National:

Adult Education and Economic Inequality

World Education is publishing a blog series about adult education and economic inequality throughout the week. As part of it, they will also make available a free packet of selected Change Agent lessons related to the theme.

The staggering economic inequality in the United States affects adult education and adult learners directly and in multiple ways.  That is why we at World Education commemorate the Adult Education and Family Literacy Week this year by turning our focus on this topic in this blog series.

Digital Promise Webinar

Do your adult learners struggle with reading comprehension? Do they read, reach the bottom of a paragraph, and have no idea what they’ve just read? In support of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, our focus this month for our free webinar series is on helping adult learners develop the complex comprehension processes associated with strong reading skills. Learn from experts at Mockingbird Education specific comprehension strategies, including digital tools, that help reluctant and resistant learners deepen and develop their reading skills. Register here!

#adulted webinar Sept 28@12pmET Help adult learners improve reading comprehension. Support #AEFLWeek @digitalpromise http://bit.ly/2cln9N1

South Carolina

North Area National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week

North Family Community School, The Challenge Center, is partnering with Save the Children and Reach Out and Read to hold what’s being billed as North Area National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, which began with a kick-off celebration on Saturday, Sept. 24. For more information, check out www.facebook.com/TheChallengeCenter, or e-mail [email protected]. or[email protected].

Illinois

Shawnee Community College and South Suburban College (SSC)

More than 1.2 million adults in Illinois lack basic literacy skills that limit their ability to advance in education and at work. Shawnee Community College and South Suburban College (SSC) are two of the more than 84 adult education providers offering programs funded through the Illinois Community College Board, ICCB. Both are recognizing AEFL Week as an opportunity to draw attention to the need for adult education.

According to the the Gazette-Democrat, “adult education provides a path from low-income jobs and limited opportunities to the middle class wages and family sustainability.”

“Nearly 90 percent of the fastest growing jobs of the future require education or training beyond high school,” said Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson, ICCB Executive Director.

“Illinois has taken the lead in creating partnerships between adult education providers and employers to ensure a seamless pathway for students to higher education and employment in high growth occupations.”

For more information about adult education programs and services at Shawnee Community College visit www.shawneecc.edu.

For more information about adult education programs and services at South Suburban College visit http://www.ssc.edu/adult-continuing-education/.

For information on adult education throughout Illinois visit https://www.iccb.org/adult_ed.

Meanwhile, Brenda Boggs, the Literacy Program Director of the Southwestern Illinois College’s Adult Education and Literacy department, is using the occasion to put out a call for Project Read volunteer tutors.

SWIC is seeking individuals, particularly in the Granite City and East St. Louis regions, willing to commit to tutoring an adult student for two hours per week on reading, writing, English language acquisition or math, based on their student’s needs.

Tutoring is a great way to contribute to the community and make a real difference in the lives of adults and families.

Tutors receive training before being matched with one or more adult learners. Once trained and matched, volunteers receive free books and materials to use for tutoring. Tutors meet students at a public location for scheduled tutoring sessions. 

For more information, visit swic.edu/literacy-volunteer