• Presentation by the board of the Elaine Bacon Literacy Program to the women’s group of the First

United Methodist Church of Hancock May 1, 2019

Thanks!

• (Beth and Denise)

• Thanks to the women of the First United Methodist Church of Hancock for inviting us! Special thanks to Karen Snyder for arranging the visit.

• To Portage Lake United Church for providing us tutoring space, meeting space, and storage space.

• To donors Hancock Home Study, Houghton Rotary, and Hancock Rotary, and Elvi Routsala.

• To Jerry Huffman for creating our website, www.elainebaconliteracyprogram.wordpress.com.

Tutoring Session in Frann’s Class

Friends

Elaine Bacon Literacy Program

• (Beth)

• The program aims to improve the reading, writing, and speaking abilities of international adults in the community.

• Students sometimes volunteer in local schools or usher at cultural events.

• Students are generally not enrolled at Tech. Rather, they are visiting scholars or parents or spouses of Tech graduate students or faculty. Many stay for only a year or two.

• At any given time, we have about 20 tutees.

• The program often serves as an outlet for frustrations and anxieties that result from living in an unfamiliar culture.

Board

• (Denise)

• Elizabeth Flynn, Director• Denise Heikinen, Director• Mary Brunet, Treasurer, newsletter• Linda Dresch• Frann Grossman• Andrea Hauge-Bacon, Director Emerita• Lucky Li, Secretary• Patti Lund, Secretary Emerita

Tutors

• (Beth)

• Linda Dresch• Marianna Ewert• Elizabeth Flynn• Frann Grossman• Andrea Hauge-Bacon• Denise Heikinen• Jerry Huffman• Patti Lund

Tutoring Schedule

• Monday 10-12, Linda Dresch, PLUC

• Tuesday 11:30-1, Beth Flynn, PLUC

• Wednesday 10:30-12, Frann Grossman, PLUC

• Friday Marianna Ewert 1-3, Community Room, Daniell Heights, MTU

• Individual tutoring at arranged times

Andrea tutoring

Linda tutoring

Beth tutoring

Marianna tutoring

Denise tutoring

Students (Frann)

Dilka, Priyanka, Manuela

Instruction—Teacher Perspective

• (Frann)

• News for You

• Conversation and adjustment to US culture

• Structure of language and grammar

Instruction—Student Perspective

• (Lucky)

• Why We LOVE EBLP• My story (LiRong Li “Lucky”)

• My colleagues such as Irina, Pichai, Dilka, Khoshbakht and Reza, Manuela

• To make friends

• To learn English

• To learn the culture

Financial needs

• (Denise)

• Materials (News for You, books, maps, etc.)

• Newsletter

• Donations to PLUC

• Professional development

• Membership in Professional organizations

Promotion of the Program

• Daily Mining Gazette (Denise)

• Tech Today (Beth)

• Facebook page and Website (Denise and Beth): www.elainebaconliteracyprogram.wordpress.com

Selected Successes

• Dhananjani Eriyagama from Sri Lanka is now a PhD student at MTU, and Vanessa Kamdoumfrom Cameroon is now a graduate student at Wayne State.

• Lianen Li, a visiting scholar, who was chair of his computer science department in China, was reading The New York Times daily at the end of his year-long stay in the U.S.

• Bina Kim, originally from South Korea, now has a part-time position in International Programs and Services at Michigan Tech.

Testimonial—”Mike”

Testimonial--Ling

I enjoyed your writing class very much and very pleased to share my learning English experience with other friends.

Although this is my thirteenth year living in Houghton, I am still struggling studying English daily. I've been always greatly appreciated the language help that I received and still receiving from Rachel, Marianna Evert, Denise Heikinen in your program.

When I look back, the hard beginning UP life seems just happened yesterday. What caused my hard feelings were mostly form English: I barely understood people's talk at that time. Although I have International Neighbor friends, I still feel being islated by a well of language! In 2007, I began language class with Marianna Evert and eventully gained some confidence. As my oldest daughter Julia came in 2009, I had to stop my learning and I never got back since more children came to our family. But Marianna still kept sending me homework for a year after I left.

Your program is vital for our community, especially for new International families. With more support, your program would help much more people who need help.

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•

History of the Program

• (Denise)

• Elaine Bacon started the Laubach Literacy Program in 1969. She said, “The program was originally started to help area adults having trouble reading and writing to have a better understanding of the English language. Now the biggest demand is for English as a second language for foreign students and their families.”

• A grant from the Library of Michigan funded teaching materials, books, and tapes. After Bacon died in 1989, the library was named after her.

• Early leaders of the program were Barb Anible, Eileen Haas, Rosemary Remington, Ruth Shetron, Bea Thornton, Vi Brown, and Karen Bell-Hanson.

Beth tutoring group at MTU library

Huda teaching cooking

Lucky hiking

Manuela’s baby shower group

Susan and her dish

Bo and Chen gardening

Frann and Nisa

Interactive Activity

• (Frann)

Questions?

• (Denise)