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Since 1987, Project Literacy of Bergen County has provided hope and opportunity for adults who struggle with reading, writing, math, and the English language. It is a coordinated effort to attack illiteracy on all fronts with the cooperation ofcorporations, educators, volunteers, government and the media. |
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| Over thirty million Americans are functionally illiterate, that is they cannot read beyond the fifth grade level. In New Jersey, half of the six million adults in the state have literacy problems-an estimated one of every four have difficulty in reading a bus schedule, totaling a bank deposit slip, or understanding the precautions on a medicine bottle. In Bergen County, 26% of the adults aged 25 and below do not have a high school diploma. An inability to read hinders individuals from reaching their potential as parents, workers, and citizens, and low literacy levels cost American businesses billions in lost productivity each year. High levels of functional illiteracy are felt throughout the community, leading to multigenerational cycles of poverty, poor health, school failure, and higher tax burdens. |
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Project Literacy is made up of a group of concerned individuals who are dedicated to raising awareness about adult illiteracy and advocating for those who cannot read, write, speak English or struggle with simple math. |
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Project Literacy recruits and trains volunteers who work one-to-one with adults who need literacy help. Project Literacy makes referrals to adults to continue their education.
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Project Literacy consults with companies that want to develop an onsite literacy plan of action |
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Upcoming events
for our students and tutors
- ESL Training: Wed, 1/18/2012, 1/25, 2/1,2/8 2/15. Follow up 3/7 (12:30 - 2:30)**
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Pathways to Literacy is a directory of adult basic education programs in Bergen County. The purpose of the directory is to serve as a reference tool for employers, educators, social service agencies, employment counselors and any individual seeking a basic education program. The ninth edition contains data compiled from adult schools, churches, agencies, public libraries and other literacy providers. Project-Literacy is a non-profit organization, which was established in 1987 to raise awareness on the issues of adult literacy, indentify adult literacy needs and services, develop adult literacy initiatives, and now serves as a clearinghouse on adult literacy issues and referrals. Download full PDF here.
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Please donate to Project Literacy!
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Project Literacy of Bergen County is now a member of Facebook
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Project Literacy of Greater Bergen County, Inc.
355 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 Phone: 201-489-7066 Fax: 201-968-9732
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... help an adult learn to read
... promote literacy in Bergen County
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... for yourself, a family member or friend
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Project Literacy of Bergen County provides hope and opportunity for adults who cannot read, write or speak English. It oversees a free tutoring program for the people of Bergen County and the surrounding area. It administers a scholarship program to the disadvantaged in the community who wish to attend literacy classes at the Bergen Community College |
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Ciarco Learning Center through its Carmen Pichardo Scholarship. It also gives referrals to the other basic literacy, English, and GED preparation programs available in the various municipalities of Bergen County.
Project Literacy believes that everyone has the right to read and succeed. It helps to end social problems such as poverty, welfare dependency, and crime by helping committed students see tangible differences in their lives and lives of their children.
Our current priority is to increase the reach and effectiveness of our volunteer tutoring program. The program assesses the needs of its students in three major areas: reading, spoken English, and readiness for the high school equivalency exam. It also does an assessment of the volunteer's background and availability.
All volunteers are given 12 hours of formal training in either Basic Literacy or ESL (English as a Second Language). No prior teaching experience is necessary on the part of the volunteers to become a tutor. They need only to be vitally interested in helping another adult to read or to speak English and to be available for at least one hour a week for a period of one year.
The Project Literacy staff will match the volunteer with a student whose learning needs and availability are compatible. The staff also provides support to help tutors to develop their skills. Additional in-service training is available twice yearly.
Assessment and accountability is an important part of the Project Literacy program. Tutors evaluate their students at the start of their work together and after every 50 hours of instruction to determine progress. The staff will review these assessments with the volunteers in light of the student's goals and help them to make necessary changes.
Staff members work continuously with their own program self-assessment tools to measure the ongoing effectiveness of the volunteer tutor program as a whole.
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