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Category: Press Releases

Washtenaw Literacy Announces Power Tutoring Event

Workshop offers continuing education opportunities to learners, tutors, administrators, and Michigan literacy councils from around the state

(February 3, 2009) - Washtenaw Literacy, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating adult illiteracy, is pleased to offer Power Tutoring, a free day-long series of workshops designed to help tutors advance their effectiveness and learners continue to improve.  The Saturday, February 21st event is sponsored by Washtenaw Community College and held on their campus.

Tutors will experience sessions covering social work value in tutoring, workplace skills for the 21st century, Ebonics in tutoring, working with learning disabled adults, and more.  Learners will learn how to improve their job skills, receive coaching in writing resumes, discuss techniques for increasing vocabulary, and will receive computer time.  The event is expected to draw participants from around the state, so early registration is strongly encouraged.

Recently the National Center for Education Statistics produced estimates of the percentage of adults lacking Basic Prose Literacy Skills.  "While it remains difficult to precisely quantify the number of people who need help in Washtenaw County, it could be as high as 11% of the total population of Washtenaw County, nearly 29,000 adults living among us.  We know we have a long waiting list of people who wish to use our services," said Amy Goodman, Executive Director of Washtenaw Literacy. "Events like the Power Tutoring workshop allow us to touch a large number of tutors and learners in a full content-rich day."

For more information, please call Washtenaw Literacy at (734) 879-1320 or go to www.washtenawliteracy.org.


About Washtenaw Literacy

Washtenaw Literacy's purpose is straightforward: we help adults change their lives through literacy. Our organization has over 35 years experience in helping men and women improve their reading, writing and English as a second language skills.

Our core program is one-on-one tutoring. This is the approach our first volunteer tutors used in 1971. The reason we still use it today is because it works. Over 90% of adults in our one-on-one tutoring program reach one or more of their goals. Part of this success stems from our "designer tutor" approach. We train each of our volunteer tutors to plan lessons according to the learner's strengths, needs and goals. Adult learners in our program are motivated because they are setting, and meeting, their own standards for success.

This focus on individual goals makes our program unique in the county. Washtenaw Literacy is a critical part of our community's educational continuum. Someday we hope to have no need for our services. Until then, we'll support our volunteer tutors as they help low-literate men and women improve their skills and their lives.