National Literacy Facts:

• There has been a national surge in immigration, with 13.2 million immigrants in the 1990's alone. Many immigrants have fled war-torn countries and are NOT literate in their native language. Even if they could afford English as a Second Language (ESL) classes they cannot keep up in a traditional (ESL) class where they may be placed with highly educated people. (According to Marcia Chaffee, adult education coordinator for the International Institute of Boston.)
• Many immigrants are placed on waiting lists indefinitely. In the state of New York, 1 million immigrants need English classes, but there are seats for only 50,000, according to a study for the New York Immigration Coalition.
• More than 20 percent of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level - far below the level needed to earn a living wage. The National Adult Literacy Survey found that over 40 million Americans age 16 and older have significant literacy needs. (For more information http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/facts_overview.html
• The United States ranks 49th among member nations of the United Nations in literacy.
• In 1998 there were ten million children between seven and eleven years of age who performed below the most basic level of reading achievement. http://www.succeedtoread.com/facts.html
• It is very important to note that a substantial number of children from highly literate households and who have been read to by their parents since very early in life also have difficulties learning to read http://www.succeedtoread.com/facts.html
• In 1998 students who reported watching three or fewer hours of television each day had higher average reading scores than students who reported watching more televison. http://www.succeedtoread.com/facts.html
• Nationally, the average spent by federal programs on adult education was $374 per student, compared with the average spent on a primary and secondary student at $6,835, according to the National Center for Literacy Education.
• Up to 50% of certain clinical populations may be unable to read and understand medical instructions.
• Excess hospital costs directly attributable to illiteracy cost $8 billion to $15 billion a year.
• Low health literacy skills increase annual health care costs by $73 Billion nationwide.
• 85% of all juvenile offenders have problems reading.
• The high school dropout rate in the U.S. is 27%

Local Literacy Facts:

• According to the 1999 National Adult Literacy Survey, 20 percent or approximately 40,000 adults in the Greater Lansing area are functionally illiterate.
• Researchers have found the home literacy environment; parent's literacy levels are stronger predictors of literacy and academic success of a child. (National Research Council-Preventing Difficulties in Young Children, 1999.)
• To learn more about the literacy rates in your area go to http://www.casas.org/lit/litcode/Search.cfm

Suggested Publications:

• Bader Reading and Language Inventory -- The most comprehensive assessment tool of its kind, this diagnostic battery of tests is easy for busy teachers to administer and to interpret. It provides valid, reliable procedures for individual, in-depth assessment in seven areas: Emergent Reading, Word Identification and Phonics, Comprehension, Spelling, English as a Second Language, Writing, and Oral Processing. Unique to this inventory is an arithmetic screening test so reading and language skills can be compared with math skills for better overall assessment, and visual and auditory discrimination screening is included. Click here to read the review.

   

• Read to Succeed, Literacy Tutor's Manual -- This manual guides tutors through assessment, rapport-building techniques, innovative lesson plans, interesting activities, and evaluation tools. It is particularly valuable given President Clinton's "America Reads Challenge." This national literacy initiative challenges schools, universities and communities to work together to have all children reading independently by third grade with the help of tutors. See also Read to Succeed, Tutor Trainer's Manual, the instructor's manual to accompany Read to Succeed, Literacy Tutor's Manual. Click here to read the review.

   

• Growing Readers -- Provides suggestions and materials to help parents and care givers expand children's language and concepts by tying activities to popular children's books readily available in libraries and bookstores. Some titles used for Growing Readers include: Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Corduroy, and Where the Wild Things Are. Growing Readers is printed by the Reading People, if you are interested in purchasing a copy, please contact us.

Websites:

• America Reads Challenge: READ*WRITE*NOW! -- We encourage you to read with the children in your family and community using this AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: READ*WRITE*NOW! summer reading kit. The kit was developed by reading experts using the best research, and successful experiences of teachers, librarians, and families, to increase and maintain reading achievement and reading skills for all children--including those with disabilities--during the summer. Libraries and librarians across the nation are ready to provide books and guidance to children and their learning partners.

   

• National Institute for Literacy -- The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is a federal organization that shares information about literacy and supports the development of high-quality literacy services so all Americans can develop essential basic skills.

   

• Education Central -- Education Central is an electronic communication and resource center for professional educators. It is a vehicle by which all educators can exchange views and experience, questions and answers, broaden their collegial associations, discuss educational issues and policy, and easily find resources related to professional education.

   

• Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) -- The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a national information system designed to provide ready access to an extensive body of education-related literature. Established in 1966, ERIC is supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement and is administered by the National Library of Education (NLE).

   

• U.S. Department of Education -- This award-winning site is designed to help pursue the President's initiatives, including No Child Left Behind, and advance our mission as a Department--to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. It also supports the work of ED offices, led by senior ED officials.

   

• The American Library Association -- The American Library Association provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

   

• Center for Applied Linguistics -- CAL is a private, non-profit organization: a group of scholars and educators who use the findings of linguistics and related sciences in identifying and addressing language-related problems. CAL carries out a wide range of activities including research, teacher education, analysis and dissemination of information, design and development of instructional materials, technical assistance, conference planning, program evaluation, and policy analysis.

   

• National Skills Standards Board (NSSB) -- The National Skills Standards Board is building a voluntary national system of skill standards, assesments and certification that will enhance the ability of the United States Workforce to compete effectively in the global economy.

