The partnership between Friends of Literacy and the Knox County Adult Education Program, Pellissippi State Adult Education, the WAVE Program, Ross Learning Center, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Detention Facility delivers literacy (reading, writing, spelling, math) and related services to inadequately educated adults in Knox County.

The Learn Now program, which is entirely staffed by volunteers, allows these same adult learners to receive our services within walking distance of their homes or in locations in town not currently being served by a class.  Three of these locations are found in government/low income housing complexes in South and East Knoxville (Montgomery Village, Lee Williams, Green Hills Apartments), and one location is found at Fountain City United Methodist Church in North Knoxville.  Lastly, the New Readers class, which is the second component of the Learn Now program, is held in the Historic Knoxville High School. 

Our goal at Friends of Literacy is to give students the basic tools they need to become better workers , parents, and citizens. Most students initially read and write below a sixth-grade level. Classes are described in more detail below. If you know someone that could benefit from these services please e-mail us or call 865-594-1507.

ADULT LITERACY CLASSES

We provide financial and material support to classes designed to address the academic needs of adults who can’t read or who are pursuing a GED. Reading, math, and language arts are taught. Classes are designed to help students make it through the program and eventually obtain a GED.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM?

• It takes an average of 3 months for a student who enters at a seventh or eighth grade level to complete the program.
• It take an average of six to nine months for a student who enters at the fifth or sixth grade level to complete the program
• Students who enter at the lowest grade levels can take as long as two or three years to learn to read