Helping adults WITH Literacy SKILLS
Literacy of Northern NY trains volunteers to work one-to-one with adults who need help with reading, writing or English as a second language
in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties. Our offices are located in Watertown (315-782-4270), Lowville (315 376-8188), and Potsdam (315 265-0194).
Our addresses are:
- 200 Washington St., Suite 303, Watertown, NY, 13601
- 2 Park St., Potsdam, NY, 13676
- 7640 North State St, Lowville, NY, 13367
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Stepping Out On Nothing
CBS News' Byron Pitts spent many agonizing years overcoming his illiteracy and in this report he travels from Pittsburgh to Baltimore to meet those who are also faced with this disability.
About LNNY
We provide one-to-one tutoring to adults who are non-readers up through 8th grade level. We also provide tutoring to adults from other countries who are learning to speak English. In addition, we conduct English classes so our students from other countries have a chance to socialize as well as learn.
Other programs include computer literacy, budgeting, citizenship and basic math skills. We also give away hundreds of children’s books to impoverished families every year.
How We Do It
We train volunteers to use professionally developed methods of teaching basic
reading and English to speakers of other languages. Our one-to-one
tutoring is individualized, confidential and free to the learner.
Tutoring is done at a time and place convenient to both the tutor and the
learner. We use libraries, churches, municipal buildings, and other public
places for the tutoring sessions.
Clues in Recognizing Adults With Low Reading Skills
Adults with low literacy skills don’t respond to literature, especially that which is sent through the
mail.
Adults who can’t read well may say, “I can’t read this now. I forgot my
glasses.” Or “I don’t have time to fill out this form today. Can I bring it
back tomorrow?” “I don’t have time to read this right now.”
Let’s Work Together
Illiteracy is often an intergenerational problem. We want to break this vicious
cycle by reaching out to parents and other adults today. If you know any individuals whom you believe could benefit from our confidential and free literacy program, please ask them to call us at 315-782-4270.