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About 44 million adults in the United States are
functionally illiterate, meaning that they do not have the reading, writing, speaking or
math skills necessary for many life activities.
Low literacy is costing
United States businesses and taxpayers $20 billion a year in lost wages,
profits, and productivity.
The number of illiterate
adults is slowly, but steadily on the rise.
Building Literacy
Research has shown that children who read
succeed. Reading and education help break the cycle of poverty, crime and hopelessness.
Today's best-equipped school and public
libraries provide books, computers and a wide range of programs to prepare young people to
live and work in the 21st century. When both types of libraries are well-supported, they
offer a one-two punch for literacy and lifelong learning.
In the year 2000, just
51% of all United States homes had a computer and 41% of all United States
homes had Internet access. Therefore, public and school libraries are uniquely positioned to connect
all children - not just those whose families can afford computers - to the information
superhighway.
Partnership for Literacy in Baltimore
County
(local interest)
Baltimore County Public
Library |
Baltimore County Public
Schools |
The Community College of
Baltimore County
They all provide resources and/or programs to
support literacy solutions in the County.
Baltimore County Public Library Services
(local interest)
The Baltimore County Public Library maintains collections of materials in various formats for learning and personal enrichment. The following materials will help to gain success in reading and basic mathematics:
Dedicated staff who encourage a love of reading in children through programs, printed and online booklists and one-on-one interaction.
Story Times for babies and young children and programs on reading aloud techniques for teachers, daycare providers and parents.
A popular summer reading program for over 24,000 children that integrates reading skills with fun, games and the Baltimore County Public Library mascot, Sneaks.
Birth to Five pages support "parents as first teachers". There are baby booster kits and other early literacy resources for parents/caregivers of children ages 0-5 to get children started on the adventure of reading.
Kid's Pages with games, stories, homework help, and collections of booklists, lists of award winning books and reading related Internet sites.
Storyline at 410-887-6116. Listen to stories read to you over the phone. Stories are appropriate for ages 3 to 10.
Visits of Mobile Library Services' Read Rover to licensed daycare centers and home care providers to encourage a love of reading in 2-5 year olds.
Baltimore County Public
Schools Services
(local interest)
Even Start Family Literacy
Contact: Deanna Cavagna or Donna Sochurek, Coordinating
Resource Teachers
Baltimore County Public Schools
9610 Pulaski Park Drive, Suite 219
Baltimore, Maryland 21220
Telephone: 410-887-2345 or 2355
Free family literacy program which combines
early childhood education and adult education to meet the needs of the entire
family. The program offers early childhood activities, adult basic education/GED classes,
parent and child interaction time, parenting classes, family home visits, family
nights and field trips. Serves parents
who are eligible for Adult Basic Education, GED, English for Speakers of Other
Languages (ESOL) or Education to Employment classes, and who have at least
one child elementary school age or younger at the time of registration.
Home Instruction Program for Preschool
Youngsters (HIPPY)
Contact: Nancy Dillon Tobias, HIPPY Coordinating Resource Teacher
Baltimore County Public Schools
9610 Pulaski Park Drive, Suite 219
Baltimore, MD 21220
Telephone: 410-887-3037
HIPPY is a home-based program for parents
with children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten in certain Title I schools to
provide educational enrichment for their preschool children. The program helps
these children build their skills and confidence before starting school. Parents
receive weekly home visits from a trained home visitor. The visitor brings the
classroom and appropriate readiness skills into the home to help parents teach
their four- and five-year olds. Home visits include role-playing of scripted
activities with parents, learning packets, storybooks, and materials. A parent
is requested to work with each child 15-20 minutes each day. The HIPPY program
follows the Baltimore County Public School calendar. Monthly group events are
scheduled with all HIPPY families. HIPPY helps parents make a strong home school
connection.
Parent Support Services
Contact: Nicole Tucker-Smith, Supervisor
Baltimore County Public Schools
600 Stemmers Run Road
Baltimore, MD 21221
Telephone: 410-887-6489
Parent Support Services is a program designed to increase student achievement
through their homes, schools, and communities. It assists parents in accessing
school system resources in order to enhance learning at home and to promote
parent involvement in the educational process.
The Parentmobile
Contact: Sue Hahn
Baltimore County
Public Schools
600 Stemmers Run Road
Baltimore MD 21221
410-887-0365
A traveling resource center with technological and material resources to assist
parents in helping their children learn. The Parentmobile travels to Baltimore
County schools, community fairs, apartment complexes, and local businesses.
Parent Services Assistants on the bus helps parents and community members access
information about Baltimore County Public Schools programs and resources.
Visitors can learn about the services and resources available to them and their
children that promote learning and increased student achievement. Call to
schedule an appointment.
Resource Centers for Families and Schools
Contact: Nicole Tucker-Smith, Supervisor,
Baltimore County Public Schools
6901 Charles Street
Towson, MD 21204
Telephone: 410 887-6489
The Resource Centers for Families and Schools provides a wide range of services
to enhance instruction and family involvement in student achievement. These
centers furnish instructional resources and services to students, families,
child care centers, educators, and community members. They provide a home
school liaison and an outreach library for Baltimore County Public School
parents. Centers have instructional materials and production equipment,
programs/workshops, information and support for all Baltimore County students.
They offer information on special education and provide support for parents of
children with disabilities. Services include development of instructional
materials, a lending library of instructional materials for Baltimore County
Public School teachers, guidance materials for guidance counselors, and a Parent
Information Center. The locations of the resource centers are as follows:
Office of Library Information
Services
Contact: Della Curtis, Coordinator, Office of Library Information Services
Baltimore County Public Schools
9611 Pulaski Park Dr., Suite 305
Baltimore, MD 21220
Telephone: 410-887-4035
Library media specialists in all K-12 Baltimore County Schools teach students information
literacy skills and foster a habit of reading and love of literature. Students and their
families have access to reading materials such as fiction and nonfiction books, magazines,
and reference materials as well as technology resources such at the Internet,
CD-ROMS, videos, computer programs, and other media. Also,
The Essential
Curriculum Resources K-12 website has an extensive
collection of Internet links to help with homework, to activities, literature resources, award winning books, and reading
research. Content is geared to what is being covered in the classroom.
World
Languages- ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Program
Contact: Janet G. Newberry, Supervisor
Baltimore County Public Schools
The Office of World Languages
Commercentre Suite 275
1777 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21208
410-887-6752
The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program is designed to serve public school students whose native language is not English and to provide assistance to the schools that these students attend. ESOL instruction is provided for students whose English proficiency is not adequate for them to be fully successful in the regular classroom. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are all emphasized.
Community College of Baltimore
County (CCBC) Services
(local interest)
Center for Adult and Family
Literacy Courses
For information call Academic Skills
Enhancement/General Education Diploma (ASE/GED)
Coordinator, 410-285-9456 or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Coordinator, 410-285-9453.
Academic Skills Enhancement/ General Education Diploma Classes
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Classes
This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
26 August 2008.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
26 August 2008.
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