Think win/win: Their literacy can benefit them and you

           In the Netherlands, where Dutch is the native language, we start learning British English at an early age. Naturally, this starts with simple object words such as "tree", "car", and "book" in middle school. This is followed by English class three times a week in high school, when the lessons become increasingly more complex with a focus on spelling, grammar, and pronunciation in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. After years of learning this second language, my proficiency was highly advanced... or so I thought. When I moved to the United States in 2013, my husband worked in hotel maintenance at a ski resort. Every once in a while I would follow him from property to property and help him where necessary. I still remember him asking "can you please pass me the Phillips head?", and me staring dumbfounded at his toolbox. This was not something they had taught me in school, so I asked him for clarification. He laughed a little because it seemed silly I did not know what a screwdriver was. Forwarding to a few years later, I applied to Arizona State University. One requirement I needed to meet before attending college was to complete a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to determine my proficiency. I went to the library to get the learning guide and test preparation, so I could update and practice my skills. What occurred to me as I was reading, is that there was so much vocabulary I did not know because it was never taught in school. And if I don't understand, how will English Language Learners (ELLs) succeed if this is their first encounter with the language? Eventually, it all worked out but I consider myself lucky since I had considerable background knowledge, unlike many other learners. Most recently, I was cooking and ended up with some vegetable peels and other parts not meant for consumption. While staring at the sink, I asked my husband "do you know if this food can go in the...". He looked at me and waited for me to finish my sentence, and while I tried my hardest to come up with the correct terminology, I ended up saying "the food grinder in the sink?". This is because no one had taught me the correct word for waste disposal. You may be wondering by now where I am going with this story. I am trying to show you why it is beneficial for people other than the learners if they have the knowledge and skills to understand and express language. Not only will individuals be able to confidently navigate society on their own, but they will also be able to support others in personal and professional settings. 

          Anyone can agree that reading is an essential component of literacy. Not only does it allow youth to enjoy stories, but it will also allow them to share stories. Since we want to eradicate youth illiteracy and at the same time develop our communities, it is important to teach reading as a foundation for social and economic purposes (Van Pelt, 2018). Helping youth learn how to read the English language is not only the key to their success but also the key to a happy and healthy society.           

Image source: (Words Alive, 2018).

          For youth to effectively develop literacy supporting their reading comprehension should be our main goal. "The process of comprehension is both interactive and strategic. Rather than passively reading text, readers must analyze it, internalize it and make it their own" (Read Naturally, n.d., para. 1). There are multiple strategies to help them understand the information, whether the text is formal or informal. In addition to independent reading, it is advantageous to read aloud to youth learners. Even though this method often focuses on children, ELLs can benefit from a similar approach, because it will build their vocabulary, it will give us insight into their challenges, and they will associate pleasure with reading (Burnett, 2019). Therefore, I encourage you to be part of their reading journey as both a storyteller and listener.

          After considering the benefits of reading for both learners and others, there are several ways you can get involved and take action to improve reading comprehension. There are options to become a reading tutor, organize a reading and storytelling workshop, or start a YouTube channel in which you read books to viewers. Celebrate! February 14th is International Book Giving Day and the goal is to get books into the hands of as many youths as possible. Leave new and used books in unexpected places, such as waiting rooms, playgrounds, parks, school routes, and family areas. Run a local book swap in your community to exchange books between learners and for them to build new social relationships. Organize a book walk, which is basically a fundraising campaign for literary resources. These donations will be used to fund books for pleasure, school, and work for disadvantaged learners in your local community. Organize a book drive and donate to your local literacy non-profit organization (International Book Giving Day, 2021). 

References

Burnett, C. (2019, Dec. 17). 3 Important reasons to keep reading aloud to your tween. Scholastic. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/read-aloud-independent-reader.html

International Book Giving Day. (2021). Category: How to. Book Giving Day. https://bookgivingday.com/category/how-to/

Read Naturally. (n.d.). Comprehension: The goal of reading. Read Naturally. https://www.readnaturally.com/research/5-components-of-reading/comprehension 

Van Pelt, J. (2018, Feb. 22). What is the connection between literacy and economic development?. Words Alive. http://www.wordsalive.org/blog/2018/2/22/what-is-the-connection-between-literacy-and-economic-development

Media Sources

Words Alive. (2018). Literacy is the foundation of community and economic development. When everyone can read, whole communities thrive [Image]. http://www.wordsalive.org/blog/2018/2/22/what-is-the-connection-between-literacy-and-economic-development