Schaumburg Library offers literacy, citizenship classes
"Reading is the basic tool in the living of a good life," said author and educator Mortimer Adler.
And, yet, statistics collected by the American Community Survey indicate that more than 2 million Illinois residents (16.6 percent) need adult literacy and/or English language instruction. If you know any who fit this category, whether they were U.S. born or immigrated to our country, consider sharing the following information about literacy classes at the Schaumburg Township District Library.
And if you've got some time on your hands, think about volunteering as a reading tutor. Imagine using a couple of hours each week to change the trajectory of a person's life.
The library's Read to Learn classes will take place from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mondays, Jan. 22 to April 23, in the Rasmussen Room, and 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays, Jan. 24 through April 18, in the Adult Classroom.
Read to Learn is an opportunity for adult students to perfect their reading and writing skills in a one-to-one situation with their own tutor. This program is presented in partnership with School District 214 Continuing Education. Registration takes place at the first class.
To learn about becoming a Read to Learn tutor, go to http://ce.d214.org/readtolearn or call (847) 718-7724. Another option is to contact the Elgin Literacy Connection at www.elginliteracy.org or (847) 742-6565.
Those seeking U.S. citizenship are welcome to take the library's Citizenship Class from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 27 through May 19, at the Hanover Park branch, 1266 Irving Park Road, and 6:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, Jan. 29 through April 30, in the Adult Classroom of the Central Library in Schaumburg.
The citizenship classes help guide candidates with a Green Card through the complex application process and learn the skills required for the citizenship interview. Register at the first class.
Reading 101 will be from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 30 through May 17, in the Adult Classroom. This class allows advanced level English as a Second Language students the opportunity to work on their comprehension, writing and listening skills. Register at the first class.
An upper-intermediate ESL Class is scheduled from 12:30-3:30 Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 13-April 26, in the Adult Classroom. Registration takes place during the first class.
"The Schaumburg Library has always expressed and demonstrated a long-standing commitment to assisting the multicultural and learning communities in the Schaumburg Area," said the library's literacy coordinator, Helen Stewart. "Our literacy services are a testament to this commitment."
For information on the library's literacy classes and services, go to www.schaumburglibrary.org/services/literacy.
In addition to the above-mentioned classes, the library has a Learning Lab with 15 computers available every Monday from 9:30-11:45 a.m. with no registration required. ESL students are welcome to come and use ESL software programs. The lab provides students with the opportunity for self-guided learning; however, an instructor is available to assist.
For Schaumburg Library cardholders who would like ESL instruction in their own language, Pronunciator and Mango Language are fun, free ways to learn dozens of languages with self-directed lessons. Go to www.SchaumburgLibrary.org and click on eLibrary, then Online Learning to find Pronunciator or Mango.
"Schaumburg is a vivacious, thriving community, and the needs of the patrons lead us in exciting directions every day," Stewart said. "Need advice? We'll send you to the right resource or organization to fit your needs.
"If there's something we can't help you with, we'll direct you to the people who can. There's one word that says 'welcome' in every language - and that word is library. Stop by and see us."