re spending more time on writing now.
SF is preparing to apply for Citizenship. We are working on her application and studying the questions for her responses.
KG got a job at Master Corps as a Bilingual Field Talent Development Specialist.
JW is making progress with math. She’s has all the basic algebra down and we are getting through geometry.
DP: While on vacation in her homeland Latvia, she helped to interpret for a German couple who was having trouble communicating with a Latvian shop owner.
IH is reading complex sentences out loud.
VH finished our first book: From Home to School 2.
NH started second semester of HVAC training.
JG finished Interactive English 1A.
YE: Something positive happened—a “switch” went off in her head—-her speaking and oral communication was VERY MUCH improved and obvious even to me!!
GL finished Challenger 6 Book
AE: Through an employer contact, Andrew was able to get an interview for Ahmed with Cox-Powell, an HVAC company in Williamsburg.
TS has an interview with Lifetime Family Dentistry in Norge at 2:30 today. Andrew provided her with a mock interview and helped to prepare her for her upcoming interview.
Next Door Neighbor magazine
- 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