Literacy Corner: Five Things to Do Now So September Doesn't Catch You Off Guard

Five Things to Do Now So September Doesn't Catch You Off Guard   
Small steps to take now for a calmer, more confident fall

By Kathy De La Torre and 

Carrie M. Cannella

It's June. Your inbox is a bit more manageable, your calendar has some breathing room, and you know this peaceful pacing won't last. Before you know it, September will arrive, the fall schedule picks up, and a new wave of learners reaches out. Suddenly, you're juggling meetings, intakes, training, teaching, and community events, among other things, all at once.

Here's the good news: A little planning now buys you some breathing room later. Although most literacy programs run year-round, the summer months are still typically a bit quieter and are a great time to get ahead of the curve. By taking advantage of June and July to lay the groundwork with bite-sized tasks, you can scale your outreach without the autumn burnout. 

Every September brings three big opportunities to highlight our adult literacy work:

UNESCO's International Literacy Day is September 8. It is a global event that raises awareness about literacy as a matter of human rights and dignity while highlighting the work left to do worldwide. The day has been celebrated around the world since 1967, and this year marks the 60th anniversary. It recognizes that not only is literacy a human right, but it is also a driving force for peace and sustainability.

It’s important to educate people about the actual broader definition of literacy (which continues to expand in our ever-changing world), as it does not mean just reading as many believe. This definition from UNESCO is helpful: 

… Beyond its conventional concept as a set of reading, writing and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich and fast-changing world. Literacy is a continuum of learning and proficiency in reading, writing, and using numbers throughout life and is part of a larger set of skills, which include digital skills, media literacy, education for sustainable development and global citizenship as well as job-specific skills. …

We have made great gains in literacy worldwide (68 to 86 percent since 1979), and yet:

• There were at least 739 million youth and adults still lacking basic literacy skills in 2024, most of them women.
• The most recent PIACC survey tells us that between 2017 and 2023, the number of adults in the US at the lowest literacy proficiency level increased from 19 to 28 percent (higher for numeracy). 
• The latest NAEP Reading Report Card shows that in 2024, only 33 percent of fourth-graders and 31 percent of eighth-graders are at or above reading proficiency levels, five points lower than in 2019.

If there is a day for our programs to highlight literacy, then this is it! 

We can do so in small ways, like sending out an email encouraging advocacy and some kind of literacy activity or a tutor/ learner coffee or tea gathering. Or, we can raise awareness in bigger ways, as with an outdoor community day organized around reading and writing or an open house that you host with partners. The theme for this year’s International Literacy Day is “Literacy for people, the planet, and prosperity.” What might your program do for this special day?

COABE's Adult Education and Family Literacy Week runs right after  International Literacy Day from September 14 to 18. This week is a national effort designed to showcase the vital role adult education plays in strengthening our local workforces, economies, and families. It’s a time for us to highlight our successes and advocate for adult education. 

COABE has a rich amount of material on their website—tools to raise the noise level around adult education and literacy during this week in particular, including advocacy and media outreach toolkits, state fact sheets, amazing success stories, templates and graphics, and events to join. Let’s get loud! Aim for doing one little thing each day of the week.

While you’re there on the website, if you haven’t already, consider pledging support to adult education through the Educate and Elevate America Pledge!

At the end of the month is the annual New Mexico Adult Education Conference, and we want to see a solid literacy strand with engagement and inclusion from the field! We hear consistently that people want to hear more from each other—to see what’s been working, to have the opportunity to discuss important topics, and to share ideas and strategies. 

These aren't just calendar dates. They're your invitation to tell the story of why this work matters. That is what people want to hear: the human stories behind what we do. 

Here are five high-impact tasks you can do right now in small, 15-minute windows. That's about the time it takes to take to drink your coffee! (But still take that break.)

1. Find One Small-Win Learner Story

Adult education changes lives in subtle, consistent ways: a learner reads a note from their child's teacher, someone applies for a better job, a tutor watches a student write their first paragraph or solve a math word problem. Each of those moments deserves to be celebrated. September gives us the chance to do exactly that.

