By Linda Gatland – coordinator support for Read Easy Southampton & Isle of Wight.
Local charity Read Easy Southampton & Isle of Wight has been helping adults learn to read since 2021 with free, private, personal coaching, available across a wide range of libraries and venues. We are delighted to share some words from our female coaches and two women who are learning to read with us.
Giving a voice to their thoughts is important to us and fits with the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, which is Inspire Inclusion.
Coach Jo says: “I have been coaching for approximately 18 months. I am a retired teacher for children with special educational needs, which has given me an insight into the difference that the ability to read can make to a person’s life. The Read Easy programme, along with the excellent training and support, is brilliant and offers a clear, guided progression for both coach and reader. Once started it provides many opportunities for reading outside the programme and ways to work with the reader’s interests. I work with one reader who has English as a second language. This has led to enlightening and enjoyable discussions around the structure of the English language with all its foibles and how our cultures are different yet similar. I did not realise when I volunteered for Read Easy that it would offer so many opportunities for my own learning and development.”
A local woman reader who has been learning for a year says: “I am curious about what things say and so I want to know how to read properly. I enjoy the sessions with my coach. She uses lots of different materials to make it easy to learn. Improving my reading has made me feel a bit more confident and has given me more control over my personal affairs. I don’t have to use little strategies to hide my reading problems anymore. If you are woman struggling with your reading, I’d say ‘go for it’ with Read Easy!”
Coach Caroline (p says: “The month of March marks my first year of volunteering with Read Easy as a coach. International Women’s Day on 8th March, with the theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion’, has made me think of the ways in which we go about our work, helping adults with their literacy, a skill which enables individuals to participate in their communities and in society. Read Easy aims to help all those who want support learning to read and write. I believe the theme of inclusion flows within the group and outside the group, in the help that is offered to those who wish to improve their future. The year has flown past for me and I say thank you to Read Easy and to all the readers.”
Masoumeh’s first language is Farsi. She has been working with her reading coach for 16 months. She says: “The Read Easy programme has useful materials that have helped me improve my reading and we have used other books in the library too. It has helped me learn how to pronounce words correctly and I back this up by watching the news with the subtitles on. I feel more confident now. I can understand better what I read and remember words better. I would encourage anyone with reading problems to do Read Easy. It’s so useful!”
If you know someone who needs help with reading tell them about Read Easy – they can phone 07392 517334 or email southamptoncoordinator@readeasy.org.uk
To donate visit – localgiving.org/charity/read-easy-southampton-IOW/
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