[AAACE-NLA] Literacy President

[Nancy Hansen]

Archie et all:
 
I believe Archie did a really great job of detailing what the difficulties and barriers have been in adult literacy provision of services.  I commend you, Archie, for your question and what that answer (followed with action) will impact for the future of adult learners like you.
 
Continuing - on behalf of one of our learners, I submit to you, David Rosen, the following questions he would like considered to be asked, as dictated to his volunteer tutor.
 
Nancy Hansen, Ex Dir
 
1)  Do you support adult literacy?
 
2)  Children need education.  The ones who do not get education now will become adults with low literacy skills.  If you teach adults, they will help their kids.  What are you willing to do to improve the adult literacy programs?

3)  There are very few literacy programs that recognize adult needs.  What can you do to improve this need (to address the issue of this lack of recognition)?
 
Chris Mueller
Learner Leader and Council Board Member
Flandreau, SD
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
 
A Question to the presidential candidates of 2004:

Before I ask my question I would like to make a comment. This is as 
much a statement and request as it is a question. I am a person who has 
always struggled with reading, but as an adult I have made reading 
improvements. I ask you to take a second look at adults with literacy 
needs. For many years society has looked at us and has not seen us. We 
are here, but we have become invisible to the rest of the country. Our 
reading problems have taken the American Dream away from us. Yes, we 
want good jobs and to know how to read better, but we want more than 
that. We want to find the joy of living life. We want to be a part of 
the American Dream and to have dignity in our lives.

Starting all over as adults and seeking literacy help is one of the 
hardest things we have had to face in our lives and very few of us ever 
make it. Well over 20 percent of our population needs a second chance in 
life just to keep up with what's going on. Please make a place within 
your presidency for adult literacy. 

Solutions:

1 We need adult learner leaders who have made better lives for 
themselves to able to encourage other adults who are trying to make it. 
We need the resources to develop leadership training. 

2 When adult learners become visible they can become role models for the 
young children struggling with literacy problems who desperately need 
role models so they don't give up on themselves. 

3 We need to stop looking at the people with literacy problems as facts 
and figures and look at them for what they are -- real people. They 
should be a big part of the decision making process for solving adult 
literacy problems. Who knows the struggles we have faced better than we do?

4 In the health and literacy field we could make a difference if more 
professionals will partner with adult learners to find solutions. 

5 You should know that there is a national adult learner organization 
called VALUE (Voice for Adult Literacy United for Education) that is 
trying to improve things for adults with literacy problems.

My question is: Will your administration formally recognize adult 
learners, seek them out for solutions to adult literacy problems, and 
provide resources and leadership training to those of us who have 
succeeded so that we can go out and help others with literacy 
problems? 


Archie Willard, Adult Learner
30 Parkview Dr.
Eagle Grove. Iowa 50533

-- 
Archie Willard
millard at goldfieldaccess.net
URL - http://www.readiowa.org/archiew.html





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