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Nancy,<br>
<br>
Your message (below) brings heartening news. <br>
<br>
Congratulations to South Dakota and Iowa adult learners and practitioners
for leading the nation in making their state ballots easier to read. Are
other state student-led or practitioner-led adult literacy coalitions working
on this issue, meeting with their Secretaries of State? This is a good time
to find them open to new ideas about ballot changes. And this is an excellent
opportunity for adult learner leadership.<br>
<br>
Nancy, good going with Senator Daschle! Your work is a good example of action
by Massachusetts and South Dakota practitioners which resulted in an important
change for the future of the NIFL Board -- that after one year there will
be three new positions for adult ed practitioners and learners. When colleagues
from different states contact their Senators and Representatives -- when
several key legislators are hearing about the same issue from their own constituencies
-- change can happen.<br>
<br>
That's what the NLA list is all about -- a way to help inform and organize
adult literacy advocates for positive change in our field. But the NLA list
is only effective if those who read these messages take action, as Archie
and Nancy have done. <br>
<br>
If you have taken action for adult literacy education , let us know.<br>
<br>
David J. Rosen<br>
NLA List Moderator<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:DJRosen@theworld.com">DJRosen@theworld.com</a><br>
<br>
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council wrote:<br>
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2">To Archie & other NLA subscribers:</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">THANK you for this message, Archie. I
am really proud of you as a former New Reader for giving us all clear ideas
about ways New Readers really can change their lives by learning to read.
This email gave us very poignant examples of "How" it happens!</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Education truly does make a difference
for individuals. Sometimes it's hard to 'see the forest for the trees'
as the old expression goes. The New Reader who said #9 -- "Look at a book
with a blank page. That is how a new reader feels." -- portrayed for all
of us who are avid readers the vision of what it could be like for us, if
we saw no words pictures painted on those pages.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">I may <u>not </u>be from Iowa and I'm
not even priviledged to be among the rank of New Readers, but your Iowa
New Reader Coalition and the discussion that your group allowed our South
Dakota representatives to share last Fall, made a difference in our state,
too. It helped me as a small town practitioner to set a direction and assist
our small program's learners to feel success and accomplishment in their
actions. A comment regarding the following paragraph:</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><< III. <b>Voting</b>. The new
readers made an appointment with the Iowa Secretary of State, and met with
him for nearly 2 hours, sharing their experiences when trying to vote or
to get information about voting. The Secretary met with the new readers
at the Fall, 2001 conference, and the participants spent the day looking
over ballots and sharing their thoughts on those ballots. A summary of
that activity was forwarded to the Secretary. >></font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Here's what happened for *us* after we
left your conference:</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><strong>Instructions simplified on S.D.
ballots following Board of Elections Hearing Nov 28th.</strong> </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">When we returned to S.D. we decided to
follow Iowa readers' lead. Our conversation with our So. Dakota Secretary
of State was made easier because YOUR Secretary of State opened the DOOR
for us, Archie! And we Went Right In! A meeting was held in our state
capitol. Our four hours of input was heard. We gave suggestions that ended
up as items voted on at a Hearing of the Board of Elections within the month!
Those suggestions, plus *other* meaningful ideas that bounced off the walls
in that room on the voices of auditors who came from counties statewide and
sat in the audience that day, were adopted -- a wintry day in So. Dakota
while a snow blizzard left the landscape icy and white. New Readers' voices were
heard and recognized that day -- validated, if you will.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">I would like to encourage other practitioners
to offer the guidance to their learners to open doors because it's hard
sometimes to do it all alone as a learner. Will we impower our learners?
Will we give them the opportunity to be able to vote? Will we model leadership?
