We have some exciting projects underway that we cannot wait to share with you! As you may know, conversation classes have always been a staple of English language education at Literacy Rochester. Before the start of the pandemic, Literacy Rochester had two weekly conversation classes running every Tuesday afternoon and evening, with a loyal core of attendees. While office closures and social distancing practices proved an initial obstacle, volunteers, LR staff, and learners have not only kept the conversation classes running remotely but have expanded to 5 classes a week, with 10 learners attending regularly via Google Meets and Zoom. We hope to expand upon these courses once we are back in the office, offering online and in-person classes weekly!
The behind-the-scenes work did not stop at conversation classes, however. LR staff members Ritti and Xeno have been hard at work creating an 8-week Pre-Course for incoming learners. The idea behind this offering is to empower new learners to advocate for and take command of their educational journey. The course will explore learning preferences, note taking, active listening, organization, and other classroom-skills, as well as aid learners in understanding their educational barriers and how their tutors can help them overcome them.
In addition to the Pre-Class, LR has paired with St. John Fisher College students to build a Health Literacy Curriculum, available to both English language and basic literacy learners. This 12-week course is built around the goal of understanding common language surrounding health literacy and navigating our health care system.
We are proud of the work we are doing and are forever grateful for the help and guidance of volunteers and learners. If you are interested in helping us with the projects mentioned above or if you have an idea of your own that you think would benefit adults in Monroe County, let us know! We would love to hear from you!
