OAKHURST – The Mountain Area Literacy Council (MALCo) is a group of volunteers dedicated to promoting English literacy in non-native speakers in Eastern Madera County. This decades-long tradition of service is currently in dire need of tutors to assist adults who wish to gain or to improve their skills in speaking, reading and writing English. When students attain their self-identified goals such as promotion at their current employment, a better position elsewhere, or passing a test for citizenship, the community as well as the students prosper.
Tutors need not have a background in education as training will be provided. Nor do tutors need to speak a foreign language. The qualifications are simple: tutors must be dependable and prompt, literate — that is, anyone who speaks, reads and writes English — be interested in, and enjoy relating to, a variety of people.
Tutors usually work one-on-one with a student matched according to ability and availability of days and times. Tutor and student ideally meet twice weekly for 1 ½ hours each time, with lessons spaced at least a day apart, again depending on availability. Teaching venues occur in a neutral place such as a church, the Oakhurst Library, or a vacant room at the Community College. To become a tutor (or student) contact MALCo at (559) 683-1456 (for Spanish, 683- 1457) or malcotutor@gmail.com.