   

• Michigan Literacy Inc. -- An organization that fosters local autonomy and decision making over such issues as tutor training methodology, program structure, local community partnerships and student support activities. It is the state affiliate office for the literacy organizations of Laubach Literacy International and Literacy Volunteers of America

   

Literacy Related Journal Articles:

• Study Offers New Insights Into Overcoming Disparities in Health -- A study of HIV and diabetes cases found that income, age, race, and gender were not as important as education in influencing health. Differences associated with less education could be effectively overcome, resulting in improved compliance and improved health outcomes. (Copyright National Institutes of Health July 22, 2002)

   

• Illiteracy: The Silent Barrier to Health Care -- Emerging literature on illiteracy and health care indicates that up to 50% of certain clinical populations may be unable to read and understand medical instructions. As health care moves from the hospital to the home, researchers and clinicians are becoming increasingly aware of the challenges presented by the large number of illiterate patients. (Copyright American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine 1999)

   

• Preserving Our Democracy Through Literacy -- Commentary by Anne Lewis, national education policy writer living in the Washington, D.C., on the erosion of communal interest in basic schooling in America. Americans should support, morally and financially, higher standards for all students, regardless of their age or status in life. (Copyright Phi Delta Kappa Oct 2002)

   

• America Reads Can Succeed -- President Clinton's America Reads Challenge can and does work. A substantial increase in Americorps Literacy VISTAS, increased university and community college support and funding for volunteer literacy organizations will produce a huge number of literacy volunteers across the nation that will have America's children reading. (Copyright The Reading Professor 1997, #19)

   

• Research on Effective Literacy Tutoring -- The common factor of highly-effective tutoring programs is professional training and supervision. This article includes a description of the seven characteristics of effective tutoring. (Copyright Lois Bader 1997)

   

• Fail Poor Children? Pass Rich Children -- What we need to do is look at the rich and poor gap clearly, without blinders and slogans, use the knowledge we have and give our children equal opportunities to learn. (Copyright Lois Bader 2000)

Program Reviews

On Bader Reading and Language Inventory --

"[I use the Bader Reading and Language Inventory]...because grade-level equivalents of passages of the published inventory are well established and because, unlike some other inventories, early reading levels are represented in both preprimer and primer passages, providing greater sensitivity to initial reading levels."

On Read to SUCCEED: Literacy Tutor's Manual and Read to SUCCEED: Tutor Trainer's Manual --

"Read to Succeed makes an outstanding contribution, not only to the America Reads Challenge, but to the professional literature. Here, at last, is a researched, field tested program that works!"

On Bader Reading and Language Inventory --

"This edition of the Bader Reading and Language inventory is the most useful and comprehensive diagnostic inventory that I have found available. "

On Read to SUCCEED: Literacy Tutor's Manual and Read to SUCCEED: Tutor Trainer's Manual* --

"With America Reads moving into full swing, Americorps and other volunteer groups need a package to help them implement a solid program. Succeed is solid, easy to follow, and makes sense." "Succeed is a comprehensive package. It is well designed for a target audience of people who want to volunteer, but need specific guidance...very specific and methodologically sound instructional examples are provided. Sample student products, sample lessons and ideas for lessons, directions for making materials...are very helpful. The Lesson Guides are super!" "This program is based on sound theory. It is obvious that established reading theory drove the design of Succeed."

On Read to SUCCEED: Literacy Tutor's Manual and Read to SUCCEED: Tutor Trainer's Manual* --

Read to Succeed "addresses a great need for hands-on tutorial activities to use with children and others who need to improve their reading skills. We need this material on our own campus for the America Reads program...We will adopt it here." "...easy to use whether tutor is experienced or not" "...useful to many programs and to a range of disabled readers" "...been tried successfully in several programs" "...selections have been taken from the respected Bader Reading and Language Inventory which is used on our campus and on many other campuses"

On Read to SUCCEED: Literacy Tutor's Manual and Read to SUCCEED: Tutor Trainer's Manual* --

"I feel that Succeed is an excellent program for training tutors for America Reads. The author has adapted a successful program and has considered all the major issues in training and supervising tutors to work with young children on the most critical issue of personal literacy..." Would I "consider asking students to purchase and use these materials?---Yes! These materials would make my job as a trainer and the students' jobs as tutors very easy and enriching."

On Read to SUCCEED: Literacy Tutor's Manual and Read to SUCCEED: Tutor Trainer's Manual* --

Read to Succeed is "written for novices in the tutoring process which many of the America Reads tutors will be. It is thoroughly understandable and usable by individuals in the field alone with a student who needs tutoring."

* Reviews obtained by Prentice Hall using a double blind procedure

Reveiws of non-affiliated reading programs:
Reading Recovery: An Evaluation of Benefits and Costs
Open Court Reading Series: What Does the Research Say?
Reading Recovery Program Critique
Success For All Program Critique

Referral Information:

Here at the Reading People, we try to help everyone who asks, but there are some occasions where we must refer clients to other organizations. The following links are to pages that may guide you to finding other resources that suite your needs.

• Recommended ESL Purchases -- If you are an English as a Second Language student and interested in purchasing products to help you acheive mastery over English, we recommend these products.

   

• Lansing Area ESL Programs -- For the English as a Second Language student who wants every option, read this page. It includes many organizations and options which serve specific ESL needs.

   

• Electronic Reading Pen -- Students with reading difficulties can learn how to read, define, and pronounce words correctly. You can use this unique device anywhere to scan a word from any printed text (English), see the word displayed in large characters, hear the word read aloud, and define the word with one touch of a button.