Each week individuals whose origins are scattered across the globe unite in a single classroom to achieve their goal: to learn how to read, write and speak English.
The University City School District is helping the bunch, some from as far as Ethiopia, get a little closer to that goal by offering them an English-as-a-Second-Language course and literacy training through its adult education program.
“The classes are geared so they can be a productive citizen of the United States,” Literacy Coordinator Phyllis Rosenthal said.
The literacy program, authorized by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is designed to enable adults 16 years old and older to acquire basic skills necessary to allow them to become more employable and substantially raise their educational level.
“We give students the opportunity to do what’s best for them,” said Clay Ware, adult education coordinator.
Statistics show one out of every four adults in the city of St. Louis and one out of every six adults in St. Louis County are illiterate – a much lower statistic than that of a decade ago, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
There are a number of reasons why people show difficulty with reading and writing, including having parents who are themselves illiterate or having an undiagnosed learning disability.
“People who have literacy issues are very skilled and crafty on how to use their limits to the best of their ability,” Ware said.
For example, they bypass their problem by taking up manual jobs that require little to no literacy skills or by having another person read to them.
Ware said many adult students attend literacy programs out of their desire to fill out a job application, help their children with homework or even to read the bible.
“Adult education only works on the will of the people who use it,” he said.
Literacy proves beneficial not only to the individual, but also the community. The nation’s ability to prosper and to be competitive internationally is vitally related to literacy levels.
“The U.S. loses $225 billion a year because individuals can’t contribute to the gross national product,” Rosenthal said.
Therefore, U. City’s Adult Education Program (which includes a GED course) tries to nurture each student’s literacy level and learning style through one-on-one tutoring sessions instructed by trained volunteers and certified teachers. Classroom lessons are also divided into beginning, intermediate and advanced levels.
The program serves more than 600 students a year. All courses are free and only for those not presently enrolled in school.
“It’s all about helping individuals who K-12 is not ideal for,” Ware said. “It’s reaffirming when a student walks up to you and says he got through the airport.”
For more information, contact Phyllis Rosenthal at 314-290-4056 or prosenthal@u-city.k12.mo.us. The department is currently looking for tutors for its literacy program. Tutors work a minimum of four hours a month. Training is free.