Will we help them take First Steps in their growth?</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">A Minnehaha County city election has been
held here. (A state election is ahead.) The new reader committee who took
on this challenge tell me that the ballot instructions were easier for them
to read at the polls when they voted. An added bonus? We are developing
a working relationship with our local County Auditor. </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">She called me last Friday. She wanted
to make sure we knew that the county auditor's office staff are "still working
on the directions even though they aren't <u>perfect</u> yet." (They had
left out one of the changes and she thought we may feel that the auditor
hadn't listened to our input, she told me. Well, I surely did not think
that and told her so. The conversation said to me that we have a two-way
street of input going on here.) </font><font face="Arial" size="2">Everyone
should have the chance to have such a relationship with their elected officials.
Sample ballots and a Ballot Question Explanation provided by our auditor
are being mailed within the week to every learner in our program as an enclosure to
our "Tutor News" newsletter. I picked them up today.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">While I'm AT it -- I'd like to add one
other comment to:</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>How We Can Improve Literacy in the
United States</b><br>
Remember the conversation here on the NLA about what in the world are we
going to do about the current administration's appointments to the NIFL Board
of Directors when the focus has obviously veered away from adult literacy?
Well, here's a wonderful update for you, NLA subscribers. </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Back up a little. My reaction to the
news that spread across the NLA was to quietly write my own letter to our
Council friend and state Senator, Senator Tom Daschle. Today the Council
phone rang and it was Senator Daschle's staff in Washington DC. Jill Marshall
called to tell me that Senator Daschle wanted us to know that, thanks to
the aggressive interest of Senator Kennedy, three NIFL Board terms will
be limited to a year's length. AND one of those seats will be filled by
an Adult Learner! </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Jill and I agreed that it was merely a
start -- not the most ideal answer, but at least this *other* door has opened
for representation of those who walk the walk, talk the talk. Tomorrow,
as Jill suggested, I am going to the NIFL site to identify who is taking
nominations because I have a desire to give my input on this very important
nomination. </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">I have already called the man who has
just sent us this message, challenging us to invigorate OUR learners to
talk about and take action to improve literacy and adult education in our
country. <strong>I will be nominating Archie Willard, </strong>with his
blessing, for this very important role. Who will <u>you</u> identify as
the learner in your part of the country who should be considered? </font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Perhaps there will be so many names "fall
from the skies" that there will be other advisory positions opened to the
input of the adult who once could not read -- much less write a fluent,
meaningful email which should set the barn a'fire 'cross the U.S.A. (Sorry.
The Old Midwesterner in me just forgot for a moment that there's more than
a bonfire to be burned here, but a path to literacy to be forged!)</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Nancy Hansen</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><a href="mailto:sfliteracy@mcleodusa.net">
sfliteracy@mcleodusa.net</a>
</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">1000 N. West Ave., Ste. 240</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Sioux Falls, SD 57104</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">(605) 332-BOOK</font></div>
<div> </div>
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----- Original Message ----- </div>
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From:</b><a href="mailto:millard@goldfieldaccess.net" title="millard@goldfieldaccess.net">
Archie Willard</a>
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To:</b><a href="mailto:nla@lists.literacytent.org" title="nla@lists.literacytent.org">
_NLA LISTSERV</a>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "><b>
Sent:</b> Saturday, April 27, 2002 6:07 PM</div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; "><b>
Subject:</b> [NLA] New Readers of Iowa Coalition</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<b>NEW READERS OF IOWA COALITION</b><br>
<b>How We Can Improve Literacy in the United States</b><br>
<b>April, 2002</b>
<p>The New Readers of Iowa Coalition met April 2, 2002. At this meeting
we discussed our history. <br>
Iowa has had a strong New Readers program for many years. The reading
instructional program began in earnest in 1986, adult educators were taught
methods for helping adults learn to read, and the program began to grow.
In 1990 the first New Readers Congress was held in Des Moines, and that
meeting has now become a tradition. For 12 straight years the new readers
have come together to learn from each other, to support each other, and
to make their voices heard. Following are some of the ways they have
spoken. </p>
<p>1. <b>Leadership development</b>. New readers have attended and
presented sessions on leadership. They have demonstrated those skills by
making presentations, going to schools to speak, traveling to other states
to attend conferences and meetings, and even working to develop the national
adult reading organization (VALUE). </p>
<p>II. <b>Reading Activities</b>. New readers have gone to local
elementary schools, and have spoken to the children, and read with them.
