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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-11-01, Page 20.4 PAGE 2A —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER They teach the basics • • • e from page 1 A loan. Students must buy their own books. The books used in the ABE program were developed by a missionary named ' Dr. Frank Laubach and have been adapted to 300 languages in 100 coun- tries. They are called the New Streamlined English Series and contain a unique phonics methods of teaching basic reading and writing for 0 to fifth grade. There `are five books, each representing a grade. After the student has completed each book, he or she gets a diploma. "Each student works at his or her own speed," explains Mrs. Fink. "They are well motivated. They come here because they want to improve themselves. Nobody makes them come." THE STUDENTS AND TUTORS Two of the students who attend the ABE program at Mrs. Fink's house are husband and wife. They travel about 30 miles once a week for the program. They first heard about the program through a Literacy Canada an- nouncement on television. They phoned the telephone number given and found out about the closest ABE program to them. They have been with the ABE program for a year now, missing only one night so far. The husband, Mrs. • Fink's student, is part way through Grade 2 and wrote his, own cheque for the first time recently. He says he can pick up words better now and expects the program will help. him even more in the future. "I haven't got too much to lose," he says. —He fi the program hard but thinks it's worthwhile. He has a. public school education but says,in the days when he went to school, students were. pften — passed onto the next grade whether they were ready for it or not. "People who can read and write don't ap- preciate what they have," he concludes. • His wife is being tutored by former Goderich librarian, Betty MacKenzie. She has the equivalent of a ,Grade 4 education and has been trying to help herself for years by getting her daughter to pick up books for her frd'm the library to look over. She doesn't like the fact that she can't read recipes. Sometimes the recipes she makes, turn out to be something different altogether, she laughs. She is now almost ready for book 3 in the ABE program and finds it has helped her a lot. For her part, Miss MacKenzie says she enjoys tutoring. She started last October and has two students, one at her own home on Thur- sdays and one at Mrs. Fink's home on Mondays. "It's very worthwhile," she says. Another student came to the ABE program in January and is already on book three. She works very hard and has am- bitions to improve her- self. At present, she is studying to be a homemaker through a Conestoga College course. Her tutor since March has been Dorothy Craig and she often goes to Mrs. Craig's house if she needs extra help with her course. "It's a pleasure to help her when she works so hard," says Mrs. Craig. "This program (ABE) is for people who haven't had a chance and want a chance." Mrs. Craig has taught both full-time and as a supply teacher and, says she is really enjoying her .volunteer work as a tutor with the ABE program. Mrs. Fink speaks of another student, a 30 - year -old who was taken out of school by her parents when she was very young after mistakenly being iden- tified as retarded. This woman came to ABE after her niece read about the program in the Signal -Star and informed her of it. "She didn't even know the phonics sounds but in half an hour I had her reading. It was the first time she had ever read a complete sentence. She works and works and is now ready for the third grade. None of us know how far she'll go but we're ' really excited about her progress. Even if she only goes to Grade 5, she will be able to do so many things that she couldn't do before," says Mrs. Fink. Thaf`las statement by Mrs. Fink" sort of sums up the whole reason behind the ABE program. It gives people a better chance in life and probably a better outlook •on life as well. H1W IT BEGAN ABE originated in London, Ontario in October of 1969. Mrs. Beryl Treloar; a member of the London Council of Women and Mrs. Miriam Stevens, a community worker. with London's' FACS, initiated the idea. Mrs. Stevens, in her Capacity as community worker, had met so many people who could neither read or"write and felt that if these people could just do so many . things the rest of us take for granted; they would have a better chance in life. A call over CFPL's Open Line radio.program invited a volunteer to assist two women from' the London core area to improve their.reading skills. This call was answered by Freda MacDonald, a qualified teacher recently moved 1,1979 to the city. She had her first student w ithin the week. By 1970, four additional students requested to come into the program and a second volunteer tutor was recruited. ABE