Read Muskegon

Dedicated to positively impacting the lives of adults through improved literacy.

Who We Are:

Read Muskegon was founded in early 2005 by Jeff Byam, an active community volunteer, to fill a significant need in our community.  Read Muskegon is a 501(c)(3) literacy organization that provides free one-on-one tutoring in reading, writing and other literacy skills.

Read Muskegon is the Literacy Council for Muskegon County and is an affiliate of Proliteracy.  We currently serve adult learners throughout Muskegon County.

Who We Serve:

Adults in Muskegon County who:

• are not yet ready for adult basic education
• need help to improve their skills so they can be successful in adult education, community college or job training programs
• want to improve their reading skills to meet personal goals such as helping their children with homework or reading to their grandchildren

How Services Are Provided:

Trained and supported tutors provide basic reading instruction based on the learners needs and interests, at times and in locations that are convenient to the learner and tutor.  These services are free and are confidential.

How You Can Help:

• Spread the news that services are available for those who need help
• Volunteer as a tutor
• Make a donation
• Be a life-long learner and encourage others to be life-long learners

NEWS

Watch for news about the 2nd Annual Scrabble® FUNdraiser coming this Fall!

CONTACTS

Barb Gowell, President
Staff:  Connie Nesbary, MA, Literacy Coordinator/Consultant
Read Muskegon
PO Box 1312
Muskegon, MI 49443-1312

Phone: (231) 766-5040

E-mail: litcoordinator@readmuskegon.org

Thank you to Topshelf Pizza & Pub for providing pizzas for our Tutor trainings in 2010!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Read Muskegon?

Read Muskegon is a non-profit organization dedicated to positively impacting the lives of adults through improved literacy.  Read Muskegon fills a need in the community by serving students who are either not yet ready for adult basic education, not a good fit for the adult education classroom setting, or need extra help to improve their skills.  Read Muskegon is a volunteer organization.

2. What services does Read Muskegon provide?

Read Muskegon provides free one-on-one tutoring in reading, writing and other literacy skills.  We also provide training for volunteer tutors and ongoing mentorship.

3. Does it cost anything to refer a student to Read Muskegon?

No, it is a free service for the student and the referring agency.  Please click here to access our application for learners.

4. How is Read Muskegon funded?

Read Muskegon is currently funded through individual and company donations, and through contributions from local service organizations.  Read Muskegon has also received small grants to support its work.  Read Muskegon welcomes donations from individuals, corporations and foundations. Please make checks payable to Read Muskegon.  Send your contribution to Read Muskegon, PO Box 1312, Muskegon, MI 49443-1312.  Read Muskegon is federally tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the  Internal Revenue Code.  Your contribution is tax deductible as allowed by law.

5. What types of students does Read Muskegon work with?

Read Muskegon works with adults age eighteen and older who are in need of literacy instruction.  The range is from a non-reader to those who are just below a high school graduate literacy level.

6. What students tend to be the most successful with one-on-one tutoring?

Students who have a high level of motivation to improve their reading skills in order to achieve a specific goal, such as reading to their children or getting a higher paying job tend to be most successful.  Also students who are not dealing with significant personal issues are better able to focus on the classes and thus be successful.

7. How long does it take for students to begin their tutoring sessions?

In most cases a student will be placed within a week or two with a tutor and tutoring sessions will begin shortly thereafter.  However, the waiting period could be a month or longer depending on when the next group of tutors will be trained.

8. How many hours of tutoring are provided each week?

Students will be provided with one to one and a half hours a week of tutoring and in some special cases more if both the student and tutor agree to do so.

9. How long may a student stay with Read Muskegon?

A student may stay as long as progress is being made, and the student is happy with the program and attending sessions consistently.

10. What can I do to get more information about Read Muskegon?

Call (231) 766-5040 or e-mail litcoordinator@readmuskegon.org.

Literacy is defined as the ability to read, write, speak, compute, and solve problems at the level needed to function on the job, in the family, and in the community.  30 million adults in the U.S. have a very limited ability to read and write or are not literate in English.

Literacy is a key indicator of quality of life.  Poor readers are more likely to be unemployed, to live in poverty, and to have health problems and no medical insurance.

Literacy Rates in Muskegon County

• It is estimated that 21% of adults age 16 and older in Muskegon County cannot read well enough to fill out an application, read a food label or read a simple story to a child (Portland State University 1996).
• A national assessment of adult literacy done in 2003 estimated that 8 percent or more of Muskegon County’s population lack basic prose literacy skills equating to nearly 14,000 adults in Muskegon County alone (based on July 2008 population estimate of 174,344, Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division).
• To get more recent national literacy statistics please visit the National Center for Educational Statistics at www.nces.ed.gov/naal/

Possible signs of illiteracy

Illiterate or semiliterate adults rarely ask for help with their literacy skills.  Often they might have some other reason for why they cannot complete a task or they will try to avoid a task while in your presence.

Examples:
I forgot my glasses so….
I will fill this out later/at home…

Other possible signs

Not showing up for meetings that were only posted in writing
Asking for an explanation of printed instructions
Low self-esteem

How to help an adult with low literacy skills

A caseworker/family advocate/teacher or other concerned person should bring up the issue of literacy.  For referring agencies, it could be part of the normal discourse during the initial contact meeting or shortly thereafter.  For example, it could be brought up when discussing the many different resources that you have available to help your clients.  Then, based on later meetings and interactions with the client, if you suspect problems with literacy the topic should be approached again.  Ideally the client should be approached in a one-on-one setting.

If you believe a client, family member or friend is willing and ready to take the step of participating in regular one-on-one tutoring sessions, please encourage them to contact Read Muskegon.  Or, make the initial contact with Read Muskegon yourself and we can offer suggestions on how to talk to someone in need of tutoring services.