>> ALL RIGHT.

NOW THE NEXT ONE THE WORD IS AT THE BEGINNING SO YOU HAVE TO READ THE REST OF THE SENTENCE.

>> "I TRIED TO WASH THAT THROUGH."

>> TOUGH.

THAT'S THE WORD TOUGH.

IT HAS THE SAME ENDING AS THROUGH, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE H AND THE R, OKAY?

>> ONLY NOW IN HIS 50s IS BOB KIDDER COMING TO GRIPS WITH A PROBLEM HE'S HAD ALL HIS LIFE.

BOB IS LEARNING TO READ, AND HE'S NOT ALONE.

AT LEAST 20% OF PEOPLE IN VERMONT ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE READING DIFFICULTIES AT SOME LEVEL, AND NATIONWIDE AT LEAST 23 MILLION ARE FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE.

IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT CAUGHT IN THE EARLY SCHOOL YEARS, IT OFTEN GOES UNADDRESSED.

HERE IN E NORTHEAST KINGDOM WE'LL SEE A NEW PROGRAM BEING TRIED IN SCHOOLS THAT HOPES TO MAKE SURE EVERY CHILD LEARNS TO READ, AND WE'LL SEE HOW LIBRARIES AND ADULT EDUCATION CENTERS ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TO RAISE LITERACY LEVE BUT IT'S NOT JUST READING.

BETTER MATH AND BETTER COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE IN DEMAND IN THE WORKPLACE.

THE PRESSURE IS ON ADULTS TO BRUSH UP ON THE BASICS AND TO LEARN NEW SKILLS OR RISK LOSING THEIR JOBS.

IN LOCAL INDUSTRIES HERE, TOO, THERE'S A GREATER EMPHASIS ON WORKER EDUCATION, BUT ONCE YOU'VE LEFT SCHOOL, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT GOING BACK TO LEARNING.

IT REQUIRES A LOT OF MOTIVATION, ESPECIALLY IF IT BRINGS BACK BAD MEMORIES.

>> IT JUST WAS A VERY FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE.

I KNEW VERY, VERY EARLY THAT I COULDN'T READ WELL.

ALL THEY DID IS HAVE YOU REPEAT, AND REPEAT AND REPEAT.

THE MORE YOU REPEATED SOMETHING, THE MORE FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY YOU GOT.

IT JUST DIDN'T WORK.

>> IT WAS BECAUSE HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER HAD BEEN HELPED TO OVERCOME EARLY READING DIFFICULTIES THAT BOB KIDDER WONDERED IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE FOR HIM.

>> SHE'S NOW A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SHE'S BEEN ON THAT HONOR SOCIETY EVER SINCE.

SHE'S A VERY INTELLIGENT YOUNG LADY.

THAT'S THE REAL REASON THAT I DID MAKE A PHONE CALL TO ST.

JOHNSBURY LEARNING CENTER.

MAYBE THERE'S A CHANCE FOR ME.

>> BOB FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE LITERACY CLASSES WHILE LISTENING TO A LOCAL RADIO STATION.

IT TOOK HIM A NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS OVER SEVERAL WEEKS TO EVENTUALLY TAKE DOWNHE NUMBER OFF THE AIR.

WHEN HE CALLED, HE SPOKE TO TUTOR JOAN LLINS.

>> WE HAD ABOUT A TWO-HOUR TALK, AND I FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH HER.

I SAID, "ALL RIGHT, I N'T WANT TO BE IN ANY GROUPS.

I DON'T WANT PEOPLE SNICKERING AND LAUGHING.

I DON'T WANT PEOPLE LOOKING AND POINTING.

I DON'T WANT ANY OF THAT.

I WANT JUST ONE ON ONE AND I'LL TRY IT."

>> YOU JUST PLAIN HAVE TO HAVE THE TIME AND THE RESOURCES TO DEVOTE ONE ON ONE TO AN INDIVIDUAL UNTIL THEY GET OVER THE HUMP TO WHERE THEY CAN BLEND IN WITH A GROUP.

THEN THE GROUP CAN BE QUITE POWERFUL.

HE COULD NOT REALLY READ AT ALL, BUT NOW HE CAN READ THE NEWSPAPER, HE CAN READ A BOOK IF HE WANTS TO, HE CAN WRITE A LETTER IF HE WANTS TO.

I SUPPOSE I JUST LUCKED OUT.

I PICKED THE RIGHT SERIES OF BOOKS TO USE BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENT AND LEARNS DIFFERENTLY, AND THAT WAS JUST WHAT HE NEEDED.

AT THE TIME I HAD NO CLUE AS TO WHETHER HE WAS DYSLEXIC.

IT TURNS OUT HE IS, BUT AT THE TIME I JUST TRIED IT AND IT WORKED.

HE IS PART ABENAKI AND "BLACK ELK SPEAKS" WAS HIS FIRST BOOK.

THE STORIES REALLY IPID M.

>> I READ EVY DAY, SOMETIMES THREE OR FOUR TIMES A DAY.

I FIND IT'S A OLE NEW WORLD.

I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND SO MUCH MORE.

I'M SO MUCH HAPPIER.

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ANGER, A VERY, VERY DEEP ANGER WITH A LOT OF THINGS, FRUSTRATION AND YOU CAN JUST SCREAM INSIDE.

I HAVE DONE THIS.

I'VE WALKED IN THE WOODS, GONE OFF BY MYSELF.

I OWN A BUILDING NEAR A CEMETERY AND SOMETIMES I WALK THERE.

MY TUTOR WAS TELLING ME THAT THE MOST DIFFICULT WORDS TO UNDERSTAND ARE PEOPLE'S NAMES, AND I STARTED READING NAMES ON THE GRAVESTONES AND I DISCOVERED THAT I COULD READ MORE AND MORE OF THE NAMES.

IT WAS KIND OF A STRANGE FEELING.

SOCIETY PUTS PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN A CLOSET IN THE DARK, AND THEY GET COMFORTABLE IN THERE AND THEY HIDE.

THEY JUST STAY THERE.

THEY WANT TO STAY THERE IN EFFECT, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY SAD INSIDE.

>> OVER THE YEARS BOB HAS FOUND VARIOUS WAYS TO OVERCOME HIS DIFFICULTIES.

HE USES A MACHINE TO HELP HIM SPELL CORRECTLY.

AND DESPITE HIS ILLITERACY, HE MANAGED TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AS A BUILDING CONTRAOR.

>> THE NUMBERS WERE NO PROBLEM, IT WAS THE WRITTEN WORD, SO IF YOU WANTED A PIPE WRENCH, YOU DREW A PIPE WRENCH.

>> HE HAD TO ORDER MATERIALS FOR HIS JOB, AND HE HAD A TAPE RECORDER IN HIS TRUCK AND HE WOULD SPEAK INTO THE TAPE RECORDER AND SAY WHAT HE NEEDED SO THAT WHEN HE GOT TO THE STORE HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE RIGHT THINGS AND THE RIGHT AMOUNTS.

>> FOR A LONG TIME BOB EVEN KEPT HIS ILLITERACY A SECRET FROM HIS CHILDREN.

>> HE'S NOW CONCERNED THAT HIS GRANDSON ISN'T GOING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

HE READS TO HIS GRANDSON.

HE THINKS THAT IF HE INTERVENES EARLY ENOUGH THERE WILL NOT BE THAT ISSUE.

>> IT'S STILL EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE TO READ TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

WRITING IS EXTREMELY HARD, BUT IT'S COMING ALONG.

ONE THING I NEVER THOUGHT I'D EVER DO IS WRITE A POEM.

>> HE JUST BROUGHT IT IN AND I READ IT, AND I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY BECAUSE IT HAD THREE LEVELS OF MEANING.

IT WAS ABOUT A BLACKBIRD GETTING CAUGHT IN A CHIMNEY OR FALLING INTO A CHIMNEY, AND HE EQUATED THAT TO BEING A PERSON THAT CAN'T READ IN A SOCIETY WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE, HE THOUGHT, COULD READ AND THAT THE PERSON IS LIKE THAT BLACKBIRD IN THE DARK HOLE AND WANTS OUT BUT DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO GET OUT.

>> "I BUMPED, AND BANGED AND HIT THE BOTTOM.

THE DOORS ARE OPENING AND I'M GOING TO BE SET FREE."

THIS IS ABOUT HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW.

>> HE WANTS TO WRITE HIS STORY.

HE WANTS PEOPLE IN HIS SITUATION TO KNOW THERE IS HELP OUT THERE.

I'D SAY HE'S GAINED A T OF CONFIDENCE.

HE WAS MORE OR LESS TRYING TO HIDE BEFORE, AND NOW HE CAN READ WHATEVER HE WANTS TO READ.

>> TO BE ABLE TO READ THAT MENU RATHER THAN, OH, I'LL HAVE A HAMBURGER, THAT'S REALLY NICE.

OFTEN I'LL GO DOWN TO McDONALD'S, GRAB THE NEWSPAPER BEFORE SOMEBODY ELSE DOES, AND JUST SIT THERE AND READ THE NEWSPAPER.

A NEWSPAPER IS WRITTEN AT ABOUT A LEVEL 6, AND I CAN HANDLE LEVEL 6 PRTY WELL NOW, SO FOR THE MOST PART I CAN GO THROUGH AND GET ALL THE POINTS OF THAT STORY.

WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO HELP SOMEONE GET OUT OF THE CLOSET, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN DO THINGS THAT THEY NEVER THOUGHT THEY COULD, AND IT REALLY WILL WORK.

I KNOW IT DOES.

I'VE BEEN THERE.

I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES.

I KNOW IT WILL WORK BECAUSE IT'S WORKED FOR ME.

>> IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW HOW MANY BOB KIDDERS THERE ARE OUT THERE, BUT AROUND 80,000 VERMONTERS ARE THOUGHT TO LACK LITERACY SKILLS TO SOME DEGREE.

BEYOND BASIC EDUCATION, MANY ADULTS ARE FINDING THAT TO STAY IN JOBS OR TO ND NEW EMPLOYNT THEY ARE HAVINGO GO BACK TOCHOOL.

IN MANY WORKPLACES THERE'S AN INCREASING NEED FOR RETRAINING.

>> PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO WORK AT A CERTAIN JOB FOR THE REST OF THEIR NATURAL LIVES.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE.

YOU WILL BE AINED TO DO A JOB AND YOU'LL BE TRAINED TO DO ANOTHER, AND ANOER AND ANOTHER WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT.

IT'S JUST PLAIN ECONOMICS.

WE HAVE SEVERE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AND WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP OUR PRICES DOWN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.

>> HERE AT E.H.V.

WEIDMANN IN LYNDONVILLE WHERE THEY MAKE HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS, THERE HAVE BEEN LAYOFFS IN RECENT YEARS, BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE KEPT THEIR JOBS, THE COMPANY IS MAKING A SIIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THEIR TRAINING NEEDS.

WORKERS CAN CHOOSE FROM A RANGE OF COURSES, MANY OF THEM VOLUNTARY, BUT DO THEY FEEL UNDER PRESSURE TO KEEP ON LEARNING?

MARK HUGHES HAS BEEN WITHHE COMPANY FOR 17 YEARS.

>> IF WE WANT OUR JOB AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE LIVING IN VERMONT, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE LEARNING THESE NEW SKILLS OR SOME OF US ARE GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND.

>> THE PRESSE I THINK THAT EMPLOYEES ARE UNDER IN TRAINING IS JUST PLAIN KEEPING UP.

MOST OF THEM DON'T HAVE A OBLEM WITH BEING TRAINED AND TAKING CLASSES.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL CALL US TO TAKE VOLUNTARY THINGS.

>> THAT'S UNUSUAL BECAUSE, MORE TYPICALLY, WHEN COMPANIES ADVERTISE TRAINING COURSES, ONLY AROUND 5% OF EMPLOYEES SIGN UP.

>> WHEN A COMPANY ASKS AN EMPLOYEE TO VOLUNTEER TO SIGN UP FOR COURSES, THEY'RE NOT ONLY ASKING THAT EMPLOYEE TO RISK LOSING THEIR STATUS IN THE COMPANY, LOSING THEIR JOB, THEY'RE ASKING THAT EMPLOYEE TO RISK BEING MADE TO FEEL ON A CONSCIOUS LEVEL INADEQUATE IN A VERY FUNDAMENTAL WAY.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS EMPLOYEES HERE ARE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT TAKING COURSES HAS A LOT TO DO WITHHE NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT THE COMPANY ASKED BOB McLAUGHL TO DO FOR THEM.

HE INTEREW EVERY EMPLOYEE TO FINDUT ABT R EDUCATION DESIRES, THEIR ATTITUDES AND THEIR ANXIETIES ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.

>> THERE ARE WORK-RELATED FEARS AND THERE ARE EDUCION EXPERIENCE-RELATED FEARS THAT EMPLOYEES TEND TO HAVE.

WHAT IF MY EMPYER FINDS OUT THAT I DON'T HAVE THOSE SKILLS THAT I SHOULD HAVE?

WHAT IF MY SUBORDINATES FIND OUT THAT I HAVE LESS LITERACY SKILLS OR MATH SKILLS THAN THEY DO?

A LOT OF EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATE BEING IN THE CLASSROOM WITH FEELING HUMILIATED, BEING MADE TO FEEL INADEQUATE AND SO THEY'RE AFRAID OF BEING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

>> SUCH ANXIETIES ARE NATURAL.

PEOPLE ARE RELUCTANT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR WEAKNESSES.

PART OF BOB'S JOB IS HELPING MANAGEMENT TO UNDERSTAND THESE FEARS AND RESPECT TH, AND THATEANS KEEPI CERTAIN REVELATIONS CONFIDTIAL.

>> YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO COMMIT TO NOT KNOWING WHICH EMPLOYEES ARE GOING THROUGH A LITERACY CLASS, TO OFFERING A MIX OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF COURSE TOPICS AT ANY ONE TIME SO THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE LEAVES THE SHOP FLOOR, IT'S NOT OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THAT EMPLOYEE CAN'T READ.

>> I WAS NOT AN "A" STUDENT IN SCHOOL AND I FIND A LOT OF MY FELLOW WORKERS WEREN'T "A" STUDENTS.

>> HOW DID YOU DO?

>> .986.

>> GOING BACK TO MATH, I'VE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR 26 YEARS AND NOW BECAUSE MORE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE COMING DOWN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE CAN'T ALWAYS DEPEND ON AN ENGINEER TO FIGURE OUT SOME OF THESE MATH PROBLEMS FOR US.

WE HAVE TO DO IT.

SO WE HAVE TO GET SOME MATH SKILLS.

>> IF I DIDN'T GET THOSE FUNDAMENTALS DOWN, I COULD REALLY MESS AN ORDER UP FOR A CUSTOMER, COULDN'T I?

>> YES.

>> NOW IN HIGH SCHOOL I THINK I JUST BARELY GOT THROUGH GEOMETRY, AND HERE I AM 26 YEARS LATER TAKING A TRIG COURSE.

>> WE HAVE TO TEACH OUR PEOPLE NEW SKILLS ALL THE TIME, AND MANY OF THEM WANT THE NEW SKILLS ANYWAY BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM I THINK FEEL BETTER ABOUT DOING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY CAN DO THEIR JOBS BETTER.

WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THAT SKILL LEVEL BACK INTO THE WORKPLACE RATHER THAN HAVE EXPERTS TELLING PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.

PEOPLE WHO ACTLLY TOUCH THE PRODUCT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO KNOW MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT THEY'RE RUNNING.

>> I WORK IN THE FINAL ASSEMBLY AREA.

WE HAD A LOT OF MACHINES AND A LOT OF PPLE.

I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAPERWORK, AND ORGANIZING AND TELLING PEOPLE WHICH JOB TO WORK ON.

NOW WE'RE DOWN TO A DEPARTMENT OF 12 AND WE'RE BECOMING MORE SELF-DIRECTED.

IT'S MORE OF A COMMUNITY DECISION INSTEAD OF JUST A ONE-PERSON DECISION.

>> THE BIGGEST CHANGE RIGHT NOW, NOT JUST TO E.H.V., IN ANY INDUSTRY, IS DEALING WITH THOSE PROBLEM SOLVING, DECISION-MAKING SKILLS THAT TEAMS HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

IT PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDER SKILLS FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN.

TO TEACH MATH OR TO TEACH HOW TO RUN A MACHINE, IT'S EASY FOR THEM BECAUSE IT'S THEIRS, THEY'RE IN CONTROL; WHEREAS, WITH A TEAM THEY HAVE TO LEARN TO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER.

>> NOT SURPRISING THEN, THE COURSES ON INTPERSAL SKILLSRE HIGH ON THE LIST OF EMPLOYEES' WANTS.

LISTENING TO EMPLOYEES AND INVOLVING THEM IN RETRAINING EFFORTS ARE IMPORTANT STEPS IN GETTING THE WORK FORCE ON BOARD.

>> WE ASKED MANAGEMENT TO IDENTIFY EMPLOYEES AT THE PRODUCTION LEVEL, NONSUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES, FROM EACH OF THE DIFFERENT MAJOR AREAS OF THE COMPANY WHO WILL REPRESENT THEIR CO-WORKERS.

IT SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY ARE RESPECTED, THAT THEIR INSIGHTS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE WORK BETTER, SAFER, MORE EFFECTIVE, LESS STRESSFUL ARE VALUED.

>> IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO HELP US IN COMPETING IN THE WORK FORCE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE WORK FORCE.

I THINK IT'S GIVING OUR EMPLOYEES MUCH MORE CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

>> THERE'S PEOPLE IN THEIR 60s GOING TO SCHOOL HERE.

THEY'VE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL A LONG TIME.

IT'S DEFINITELY A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE THAN I RECALL AS A STUDENT.

I KEEP WANTING TO LOOK DOWN AT THE KEYS, AND YOU DON'T WANT US TO DO THAT, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S WHAT WE ALL DO, MARK.

>> THE COMPUTER TO ME IS SCARY.

I'D RATHER GO AND BUILD SOMETHING THAN WORK WITH A COMPUTER.

SOMETIMES ON A SUMMER NIGHT I DON'T WANT TO BE THERE.

I'D RATHER BE HOME WITH MY WIFE DOING THE GARDENING OR WHATEVER.

I HAVE ABOUT 21 MORE YEARS BEFORE I RETIRE.

THIS IS THE COMPANY I WANT TO RETIRE AT, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY COURSES IN COMPUTERS, TYPING, MATH, WHATEVER, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE OUT ON THAT JOB.

PEOPLE HAVE FAMILIES TO THINK ABOUT, AND IF YOU WANT TO STAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE SOME OF THESE JOB SKILLS.

>> THAT COMPUTER MAY BE REPLACED IN 2 YEARS BY SOMETHING ELSE AND BYOMHI YET AGAIN 18 MONTHS AFTER THAT.

SO IT'S NOT OKAY JUST TO DEVOP SOME LEVEL OF COMPUTER LITERACY.

THEY'VE GOT TO BE COMFORTABLE BEING LIFELONG LEARNERS BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF ALMOST CONSTANT CHANGE.

>> NOT EVERYONE GETS THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE SEEN HERE.

THOSE UNEMPLOYED OR WORKING IN SMALL BUSINESSES OFTEN HAVE NO ACCESS TO AINING.

FOR TH, E THE FEW PLESO RNRE ADULT EDUCATION CENTERS.

ONLY AROUND 6,000 VERMONTERS MAKE USE OF THESE SERVICES EACH YEAR, BUT IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 150,000 WILL NEED TO UPGRADE OR LEARN NEW SKILLS TO COMPETE FOR JOBS.

>> HOW DOES SOMEBODY WHO HAS NEVER HAD A NEED TO DEAL WITH A COMPUTER SUDDENLY FACE A JOB MARKET WHE EN CA REGISTERS ARE COMPUTERS?

TO BE MIDDLE-AGED OR EVEN BEING IN YOUR 30s AND NOT HAVE THESE SKILLS, SUDDENLY LOSE YOUR JOB AND LOSE ALL THE DIGNITY AND CONTROL THAT GOES WITH IT, TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MARKET COMPETING WITH EVERYBODY ELSE AND YOU N'T HAVE THE ENTRY LEVEL SKILL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A COMPUTER WHEN YOU WENT TO SCHOOL, AND THAT'S WHERE ALL OF US REALLY UP HERE ARE COMING TOGETHER TO TRY TO GET AN AVAILABLE SERVICE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.

>> HERE IN LYNDONVILLE WHERE THERE'S NO ADULT EDUCATION CENTER, THE PLACE THAT PROVIDES SOME SUPPORT FOR ADULT LEARNERS IS THE LIBRARY.

AN EXTENSION WAS BUILT TO PROVIDE SERVICES NOT TRADITIONALLY OFFERED BY LIBRARIES.

IT'S BECOMING AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATION OR FOR THOSE JUST KEEPING UP WITH THE KIDS.

