LITERACY PROGRAMS
UNESCO has declared today International Literacy Day to focus on the worldwide problem of illiteracy. Orange County ranks seventh in the nation in the number of immigrants it receives each year, according to the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington D.C., and among them are many who do not speak English and lack skills in their native language as well. It is also estimated that one in five people in Orange County do not have the necessary reading, writing and comprehension skills necessary for employment advancement.
The following is a list of centers that provide tutoring in English to both native and non-native speakers. Instruction is available in groups or with private tutors. Lessons are free, unless otherwise indicated: ANAHEIM Altrusa Literacy Center First Presbyterian Church 310 W. Broadway (714) 535-3281 or (213) 431-1105 Trident Continuing Education Center 1800 W. Ball Road (714) 635-8560 Faith Lutheran Church 2219 W. Orange Ave. (714) 773-5867 Literacy Volunteers of America--Anaheim Haskett Branch Library 2650 W. Broadway (714) 821-0551 Teachers Tutorial Register Inc. 211 S. State College Blvd. Suite 306 (714) 569-1352 (Sliding-scale fee) BREA Literacy Volunteers of America--Brea Brea Branch Library 1 Civic Center Circle (714) 671-1722 BUENA PARK Literacy Volunteers of America--Buena Park Buena Park Library 7150 La Palma Ave. (714) 826-4100 COSTA MESA First United Methodist Church 420 W. 19th St. (714) 646-3347 or (714) 548-3384 Mardan Center of Educational Therapy 695 W. 19th St. (714) 631-6400 (Sliding-scale fee) Newport-Mesa Adult High School (714) 760-3302 Two locations: Davis Adult Center 1050 Arlington Drive Pomona Elementary School 2051 Pomona Ave. Saint Joachim Literacy Center 2964 Orange Ave. (714) 646-9972 Mesa Verde Literacy Center 1701 Baker St. (714) 546-3262 SOS Literacy Center 661 W. Hamilton St. Room 510 (714) 536-4904 CYPRESS Cypress Continuing Education Center 9200 Valley View St. (714) 995-2238 FOUNTAIN VALLEY Literacy Volunteers of America--Huntington Valley 17565 Los Alamos St. (714) 841-3773 FULLERTON Fullerton High School Continuing Education 201 E. Chapman Ave. (714) 870-3775 Fullerton Area Tutors 343 W. Amerige Ave., Suite 313 (714) 870-1388 Literacy Volunteers of America Fullerton Public Library 353 W. Commonwealth Ave. (714) 738-6345 Wilshire Continuing Education Center 315 E. Wilshire Ave. (714) 526-8258 YWCA Literacy Program 321 N. Pomona Ave. (714) 525-3728 GARDEN GROVE Crystal Cathedral Literacy Center 12141 Lewis St. (714) 637-5765 (day classes) (714) 826-6122 (evening classes) Garden Grove Adult Education 11262 Garden Grove Blvd. (714) 663-6305 Chapman Education Center Reading Lab 11852 Knott Ave. (714) 663-6525 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Literacy Center 13072 Bowen St. (714) 537-4243 United Methodist Church of Garden Grove 12741 Main St. (714) 971-7288 HUNTINGTON BEACH Golden West College 15744 Golden West St. (714) 895-8306 (Enrollment fee) Huntington Beach Adult School 10251 Yorktown Ave. (714) 964-6855 Literacy Volunteers of America--Huntington Valley Huntington Beach Branch Library 7111 Talbert Ave. (714) 841-3773 IRVINE Irvine Adult School 311 W. Yale Loop (714) 857-2684 Orton Dyslexia Society University High School 4771 Campus Drive (714) 645-2311 South Coast Literacy Council Fine Arts Center--Heritage Park Studio I 4601 Walnut Ave. (714) 951-7724 S.E.L.F. School 311 W. Yale Loop (714) 492-6393 LAGUNA BEACH South Coast Literacy Council Jewish Community Center 298 Broadway (714) 497-1138 La Mont Academie 27801 La Paz Road (714) 643-0313 (Sliding-scale fee) LA HABRA Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 150 N. Palm St. (213) 691-1814 Laubach Literacy Action of North Orange County (213) 691-6676 Two locations: Lutheran Church of the Master 1601 W. La Habra Blvd. La Habra Branch Library 221 E. La Habra Blvd. MISSION VIEJO South Coast Literacy Council Church of the Master Presbyterian 26051 Marguerite Parkway (714) 582-0187 MONARCH BEACH South Coast Literacy Council Dana Niguel Branch Library 33841 Niguel Road (714) 496-5517 or 493-3800 NEWPORT BEACH Newport Center Branch Library Literacy Services 856 San Clemente Drive (714) 644-3174 ORANGE Literacy Volunteers of America--Orange Taft Branch Library 740 E. Taft Ave. (714) 532-0421 Orange Adult Learning Center 541 N. Lemon St. (714) 997-1610 PLACENTIA Placentia Library Literacy Services 411 E. Chapman Ave. (714) 524-8408 SAN CLEMENTE South Coast Literacy Council 501 E. San Juan Ave. (714) 492-6393 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO Capistrano Unified Adult Education 31422 Camino Capistrano (714) 493-0658 South Coast Literacy Council California Federal Savings 31872 Del Obispo St. Ocean Hills Community Church 32222 Del Obispo St. (714) 497-1138 SANTA ANA Centennial Education Center 2900 W. Edinger Ave. (714) 667-3465 First Christian Church of Santa Ana 1720 W. 17th St. (714) 545-1984 Guin Foss Adult Education School 18492 Vanderlip Ave. (714) 730-7395 or 545-5095 Santa Ana Public Library Literacy Services 122 N. Newhope St. (714) 554-3455 Trinity Presbyterian Center 13922 Prospect Ave. (714) 545-5095 (day classes) (714) 838-3185 (evening classes) STANTON Stanton Branch Library 7850 Katella Ave. (714) 898-3302 TUSTIN St. Cecilia English Classes 1301 Sycamore St. (714) 633-8121, ext. 745 WESTMINSTER Coastline College Adult Education Basic Skills Center/PALS Reading Lab 13521 Edwards St. (714) 891-5497 First Presbyterian Church English Language Center 7702 Westminster Ave. (714) 847-8071 (night classes) (714) 893-6277 (day classes) Literacy Volunteers of America--Huntington Valley Westminster Library 8180 13th St. (714) 841-3773 For information on additional locations call (714) 646-3347. Source: Orange County Literacy Coalition