Breaking the Word Barrier: Stories of Adults Learning to Read - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0864925476 ISBN 13: 9780864925473

Publisher: Goose Lane Editions, 2009

Synopsis

In this compelling collection of first-person stories, adults who have made outstanding achievements in adult literacy were paired with writers to tell of their transition to reading. These are people who have had the courage to overcome the barrier of words to break into a broader sense of themselves, to feel more empowered in the world. Courageous, too, is the very sharing of these stories, in which private moments are opened wide with the hope that others will take the same steps. Whether confronting undiagnosed dyslexia, a Canadian Tire store manager to ensure Christmas for a child, written tests for the military, certification exams, or jumping from an airplane, these people are heroes.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Whether facing undiagnosed dyslexia or the confusion of retail shopping, the dread of written employment tests or the fear of parachuting, the people in these stories show daily heroism. Their stories of improving their literacy skills as adults are both compelling and courageous. In this unique volume are stories of people who bravely overcame the word barrier, who have worked on their reading and other literacy skills while raising families and holding down jobs. Each success has helped a dream come within reach, from reading to a child to helping with homework, from passing a test to landing a job with better pay. The stories in this collection are truly inspirational; the decision to share them with others exemplifies a generosity of spirit and hope for others in similar circumstances.

About the Author:

Marilyn Lerch, who lives in Sackville, New Brunswick, has one cycle of poems and two collections of poetry published. She enters her seventh decade still asking the big questions, still wondering what our species is turning into, as excited by mourning doves nesting in the kiwi as she is by Hubble's farthest reach. Angela Ranson is a high school English teacher and a master of arts student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her short stories have appeared in Canadian Stories magazine and Angels on Earth magazine, and her non-fiction articles have appeared in several newspapers in the province, including the Moncton Times and Transcript. She is also writing scripts and recently wrote and directed a sold-out dinner theatre in Sackville, New Brunswick, entitled Spice of Life.

About this edition

• Publisher: Goose Lane Editions
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0864925476
• ISBN 13: 9780864925473
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 130
• Editor: Lerch Marilyn, Ranson Angela