Learning To Teach Reading

   
   Reading.  Think about it.  It's no big deal.  Easy, right?? 
   I recently completed the training for the Laubach Literacy Workshop at our local career center.  Last night was the first time for me to volunteer.  I began by observing, interacting with reading teachers & other tutors and students.   I began the evening with a little uneasiness about, well, teaching.
   All these years I've taken my reading skills for granted.  I took a speed reading course in my early twenties. This increases your reading speed because you are taught to read and recognize phrases and groups of words.  Later, with marriage and the birth of our 3 children, my husband and I read constantly to our kids. They enjoyed reading, excelled in public school, and continue to excel in higher education.  We kept a steady stream of encouragement for learning  in place always.  We had attended college; our children would attend.
   A new way of viewing the world has opened up.  Not everyone is lucky enough to have acquired even the basic reading skills needed to successfully graduate from high school or earn a GED, for a variety of reasons.  Life is difficult if you are unable to read.
   Students take a huge step in just making a commitment to attend night classes.  
   Preliminary tests are given to students to determine their reading level.  Reading teachers begin with different levels for each student.
   I helped out here and there.  Sometimes we just talked together, other times I helped with reading words or working on  tasks in workbooks to help with both reading & writing.  
   I think there will be tremendous effort ahead, for me, and my student.
   I feel sorry for myself sometimes.  This or that isn't good enough.  I think I should be good at doing everything, and right away please!
   After the first class, I feel such respect already for this group of students.