Think about one learner who made progress this year. It doesn't have to be dramatic. Small progress is often the most real. Maybe they started reading at home, attended sessions more regularly, or finally felt comfortable asking a question in class. 

Ask for permission before sharing anything. Honor their choice about how much to share and whether to use their name and/or picture. Then ask them two simple questions: What was life like before you started? What can you do now?

That's your story.

Pro tip: Ask if you can photograph your student’s hands working on a project. It's a powerful image that protects their privacy.

2. Schedule a Staff or Tutor Spotlight

September is also a good time to recognize the people who show up every week for our learners: the teachers and tutors. Ask one tutor or instructor three quick questions:

• What do you enjoy about working with adult learners?
• What's one thing you've learned from your students?
• What would you say to someone thinking about becoming a tutor or instructor?

This just takes a few minutes, and spotlighting our educators is just as important as spotlighting our students. Their answers may surprise you, and they'll resonate with your audience. 

3. Write Three Social Media Posts 

Don't wait until September to scramble for content. Use June to plan a specific community action or social media push. Start by drafting three simple social media posts now using plain, warm language that skips the confusing educational acronyms. (Your audience includes people outside our field who don't know what HSE or COABE means, and that’s okay).

• Post 1: Share a learner or tutor story from number one or two
• Post 2: Recognize International Literacy Day on Sept 8 and consider including an invitation of some kind
• Post 3: Encourage advocacy for AEFL Week September 14–18

Use a free tool like Canva to turn a learner or tutor quote into a colorful graphic. Posts with visuals get significantly more engagement than plain text.

4. Reach Out to One Community Partner

Pick one library, faith community, or local nonprofit. You don't need to ask for much. You might see if they can display a flyer or share a digital post for you in September to help adults find reading or English support, or you might ask them if they would like to partner with your program on programming or for a specific event, like on International Literacy Day.

Not sure what to say? Try this:

"Hi [Name], I'm with [Program]. We're getting ready for Literacy Month in September and would love to send you a few graphics to share. It's a small thing that makes a big difference for folks looking for classes." or "Hi [Name], we're getting ready for Literacy Month and would love to partner with you on … Would you be interested in talking more about it?”

These are simple and friendly asks that work.

5. Submit Your Conference Presentation Ideas

The New Mexico Adult Education Conference is coming September 23-25 to Albuquerque, and NMAEA’s Events Committee needs professional development sessions from leaders like you. Now is the time to think about what kind of sessions you might facilitate or present so your excellent ideas don’t fly away in the busyness of late summer and early fall. We invite you to consider sharing your experience and expertise with a session, poster, 5x5 (five slides in five minutes), discussion panel, or other route. 

Here's where many people are mistaken about presenting: They think they need to be an expert. You don't. Your colleagues just want to know what's happening in the classroom next door or what you’re doing at the program level. Did you find a trick for teaching verb tenses using local maps? A way to make digital testing or tools less intimidating? A five-minute warm-up that actually works? A way for your volunteers to connect? A tried-and-true method of supporting your staff? 

Each of these is a presentation or session, and someone at the conference needs to hear it.

Don't let the fall rush bury your program's innovations. If you have a literacy conference presentation idea or want to get feedback on a rough concept before outlining it, email Propel Literacy Coordinator Carrie Cannella at cmcannella@nmdelt.org. If you have a general question about the conference, contact NMAEA Executive Director Jamie Trujillo at director@nmadulted.org.

Your Next Step

You don't need a color-coded planning spreadsheet or a whole afternoon. Just pick one task and start there. To make it even easier, we put together the Summer Sprint Checklist that breaks all five tasks into small, manageable steps you can tackle one coffee break at a time.

September is coming. By taking action in June and July, your program won't just be ready for the rush—you'll be ready to lead the conversation! We’ll meet you there.

Links: 

Canva (free graphic design platform)

Unsplash (royalty-free images)

NMAEA (New Mexico Adult Education Association)

International Literacy Day

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week