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Women Leading Through Reading

WE LEARN c/o Mev Miller 182 Riverside Ave. Cranston, RI 02910 401-383-4374 welearn@litwomen.org

** News - Boston, MA Area ** What is Women Leading Through Reading? Sample chapters from training manual

WE LEARN has received a continuaton grant from the Boston Women's Fund to sponsor Discussion Circles in Boston between September 2008 - May 2009.

Information for Program Directors / Organizations serving women using/needing adult basic/literacy education services Invitation Letter / Site Participation Form

Call for Volunteer Facilitators Training Date Sat Oct. 4, 2008 9:00 - 1:00 (lunch provided) Please contact us if you'd like to sign up

For more information, contact Mev Miller at WE LEARN.

Women Leading Through Reading (WLTR) Discussion Circles are student-centered and woman supportive. Based on the experiences of "book clubs," women learners connect their reading and discussion to issues and concerns important for their lives as women. The WLTR Circles assist each student to develop her confidence, leadership, and critical thinking skills. The Circles are co-facilitated by women volunteers from the local community.

Many women learners who participate in WLTR Circles have never directly discussed women’s issues. The Circles provide the opportunity to discuss topics women learners may not normally speak about, especially what one learner called “women-stuff.” Women learners have a chance to speak up, sometimes for the first time. The groups help women improve self-esteem. Circles encourage women to share their views and ideas with each other. Women participate in the circles and identify the topics they want to know more about. With the help of the facilitators, they select their own reading materials. The women in the group improve their reading, writing, and discussion abilities. The circles help women to not feel so isolated. They increase their self-confidence, and expand their understanding of the capabilities of women. These are important first steps in finding their voice for women oppressed by cultural practices, political systems, and economic and educational inequality.

WE LEARN plans to use the Women Leading Through Reading Discussion Circles as a model to organize regional WE LEARN groups. An updated Training Manual will be available in September, 2008.

For more detailed information about Women Leading Through Reading, please view selected chapters from the training manual.