>> THE ARE MANY OTHER PLACES THEY CAN TAKE COMPUTER LESSONS, BUT FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS NEVER SAT BEFORE A COMPUTER BEFORE, WHO WILL NEVER HAVE ONE IN THEIR OWN HOME BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET THAT START.

TH THE INFORMATION EXPLOSION, CERTAINLY THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME IN NOW AND FIND OUT ABOUT THE INTERNET, HOW YOU CAN GET INFORMATION ON IT.

SO THIS HAS CREATED ANOTHER WHOLE INTEREST LEVEL FOR PEOPLE.

WE NEEDED TO REACH ANOTHER POPULATION OUT THERE WHO COULD BENEFIT BY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE LIBRY.

THE OLD TRADITIONAL LIBRARIAN WITH THE BUN, AND THE GLASSES AND ALL OF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO TRY AND OVERCO BECAUSE I FELT THAT THERE WERE MANY MORE WHO COULD MAKE USE OF AT WHAD TO OFFER.

SO WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'D MAKE THE LIBRARY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE, AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU HAVE TO THINK OF PROGRAMS THAT ATTRACT ANOTHER POPULATION.

>> THE LIBRARY OFFERS VARIOUS DISCUSSION GROUPS FOR ADULTS.

THIS GROUP OF MOTHERS IS TAKING PART IN A PROGRAM CALLED, "MOTHER GOOSE," SPONSORED BY VERMONT CENTER FOR THE BOOK.

ITS PURPOSE IS TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO READ TO KIDS.

>> IT'S REALLY THE ENJOYMENT OF T BOOKS THAT WEE AFR CAUSE A ONE YEAR OLD IS N GNG TO LEARN HOW TO READ, T EY'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW TO ENJOY READING.

>> IF PARENTS DON'T READ, IF PARENTS DON'T BRING KIDS TO A LIBRARY, IF THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVE TO THE COMPUTER SCREEN OR TO THE TELEVISION, KIDS WON'T PICK UP THE SKILLS; AS ADULTS THEY WON'T USE THE SKILLS, THEIR CHILDREN WON SEE THE IMPORTANCE.

>> DO YOU PEOPLE HAVE MEMORIES OF EITHER BEING READ TO OR MAYBE NOT BEING READ TO?

THE MAIN IDEA AT THE DISCUSSIONS THEMSELVES IS JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THESE BOOKS, GET A KIND OF GRIP ON THEM AND SEE WHAT THEY ARE ALL ABOUT, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE READING TO YOUR CHILD.

KIND OF SHARE READING TO REALLY GET PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT'S IN A BOOK FOR THEIR OWN ENJOYMENT.

IT'S LIKE RELATING EVERY DAY EXPERIENCES TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BOOKS, SEEING THAT THE BOOKS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY GENERATE IDEAS AND THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.

>> FOR JODI OLCOTT, THE THER GOOSEROGRAM PROVIDES MORE THAN JUST A IMULUS FOR READING HER KIDS.

IT'S HELPING HER, TOO.

JODI DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND HAS ALWAYS HAD DIFFICULTY READING.

>> THE FIRST TIME I WAS HERE I WOULDN'T READ, I JUST KEPT PASSING ON MY TURN, AND THEN I REALIZED THAT THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE THERE THAT HAD DIFFICULTIES READING JUST AS I DID, SO IT MADE IT EASIER FOR ME THAT I WASN'T GOING TO BE THE ONLY ONE SCREWING UP.

IF I SCREW UP ON A WORD, THEY HELP ME AND IT TEACHES ME TO READ BETTER.

THERE'S A BOOK WE GOT ABOUT NURSERY RHYMES, AND I D VER RE NURSE RHYMES TO MY KIDS, IT WAS ALWAYS STORYBOOKS.

MY KIDS SEEM TO LIKE NURSERY RHYMES A LOT.

>> WHAT'S THIS FOR?

>> JAM, JELLY.

AT FIRST I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE TO READ AT ALL, BUT MY KIDS, THEY'RE GETTING SO THEY WANT ME TO READ MORE.

I'M LENING ABOUTEW KINDS OF BOOKS TO INTRODUCE TO MY KIDS.

WHAT'S THAT ONE?

IS THAT "BAMBI"?

"BAMBI," YES.

IT'S REAL IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM WITH THEIR LANGUAGE, SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL HELP THEM ALONG IN SCHOOL.

>> SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER BOOK TODAY.

ANYBODY GOT A CHOICE?