was on its way! Today there are over 100 students and over 80 tutors in London's ABE program. The aims and ob- jectives •of ABE are: to give individual in- struction from a pre - reading level through to Grade 8; to give assistance to anyone (first, second or third generation Canadian) who wises to upgrade his or her education but has no other avenue of learning; to keep the learning situation in- formal and relaxed; and to encourage students to continue their education and later, if possible, to proceed to night school or some other learning program. It is important to note that the ABE program does not duplicate other adult education programs Watch cities and towns offer. REASONS FOR ILLITERACY It is easy to attack the school system as a reason for the illiteracy problem in Canada but Mrs. MacDonald, the first tutor with ABE, says she has the utmost respect for the system and its teachers. There are many reasons for illiteracy in Canada. Some people never learn to' ,read and write because of emotional turmoil • in the home; movement from school to school; loss of interest and motivation; and even slow development of the brain in. this learning area. W-ha-tever the- reaso these people grow up with a problem because of their inability. Some people never admit to this inability. But now ABE is helping those people willing to admit they have' a han- dicap and who would like to help themselves. "My dream is' to see ABE in other towns in the county. All you need is one person to start it," says Mrs. Fink, em- phasizing that tutors only have to volunteer two hours of their time once a week. She hopes' to hold a workshop soon for all those in the area who might be interested in the ABE program. Meanwhile she is also hoping to acquire •more students and tutors from anywhere in the county. All inquiries to her at 524- 2939 Will be kept con- fidential. Judy Woodall, Joy McKee, Lynda Rotteau and Joan Smith each took part in the pledge ritual of the Exempler Chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority FACS needs donations The Christmas season is approaching and Huron County's Christmas Bureau under the auspices of Family and Children's Services (formerly Children's Aid Society) would .like ' to appeal to all residents of this county to he aware of the special needs of some of our children. In 1978, 150 families were assisted, wit an.a' approximate total of children. Not all families required financial aid with meals but those that did received as follows: a basic $15 per family for r�food --purchases plus another . $3 food subsidy for each child and $5 per . each child to be used to purchase a smallL gift or pyjamas. In addition to the above, depots in five centres in Huron County, manned by volunteers supplemented• the above with gifts, new and .used clothing donated by in- dividuals and groups within the community.. The cost.of this effort was Turn to page 'IA • WHALEN INSURANCE BROKERS IN ALL TYPES OF - ANNUITIES 60West St. 524-2933 CALL US • Nursery Stock • Rolling • Fertilizing • Aerifying • Verticutting • Seeding & Sodding • Instant Shade Trees Mothers Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance 514:2401. • Financial assistance • Management counselling (CASE) • Management training • Information on government programs for business Can we help you? r See our Representative BOB FURTNEY ate THE BEDFORD HOTEL GODERICH, ONTARIO EVERY TUESDAY (Next Visit: on: Tuesday, November 6th L FEDERAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK For prior information call 271-5650 (collect) or write 1036 Ontario Street, Stratford, Ontario on Tuesday evening, October 23 at the home of Mrs. Dorrie Chisholm to become new members of that chapter. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Public relations is the art of not treating the public like relations. + The CBC is making a film on agriculture in general and beans in particular. It's called Pork and Windy. -+++ Juvenile delinquency is the result of parents trying to train children without starting at the bottom. ++-F Not one person in a thousand keeps kis hands in his pockets while giving directions. 1979 TAXES Town of Goderich Third and Final Installment Due FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1979 Payable at any local chartered bank or Victoria & Grey Trust Co. Present your tax bill when making payment. Interest at the rate of 12% per annum added to over- due Installments. Larry J. McCabe Tax Collector Our B136 Regal Built-in Fireplace Is Easier lo.Install than you Think and it can be installed at less than half the cost of a masonry fireplace. Comes complete with refectory base & firebrick back, porcelain side walls, high temperature insulation, positive seal damper /• \ 1.'1 � �1 /ii• 01'h�l dHdl' Ot,11Illl�l ,'III ll' :PN!Vim lim 11111111,1 41,1( ID • Imp if!'i ��l iii 1. 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