Judy

I'm not sure how much of it is 'training' as such, and how much is helping
providers understand the fundamental issues of folks with varied abilities
with literacy.

I've met with child protection workers who talked to me about the way they
scan a house ­ looking for important things like safety locks when there are
little kids around, cleaning supplies, food in the fridge, etc. etc.  I then
asked them about a literacy scan ­ what print do they notice ‹ phone numbers
by the phone, a calendar, a bible, kids' books ­ whatever.  I try to frame
this as something that isn't judgemental, but that helps them see how people
do/don't use print as a tool.  If there isn't a lot of evidence of print in
the house, it may not necessarily mean that people have literacy issues, but
it's part of a larger understanding of how they function.

Listening to people and learning about how they get through the tasks they
need to do will give some information.

For those providers who don't do home visits, there are other ways of
recognizing people's degree of ease with print/literacy.  Asking them how
they found the (service provider's) office, if they have questions about any
of the forms, or if there are things that are easier or more difficult to
understand around paperwork and such.

My fears about some trainings revolve around a deficit view taken of adults
with literacy issues.  As well, some common assumptions ("I forgot my
glasses, I'll bring this form home and bring it back tomorrow") may or may
not indicate literacy issues, but tend to minimize the skills and abilities
that adults do have in navigating their worlds when print isn't a viable
tool for them.

having said all that, and believing that conversations with providers ‹
during their staff meetings, for example ‹ tend to be more useful in helping
them understand some of the issues around dealing with literacy ­ I'd really
encourage people to try to get themselves onto the agenda for a staff
meeting and talk ­ and listen ­ to case managers/providers to help them
understand the many ways in which adults can do things and may also need
help.

Framing this as support ‹ e.g. so, if you're looking for a job, what would
help you?  Do you think you want to do [this job] or [that]?  What skills do
you need to do it?  Are there classes or programs that might help you
strengthen those skills? -- so it's not all about reading as such, but about
positioning reading/writing as a piece of the larger picture / the other
pieces that adults need to function in the world.

Janet Isserlis


From: Judy Bundy <drbundy52 at yahoo.com>
Reply-To: The Family Literacy Discussion List <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:14:44 -0700 (PDT)
To: <FamilyLiteracy at nifl.gov>
Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 1066]  training for service providers

I am a volunteer coordinating a literacy project for a small public library.
Since I've been spreading the word about our tutoring and classes, a number
of folks have expressed an interest in having training for service providers
who come in contact with people in the community who need literacy training.
They want to learn how to (1) recognize people who need literacy training,
and (2) approach those folks in a gentle way to tell them how to get the
kind of help they need. Perhaps even facilitate getting them in touch with
the program, without being overbearing or offensive to someone who may have
been hiding their literacy issue for years. Does anyone have any ideas about
how to find that kind of training?
  
 
  
Thanks.
  
 
  
Judy Bundy, PhD
  
Coordinator, WINGS: A Community Literacy Project
  
Riter C. Hulsey Public Library
  
Terrell, Texas
  
 
  

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