LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Reading a book can open up a whole new world of possibilities, but it’s not just children who need help with reading. There are many adults who struggle with the written word as well.
34-year-old QueShawn Green is focused on her online grammar lesson. She wants to improve her understanding of it when she talks with others.
RELATED | 'If You Give A Child a Book …' campaign
“It takes me a little longer to catch on what a person says,” she said. Green is one of about 30 students in her program at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.
The goal?
Helping adults improve their English literacy.
She reads at a third-grade level and she struggled with reading when she was a child, finding herself constantly tired.
“I was on medication. I did my work when I woke up, but I had to do extra work to catch up with the other kids,” she said.
She’s now catching up again, this time as an adult using workbooks and attending her online lessons. Green says she enjoys it.
“The other day we were doing a homework assignment on talking about the moon. I guess I was the only one that did the research," she said.
Data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies found 43 million adults in the U.S. possess low English literacy skills, with two-thirds of them American-born.
Jill Hersha is the literacy services manager with the library district. She says it has provided adult education for more than 20 years and applauds students like Green for their commitment to learn.
“We want to encourage them and give them the message that it’s never too late,” she said.
Green says she wants to improve her reading skills so she can attend trade school in the future.
“Well I like being around a lot of kids so I took up childcare, but I think it’s something that I could do,” she said.
A link to the adult education program at the library can be found here.
Learn about the Scripps Howard Foundation's "If You Give A Child a Book …” campaign to put books into the hands of children in need across our community here.
