During the 35 years Mary Jane Driscoll has been with the Literacy Volunteers of the Tarrytowns, she’s had a first-hand look at the way the community’s demographics have changed.
When Driscoll first became a tutor, the organization served many Portuguese-speaking Brazilians who worked in the now-defunct General Motors plant in North Tarrytown, now Sleepy Hollow.
When Hitachi arrived in the 1980s, it brought Japanese-speaking learners to LVT. The growth of the two villages’ Spanish-speaking population is now a major focus of the organization’s tutors. Most of the people on the waiting list are from Ecuador, Driscoll said.
LVT, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is the only all-volunteer affiliate of Literacy New York, Driscoll said. That’s due to support from Friends of the Warner Library and the library’s Board of Trustees, who provide space for tutoring, workshops and meetings.
The program started in 1974 at Warner in response to census figures showing a large literacy gap in the community, according to LVT’s website.
The Tutoring Center at the library, where instructional materials are available, is used by many of the volunteers and their learners. Library patrons comprise most of the learners served by LVT.
LVT functions independently from Literacy Solutions, which partners with other libraries in Westchester and Rockland counties.
To become a tutor, one does not need to master a foreign language, said Driscoll, who’s been LVT’s president for the past 12 years. Tutors work with adults whose English is at a basic level or may speak no English at all.
“Because it’s one-on-one, you’re not in a classroom environment. You learn each other’s body language, you learn each other’s mannerisms, so that you can bridge a lot of language gaps,” Driscoll said.
She added: “What you need to have is a good command of the English language and the willingness to help someone else be able to converse in English and understand what’s said to them in English. We don’t try to bring people up to the level of being able to pass an English examination. What we want to do is give them survival skills in English so that they feel confident going about in our community — shopping, post office, banking — without having a translator with them.”
Although some reading and writing is required, the focus is on English listening comprehension and speaking. “Our goal is to get our learners to the level where they feel confident walking into a more formal classroom environment where they can master reading and writing,” Driscoll said.
What makes tutoring so rewarding, I asked Driscoll.
“I’ve personally experienced and have heard so many stories of volunteers being extremely proud of what their learners have accomplished,” she replied. “Some of them have become U.S. citizens, some of them have found employment because they’ve improved their English-speaking skills. Some of them have found housing and have been able to live independently because they’ve been able to communicate better in English.”
Tutors sometimes develop friendships with their learners, accompanying them to family events like weddings and baptisms. “They’ve become more a part of the community because they reached out and offered to help someone,” Driscoll said of the volunteers.
Ro Macari joined the organization to give back to the community.
“I had just retired (I am a graphic designer) and I thought this was something I could do,” she said in an email. “Little did I know how hard a language English is and tutoring it is challenging. Do you know how hard it is to explain why ‘know and now’ don’t rhyme?”
At present there are about 50 tutors teaching 51 learners. Driscoll said that’s about 20 fewer tutors than needed, and LVT is actively recruiting.
Volunteers undergo about 12 hours of online training followed by a two-hour orientation with LVT board members. Tutors must be at least 19 years of age and must be willing to commit to tutoring for two hours a week for one year.
Visit lvtarrytown to become a tutor or for more information about the organization.
Literacy Volunteers of the Tarrytowns
c/o The Warner Library
121 North Broadway
Tarrytown
