Good idea, Erik.

Here's  beginning :

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Learner_Perspectives

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

On Jan 27, 2007, at 5:03 PM, ejonline at comcast.net wrote:


> I would like to thank all learners who have been sharing their  

> stories. It made me think that there should be a section of the ALE  

> Wiki that collects learners' life stories. These would be useful  

> for classrooms (as students and teachers can use these stories as  

> part of the curriculum), for advocacy, and for other things. It  

> would also provide a place on the web that students could go to  

> work on their digital literacy skills if they were so inclined.

>

> What are others thoughts?

>

> Erik Jacobson

>

>

>

> From: "Allan Quigley" <aquigley at stfx.ca>

> Date: January 26, 2007 8:58:33 PM EST

> To: "The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List"  

> <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> Cc: Raylene.Bowman at strait.ednet.ns.ca, Wendy Kraglund-Gauthi  

> <wkraglun at stfx.ca>

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 806] Re: Hard to reach  

> people....:Aquestion for Cece if you are there.."

>

>

> Thanks so much for your reply, Cece.

>

>

> Having lived near Chicago for a while, I can imagine what this  

> struggle was like for you. I can only say: “What courage!”

>

>

> If more learners are to be reached and more are to overcome their  

> self-doubt and fear—if I may say so—we need  you and so many like  

> you to just, “Tell your story.”  It will make a difference to the  

> lives of many. We know it and have seen it many times. In my case,  

> after living the struggle to have solid funding available for  

> programs in the United States, I moved home to Canada. Guess what?  

> At the moment at least, things are actually worse here for funding.  

> It’s sure not easy.

>

>

> So, when successful learners like you speak up, it gives others  

> (like me) the argument we need to convince those who make the  

> funding decisions to invest in adult education.

>

>

> In closing, thank you so much, for coming on this disucssion.

>

>

> All the very best,

>

>

> Allan

>

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> B. Allan Quigley, EdD

>

> Professor of Adult Education

>

> Department of Adult Education

>

> Xavier Hall

>

> St. Francis Xavier University

>

> Antigonish, Nova Scotia

>

> Canada,

>

> B2G 2W5

>

>

> e-mail:     aquigley at stfx.ca

>

> website:  www.stfx.ca/academic/adulted

>

> phone:    902-867-3244

>

> fax:           902-867-3765

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov  

> [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of cece  

> tilsley

> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 4:14 PM

> To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 803] Re: Hard to reach  

> people....:Aquestion for Cece if you are there.."

>

>

> Hi Allan,

>

>

> That's a great question thanks for asking me, I'll try and explain  

> why at 50 I looked for help in my reading.

>

> At 50 years old I was sick of not being able to do things like  

> other people or understand when people talked to me and use words I  

> didn't understand I would be lost in conversations all the time. I  

> had medial jobs and was trying to raise my two children who were 12  

> years apart, one going to college and one still at home. Even  

> having children was hard for me I had lots of problems, but to move  

> on. Both of my children could read very well. My problem was I  

> could not help ether of them after second grade with home work. I  

> always know I had to learn more but, I just did not know how to go  

> about it, it always seamed to me like I could not learn at all.  

> When my son was 16 teen and I was baby sitting for my niece's  

> children full time and could not read the books she bought for them  

> I was very very sad and still didn't know what to do. I saw a  

> commercial on T.V. with Danny Glover about learning how to read  

> after thinking about it for some time and calling the number I saw  

> on T.V.  it took a least six more calls before I found Literacy of  

> Chicago, by this time I was so afraid to go I just could not tell  

> you. First I was tutored in my neighborhood that tutor was very  

> nice but, he had a business of his own so he stopped tutoring me, I  

> had to go to downtown Chicago to be tutored parking was bad and  

> cost a lot too. After finding out I could learn I thought I need to  

> fine some thing closer to home and were I didn't have to pay so  

> much money to park for two hours. I didn't want to give up I had  

> just started. I went to a Library and asked about literacy I was  

> told that they didn't have any illiterate people in there  

> neighborhood. Then I felt so bad I was so dumb this hole  

> neighborhood does not have any one like me how studied was I. It  

> was had for me to ask again but, I went to another Library not in  

> the same day and asked the young lady where there literacy program  

> was, and she said "what does literacy mean" ! I then I asked if  

> there was any one I could talk to about literacy she sent me to the  

> second floor I stood in a line and was afraid when I got to the  

> lady others would hear my question about literacy but, I did ask  

> the lady she told me about the Moraine Valley Community College I  

> went there still afraid and shaking all over in the same day. I had  

> to ask again about literacy so I did!! they were so very nice to me  

> and helped me to get started with my problem with reading. I  

> started with a tutor and I wanted to learn math and all I could now  

> that I had found a place I could learn. It was the best move in my  

> life and I am so happy I did it but, it was so very hard to do all  

> of the work to find the literacy program I just can't not tell the  

> fear in me at all.  I thought It would only take me three months to  

> learn how to read I soon found out how wrong I was on that.

