A divorced father of three came to us recently, seeking help in reading and writing. One of his goals is to write letters to his children, who live with their mother in another state. He's embarrassed to have his mother do it for him.
Another student has a good job, but his chance for promotion is small because he has problems with spelling and expressing himself in e-mails and reports. He also feels insecure dealing with family financial decisions because of limited math skills.
Many adults have trouble reading or writing well enough to cope with our complex world. Technical jobs are going begging for trained workers, sometimes because an adult needs basic math skills as a stepping stone to technical training. Basic skills are needed to enter a GED preparation class. Here’s a safe place to begin with those essential skills.
At Hopelink, students can receive free, confidential, one-on-one tutoring from a trained adult volunteer tutor to improve basic skills in reading, writing and math. We help our students identify goals related to work, family, college and community life. We tailor our instruction to match their goals. Following an assessment of their current reading, writing and math levels, students are matched with a tutor for twice-weekly sessions. The team sets learning goals and commits to working together for at least six months.
For information on our free tutoring program for adults, see also http://adulteducation.hope-link.org. Call 425-533-8963 or e-mail