Several times new readers have presented a session at the Iowa Reading
Conference, on the topic: What it is like for that child in the back of
the room. </p>
<p>III. <b>Voting</b>. The new readers made an appointment with the
Iowa Secretary of State, and met with him for nearly 2 hours, sharing
their experiences when trying to vote or to get information about voting.
The Secretary met with the new readers at the Fall, 2001 conference, and
the participants spent the day looking over ballots and sharing their
thoughts on those ballots. A summary of that activity was forwarded to
the Secretary. </p>
<p>IV. <b>Self-Confidence</b>. Almost all the Iowa new readers report
a great increase in self-confidence. One of the shyer new readers has
taken over the summer care for her autistic grandson. She says she never
would have had the courage to do that without the new readers group.
</p>
<p>V. <b>Better Jobs</b>. Several new readers have shared that they
were able to get higher paying jobs after gaining increased reading skill.
Others felt more secure in their present jobs, and were better able to
do what was asked of them. </p>
<p>VI. <b>Behavior</b>. Some new readers reported improvement in
personal behavior. Because of the lack of skill, occasional "bad behavior"
made life more difficult for the new readers. The new confidence they
developed as their reading skills increased made life more enjoyable for
them and for those with whom they live and work. </p>
<p><b>Other thoughts and comments from New Readers.</b></p>
<p>1. Sometimes people look at me funny when they find out I can't
read. I don't like that. </p>
<p>2. In many places they won't hire you without a high school diploma.
I can do the work, I just can't get the job. </p>
<p>3. Employers "Don't want you" if you can't read. They seem to
be scared of you, like it was catching. </p>
<p>4. If the children have trouble in school, it is important to
look at the whole family! </p>
<p>5. Smaller student/teacher ratio makes learning easier. The
teachers have time to help you. </p>
<p>6. Schools are graduating students who can't read. Then they
are adults who still can't read. It is like, now it isn't <br>
the school's problem any more. </p>
<p>7. It is really hard to take that first step, to say you can't
read and go in for help. It really shouldn't <br>
be something shameful. </p>
<p>8. It is hard to know how to find help, where to go. </p>
<p>9. Look at a book with a blank page. That is how a new reader
feels. </p>
<p>10. If adults don't know how to read, they can't help their children
with schoolwork. They don't want <br>
their children to go through life like they did. </p>
<p>11. It takes a long time to learn. </p>
<p><b>What can WE do to help?</b></p>
<p>1. Go to school and read. This is for both good readers and
those who are not so good. Teachers <br>
can correct the adults, too. That shows the children that it
is ok to be corrected. </p>
<p>2. Share personal stories with children and in adult groups
as well. And also share with parents of children <br>
with special learning needs. </p>
<p>3. Get active in literacy meetings, and with the state literacy
council. </p>
<p>4. Groups of new readers could and should travel across the
state sharing their stories. They should go to other states <br>
as well. They should go everywhere people will listen to them.
</p>
<p>5. They need to reach out to others. This is very hard, and
sometimes embarrassing. </p>
<p>6. Try to get appointed to local advisory councils and boards.
Commit to participating if you join. </p>
<p>7. Give back. Volunteer where you can. Let people know you
and see that you have talents, too. </p>
<p>VALUE is the national voice for New Readers. This should be funded
at the federal level and by the state directors. The group needs backing
and support. Without it, the group will be less effective. New Readers
need this national voice. </p>
<p>Archie Willard <br>
Adult Learner <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</p>
<p>-- <br>
Archie Willard <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:millard@goldfieldaccess.net">millard@goldfieldaccess.net</a> <br>
FAX - 515-448-3213 <br>
URL - <a href="http://www.readiowa.org/archiew.html">http://www.readiowa.org/archiew.html</a>
<br>
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