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Struggles With Daily Life Due To Reading and Writing Challenges
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Ready to Simplify Your Life?' Sign Up Now! A schedule, a meal plan, a memo from the boss - life can take a turn for the complicated fast. Many grown-ups in Germany juggle these trivial tasks with challenging grace, even if it doesn't always appear the case. The results often leave them in a state of confusion, isolation, and the blues. But it doesn't have to be this way: The Adult Education Center Bergisch Gladbach steps in with solutions and a fresh perspective.This is a sponsored post by VHS Bergisch Gladbach
Take Melanie S., for example. At 54, she's worked in the gastronomy industry for a spell. Her work environment is a buzzing hive: menus, schedules, notes - every bit of it requires reading and writing. But for Mel, this is no walk in the park.
As Melanie describes it, the days when she tried to keep her struggles under wraps were arduous. Guests would query the menu, and she'd ask a colleague to help out. She'd mess up shift recordings and often arrive late. For Mel, flubbing up meant feeling humiliated. She often pondered quitting her job.
One day, her boss approached her directly and asked about her reading and writing difficulties. "I poured my heart out to her," says Mel. This honest conversation led her to contact the Adult Education Center Bergisch Gladbach, a move that took courage but paid off.
"Let's find a way we can assist you"
Patricia Schmidthaber, the contact person for basic education at VHS Bergisch Gladbach, takes the time for Melanie: "In the initial, obligation-free consultation, we'll discuss what skills you already possess. We'll figure out where we can help you out."
On June 18, Patricia Schmidthaber will be present with an information booth at the market in Bergisch Gladbach from 11 AM to 1 PM.
Today, Mel attends a basic education course regularly. The class is small, with a friendly vibe. She learns hands-on - for example, how to read and use gastronomy terms with precision and flair. Mel likewise practices at home using the free online learning platform "vhs-Lernportal."
"I used to think learning couldn't possibly be enjoyable again," says Mel today.
What's Basics Education?
Basic education involves more than just reading and writing. Fundamental skills essential for work and life lie at the heart of basic education: filling out forms, jotting down notes, understanding texts, and rebuilding shattered self-esteem.
Statistics: Around 6.2 million German-speaking adults of working age (18 to 64 years) are classed as "low literate" and experience problems reading or writing letters, sentences, or coherent texts, depending on the "Alpha level." This restricts them in their daily lives and careers[1].
More than 60% of these individuals are employed[2].
Basic Education in Bergisch Gladbach
Adult Education Center: Services Offered
Consultation by phone: Patricia Schmidthaber - 0151 722 588 04
Open Learning Café at VHS Bergisch Gladbach: Buchmühlenstraße 12, Room 308 Thursdays, 5:00-5:45 PM (except during school holidays)
Basic Education Courses: Start anytime you're ready!
On June 18, Patricia Schmidthaber will be present with an information booth at the market in Bergisch Gladbach from 11 AM to 1 PM.
For more information, head to www.vhs-gl.de/kurse/grundbildung
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References:- 1: International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED): "ISCED 2011 – Documentation (Version 3.0), UNESCO Institute for Statistics and OECD (http://uis.unesco.org/Education/Pages/isce-63rd-international-conference-on-education-statistics)."- 2: Grotlüschen, Anke; Buddeberg, Klaus; Dutz, Gregor; Heilmann, Lisanne; Stammer, Christopher (2019): "LEO 2018 - Living with Low Literacy. Press brochure, Hamburg."
- Melanie's journey in the gastronomy industry was challenging due to her reading and writing difficulties, but she found help from the Adult Education Center Bergisch Gladbach, focusing on health-and-wellness and self-development in the form of basic education courses.
- The Adult Education Center Bergisch Gladbach offers various services, including consultation by phone, an Open Learning Café, and basic education courses, aiming to simplify and improve adults' lives, including science-based skills essential for work and life.
- Patricia Schmidthaber, the contact person for basic education, also promotes mental health and fitness-and-exercise in her role, offering support and a friendly vibe to learners anxiously navigating their journey towards self-improvement and skill development.
