We’re celebrating National Family Literacy Month! Here’s how you can celebrate and promote family literacy at home.
1. Make books easy to access.
Start a tradition of gifting books to children in your life every November – and maybe more often! Donate gently used and outgrown books to a Little Free Library near you; support a book drive in your local community (or even start one!).
2. Prioritize and model reading.
If you have young children in your close family, set aside regular time for reading aloud with them. If you’re not a parent, see if this could become a cherished tradition for young nieces, nephews, cousins, or family friends – maybe you could establish a regular time to read to kids in your family and give their regular caregivers a break!
3. Make reading special.
Set aside time for reading aloud – even if you only have a short amount of time – and when kids are old enough, set aside time for quiet reading on their own in a comfy space.
4. Make regular visits to your local library.
Find your local library and visit it often! Libraries have so much more than books (though of course the books are amazing) – many have reading kits, with toys and crafts that accompany books, and most have fabulous activity calendars.
For the anonymity of the person described in this blog, we refer to the adult learner as “O.”
As one of several homeschooled children, “O” described his upbringing as being filled with resentment and anger. His mother tried her best, but she stopped homeschooling her children at some point, and “O” did not progress with his reading. He also struggled with a father who would tease him for not knowing how to read along with his siblings.
“I actually don’t know what grade I’ve completed, but my mother stopped homeschooling me and my siblings,” he said.
At age 12, he realized that he was not proficient at reading. He had never attended a traditional school and was isolated at home apart from his immediate family.
His sister, who also struggled with reading, heard about Reading to New Heights from a family member. “O” decided to join his sister on the journey to reading proficiency. He started at a kindergarten reading level, but has improved by leaps and bounds and has never looked back.
“At first, I felt nervous, scared, excited, and overwhelmed at the thought of joining the program,” he revealed. “I was reading at a kindergarten level. Now, it’s like a weight has been lifted because I can read.”
“O” has an unbreakable bond with his tutor, whom he respects and appreciates. He now has aspirations of completing his GED and attaining his first job.
“It’s been a real confidence booster. I’m always trying to push myself to my limits. I’ve noticed that my confidence when going out is better.”
His latest accomplishment was acquiring his driver’s license. He was so proud to confidently fill out paperwork without needing help. “O” is reading to new heights!
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If you’re interested in helping students Read to New Heights, find out more about our volunteer positions at readingtonewheights.org/volunteer-application/
October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month, and Reading to New Heights is lifting the topic as it is an all-too-common struggle for adult learners. While our nonprofit does not diagnose individuals, we support all adult learners who are ready to read to new heights!
Here are five facts about Dyslexia according to The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity and the International Dyslexia Association.
1. Dyslexia is defined as an unexpected difficulty in learning to read. Dyslexia takes away an individual’s ability to read quickly and automatically and retrieve spoken words easily, but it does not dampen creativity and ingenuity.
2. Dyslexia is very common, affecting 20 percent of the population and 80– 90 percent of all those with learning disabilities. Scientific research shows differences in brain connectivity between dyslexic and typical reading children, providing a neurological basis for why reading fluently is a struggle for those with Dyslexia.
3. Dyslexia can’t be “cured” – it is lifelong. But with the proper support, dyslexic individuals can become highly successful students and adults.
4. Signs of Dyslexia in adults can be:
● A childhood history of reading and spelling difficulties
● While reading skills have developed over time, reading still requires significant effort and is done at a slow pace.
● Rarely reads for pleasure.
● Slow reading of most materials—books, manuals, subtitles in films
● Avoiding reading aloud
5. While there is no single test to determine Dyslexia, adults can take this self-assessment tool from the International Dyslexia Association to determine the likelihood of having Dyslexia.
If you or someone you know has Dyslexia, there is support through our program.
Arlene is one of Reading to New Height’s most tenured tutors after starting in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic when she had taken a break from her elementary school teaching. At Reading to New Heights, she had eight adult learners she supported multiple times a week at one point. While that was a full-time responsibility on a volunteer basis, it didn’t bother her. She wanted to use her years of experience in teaching to support adult learners virtually. For her, there was no reason she couldn’t do it.
“I just wanted to help people. Why not?” said Arlene. “They’ve struggled so much, and they’re willing to help. Why should people struggle when there’s someone to help them? Why not help?”
Arlene has a love for teaching, no matter if she’s teaching young children or adult learners. What she says is different about teaching adults is their dedication and focus on the lessons, no matter how busy they are with work, family, or other life tasks.
“There’s really a dedication from the learners. Some are so tired that they fall asleep in class after working for so long, but they press on,” she said.
Arlene is now working full time teaching elementary school again, but still finds time in her schedule and in her heart to support Reading to New Heights learners. She has an open-door policy and wants her students to call her anytime.
“Whenever my students have a problem, they can call me anytime,” she said. “I’ll pick up and help them.”
If you’re interested in helping students Read to New Heights, find out more about our volunteer positions at readingtonewheights.org/volunteer-application/.
“What’s tonight’s special?” was a question to waiters and a way out from having to feel ashamed or struggle to read a restaurant menu. Another option is studying an online menu ahead of time or ordering the same things your friend’s order. This is an all-too common experience for those who struggle with low literacy.
As we conclude National Literacy Month, we share insight into this common yet triggering experience of reading restaurant menus. Watch the video below about Reading to New Heights’ Executive Director Deidra Mayberry’s inspiring story about her experience ordering meals from restaurants while struggling with low literacy.
If you or someone you know may be battling with literacy, please send this blog to them, so they know they are not alone, and we are here to help.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way! As we continue our series for National Literacy Month, we share insight into overcoming low literacy in college and graduating despite the odds. Yes, it is possible to graduate college while still hiding the shame of low literacy!
Watch the video below about Reading to New Heights’ Executive Director Deidra Mayberry’s story and how she graduated from college while hiding her literacy secret.
https://vimeo.com/user149543549
If you or someone you know may be battling with literacy, please send this blog to them, so they know they are not alone, and we are here to help.
“Even when my husband and I started dating, I had so much fear because I didn’t want him to know that I can’t read at a high level. It was a really long secret.” – Reading to New Heights Learner.
Like our learners, co-founder of Reading to New Heights, Deidra Mayberry, has had direct experience with literacy shame in relationships. Watch the video below as we continue to explore literacy shame during National Literacy Month.
If you or someone you know may be battling with literacy, please send this blog to them so they know they are not alone, and we are here to help.
Co-founder of Reading to New Heights, Deidra Mayberry, shares her experience with literacy shame in the workplace. Shame met her at the door of her job every day. Eventually, that feeling turned into fear of being exposed and unqualified for her career.
Watch the video above as we continue to explore literacy shame during National Literacy Month. If you or someone you know may be battling with literacy, please send this blog to them so they know they are not alone, and we are here to help.