APPLETON (NBC 26) — A Fox Valley nonprofit is working to address a critical issue affecting more than half of American adults while helping break the cycle of low literacy that often passes from parent to child.
Fox Valley Literacy in Appleton serves adults looking to improve their English literacy skills, with a particular focus on English learners and those whose reading abilities may have been limited by various circumstances.
"Literacy is foundational to American life," said Jim Weidert, community engagement manager for Fox Valley Literacy.
According to the organization, 54% of adults in the United States read at a sixth-grade level or lower, regardless of whether English is their first language.
Kathy Kleckner has been a tutor with Fox Valley Literacy for 13 years, working mainly with those whose first language isn't English.
"One of the students I had came from Brazil. And she said she felt so isolated because she couldn't talk to anyone in the community," Kleckner said.
The program's impact extends beyond individual students to their families. Weidert, who also began as a tutor, says the skills taught to adults get passed onto children as a direct result of the program.
"I think reading, specifically, and books for children can be a great conduit for that basis of where an older adult who's lacking literacy skills can actually communicate through a medium—like books—with a younger child," Weidert said.
The statistics underscore the importance of adult literacy education. Children of parents with low literacy have a 72% likelihood of struggling with literacy themselves, according to Fox Valley Literacy. Additionally, children who enter kindergarten without foundational literacy skills are at higher risk of not graduating high school compared to their peers.
The literacy skills also have direct economic implications for families.
"When they want to up level or up skill their job, for instance, you know, getting out of a fast food job and getting even into a manufacturing job requires a different level of reading skill. Getting out of a manufacturing job up to a professional level job requires a different level of reading skill," Weidert said.
Fox Valley Literacy offers their teaching services to adults at no cost.
Click here if you would like to learn more about the Scripps Howard Fund for Childhood Literacy, as well as our "If You Give a Child a Book..." program.
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