An Interview with Heather Gilbert: Adult Literacy in the U.S.

Michael F. Shaughnessy - 12.1.09
Senior Columnist EducationNews.org
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, New Mexico

1. Ms. Gilbert, just how bad a problem is adult literacy in the United States?

The “Adult Literacy in America” study initiated by Congress in 1988 and reported upon in 1993 was a $14 million 5-year study by the National Assessment Governing Board in conjunction with the National Center for Educational Statistics based upon lengthy interviews with 26,000 adults from 16 to 65 years old in a dozen states. They reported in 1993 that 92 million Americans – over 47% of adults read and write so poorly that it is difficult for them to hold a decent job.  Currently statistics released by the U.S. Education Department show that some 32 million U.S. adults lack the basic literacy skills. Interviews such as this help to provide awareness.  Only through awareness, can we feel compelled to make changes in our communities!   

2. Why do schools just seem to graduate and promote students that seem to be functionally illiterate?

Promoting students from grade to grade without requiring the standard achievements can certainly lead to a great number of functionally illiterate high school graduates. A student that is promoted to the next grade should feel a sense of pride for it is an achievement and something that should have been earned by the student. On the other hand, students that are promoted for “social reasons” in-fact will suffer due to the lack of self-esteem and in most cases we may start to notice higher drop-out rates. Schools that promote students for social reasons literally limit the students potential rather than using common sense to possibly hold the student back for another year to help improve not only the student’s scores but overall well being!

Promoting students before they are ready is like throwing them to the wolves when they enter into the world. I have to ask myself, will they have the social and mental ability to compete in today’s job markets? Graduates should feel a true sense of pride by knowing that they can tackle any challenge after graduation that life throws their way. A student that is promoted for social reasons may feel they never truly earned their degree. This after all would be a “true hollow victory”!          

3. Tell us about Project R.E.A.D.

 Project R.E.A.D. stands for Reading Enhances Adult Development. The mission of Project R.E.A.D. is to teach adult non-readers basic reading skills. After completing the program, non-readers and challenged readers learn to read at a beginning 6^th grade level. Volunteers attend workshops that teach them to help adult non-readers learn the basic skills they need to function in day-to-day activities. All Project R.E.A.D. graduates are referred to an appropriate adult literacy or pre-GED program to continue to increase reading skills or to continue preparation for the GED.  

4. I was in Chicago once and I saw a good deal of community youth basketball. How does this figure into the picture?

This is one of my favorite topics to discuss because there are so many ways that all of us can volunteer in our communities! I had the exciting opportunity to serve as head coach in our city youth basketball league and work with some of the most beautiful and amazing children! It’s a wonderful feeling to know that my actions, whether that be in my writing or being a volunteer is sending a positive message out there to “Give Back”! Each and every one of us can find ways to be a volunteer in his/her community and truly make a difference! 

5. What is the Hilman House and how goes our fight against Cystic Fibrosis?

The Hilman House is a foundation that not only helps children with Cystic Fibrosis but also houses their families during treatments. It is the mission of Hilman House to provide a temporary home-like residence free of charge to cystic fibrosis patients and their families. The Hilman House relies on community donations to fuel its programs for children and adults alike. Hilman House serves the needs of patients and their families affected by this incurable genetic disease, which strikes nearly 30,000 people in the United States each year. Patients endure a demanding regimen of respiratory and antibiotic therapy, resulting in frequent and lengthy hospital stays. Treatment costs can vary from $10,000 to $20,000 per year, Hilman serves a very important cause. 

6. How involved are you with Muscular Dystrophy and the various fundraisers? How can concerned citizens get involved?

I have been heavily involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation in my area by performing and helping to raise money for the telethons that were televised. I enjoyed serving as a volunteer by singing.  It was a wonderful experience and I encourage people to get involved by being a volunteer.  People can go to the website for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation and look at ways they can also be a volunteer and check out telethons that are possibly going on in or near their area. 

7. Tell us about your current endeavors?

I’m currently working on promoting my message with my book, through radio interviews and articles about parents taking 5-10 minutes a day by reading to their child. Parents taking an extra few minutes a day to sit down and read to their child will not only teach them valuable skills, but create a strong bond between the parent and child. My topics that I cover through radio and magazine interviews are:

             * The steps to implementing a 5-10 minute a day parent-child reading plan 

                   * Tips to get children to want to become life long avid readers

                   * What effects the importance of reading together can have on family values

                   * The educational, creative, and social benefits of parent-child reading

8. Okay, how do we get kids to want to become a life long learner and reader?

Well, I do want to say that I think that it all starts at home! Meaning, that we as parents play a strong role in our children’s lives and one very important role would be by example! I encourage parents to go ahead and start a reading plan when their children are young and not only read to them daily, but also think of ways to make it fun! There are so many creative ways to not only read a story to a child but even allowing the child to act out the story and ask them questions about the story. This keeps the child’s mind stimulated and they have fun while learning! Nothing is more beautiful than letting a child’s imagination soar through expression. The key I believe is to make learning fun and once a child learns these valuable skills; it will follow them throughout their lives! We as parents hold this key and I truly believe that we can open that door to success by taking that extra time to connect to our children by reading to them!          

9. I believe it was John Glover, in one of his educational psychology text books that said it was critically important for parents to read to children. Why is this so?

I feel that John Glover is absolutely correct by saying that it is critically important for parents to read to their children. Notice the words, ”critically important” that were used by John Glover, for as I’ve mentioned before, parents taking the extra time to read to their children will not only teach them valuable skills but will also help to create a strong bond between the parent and child. When we read to our children and then take the time to discuss the story this can absolutely set the stage for more communication and allow the child to feel comfortable to open up possibly about other topics.  I feel this is key for as the child grows older; the child will feel a sense of security and know from an early age that the parent is there for them and the parent will have created that setting long ago by just by simply reading to their child.          

10. What have I neglected to ask?  

You can find Reporting for Duty, a day at the White House by H.K. Gilbert at the following: 

• Barnes and Noble
• Amazon
• www.Grandmasshoppe.com (under learning is fun)

Also, feel free to follow me at:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Hk-Gilbert/100000217890124

https://twitter.com/hkgilbert7

Email: Hkgilbert7@yahoo.com