Literacy Mid-South

Program Overview

Literacy Mid-South's Adult Learning Program at a Glance:

• Literacy Mid-South has more than 40 years of experience in community literacy education, and is the recipient of numerous awards for program excellence.
• Literacy Mid-South's staff host intake assessments and new student orientations at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library or remotely via Google Meet twice a week where new learners pay a one-time $10 assessment fee. Please call (901) 201-6157 to set up an appointment.
• Our team of over 100 trained volunteer tutors provides small group learning sessions in reading and English Language Learning.
• Small group tutoring sessions take place at 31 Memphis Public Library branches. Adult Learners can select the library branch closest to them. Tutoring can also take place via Google Meet or Zoom.

Literacy Mid-South's Adult Learning Program Description:

The Literacy Mid-South Adult Learning Program provides basic education for adults reading at a 6th-grade level or below. Learners come to Literacy Mid-South to achieve life goals and prepare themselves for better employment opportunities. Literacy Mid-South has more than 40 years of experience in community literacy education and is the recipient of numerous awards for program excellence.

The Adult Learning Program offers an innovative and collaborative approach to adult literacy education. We know adult learners require a mature curriculum to teach basic education skills. Our team of over 100 trained volunteer tutors provides small group learning sessions in reading, math, and English Language Learning. This approach allows learners to set their pace and connect with other learners.

Literacy Mid-South's staff host intake assessments and new learner orientations at the Benjamin L. Hooks Library twice a week or online via Google Meet where new learners pay a one-time $10 assessment fee. Once new learners enter the program they are paired with a small group tutor as soon as possible and can begin working toward their literacy education goals. In the past, our participants worked towards obtaining their High School Equivalency Diploma, getting their drivers licenses, achieving citizenship, and reading the Bible independently.

Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write at a competent level. In 2003, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy completed the most recent survey of adult literacy rates. They found that 14%, or an estimated 97,595, of adults in Shelby County are not prose literate. To have basic prose literacy skills, an adult must read at an 8th grade level. HiSet prep courses and exam materials are 9th grade level or above and out of reach for 14% of Shelby County residents. Census data for 2016 reports 13% of adults 18 and over do not have a high school diploma. Examining these two statistics together indicates most adults seeking their GED do not read well enough to obtain it. Adults without basic literacy skills find the task of day-to-day life difficult to complete.

Our mission is to provide literacy resources to learners of all backgrounds and ages, and in doing so support the development of a community engaged in continuous learning.

Cost Info