Grant to help library promote literacy for English language learners

The Randolph County Public Library will expand services for low-literacy English language learners with a $5,000 grant from the American Library Association funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

The library was one of 70 in the nation and seven in North Carolina to receive an American Dream Starts @ your library grant. The funding will support an initiative focusing on Spanish speaking adults who have a low literacy level in their native language, and seek to help them learn English while increasing literacy in both languages.

The effort, called Lenguaje y Lectura @ your library, gets underway this summer. The aim is to provide a sustained, hands-on, verbal and visual learning experience for participants.

Participants will practice English using the ESL/Spanish module of the library’s Mango Languages online resource, and in doing so build computer literacy skills along with language and reading skills.

In addition to online learning, participants will join with volunteers and each other in conversation and learning games, and will be provided workbooks and picture dictionaries to keep.

Activities for children also will be provided so that families can participate without worrying about child care, and some activities will include the whole family. One emphasis of the program will be assisting parents to help their children succeed in school.

Community partners assisting with advice, volunteers and material selection include the Latino Coalition of Randolph County, Asheboro Parents as Teachers, Franklinville-Ramseur Parents as Teachers, Randolph Community College Basic Skills/ESL, Asheboro City Schools ELL Department and the Randolph County Schools ESL Parent Advocate.

For further information about the program, or to join or volunteer, contact Veronica Gutierrez, vgutierrez@randolphlibrary.org or 318-6843.