[NLA] Discussion: States' Action on Ballot readability and NIFL Board

Wed May 1 15:52:28 EDT 2002

David,

Thank you very much for the comments below.  I also would like to see others take action on these very important issues related to the growth of our learners and the survival of our adult literacy programs.  Let's hear the rest of the story from the rest of the listserv and the providers, I say.  We do elect our local officials.  If we come to them with a spirit of collaboration, they will hear our voice - they willingly listened here in our state capitol.  I realize this may not be true everywhere else, but it worked for us here.

As far as my minimal contact with Senator Daschle's office staff is concerned, I can't take complete credit for that one.  Credit is also due to yet another caring partner.  As the letter I wrote was being drafted, I found out that Executive Director Peter Waite of LLA was headed to Washington DC the next week.  He was even *meeting* with Daschle's staff.  So Peter can also take credit for whatever influence he had on the NIFL Board appointments.

It's great to hear that a little bit of focus can help.  I believe that a concentrated effort can do even more --  And that comment comes from someone as far away as the Midwest *is* from "the action".  Regional involvement is an important way to begin as it has been for Iowa and Sioux Falls, SD.  As a cheerleader of those who want change, I encourage subscribers to try it and know that it really can happen.

Nancy Hansen
sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David J. Rosen 
  To: nla at lists.literacytent.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 8:34 AM
  Subject: [NLA] Discussion: States' Action on Ballot readability and NIFL Board

  Nancy,

  Your message (below) brings heartening news.  

  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.

  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.

  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.  

  If you have taken action for adult literacy education , let us know.

  David J. Rosen
  NLA List Moderator
  DJRosen at theworld.com

  Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council wrote:

    To Archie & other NLA subscribers:

    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!

    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.

    I may not 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:

    << III. Voting.  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. >>

    Here's what happened for *us* after we left your conference:
    Instructions simplified on S.D. ballots following Board of Elections Hearing Nov 28th.  

    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.

    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?

    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.  

    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 perfect 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.)  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.

    While I'm AT it -- I'd like to add one other comment to:
    How We Can Improve Literacy in the United States
    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.  

    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!  

    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.  

    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.  I will be nominating Archie Willard, with his blessing, for this very important role.  Who will you identify as the learner in your part of the country who should be considered?  

    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!)

    Nancy Hansen
    Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
    sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net 
    1000 N. West Ave., Ste. 240
    Sioux Falls, SD 57104
    (605) 332-BOOK

      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Archie Willard 
      To: _NLA LISTSERV 
      Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 6:07 PM
      Subject: [NLA] New Readers of Iowa Coalition

      NEW READERS OF IOWA COALITION
      How We Can Improve Literacy in the United States
      April, 2002 
      The New Readers of Iowa Coalition met April 2, 2002.  At this meeting we discussed our history. 
      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. 

      1. Leadership development.  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). 

      II. Reading Activities.  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. 

      III. Voting.  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. 

      IV. Self-Confidence.  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. 

      V. Better Jobs.  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. 

      VI. Behavior.  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. 

      Other thoughts and comments from New Readers.

      1.   Sometimes people look at me funny when they find out I can't read.  I don't like that. 

      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. 

      3.   Employers "Don't want you" if you can't read.  They seem to be scared of you, like it was catching. 

      4.   If the children have trouble in school, it is important to look at the whole family! 

      5.   Smaller student/teacher ratio makes learning easier.  The teachers have time to help you. 

      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 
            the school's problem any more. 

      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 
            be something shameful. 

      8.   It is hard to know how to find help, where to go. 

      9.   Look at a book with a blank page.  That is how a new reader feels. 

      10. If adults don't know how to read, they can't help their children with schoolwork.  They don't want 
            their children to go through life like they did. 

      11. It takes a long time to learn. 

      What can WE do to help?

      1.     Go to school and read.  This is for both good readers and those who are not so good. Teachers 
              can correct the adults, too.  That shows the children that it is ok to be corrected. 

      2.     Share personal stories with children and in adult groups as well.  And also share with parents of children 
              with special learning needs. 

      3.     Get active in literacy meetings, and with the state literacy council. 

      4.     Groups of new readers could and should travel across the state sharing their stories.  They should go to other states 
              as well.  They should go everywhere people will listen to them. 

      5.     They need to reach out to others.  This is very hard, and sometimes embarrassing. 

      6.     Try to get appointed to local advisory councils and boards.  Commit to participating if you join. 

      7.     Give back.  Volunteer where you can.  Let people know you and see that you have talents, too. 

      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. 

      Archie Willard 
      Adult Learner 

      -- 
      Archie Willard 
      millard at goldfieldaccess.net 
      FAX - 515-448-3213 
      URL - http://www.readiowa.org/archiew.html 

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