"Fall Leaves"
Courtesy of Nancy Calcagno

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

Dear Volunteers and Friends,

Grab your rakes, the fall weather has us buried in leaves!  Yes, autumn has arrived in all its splendor.  Too bad those leaves can't just stay on the trees until they turn green again next spring.  Why can't they put that on the ballot?  That's a rhetorical question, of course.

Just a quick welcome to our newest tutor, Catherine Heilman.  No sooner did she come in for an interview did she get placed with a student. Great timing!  We hate to keep potential students waiting to get help from one of our volunteers.  I hope that match works out.  We have other potential students on the list, so if you're a tutor with spare time, call Liz to see what she has for you.

With most of the votes counted, it was a tight race.  The illiterate rarely vote; and when they do vote, they do so without the ability to make decisions based on textual information.  Our tutors are here to help if you know of anyone that falls in this category.  That is, after all, what the Literacy Council is all about.

Enjoy the rest of this newsletter.  Our editor, Nancy, would love to hear some feedback from you.  Your own articles would also be appreciated for future issues.

Have a great time bagging the leaves!

Bob Burger
Chairman

INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING

We offer individualized tutoring for Basic Reading, GED, ESL, Workforce Development Classes, and Citizenship.

If you know of anyone who might benefit from our program, please let them know about our services. The Literacy Council serves all of Jackson County.

Literacy Council of Jackson County
P.O. Box 615
Medford, OR 97501
(541) 531-0166

Website: www.literacyjc.org
E-mail: literacy@juno.com

COUNCIL INFORMATION

LITERACY COUNCIL OF JACKSON COUNTY
BOARD MEMBERS

   Chair ------------------------------------------- Bob Burger
   Placement ------------------------------------- Liz Koester
   Treasurer ------------------------------- Nancy Calcagno
   Newsletter Editor ----------------------Nancy Calcagno

LITERACY TIPS

Recognizing Learning Difficulties

Dyslexia: A learning difficulty that impacts on spelling, reading and writing ability, dyslexia can come in many forms. The most common is caused by difficulty hearing all of the sounds that make up a word. This impacts on decoding skills and can make it hard to sound words out - a crucial step in early reading. Learners may benefit from memorizing high frequency English vocabulary, such as sight words. Learn more tips and strategies for helping dyslexic students.

Dyspraxia: Adults who struggle with fine motor skills may have a form of dyspraxia. This makes it difficult to hold a pencil and can cause messy handwriting and even impact on planning skills. Learn how to help dyspraxic students in the classroom.

Dysgraphia: A condition that causes difficulties in writing, dysgraphia can make handwriting painful and frustrating for students. The best alternative is for learners to acquire touch-typing skills and produce written assignments on the computer vs. with a pen and paper.

Slow processing: Some adults may master decoding but still struggle with comprehension skills. This can sometimes be a result of slow processing in which they simply require more time than their peers to understand what has been read. Teachers can help by encouraging learners to engage top-down reading strategies that activate relevant content and vocabulary and make it easier to use prior knowledge to help construct meaning.

Courtesy of readandspell.com

WORD GAMES

Choose the correct Plural form

Word games can be used as a tool for learning. Not only are they fun to play, but they can help the student with spelling, grammar, and reading.

They can also serve as an ice-breaker between the student and tutor, as well as keeping the student's interest on the subject.

AND NOW A WORD
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR

The Teresa McCormick Center (TMC) is graciously providing space for the Literacy Council office and tutor’s library. We would like to thank them for their generosity, and share a bit of information about their positive influence in our valley.

Acting as a gateway to the Southern Oregon community, TMC aims to help connect individuals with assistance, training, and other resources that allow them to create a solid and sustainable foundation in their lives.

Working as advocates, they're able to create a bridge connecting them to a wide network of support that's determined to help them achieve success. TMC can help connect you with resources all over the Rogue Valley including:  rental assistance, food pantries and free meals, energy assistance, shower locations and much more.

TMC will soon be offering classes that can help benefit your day-to-day life. Classes such as basic computer skills, knowing your rights, stretching your dollar, and living with chronic diseases or pain will soon be offered to anyone interested.

The Teresa McCormick Center offers a computer lab at its primary location on S. Pacific Highway in Medford. This lab is available for individuals to use relating to job readiness and search, housing, or education. Please see one of their volunteers at the front desk to sign up for a time slot.  You can watch for updates and information on their Facebook page at fb.me/TeresaMcCormickCenter.

Teresa cared deeply for the Southern Oregon community. While working at Harry & David, she discovered that many qualified job applicants didn't own closed-toe shoes. She instigated a donation drive that was able to provide more than 700 pairs of shoes to those in need. She was the primary force in establishing the trust that Harry & David shares with the Southern Oregon area, and our community suffered a great loss when she passed away suddenly in 2007. Teresa left an incredible mark on the Rogue Valley, and her absence is still felt to this day.

Address: 2500 S Pacific Highway, Medford, OR  97501
Phone: (541) 864-5000
Email:  ashughes@HarryandDavid.com
Hours:  M.W.F. 2pm-4:30pm Tu.Th. 10am-1pm

Hours are approximate and subject to change. Please feel free to call and schedule an appointment to ensure availability.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are currently in need of more tutors. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, we would love to hear from you.

A tutor will typically spend one or two sessions per week with an adult learner. These sessions usually run 60 to 90 minutes long. A tutor and an adult learner often work together for 6 months to 2 years.

There are no credentials required. Simply attend free training sessions and learn how to be an effective tutor!

"When one teaches, two learn."

Robert Heinlein