A volunteer with Project Read tutors learners at a Project Read drop-in site, date unknown.
Kaiden Pope
Reporter
Project Read, an adult literacy service funded by the Illinois State Library, is currently looking for volunteers to help tutor adult learners in subjects such as ESL, math, and reading.
The project is coordinated by Sue Gallo, Donna Camp, and the program manager, Amanda Harris. The administrative aspect of the project is operated out of the office located in E106 on Parkland’s campus, but volunteers tutor adult learners at several drop-in sites around town.
Tutors teach learners English-as-a-second-language, beginning math, or basic reading below a ninth grade level. Learners are taught on a one-to-one and small-group basis at the Champaign Public Library, the Urbana Free Library, the Wesley Food Pantry, the Parkland Service Learning center, the Rantoul Business Center, and the local corrections department.
Services are offered weekly at each site for two hours. Volunteers can also arrange to meet with learners outside of drop-in times in public places. Additionally, trained volunteers help in classrooms around the community, including in Parkland classes as well as at Urbana Adult Education.
“In keeping with the national trends, the majority of volunteers are white women over the age of 50,” Harris said. “However, we have seen a lot of that change. We have a lot of students from the University [of Illinois] and Parkland. We have retired professionals and people from the Rotaries.”
“We have spouses of visiting scholars, too,” Gallo said. “English may not be their first language, but their English is great and it’s certainly good enough to help.”
Project Read was put on hiatus two years ago in 2016 because of the statewide budget crisis in Illinois. It recently got back on its feet in September with a beginning volunteer base of 10. Project Read currently has a volunteer base of 70 certified trained tutors and 60 tutors currently in training. Each volunteer is required to commit two hours a week, but many volunteers put in more than expected.
Harris joined the project in September 2017 when Project Read regained funding, and has helped the project to grow into the successful project that it is today. Gallo joined the project two months ago, due to the increased need for coordinators.
“In the past, this program was more focused with connecting people interested in tutoring and people interested in learning in safe one-on-one situations and supporting the education programs. They started this drop-in service, which is really exciting and is helping so many more people,” Gallo said. “I think that’s why they brought me in, because it’s really time consuming organizing the volunteers.”
Volunteers get a minimum of 12 hours of training with Project Read and can count on the resources that the project offers.
“You feel that your potential impact is greater because of that infrastructural support,” Harris said.
Word of mouth is the primary method of advertising. Other methods include FaceBook and advertising through Parkland marketing. There are also ads on CU Volunteers, and Chambana Moms.
“The most immediate effects [on the Parkland community] would be that there are trained volunteers in the classrooms. There are adult education classes that require a certain ratio between fluent readers to learners in order to provide the quality of reading and literacy instruction that is mandated by the Community College Report called evidence based reading instruction,” Harris said.
Project Read uses evidence based reading instruction (EBRI) to teach adult learners. While adult learners used to be taught similarly to the way children are taught, in recent years it has been discovered that EBRI methods work better for adult learners. Project Read trains tutors in EBRI and places them in the classrooms, as well as placing tutors in ESL classes.
“You have students and staff and retired staff coming and volunteering or receiving services,” Harris said.
“It’s a visible part of the Parkland community,” Gallo said. “You have people walking past in the halls and poking their heads in and asking what’s going on. We have all three facets of the Parkland community involved.”
For more information, go to parkland.edu and, under the “Academics” heading, hover over “Departments,” and click on “Adult Education.” From there, click on “Literary Services: Project READ” inside the green box on the left side of the page.
