This content was published: February 11, 1999. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Literacy Conference Celebrates Century of Adult Learning
Photos and Story by James Hill
Portland Community College and several of Oregon’s adult literacy organizations will come together Saturday, March 6 at Reed College to celebrate 100 years of adult literacy learning with a one-day conference from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Volunteer tutors, or those who have an interest in becoming a one, are encouraged to attend the conference, 1900-2000: Celebrate A Century of Adult Literacy Learning. The workshops will be held in the Vollum Center at Reed College, 3203 S.E. Woodstock Blvd. Morning refreshments, a buffet lunch and workshop materials are provided for a registration fee of $12.50.
The PCC Volunteer Literacy Tutor Program, the Portland and Beaverton Literacy councils, the Mount Hood Literacy Coalition and Oregon Literacy Inc. are sponsoring the numerous workshops for tutors on the front lines of the literacy battle. These workshops include several topics related to teaching adult basic literacy skills, such as ESL grammar, citizenship, pronunciation and how to teach adult students with disabilities.
The event will also feature tutored student speakers trumpeting their recent successes after receiving help.
During fall term throughout PCC’s district, 339 volunteer tutors taught 652 students a total of 6,947 hours in one-on-one or group sessions, according to Sherri Holman, supervisor for the PCC Volunteer Literacy Tutor Program. She added that the sponsors of this literacy conference served nearly 2,000 students with 800 tutors in the region last fall. The sponsors of the conference have been collaborating for the last decade to help eradicate illiteracy in Oregon.
The registration deadline for the conference is Wednesday, Feb. 24. For more information, or to inquire about how to become a volunteer literacy tutor, call the PCC Volunteer Literacy Tutor Program office at 977-4148.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »