Frequently Asked Questions

The National Literacy Act defines literacy as: “an individual’s ability to read, write and speak in English, compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one’s goals, and develop one’s knowledge and potential.”​ 

Literacy Suffolk, Inc., formerly Literacy Volunteers of America-Suffolk County, Inc. (LVA), is an affiliate of ProLiteracy America, an organization formed from the merger of LVA and Laubach Literacy in 2003. Literacy Suffolk is an accredited affiliate of ProLiteracy America, an affiliate of Literacy New York, and an affiliate agency of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System (SCLS). 

Founded by SCLS, Literacy Suffolk has been providing literacy services to Suffolk County adults since 1978.​ 

Literacy Suffolk recruits and trains community volunteers to tutor Suffolk County adults in two areas: Basic Literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The Basic Literacy program is geared towards adults who read and write below a sixth-grade level. ESOL teaches conversational English to people whose native language is not English.

The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) report (survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education) indicates that 43% (93 million) adult Americans have below-average literacy skills. Another 44% (95 million) do not have the literacy skills required to fully function in society. Fourteen percent of Suffolk County adults (1 in 7) are at Below Basic literacy, meaning they have limited or no literacy skills. The current countywide student waiting list is approximately 500. 

Literacy Suffolk provides Tutor Training Workshops to train volunteers to tutor adults. All program services connected with Literacy Suffolk are open to all adult residents of the county. Other services include support for trained tutors and learners via a Library Literacy Collection, “The Flame of Literacy,” (quarterly affiliate newsletter), other Literacy Suffolk publications, and special events. 

Since its inception in 1978, Literacy Suffolk has served over 25,000 trained volunteers and adult learners. To see current program numbers visit the “Program Stats” page of this website. 

All program services are free to adult learners.  There is a $40 non-refundable processing fee for the tutor training workshop. (Previously trained literacy tutors are charged a non-refundable processing fee of $20 to take a refresher training.) 

Literacy Suffolk is a non-profit agency funded, in part, by NY State Education, Library Literacy Grants, other federal, state, and local grants, along with the Suffolk Cooperative Library System (SCLS), foundations, corporations, special events, and individual donors.
Space and considerable in-kind services are provided by SCLS. 

To become a certified Literacy Suffolk tutor, a volunteer must complete a 12-hour tutor training workshop. Workshops are offered in various libraries across Suffolk County. You may apply to the program by mailing or faxing a completed Tutor Application which will place you on our mailing list, or you can register for a workshop online or by printing and mailing the tutor application along with the Workshop Registration Form and fee. Tutor applications and workshop schedules are also available at your local public library. Become a volunteer today!

Yes.  All volunteer tutors must first take the 12-hour-long training course regardless of occupational or educational background. In fact, a large number of LS tutors are certified teachers. LS training techniques are designed specifically to address the learning needs and sensitivities of adult learners.  

Once a volunteer has successfully completed the tutor training course, he/she is matched with a learner or small group of learners. Tutors are expected to contact their assigned learner(s) and make arrangements to meet at a public place, such as the local library, for tutoring sessions. Tutors are asked to meet once or twice weekly for a total of 2-3 hours of instruction per week and to commit to the program for at least one year.

Tutors are never asked or expected to go to a student’s home for tutoring sessions. All tutoring must take place in a public place, such as the local library.