Help for non-readers continues

Press, 22 July 1980, Page 17

Help for non-readers continues

Three years after the launching of the Canterbury Workers’ Educational Association’s adult reading assistance programme, more than 250 adults have been helped with their reading, writing, and spelling difficulties. There are 79 similar schemes in New Zealand. Small groups in Southbridge, Kaiapoi, and Rangiora have links with the Christchurch group. Tuition is one to one, usually in the tutor’s home. Progress and success in the relationship depends to a large extent on the successful matching of the student and the tutor. With a relaxed and informal approach, progress is at the student’s pace. It is his interests and experience of life and work, that guides the tutor in the choice of reading material: the relevance of this to his everyday life is very important. Many students have their own particular needs, or goals. These can include getting a driver’s

licence, filling in deposit or withdrawal slips, writing cheques, filling in tax forms, looking up the yellow pages, using a dictionary, sitting exams for apprenticeships, writing reports for work or business, and reading a newspaper.

In Christchurch, students who approach the W.E.A. for help, are seen bv one of four tutor organisers. During a quiet, confidential chat, they decide what the student is able to read, and what help is needed. To get back to reading, many students need only to have restored their confidence in themselves. Their progress is usually quick, and they are with their tutor only a few months. Others, at a more basic level of reading, are with their tutor much longer. Their progress in small steps improves their skills, and their knowledge of reading. Students ages range from 16 to 70. The average is about 24, and twothirds of them are men.

A young man of 24 may come to the W.E.A. seeking help because his employer is offering promotion. This may mean that the student has to read and write a lot more.

He may be a married man with young children, faced . with the embarrassing situation of not being able to read to his children, or his children may read better than he does.

One young mother, when it comes her turn to be “mothers help”' at play centre or kindergarten, may avoid the “book corner” for fear of being asked to read to small pre-schoolers.

One such parent, expecting his first infant said: “I will take the . baby into bed with me and read and read to it” . » . to make up for the lack of being read to in his own childhood.

Another young student, a truck asrcmbler, has been promoted to be in charge of four others in his firm. He is a good worker. He deserves his

promotion. In order to stay one jump ahead of his mates, he decides to improve his reading skills. Along the way, he gets his heavy traffic licence, passes a First Aid course, and. completes a year’s welding course. In each of these “learning situations,” he needs a whole new vocabulary, some of it very complicated, and difficult to spell. But he gets there. Only about a fifth of the total number helped in Christchurch actually leave their tutors without achieving their aims. In many cases they are people who found it, difficult really to work at reading again, or who did not have a real “drive,” or need to improve.

Tutors are volunteers. They take part in an 18 to 20-hour initial training before being matched to a student. The training course is aimed at helping volunteers irrespective of their experience. They are not necessarily teachers. They are understanding, patient men and women

who find they have a few hours to spare each week, and who are able to relate to another adult with reading problems. They do not become teachers. Students do the learning, and tutors share that learning. During the course, tutors come to understand the problems and difficulties of a non-reader. They must develop perception of their student’s problems. They must know where to help, and what help to give. Above all, they must make reading an interesting, worth while, and exciting thing to do.

Tutors meet regularly after training, in their homes or workshop seminars, for continuing training. Christchurch, now with a large number of tutors throughout the entire city area, has tutors meeting and talking in 18 smaller groups for contact and support. Another vital support to the programme is close co-operation between staff of Teachers’ College, Poly-

technic, and headmasters of various schools through* out the city. A most important asset in any community is the local library. Books of high interest, real life drama, science fiction, general knowledge — all the sorts of things most children enjoy reading at 8 or 9 — should be there in the libraries.. A collection in the City library has grown during the three years and has been increased by a further collection of suitable books given by the Altrusa Club of Christchurch. Other suburban libraries are following the example. People who do not read, for whatever reason, are cut off from much of the everyday happenings of life. Theirs is a true handicap — but one which, with the right help, can be overcome.

CANTERBURY WM Adult Literacy Programme