>

> I know others are just as afraid as I was and maybe even more if  

> there was a way to let them know it's okay you will learn! come and  

> give it a try see for yourself. You would have so many more people  

> who would be making that move to help themselves.

>

> I hope this help you and students to know they are not the only  

> ones their. Their are a lot of us out here. How can you reach them?  

> I know that's a very big problem any your trying very hard.

>

>

> Thank You

>

> Cece

>

>

>

> Allan Quigley <aquigley at stfx.ca> wrote:

>

> HI Cece,

>

> I don't know if you'll see this message or not. If you do, I would  

> like

> to say I have read your message several times and shown it to others

> here.

>

> I want to add to the comments of the others that these are beautiful

> words and an inpiration to those us who who try to work in adult

> literacy.

>

> And, if you do receive this message, I'm sure some of us would be

> interested in knowing why you decided to come back to education?

>

> You said:

>

> "I went for help when I was 50 years old it was very hard to fine the

> help I needed. I think you need to focus on how hard it is to fine  

> help.

> I had to make six or eight calls before I found help, a lot of people

> will just give up it's hard to fine the help we need."

>

> What was it at 50 years of age that made you decide to make all those

> calls and overcome the fears you had?

>

> Hope to hear from you.

>

> Every success....

>

> Allan

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> B. Allan Quigley, EdD

> Professor of Adult Education

> Department of Adult Education

> Xavier Hall

> St. Francis Xavier University

> Antigonish, Nova Scotia

> Canada,

> B2G 2W5

>

> e-mail: aquigley at stfx.ca

> website: www.stfx.ca/academic/adulted

> phone: 902-867-3244

> fax: 902-867-3765

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lynne

> Toepke

> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 5:27 PM

> To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List

> Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 788] Re: Hard to reach people with

> lowliteracy skills

>

> Thank you for sharing cece. I would like to read this to some of our

> students, and maybe include some of it in our next newsletter if you

> don't mind. Keep up the good work! You're a winner!

>

> >>> cece tilsley 01/22/07 3:32 PM >>>

> Hi All,

>

> I was a low level reader and I would like you all to know how afraid

> we are to come in and get help. We know we need help it's not just we

> think that we don't and we are okay, I can't understand how any one  

> can

> think that? I think fear is what holds a lot of us back. We put on  

> this

> front that all is okay and life is good but we know in our heart we  

> are

> not okay at all. We pray no one finds out about our secret of not  

> being

> able to read books, street signs,menus, show marquees and so on. If we

> can do mate it's a challenge just to add or subtract. There are so  

> many

> of us who have tried to make our lives better for our families and

> ourselves don't you all think it starts in first grade ? I was left

> behind from the start but, I didn't know it until I got much older. I

> guess they called me slow that what happened to me? I really not  

> sure. I

> am not slow but, I am dyslexic and never got the extra few minutes it

> would have take to help me. I went for help when I was 50 years old

> it was very hard to fine the help I needed. I think you need to focus

> on how hard it is to fine help. I had to make six or eight calls  

> before

> I found help, a lot of people will just give up it's hard to fine the

> help we need.

> I am now 64 years old I have two adult children now. I started at 50

> years old learning how to read better and learn math too, I worked  

> full

> time and lots of over time too, it took me about ten years to get my

> G.E.D. and now I am helping others like myself. I tutor in reading,  

> math

> and computers. The students come no matter what the weather is or how

> much snow we have. I have health problems for the pass years but I  

> only

> cancel classes when it's a lot of snow or it's way below zero. The

> student they would come it's me I can't make it at those times.

> I know this is not much to go by, I just wanted to let you all know

> it's hard to fine help and we are really afraid to look for it to for

> fear we can't learn too.

>

> Thank You

> Cecelia (Cece) Tilsley

> Moraine Valley Community College

> Palos Hill, IL

>

> Lendoak at aol.com wrote:

> Dear David Rosen,

>

> Of course there are many reasons for people not enrolling in literacy

> training programs to improve their reading and language skills. One

> factor that is sometimes overlooked is the perception of those with

> limited literacy skills.

>

> The 1993 NAAL survey reported that many people with very low literacy

> skills perceived that they have quite adequate literacy skills. So,

> "what's to improve?"

>

> Although we've both been volunteer tutors for a number of years, we

> don't have much experience in trying to change such perceptions in  

> order

> to recruit new students. We suspect that perhaps a personal benefits

> approach might work. We wonder how others may have implemented such an

> approach.

>

> Len and Ceci Doak

> Patient Learning Assoc. Inc.

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