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For someone learning a new language, a library can be more than a place to borrow books.
At the South Chula Vista Library, it can be a place to practice saying the words that make everyday life a little easier — asking a question, filling out a form, talking with a child’s teacher or simply having a conversation without being afraid of making a mistake.
The library’s adult literacy program provides free English-language instruction, conversation groups and one-on-one tutoring, with trained volunteers collaborating with adult learners.
The goal is not simply to learn vocabulary or grammar. It is to help adults become more comfortable communicating at work, at school and in their communities.
The program is based at the South Chula Vista Library at 389 Orange Ave. Adults can collaborate with volunteers in a welcoming setting, and the library says learners do not need prior education to participate.
For volunteers, the commitment can become much more than teaching a lesson.
The San Diego Council on Literacy has previously profiled the Chula Vista Public Library’s adult literacy program and documented long-running relationships between volunteer tutors and adult learners.
One example was a volunteer tutor named Fred and his learner, Lupita, who worked together for more than a decade. Lupita said the experience helped her become more comfortable going out and using English. With Fred’s help, she also completed her GED and high school diploma and was working toward a degree in child development with the goal of becoming a preschool teacher, according to its website.
That is the kind of outcome that can make volunteer literacy work extend far beyond the library.
A person who becomes more comfortable speaking English may be better able to apply for a job, communicate with a child’s school, manage everyday errands or pursue an educational goal.
A broader view
Jose Cruz, CEO of the San Diego Council on Literacy, said the community-based nature of programs such as Chula Vista’s is an important part of their value.
“The services being provided by the Chula Vista Public Library are, by their nature, community based. They are accessible and neighbor-friendly, and this is vital to asking for help, engagement, and making progress,” Cruz said.
That accessibility can also help create the kind of personal connection that makes learning less intimidating.
Cruz said successful matches between literacy volunteers and students depend not only on a tutor’s knowledge, but also on creating a positive, low-pressure relationship.
“We call this ‘relationship-based learning.’ It is simple and it works,” he said.
One-on-one tutoring allows the tutor and student to work at their own pace, starting from the learner’s existing level and focusing on individual goals, Cruz said. Those benefits, he added, can be difficult to reproduce in a traditional classroom setting.
The library also offers conversation programs for English-language learners. Its Conversation Club provides a casual setting where participants can practice English with other learners. Earlier Conversation Café programs at the South branch focused on pronunciation, vowel and consonant sounds and group conversation.
For many learners, that informal practice can be just as important as a formal lesson.
There is also a need for volunteers. The library says adult literacy tutors must be at least 18, complete the city’s screening and clearance process and be available for at least three hours a week. Teaching experience is helpful but not required.
Volunteers are expected to be patient, dependable, comfortable working with people from different cultural backgrounds and confident in reading and writing.
The work can be deceptively simple: sit with another person, listen, explain, practice and try again.
“When a person volunteers to teach someone a language, or how to read, they change two lives,” Cruz said.
