Aurora literacy center seeks 25 women tutors; training to begin Aug. 13

Chicago-area women are needed to help Fox Valley women learn English literacy skills at the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora.

Dominican Sister Kathleen Ryan, center director, said 25 women volunteers are needed to tutor area women in reading, writing and speaking English.

"No experience is necessary," she said.

Ryan said tutor-training sessions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 13, 15, 20 and 21 at the center, 260 Vermont St. in Aurora. Training is conducted in English by Ryan, Dominican Sister Jane Ann Beckman and Alison Brzezinski, DLC tutoring coordinator.

Brzezinski said she hopes to train 25 new tutors to join 154 current tutors. About 150 women are on a waiting list for tutors she said.

Fall semester tutoring sessions open Sept. 5.

Tutors work one-on-one with students in free, weekly 90-minute sessions by appointment.

Tutor training includes planning lessons, using textbooks, conducting oral drills and expectations for the first class. Additionally, current tutors and previous students will discuss the program and the immigrant experience.

Brzezinski said tutors receive information about prospective students, including years in the U.S., previous education and how often a student speaks English at home and on a job.

She added that center support staff are available to assist, answer questions and resolve issues.

Teaching aids include picture dictionaries and other materials for vocabulary, writing, conversation, grammar and group activities. A training manual is $20.

Founded in 1993, the DLC matches female volunteers one-on-one with women learning to read, write and speak English. Another DLC program mobilizes female and male volunteers to prepare women and men for the U.S. citizenship test.