National Adult Literacy Database

December 5, 2011

The following story was written by Philip Beakhouse, from Edmonton, Alberta. Philip believes that literacy changed his life and can change other people's lives. Developing literacy skills has given him confidence to become a public speaker, a board member and a student representative. His long-term employment has only been made possible by his willingness to address his personal literacy issues.  He has recently been enrolled in a literacy program at P.A.L.S., in Edmonton.

Story

by Phil Beakhouse

My name is Phil Beakhouse.  I was born in Edmonton.  I had a brain tumour at birth.  It really affected the way I was as a person.  I went to school but I couldn’t retain anything.  I couldn’t read or write or understand math.  They told me I was dumb and I believed them. Nobody realized it was the tumour that was stopping me from learning.  It was right on the part of my brain that affected my memory.

When I left school I worked for the government.  The jobs were simple so I didn’t have to remember much.  I started having really bad headaches and they found the tumour with a cat scan.

When the tumour was removed my memory started to improve.  I started to retain stuff and my family noticed the difference. My mother and my ex wife started to help me learn to read. I tried to go back to school but it was hard to speak up and I thought I was the only person there who was having troubles.

A very good friend told me about P.A.L.S. They have one to one tutoring.  It was exactly what I needed.  I got more confidence and I could talk to my tutor.  I learned phonics and started reading like gangbusters.  I even took math and computers and could learn that.  It took about 15 years but now I read books and magazines and everything.

I like to read.  It can take you places you have never been.  I can be as good as the next person.  I got promoted to be a janitor.

I have worked 35 years for the government and can retire in the next couple of years.

I am going to keep learning.  I am a life long learner.  I would like to be a tutor myself and give back some of what I have learnt.  I want to help other people learn to read and write.

If you can’t read there are lots of places you can go. If you can read, become a volunteer. Help someone who can’t, like me.