W.E.A. helping adults to learn reading

Press, 8 September 1978, Page 10

W.E.A. helping adults to learn reading

Since the Canterbury W.E.A.’s adult reading assistance programme began a year ago, 85 persons have sought help in learning to read. One-hun-dred and thirty persons have offered their services as voluntary tutors. Now, 28 students are working with their own tutors. The scheme is a pilot one, aimed at showing the W.E.A. the extent of the need. The numbers have shown, and continued to show, the demand; but lack of funds and the initial nature of the programme has so far restricted the number of students helped. The need for a programme to help adults, some long out of school, to learn enough reading and writing to cope with daily life is a sharp surprise to many more fortunate folk. Ages range from 16 to 55.

But, as watchers of the television programme “Close to Home” have seen in recent episodes, there are thousands of New Zealanders who are unable to read as well as the average nine-year-old. A conservative estimate is that 4 per cent of the population has severe reading difficulties. In the W.E.A. programme, a co-ordinator interviews those who need help as students, and also those who volunteer as tutors.

Tutors receive initial training in the task they are about to undertake, and then, using the information gained in the interviews, tutors are matched to individual students. This matching is the key to success.

The “one-to-one” stu-dent-tutor relationship is a

vital and integral part of the programme.

New Zealand is not alone in having many adults in the population who are unable to read; and it is far from being the first country to adopt adult reading programmes with a one-to-one tutorstudent relationship to deal with the problem.

This is far from a disadvantage. It means that New Zealand programmes and there are 30 of them ■— including that of the Canterbury W.E.A. — can draw on the experience and methods of others.

The students decide what their goals in the programme will be. For some, it may be learning enough to be able to fill in a bank slip for themselves. Others want to be able to write to friends and relatives in this and other countries. Others want to learn enough to study for and pass apprenticeship or trade examinations.

Now, after several months of working with their tutors, many students have achieved success in their personal lives. They are more confident and self-aware. They are able to talk to others about their difficulties. But for many it is still a long road to an independent level of reading and writing.

There has been no need for a campaign to attract students. Referral agencies such as the Social Welfare Department, the Probation Service, church groups, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and the Vocational Guidance Service have provided some students, others have heard of the programme on the radio or from friends.

The programme’s greatest need is finance.

The cost .of the programme is between $4OOO and $5OOO a year, which covers the coordinator’s salary, and administration and equipment costs. So far, half of the cost of a year’s programme has been received from the Christchurch City Council (which gave a grant of $1000), the Probation Ser-

vice, trade unions, private donations from voluntary organisations and from the proceeds of a stall in Cathedral Square on August 25. Unless more funds are found, the Canterbury programme could be reduced.