HALIFAX – Government statistics show about 48% of Canadians read below a high school level. In Nova Scotia, the number isn’t much better at 45%.
The Dartmouth Learning Network is working to change that one student at a time, and they plan to showcase their results in a fun way this holiday season.
A group of seven adults with low literacy will take the stage Thursday night to showcase their reading progress and perform A Christmas Carol.
Mike Boutilier, 35, is low literate and reads at a grade three level.
He used to hide his struggles with reading but has upped his confidence and his reading level through programs at the Dartmouth Learning Network. He finished his first book this year.
Boutilier said that his low literacy presented challenges as he went through elementary, junior high and high school.
“The last 20 odd years, I’ve been working a lot of carpentry jobs. I’ve worked a lot of kitchen jobs. Basically I did what I could with my hands,” he said.
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The Dartmouth man said that he is motivated to improve his reading so he can get a better job and be a role model for his children.
Executive Director Lesley Dunn describes low literacy as people who struggle with reading bus schedules, filling out application forms, reading the back of medicine containers and have difficulty following directions.
Desiree Hartling, 23, reads each word of A Christmas Carol with confidence as the group practiced the story this week.
The Dartmouth women dropped out of school in grade nine. She admits that reading has been a struggle ever since.
“I notice myself reading less and when I stumble upon a word I didn’t know, I tried to sound it up as much as possible using syllables, vowels, adjectives,” she said.
Hartling said that was hard to go about her daily life with only a grade nine reading level.
But she is clawing her way back now, one chapter and one book at a time. Performing the beloved Christmas story is just another part of her plan.
“It’s a very unique experience,” she said.
“This is the first time our class in the school has done anything publically in front of an audience. I’m very excited to be there.”
Students prepare for the performance by getting comfortable with new words and new vocabulary.
Instructor Zoe Mitchell said the show will be a milestone for the participants.
“This is probably one of the areas of their life they feel least secure, least confident at least in their past. For them to be able to take that risk and do that is just incredible,” said Mitchell.
Boutilier said that every step he takes, like reading his first book, feels like a win.
“It was a long time coming. The feel good of being able to read a book…was a personal accomplishment I tried for years,” he said.
The performance of A Christmas Carol takes place at Grace United Church in Dartmouth on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Dunn said that the Dartmouth Learning Network helps about 190 people from across the Halifax area every year. The breakdown of students is 60 per cent female and 40 per cent male. The youngest learner this year is 19 years old while the oldest is 68 years old.
The program is free for students, thanks to support from the Nova Scotia School of Adult Learning and the Department of Labour and Advanced Learning.
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