Literacy and learning

ODC's Literacy Program has been operating since January 1988, with funding from the government of Ontario (now Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities). The program serves Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing adults who want to improve their literacy skills.

 

In the program, students work on developing specific skills which will help them accomplish their personal goals:

• measuring skills to enable a Deaf mother to follow nutritious recipes or follow a sewing pattern
• reading comprehension skills and answering multiple choice questions so a young Deaf man can pass the written portion of the driver's test
• filling in forms and writing resumes to help a young Deaf person obtain employment
• basic computer literacy (including email and Internet) so a Deaf worker can maintain employment, participate equally with other workers, and have access to the same information as everyone else
• writing skills to develop a Deaf senior's ability to write letters to her nieces, nephews, and grandchildren
• reading and storytelling skills so a Deaf father can read his daughter's favourite bedtime stories
• math and money skills so a Deaf couple can budget their money wisely

Students are guided by Deaf instructors and volunteers who are fluent in American Sign Language. Together they have access to books, newspapers, videotapes, cable TV, educational software, and the Internet in our resource library. They can dedicate from two to 18 hours a week to classes, in small groups or individual tutoring.

ODC has also produced a variety of teaching materials for deaf literacy programmes (videotapes in American Sign language and accompanying print materials).