Tutor orientation will be held on Friday, Sept. 30 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Drake University School of Education building, 3206 University Ave. Volunteers must attend both sessions.During these trainings, tutors will learn about the causes of reading difficulties and types of instruction that help the adults who are enrolled. Volunteers provide all of the Drake University Adult Literacy Center’s services by committing to tutor one person for one to two hours per week for at least a year.
Persons served represent a cross-section of ethnicity and come mainly from lower income brackets. The adults enrolled are mainly English speakers who attended school through at least 10th grade, but were unable to learn to read through traditional instruction. Reading skills range from pre-reading to approximately fourth grade. Students are eager to learn so they can improve their job, school, and home responsibilities.
Last year, volunteers contributed the equivalent of $69,000 in services to the center. The organization is funded solely on grants and contributions, and charges only a $10 annual materials fee to adults with limited literacy skills.
Contact Anne Murr, 271-3982, or anne.murr@drake.edu for more information on this volunteer opportunity, or visit the Drake University Adult Literacy Center website.