Welcome to Tidewater Literacy Council's (TLC) online orientation. You may have come here for a variety of reasons :

• You might be trying to decide if you want to become a volunteer reading tutor
• You may want to learn more about literacy issues and organizations
• You may already be a trained volunteer and just want a refresher

In any case we hope that you find this information valuable and the experience enjoyable. Please feel free to contact TLC if you have any further questions following completion of this orientation.

Introduction - Would you know what to do?

Would you know what to do if you saw one of these signs on the wall?
More importantly, would you know what not to do?
Would you be confused, feel inadequate, become frustrated?

The signs above are written in Cyrillic. The alphabet used, like ours, is phonics based. In other words, every letter represents a specific sound. If you were familiar with the sound-symbol relationships, you would be able to quickly identify some or all of the words on the signs above. You would know that explosives are nearby. You would know that smoking was not a good idea. You would know which door to open to avoid embarrassment. Still curious? Click on the signs above to see the English versions.

Nonreaders are confronted every day with situations in which they are unable to read the language they speak. Most have developed ways to compensate.
Here's something to think about. . . what would a nonreader do in similar situations?

• "I would know if someone close to me couldn't read."
  You shouldn't assume that people you meet (or even those you've known for a while) can read. Many are used to hiding their inability to read, even from close friends or family.
• "Nonreaders are unable to function in day to day life."
  People aren't helpless because they can't read. They find ways to cope. Nonreaders are often highly intelligent and creative thinkers finding ways to compensate for their low literacy levels.
• "If someone could not read, they would ask for help."
  People who can't read may be unwilling to try new experiences, venture outside of their families, or ask for help. We must respect their need for confidentiality and privacy.

Now that we have cleared some of the misconceptions about adult literacy, let's learn more.

Before you proceed, some final details about this orientation.

1. It is designed to introduce literacy issues and basic training principles.
2. It is for informational purposes only. There is no grade.
3. It serves as a first step to further training (pre-service tutor training workshop).
4. Our goal is to help build confidence in your ability to be an excellent literacy tutor.

Step 1 - Self Quiz

Do you have what it takes to be a good tutor? Let's see.
Rate yourself from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), by typing the number in the box to the left. Answer honestly!

1. I enjoy helping others (I find it rewarding, it gives me a sense of satisfaction).
2. I am willing to volunteer 2-3 hours per week.
3. I am a good listener. I'm interested in what others have to say.
4. I'm a creative problem solver, good at finding solutions to new situations.
5. I am a patient person.

Lets see how you did.
Your score was