MIKE MULLIGAN OR SHEILA RAE?

>> THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PROGRAMS DIRECTED AT FAMIES, BECAUSE IF CHILDREN ARE READ TO, THEN THEY WILL GO ON TO DO THE SAME THING IN THEIR OWN FAMILIES.

WE ARE TRYING TO BREAK CYCLES, AND I THINK THAT WE ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL AT THAT, I REAL DO.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY LOOK TERRIBLE.

>> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE A JUMP UP ON LANGUAGE SKILLS.

>> ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO READ TOGETHER IS ONE WAY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF ILLITERACY, BUT BECAUSE CHILDREN WITH READING PROBLEMS USUALLY COME FROM FAMILIES WITH LOW LITERACY SKILLS, IT'S OFTEN UP TO SCHOOLS TO DEAL WITH IT.

THE QUESTION IS WHY ARE KIDS LEAVING SCHOOL UNABLE TO READ?

IT SEEMS THAT IF THE PROBL ISN'T TACKD IN THE FIRST FEW GRADES, IT'S OFTEN HARDER TO OVERCOME.

>> IT'S CRUCIAL THAT WE INTERVENE EARLY AND GET THESE CHILDREN ON THE RIGHT ROAD OF FEELING GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY BECOME EVEN THIRD AND FOURTH GRADERS BECAUSE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE CHILD WHO IS RETAINED IN ONE GRADE HAS A 50% CHANCE OF NOT GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR A CHILD TO BEGIN TO FEEL LIKE HE'S NOT CONFIDENT, HE CAN'T DO IT, AND THEN FOR THE REST OF HIS SCHOOL CAREER IT'S LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS PLAYING CATCHUP.

THERE ARE VERY FEW KIDS, AND I'VE YET TO MEET THEM, WHO I BELIEVE ARE UNABLE TO READ AND WRITE.

IT'S NOT THE CHILD.

WE NEED TO CHANGE SOMETHING IN ORDER FOR THAT CHILD TO LEARN.

WHAT'S MISSING WITH THE CHILDREN THAT WE PICK UP IS OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THEY WILL BEEADERS AND WRITERS.

IN ONE OF MY SCHLS 75% OF THE CHILDREN ARE READING BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, AND YET IN ANOTHER SCHOOL ONLY 12% ARE AND IN ANOTHER SCHOOL IT'S 44%, SO IT VARIES ACROSS THE AREA.

WE'RE LOOKING CLOSELY AT WHY THOSE FIGURES VARY SO.

IS IT THE COMMUNITY?

IS IT THE PEOPLE?

IS IT THE GENETICS?

IS IT THE OPPORTUNITIES?

IS IT THE INSTRUCTION?

>> IT'S A NEW APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION THAT THESE TEACHERS ARE LEARNING IN A TRAINING PROGRAM CALLED, "READING RECOVERY."

TEACHERS LIKE PAM PARKER ARE ABLE TO WATCH A LESSON BETWEEN ANOTHER TEACHER AND A STUDENT WITHOUT THE CHILD BEING AWARE OF ONLOOKERS.

ALL THE CHD SEES IS HIMSELF AND THE TEACHER IN A MIRROR.

THIS BEHIND-THE-LOOKING-GLASS APPROACH IS PART OF A TECHNIQUE FIRST DEVELOPED IN NEW ZEALAND AND NOW BEING USED AROUND THE WORLD.

>> EVERYBODY IN E ASS I WATCHING AND AT THE SAME TIME TALKING NONSTOP ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, WHAT THEY'RE THINKING, WHAT THEY MIGHT DO DIFFERENTLY, WHAT MIGHT PUT THINGS TOGETHER BETTER FOR THAT CHILD.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOOK LEVELS AND E'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC BOOKS, MAYBE, THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT THING TO TEACH THE NEXT STEP FOR THAT CHILD.

>> THAT CHILD HAS TO HAVE THAT WHOLE MEANING, AND HOW DO WE KNOW HE GETS THAT WHOLE MEANING?

>> THIS IS A NEW WAY OF TRAINING.

IT IS CHANGING BELIEFS AND OUR WAYS OF LOOKING AT DIFFERENT CHILDREN.

TEACHERS LEARN TO QUESTION THEIR OWN HYPOTHESES AND THEN TRY OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SEE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

>> "HELP YOU."

