We teach adults over 18, for free, to read, write and speak English.
California, with a staggering 51% functional illiteracy rate, desperately needs the work our organization has been providing since 1981. We tutor in 16 cities of L.A. County, giving people the skills they need to get off welfare, get jobs, help their children at school, become better citizens, function in this society. Individual or small group tutoring takes place in nearly 40 sites, borrowed throughout the area. Headquarters office, one of two Computer Learning Centers, and two classrooms are rented in Torrance.

We are an ALL-VOLUNTEER (no paid staff) organization working to improve California’s reading proficiencies among adults. We teach anyone 18 years or older FOR FREE to read, write, and--if foreign-born--to speak English.

Basic Literacy, our program for Americans who have never learned to read in school, is taught via a new and very successful program of video tutoring, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Video Literacy (TSRH) program. In its first four years of classes, TSRH cut the learning time in half for most students and raised the student retention rate from 9% to 58%. (Note: a continuing problem with illiterate school dropouts has been that they do not incorporate regular responsibilities, appointments, homework, etc. as a rule into their lifestyles. This is therefore a real accomplishment!).

English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) is taught in small groups at ESL Centers located in low-income areas. Computer Learning Centers augment this tutoring and add computer skills to the students’ job placement advantages. All students have access, therefore, to video, computer, audio (taped programs & books), and individual or small group tutoring. We attempt to keep pace with technology and make new literacy teaching modalities available to our students.

We also maintain our own focused library for tutors and students, with books, audio books, video English learning programs, etc. Our office provides the central contact point for all our 300+ member/tutors and their 450-500 students, and distributes all texts. Monthly Information Meetings inform the public about our programs and recruit tutors. We have a continuous program of ESLTutor Training Workshops each year, and maintain ongoing Trainer Certification programs for those who conduct the tutor training classes. We have developed new Tutor Training workshops for those who use the TSRH video tutoring program. We also have created Tutor Training workshops for computer tutors, and have inaugurated Open Sessions in the Computer Learning Centers so that all students may choose to add computer study to their other classes. The open sessions offer a tutor on duty at several times so that students may drop in as convenient.

One or two Council Conferences are held each year to present new tutoring ideas and aids, and to conduct Council elections and other business. A Board of Directors and committee chairs serve as the management and operational directors of every department. If we were a commercial enterprise, we would be one of the largest and most extensive service businesses in our area. We remain committed to volunteerism and to expansion of services; we are improving quality and growing year by year.

Perhaps most amazing of all, and primarily because volunteers (who worked 32,000 hours last year) created and operate this enterprise, the cost to teach one student for one year is under $100. Teaching an adult learner to read takes approximately three years to accomplish real literacy proficiency. They leave us for better jobs, gain the thrill of reading to their children, become involved in community activities, often guide their children on to college. Where else can one get such a bargain for $300?

We are recognized by the IRS as a 501-C-3 non-profit organization. Tax ID # 95-4041955.

The SBLC has an urgent need for more tutors to aid in this activity, so please contact us at RSVP at (310) 320-3322 if you would like to volunteer for this worthy cause.