November 2018 Newsletter

Whatcom Literacy Council Newsletter

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Friends of Literacy

A publication of the
Whatcom Literacy Council

November 2018

English classes at Guru Nanak Gursikh Gurudwara

In October, we began teaching English classes at Guru Nanak Gursikh Gurudwara (The Sikh Temple) in Lynden. From the beginning, this class has been an exciting collaboration with our new partners at the Gurudwara. We have a group of very determined learners who attend classes twice a week. In the last five weeks, the students have been able to polish their English skills, and have most recently been discussing traditions. Students have been able to share some of their traditions with each other and the teacher. We look forward to working together with them in the future.

2018 Literacy Breakfast with Nancy Pearl

The Literacy Breakfast with Nancy Pearl, held on the morning of Thursday, November 8^th, was a roaring success. Over 300 people filled BTC’s Settlemyer Hall for one of the Whatcom Literacy Council’s biggest fundraisers. The first part of the event was a short program about the Whatcom Literacy Council, including remarks from Chuck Robinson, and presentations from volunteer tutor Becca Steincamp and learner Kang Chen. The annual “First Friends” award was given to volunteer Arne Ahlen, who has been tutoring with the Whatcom Literacy Council since 2009.

Then the wonderful and charismatic Nancy Pearl came on stage to talk about her 20+ book recommendations. Nancy is a best-selling author, librarian, literary critic, as well as a radio and television personality. She regularly speaks about the value of reading at libraries and library conferences, and for literacy organizations and community groups, and we are thrilled that she supports the work of the Whatcom Literacy Council. Among her many honors are the 2011 Librarian of the Year Award from Library Journal and the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the PNW Booksellers Association. Nancy is the creator of the internationally recognized program If All of Seattle Read the Same Book, which preceded our own “Whatcom Reads”, and was the inspiration for the Archee McPhee "Librarian Action Figure". She has spent her life promoting reading as one of the most beneficial and joyful experiences anyone can have. Village Books was on hand to sell the titles that Nancy recommended, with 10% of the morning’s proceeds going to the Whatcom Literacy Council.

With help from sponsors like MyTrafficMan.net’s Legal Care Center Academy, we raised over $40,000 at the event, all of which will stay in Whatcom County supporting our adult literacy programs. If you were not able to attend the event but would like to make a donation, please go to our webpage.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this wonderful event!

Click to find Nancy's book recommendation list

Nancy Pearl with the Whatcom Literacy Council Staff

Looking for a Great Read?

The Whatcom Literacy Council Library has fiction books for you and your learner! Thanks to the generous donation from Home Port Learning Center, our library has some great new books for you to check out.

We have biographies, mysteries, historical novels, classics, and even a few surprises like the mystifying math puzzle book!

You’ll find a nice variety written for the low-intermediate to advanced readers.

Thanksgiving Potluck

Many thanks to the Ferndale Library for providing the great space for us to meet for our Thanksgiving potluck event for our volunteer tutors and their learners. We shared delicious dishes and a wonderful evening of fellowship. We are very grateful for all of our wonderful tutors and learners and appreciate all the work they do each and every week throughout the year!

National Family Literacy Month

November is a time for observing the changing of the leaves, Thanksgiving, and National Family Literacy Month! Organized by the National Center for Families Learning, every November organizations such as the ProLiteracy and the Whatcom Literacy Council celebrate the work that literacy programs do to empower families.

What is family literacy? Family literacy describes parents and their children learning together. It emphasizes the importance of adult literacy by encouraging parents to prioritize their own education so they can be more involved in their children’s learning and literacy development. We know that the single greatest indicator of children’s success is the literacy level of their parents. By the age of 3, children born into low-income families have heard roughly 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers. The average child whose family is on welfare hears 616 words per hour compared to the average child in a professional family who hears 2,153 words per hour. This is important because vocabulary development during the preschool years is related to later reading skills and school success in general.

For more information about Family Literacy Programs, visit the National Center for Families Learning.

Talking about the Holidays

The holiday season is now in full swing, and if you haven’t already done so,
it may be a good time to talk to your learner about adjusting your holiday schedule.

Many learners and tutors decide to take a week or two off at the end of December to travel or spend time with loved ones. Keep in mind that if you are meeting with your learner at Whatcom Community College or Bellingham Technical College, they will be closed for at least two weeks. Talk to your learner about alternative meeting locations if you decide to continue meeting during that time.

Holidays present a wonderful opportunity to talk with your learner about traditions, particularly if you come from different cultural backgrounds. ESL Library (ESLLibrary.com) has a wealth of ideas for discussing holidays celebrated around the world. From discussing consumerism on Black Friday to the vernal equinox during Nauruz, you can choose from over 80 pre-made lessons. Ask your coordinator if you need help logging in.

Help us on our mission: CLICK HERE

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In This Issue:

English classes at Guru Nana Gursikh Gurudwara
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Donations
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2018 Literacy Breakfast with Nancy Pearl
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Looking for a Great Read?
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Thanksgiving Potluck
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National Family Literacy Month
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Talking about the Holidays
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It's Cold Outside
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Thinking of Gifts for the Holidays?
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Change a Life -
Become a Tutor

Tutor Reports

This is just a friendly reminder to all tutors that we need to receive a report from you each month to keep us up to date on how things are going with your learner. See the links below:

ELL Tutor Report

ALP Tutor Report

Thank You!

Remember to "Like" the Whatcom Literacy Council on Facebook!

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It's Cold Outside

Is it storming outside? Want to know if the Whatcom Literacy Council is closed due to weather
or other emergencies? If Bellingham Technical College
or Bellingham School District is closed then our office will be closed as well.

Please call BTC Weather Watch: 360-752-8766 which is updated by 6:00 a.m. and again at 3:00 p.m
or check your local TV or Radio stations for more details.

Remember, SAFETY FIRST! Even if places are open if it is dangerous for you or your learner to walk or drive please reschedule your meeting.

If you have a resource or activity that you would like to recommend to other tutors, please share!

Give us a call or email us!

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If you have any questions or need help, please contact us at (360) 752-8678 or by email:

Katherine Freimund, Executive Director - director@whatcomliteracy.org
Gloria Garcia, Small Class Coordinator - sgc@whatcomliteracy.org
Linda Chrisman, Adult Learning Program (ALP) Coordinator - alp@whatcomliteracy.org
Cari Chan, Education Language Learning (ELL) Coordinator - ell@whatcomliteracy.org
Laura Miyatake, Communications Coordinator - office@whatcomliteracy.org

Thank you for supporting the Whatcom Literacy Council!

Whatcom Literacy Council

P.O. Box 1292

Bellingham, WA 98227

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Whatcom Literacy Council · P.O. Box 1292 · Bellingham, WA 98227 · USA