>> OH, I LIKE THE WAY YOU FIX THAT.

>> HERE IN LYNDON TOWN SCHOOL PAM PARKER, LIKE OTHER READING RECOVERY TEACHERS, WORKS WITH FIRST GRADE CHILDREN WHO START OUT IN THE LOWEST 20% OF THEIR CLASS FOR READING ABILITY.

>> "GO IN TO GET THE MILK FOR YOU."

>> TO GIVE FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS, SUE LYNAUGH SITS IN REGULARLY.

IT'S AN INTENSIVE PROGRAM THAT GETS RESULTS WITHIN JUST 12 TO 20 WEEKS.

>> YESTERDAY YOU READ THAT BOOK ABOUT WILLY THE SLOWPOKE.

DO YOUEMEMBER HIM?

>> YEAH.

HE WAS ALWAYS LATE FOR EVERYTHING.

>> TEACHING READING INVOLVES TEACHING CHILDREN TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE MEANING OF WHAT THEY'RE READING AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE LANGUAGE AS WELL AS THE VISUAL ASPECTS OF THE WORDS SO THAT THEY NEED TO BE CHECKING TO SEE THAT IT SOUNDS RIGHT AND IT ALSO LOOKS RIGHT.

>> "TRIM A BUSH."

>> GOOD FOR YOU.

"OR ICE A CAKE FOR MOM."

>> WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGING RISK TAKING SO THEY WILL TAKE THAT LEAP TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, AND THEN WE HAVE THEM RIGHT UP AT THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL EDGE ALL THE TIME.

EVERYTHING THAT WE TEACH IS A STRATEGY AS OPPOSED TO A SKILL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TEACH THAT THE CHILD CAN THEN USE THE NEXT TIME.

>> "YES-TER-DAY."

>> GOOD.

>> THEY'RE REALLY FIGURING THINGS OUT FOR THEMSELVES.

THEIR GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S COMPETENT AND INDEPENDENT ONE TO ONE BUT WHO'S COMPETENT AND INDEPENDENT IN A GROUP.

WEEED TO BE WOG CLOSELY WITH TEACHERS.

THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT IN READING RECOVERY WE ARE ALSO TEACHING TEACHERS, AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO START USING THOSE SAME THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> WHAT 'RE FINDING IN THE FIRST GRADES WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD READING RECOVERY IS THEY'RE ACTUALLY BECOMING THE BEST READERS, AND THE TEACHERS ARE RECOGNIZING THAT AND SAYING, WOW, THEY'VE GOT BETTER STRATEGIES AND WAYS OF DEALING WITH NEW PRINT THAN THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THIS REALLY SMART KID AND JUST GIVE HIM A LITTLE HELP, THIS IS ALL THIS IS.

>> WE HAVE HAD THREE YEARS OF THIS PROGRAM AND OUR DATA SHOWS THAT NOT ONLY DID THESE CHILDREN CATCH UP TO THEIR PEERS, BUT THEY MAINTAIN THOSE AVERAGES AND THEY MAINTAIN THOSE GAINS.

>> I'VE HAD CHILDREN BE DISCONTINUED FROM THE PROGRAM WHO HAVE GONE BACK TO BE AT THE TOP OF THEIR CLASS.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE RAISING THAT LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF THE CLASS AND THEN THE WHOLE CLASS IS MOVING FASTER.

SO EVERYBODY BENEFITS.

>> READINGECOVERY WILL NOT FIX EVERY CHILD AND IT WILL NOT SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS, BUT THE OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN THAT IT HAS THE PROMISE OF SERVING MANY OF THOSE CHILDREN.

>> 82 OUT OF 228 SCHOOLS IN VERMONT ARE USING THE READING RECOVERY PROGRAM AT PRESENT, BUT THERE ARE MOVES TO INCREASE ITS USE.

AFTER ALL, VERMONT SCHOOLS HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF INCLUSION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN IN THE NATION.

SUCH A PROGRAM HAS TREMENDOUSOTENTIAL HERE.

AS WE'VE SEEN, RAISING LITERACY SKILLS IS WITHIN EVEN A RURAL COMMUNITY'S REACH.

THE REALITY IS THAT FEWER JOBS ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO LACK E BASI.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT JUST FOR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS, THESE DAYS EVERYONE NEEDS TO KEEP ON LEARNING.