Transcript Rotary & Literacy - Executive Learning Exchange

Rotary Promotes Literacy
A Look at Rotary’s Literacy Efforts Worldwide and
How Rotary Club of Winnetka Can Help Your Club
Add Free e-Learning Courses for Your Literacy Project . . .
What Is Literacy?
Traditionally, literacy is defined as a person’s ability
to read and write. It can also include functional
abilities, like using a computer, understanding how
to prevent certain diseases, or reading signs in a
market.
Literacy Is Important
Literacy empowers
people and is essential
for community
development. Literate
populations are more
likely to

Develop economically

Live healthier lives

Be more peaceful
The Global Situation

Nearly 800 million people worldwide over
the age of 15 can neither read nor write.

Women and girls account for about 64
percent of this group.

Nearly half of all children in Africa will not
complete secondary school.
Adult Illiteracy Rates by Region
800
700
600
500
Male
Female
Total
400
300
200
100
World Regions
a
er
ic
m
A
So
ut
h
ce
an
ia
O
er
ic
a
m
A
N
or
th
Eu
ro
pe
si
a
A
fri
ca
A
or
ld
w
id
e
0
W
(in millions)
Number of People
900
Rotary Supports Literacy
Whether donating
dictionaries, building
schools, or acting as tutors,
Rotarians are active in
efforts to reduce illiteracy
around the world.
A natural 2008-plus
initiative for your club is to
add computer-based
educational courses available
free for your Rotary literacy
project.
Rotarian Literacy Projects
Each year, Rotarians carry out thousands of projects to

Expand and improve early childhood literacy and education
programs for both boys and girls

Improve the ability of teachers to teach and empower
schools to meet the needs of students in the community

Increase access to adult learning programs for both men and
women

Promote positive community environments for literacy

Reduce barriers to literacy
Computers and Internet access can aid learning opportunities
Literacy Resources
Tools to Support Rotarian Literacy Projects
Literacy Resource Group
Appointed annually by the RI president, the
Literacy Resource Group is a network of Rotarian
volunteers who support and encourage Rotary club
and district participation in literacy activities
worldwide.
Resource Group Structure

General coordinator and assistant general
coordinator promote global literacy efforts.

Six area coordinators support regional literacy
efforts in Asia, the South Pacific & Southern
Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North
America.

The 39 zone coordinators help support and
encourage district literacy activities.

Each district appoints a coordinator to help
facilitate Rotarian and club literacy projects.
Work with the Resource Group

Contact your district or zone coordinator
for literacy resources and project ideas.

Share project successes with district
coordinator, zone coordinator, or Rotary
International.

Appoint a club literacy project coordinator
to work with your district coordinator.

Learn more about the 2007-08 Literacy
Resource Group at www.rotary.org.
Contact the Resource Group
Find contact information in the
Official Directory, or contact RI:
Rotary International (PD210)
1560 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 847-424-5343
Fax: 847-866-6116
Cooperating for Literacy
LEARNING CENTERS FOR KIDS
To support Rotarian literacy projects, Rotary
Club of Winnetka-Northfield proposes a
framework LEARNING CENTERS FOR KIDS,
a cooperative relationship with e-Learning
for Kids, a global non-profit foundation who
provides everything needed for children ages
5 - 12 to access FUN and FREE learning on
the Internet.
Opportunities




Children’s futures depend on their ability to
master the basics of reading, science, math and
computers
Yet costs, class sizes and other issues prevent
children access to quality online learning
Literacy-plus: if your Rotary Club’s literacy
project involves helping provide books,
computers, libraries, or schools, consider building
more value and stronger relationship with
equipping the kids with e-Learning software.
e-Learning, which stands for Electronic-Learning
or computer-based learning
Why e-Learning for Kids?

Established in late 2004, the vision of e-Learning
for Kids (EFK) is to be the source for childhood
learning on the Internet – available from anywhere
and without charge to your Rotary project.

The EFK Foundation offers 80+ best-in-class
courseware in Math, Science, Reading, Computer
Skills, English Language (ESL), Health and Life
Skills.

A subset of the courses are available on CD-ROM
for when Internet access is not feasible.
Why e-Learning for Kids?

Volunteer staff consists of committed education
and e-Learning experts and business professionals
from around the world.

Team members develop and source e-Learning
courseware, marshal resources for education
content, collaborate with other educational
foundations, reach out to corporations and
associations for funding and sponsorships, and
build awareness among schools and the media.

Translating 20 courses to Spanish, French and
Portuguese (2008 Initiative).
Help Your Club’s Create a
Learning Center For Kids

TEACHERS, BOOKS, & COMPUTERS:
3 building blocks that Rotary Clubs can use to reach more kids

STRATEGIES TO GET COMPUTERS:
• Your Club Can Donate Recycled or New Computers
• Submit an Close The Gap Application to Request Computers
• Submit an Intel Grant Application from To Request Classmate PC

ROTARY CLUB OF WINNETKA IMPLEMENTATION
TIPS :
Visit Winnetka-Northfield Rotary Club’s website, www.wnrotary.org and
click on Learning Centers For Kids for tips you can use with your project
and our club member’s contact info who can help you with questions.

SPREAD THE WORD: POST THE E-LEARNING FOR
KIDS BANNER AND LINK ON YOUR WEBSITE!
Take a course online or learn more at
www.e-learningforkids.org
Take a course online or learn more at
www.e-learningforkids.org
Take a course online or learn more at
www.e-learningforkids.org
Cooperating for Literacy
To better support Rotarian literacy projects, Rotary
International maintains a cooperative relationship
with the International Reading Association.
International Reading Association

A professional membership organization
dedicated to promoting high levels of literacy for
all

Seeks to improve the quality of reading
instruction and disseminate research and
information about literacy

Includes a network of 300,000 educators in nearly
100 countries who support a thriving professional
program of publications, meetings, and advocacy
and outreach efforts locally, nationally, and
internationally
Cooperating for Literacy in Your
Community

Discuss literacy issues with Reading
Association members in your community.

Ask Reading Association members to
speak about literacy at your club.

Plan a joint literacy project with your local
Reading Association.

Celebrate International Literacy Day,
8 September, with a local Reading
Association.
Learn More about the International
Reading Association
International Reading Association
800 Barksdale Road
PO Box 8139
Newark, DE 18714 USA
www.reading.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 302-731-1600
Fax: 302-731-1057
Key Rotary Literacy Dates

March – Literacy Month

8 September – International Literacy Day
Other Rotary Literacy Resources


RI Web site: www.rotary.org
Free Online Educational Courses for Kids (EFK)
• Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield (Implementation Tips)
• Close the Gap (collects recycled PCs for developing countries)
• Intel’s Deploy 1:1 e-Learning environments toolkit
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Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective Projects
A Menu of Service Opportunities
Community Assessment Tools
World Community Service Projects Exchange
Community Projects Database
Fact sheet on International Reading Association