Adult Literacy & English Language Partners

Location

The Adult Literacy one-to-one learning partners program is available system-wide at all branches. Instruction takes place at the learning partners’ local library branch. The Adult Literacy program office is located inside the Central Santa Rosa Library on the second floor.

About Adult Learning Partners

These programs provide one-to-one learning partners for adults who want to improve their basic reading, writing, or English language skills. Our programs are learner centered and community engaged. We train community volunteers as tutors to help adult learners accomplish their learning goals. Learning partners meet for instruction sessions 2-3 hours a week at their local Sonoma County Library branch.

Volunteer

Receive Training to become a Tutor/Learning Partner.

Receive Services: Get a Tutor

One-on-One Learning Partners for Adults

• Learner Assessment & Goal Setting
• Tutor-Learner Partner Matching
• English Language Partners Program - English listening, speaking and understanding
• Adult Literacy Partners Program - basic reading and writing skill building
• Adult Family Literacy – free resources and early literacy tips for enrolled adults
• Free learning materials for learning partners
• Access to digital literacy laptops, devices for program participation

Volunteer Tutor Training

• Tutor orientation and training:
  • Working with adult learners, inclusive practices
  • English Language acquisition practices: listening, speaking, understanding
  • Core Literacy skill building practices: reading and writing
  • Tutor Orientation and Training is an initial virtual-live meeting on Zoom followed by a series of self-paced online training modules. Potential tutors have four weeks to complete the online training modules prior to being eligible to work with an adult learner. View orientation-training dates for 2024.
• Free instruction materials
• Ongoing tutor coaching

Small-Group Classes - Library Based

• Virtual Let's Talk English Conversation Circles
  Class schedules and self-Register here.

Community Outreach Class Instruction - In Community

• Outreach evening ESL classes at partner school sites:
  • Luther Burbank Elementary/Santa Rosa
  • Santa Rosa High School/Santa Rosa
• Outreach Library Services at Main Adult Detention Facility
  • Made possible by an inmate partnership services Agreement between Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department and Sonoma County Public Library

Writing & Publications

• Adult Literacy Learner Publications
• Quarterly Adult Literacy Community Newsletters
  • April - June 2025
  • January - March 2025

Referrals

• Referrals to other adult education resources in the community