National Adult Literacy Database

March 8, 2010

The following story was written by Treldon James, from the Montreal area, in Quebec.  Treldon is originally from Trinidad. He is enrolled in literacy classes at Literacy Unlimited in Pointe-Claire. In 2009, he was given a Recognition Award for Adult Literacy, sponsored by a partnership of Quebec adult literacy and adult education organizations.

My Literacy Achievements (Part I)

by Treldon James

My name is Treldon James. Have you been left alone at a young age? I had problems in school. But I am going to tell you about what I achieved on one and one tutoring.

When I was young, my Mom came to Canada and left me with my grand parents. I went to school in Trinidad but I do not remember much other than getting beaten. My Mom went for me and my two sisters. On our way to Canada we stopped at St. Vincent and we attended school there also for a little while. Another bad experience at that school.

I finally reached Canada at age 8. I went to a French school so that put me behind, not learning my first language, English. French was very difficult for me. I was very nervous to read in front of people, I avoided it when the teachers asked me to read out loud. Writing assignments were very hard to understand and do.

My mother fought to get me into an English high school, another bad experience. I was attending school to be with my friends, but my mind was not in class. I was in and out of class so I missed a lot of stimulation and education. John Grant was a no-credit high school. It’s just for students with difficulties. I left high school around seventeen years old.

I went to Place Cartier, and adult ed school, where I learned basic English for immigrants. After a couple of semesters I did six courses to my high school diploma. Unfortunately, I had to leave school because I found if very difficult for me to continue.

Sports were my outlet. Football was my first sport. I’ve been playing football for quite a while. Football is my getaway. It taught me discipline, work together, focus and communication.

I found a full time job working at U.P.S. At that time I had a baby on the way, so work was a priority.

When Keana was a few years old, I decided that I could no go on like this any longer, not knowing how to read and write. I needed help. So strangely, something happened on my way to work. I heard on the radio about L.U., so I took down the number. Literacy Unlimited is a program to help English speaking adults with there difficulties to read and write, etc. I called and came in for an interview. It took two tries to get a tutor. The first time I did not hear form them so it took me a while to call them back to get a tutor. The tutor and I meet once or twice a week. We touch everything: reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and any extra work that I want to do.

After a long day of work I am very tired but with my commitment to L.U., I pull it through. Also I get very discouraged because I always expect more of myself. I want it to come in day but I know it's a long process.

Part 2

[This story was taken with permission, from "2009 Recognition Awards for Adult Literacy - Submissions", published by Literacy Volunteers of Quebec (LVQ) and other partners in adult education in Quebec.]