What is the definition of literacy? Simply put, the ability to read and write at a competent level. Consider yourself lucky if you are reading this article; in 2000 there were approximately 1 million Wisconsin adults who couldn’t and who qualified for adult literacy or English language services.

This leads us to ask ourselves, "Why can’t my neighbor read?"

The most important part of the sentence is "neighbor." There are people who are our neighbors, who are part of our community, who can’t read and write English. For some, the reasons may be more obvious. Perhaps they are exchange students from other countries, perhaps they have recently moved here and their first language is something other than English.

My Oma and Opa were German immigrants who spoke little English. My father’s first language was German and he did not learn to speak English until after he started first grade. My son’s grandparents are from Mexico so they were immigrants, too. Their first language is Spanish; they are bi-lingual as are their five successful children.

Sometimes the reasons a person can’t read or write are not obvious. My son is dyslexic, an erudite young man whose communication skills are not reflective of the challenges he faced reading and writing English. Perhaps a neighbor has an undiagnosed learning disability and they have developed excellent coping skills so it is not even apparent that they can’t read or write. My point is: It’s personal.

So how do we help our neighbors — our community — learn to read and write English competently? We volunteer. We become a tutor with the BALC and learn to work one on one with a student who wants to improve his or her English language skills. The BALC currently has 17 adult students waiting for a tutor. The first step is to check out the BALC website at: http://www.barabooliteracy.org/ or contact us by either phoning the Baraboo Public Library at (608) 356-6166, or emailing the BALC at boolit@barabooliteracy.org to express interest in becoming a trained tutor.

Why become a tutor? Because perhaps your neighbor can’t read, and you can. Because you can use a phone book, read the newspaper, a map, a menu, or the directions on a medicine bottle. You can read your children’s homework assignments, permission slips, and their bedtime stories. You can use a dictionary, read a novel, watch television or listen to the radio in English to get a severe weather warning. Why help your neighbor learn how to read?

It’s our community, and it’s personal.