Headlines/November ] 2;.1997

| a Tutoring brings benefits to teachers and students - — ae eee ae
Literacy Tutor program trains tutors — | ee ee

Cathy Riley, an adult literacy tutor living
in Abbotsford, started her volunteer
tutoring career with noble intentions. She
wanted to give something of herself to
help others. But she said she received
much more than she could have imagined.
“It’s life changing,” she said: “Tve
learned a lot about myself and it's changed
my perspective. :

“’ve been awed by them, fascinated by:

them, inspired by them and humbled by
’. them...We may look at people who don't

~~ have a formal education and think

stereotypical ideas... But it’s incredible -
* how smart they are to have hidden it so
"long. Often even they don’ t realize it.
They’ ve spent their whole life developing
great coping skills.” .

Riley is a recent graduate of the =

.. Literacy Tutor certificate program offered _
at the UCFV Chilliwack and Abbotsford
campuses. She recalled trying to help a
student with a math concept. “We went

- over it again and again but it wasn't“

~ working.” Then suddenly the student
grasped the idea. “‘Wow!’ he said, ‘That’s

-. it? and I said ‘That's it.’ There was a.

click,” she said, ‘ “you could actually see it.

~ It was like a light went on. It was exciting:
for both of us.”

‘People usually look for ‘help to upgrade
their literacy skills because of changes or

a crisis in their life, said Vicki Grieve,
. coordinator of the program. They discover -

7 they can't help their child with homework ~

or they lose:a job or can’t apply fora...
promotion. —
Leonard Dennis, a Chilliwack student
who's benefited from the tutoring

program, said he began looking for help
‘when he set a goal in his late 20s to be a
chef. He left school in Grade 5 after -
“getting into trouble,” he said. “I’ve had a |
really difficult time in my life... I’ve been-.
on my own since I was 11 (and) I’ve lived ~
“<< on the streets.”

He was placed in a couple
of camps with little success. “T just
learned how to run away.”

He struggled with some ‘of his subjects :
when he first arrived at UCFV. “When I

started I could barely read. I needed a lot

- of help. Sometimes I would say words.

backwards. I did the same thing with ©

numbers.” But his tutors kept encouraging .

him. Last semester he received a B+ in

: English.

~A 1990 Statistics Canada survey found
that one person in three living in B.C. has

problems reading and writing. That means —

600,000 people in the province have »
difficulty understanding directions on -

medicine bottles, making correct change,
deciphering their telephone bill, reading to oo
 achild or finding and keeping ¢ ajob.

' Mary-Helen Hatch, known to many as .
» “Grammar Granny”, has worked as a

volunteer tutor for UCFV since 1991. She
said literacy skills are becoming _-

increasingly important because manual.’ ~
; labour and job security are disappearing. S

“People have to be educated.” Her
students, often men with families, were
able to read but their comprehension was -
poor. She said they often grew up in.
homes where reading, writing, and

_. arithmetic weren't considered important. .

“They have to be encouraged to start

setting an example for their own children

~ so the circle of illiteracy can be broken.”

* UCFV has trained volunteers to
provide literacy tutoring for 15 years. A. -

‘certificate program was introduced in

1996. Volunteers now receive training in

‘the first course — Introduction to Literacy .
- Tutoring. It's a three- credit course offered

free of charge. Students learn about the
needs of adult learners and basic -

= techniques for teaching reading, writing,
-and arithmetic. Following a 15-hour»
oF practicum, ‘students are encouraged to
- make a six-month commitment to work as
a volunteer. :

“Volunteer tutoring i is especially. suited
to people who love reading and writing ~~
and working with people, said Grieve. All |
they need is a little time and a desire to 7
help others who are trying to get ahead.
Tutors and students usually meet asa

~~ small group at the college or in the”

community.

The Literacy Tutor certificate program
(five short courses in total covering

~ advanced theory and techniques,

communication skills anda final .

7 practicum) i is designed for neople’s who «

want to work as literacy practitioners. It
can be completed in less than a year and |

applied toward a degree i in Adult
Education.’ :

Introduction to Literacy T toring

ne begins in November. Call Vicki Grieve at :

local 2439, for more information. :

The Crucible, continued —

- Kathleen Shattock and Erin Tabakman .
will be playing the “possessed” teenagers
Abigail Williams, Mercy Lewis, Susanna
~ Walcott and Mary Warren, and Nancy
Deba will have the challenging roles of
Ann Putriam and Sarah Good. Community
performers include: Emma Hill, who will
_.. play the virtuous Rebecca Nurse, Robin

~- Horsman, Alvie Leeper, Jim Smith,
Megan Towler (our youngest cast

", -member) and Brad Whittaker. Theresa

- Neel, UCFV’s First Nations Access -

mysterious woman from Barbados.

“The Crucible opened Friday,

November,7 at 8 pm and runs November

coordinator, will be playing Tituba, a i : 7

12-15, 19-22, with a matinee Weinesday,

- Nov..19.

Season tickets for ali three productions
of the 1997/98 season of theatre are still |

: available, so for reservations and
“information please call 795-2814 or.e-
_ mail: Jenkins} @uefy be.ca.

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