I recently finished my first session as a volunteer tutor for Township High School District 214’s “Read to Learn: Adult Literacy Volunteer Program,” and it was a fantastic experience.
If you are not familiar with this free, grant-based program, volunteers are trained to work one on one with adult learners to help improve their reading abilities and basic skills. It is geared specifically to adults living in the northwest suburbs of Chicago who read and write English below the ninth grade level.
Many adult learners are foreign born, where English is not their native language. Tutors meet with their learners once a week, for 10 weeks, in the spring and fall. Each individual session lasts two-and-a-half hours.
In February, I met my learner, Yukiko, who moved here with her husband and children from Tokyo, Japan. I’m not sure who was more nervous during the first day that we met but as we began to talk and learn about each other through sharing pictures on our cellphones, we relaxed.
Each week afterward, it became easier to communicate as we developed a friendship and worked to achieve her goals of improving her vocabulary, and becoming more comfortable with basic conversation skills. Our site supervisor gave us new lessons to work on each week, and I saw a great deal of progress made from the first week of the session to the last.
Yukiko and I met on Wednesday mornings, along with approximately 25 other tutors and learners at the Community Arts Center in Buffalo Grove. I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people from countries all over the world.
As our spring session comes to a close, I want to thank everyone for the feedback they provided about their experiences. Everyone wholeheartedly agreed to recommend this program to others.
Here are some learners’ responses about the District 214 program.
Akyung from Korea
“Actually, we don’t have a chance to talk with American people. My tutor has helped me to speak English, and I’ve learned better pronunciation and grammar.”
Mic from Japan
“All things I have learned in this class gave me confidence with my English. … We are so fortunate to be able to learn at this class. It surely will help (English as a second language) students very much.”
Miguel from Mexico
“This program gives an opportunity to immigrant people to integrate and learn English, and also to make changes in our lives.”
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Halyna from Ukraine
“My tutor, Diane, is a former English teacher. I am fortunate to have her. She is always so willing to help me improve my accent and pronunciation. … We became even more than just tutor and student. We became friends!”
You Joung from Korea
“My tutor helped me with my goals. I went to the grocery store alone. I can read my children’s emails from school and now I can explain my symptoms to my doctor.”
Some tutors in the program also shared their experiences and challenges with their learners:
Clare
“This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my retirement years. It is a wonderful opportunity to not only teach English skills, but to hear and learn about another country and culture.”
Marga
“It’s very rewarding to be helping somebody to improve their skills. I used pictures, gestures and a dictionary to help with communication.”
Peggy
“This is a great program. The students are so appreciative of the help you give them. Also, I believe our country was built on the immigrants that came here many years ago. This is very important to continue.”
Nancy
“It feels good to help an immigrant become more comfortable in America.”
Joyce
“Many students can do much more than they realize. Helping build their confidence is a big part of the program.”
More information on how to become a volunteer tutor for the program is available at ce.d214.org/readtolearn or by calling 847-718-7724.
Aileen Simons is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. Reach her at [email protected].