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LR/RI produces a bulletin roughly every two weeks in order to inform area practitioners of news, events, and calls for participation and also as a forum for posing questions, issues and discussion topics. The current bulletin is posted below. To read previous bulletins, go to Bulletin Archives.October 10, 2000 Bulletin #105
Dear Colleagues, Calls for participation, conference announcements, information about resources on line and the usual range of notices follow. To post information, please contact LR/RI or leave a message (863-2839). Thanks.
Janet Isserlis ____________________________________________________________ NOTICES
Additionally, a survey about resources for ESOL activities, recently
developed by Debby Venator, is available
online.
We request that teachers complete the survey and send their responses to
LR/RI by October 15.
Orientation -- rescheduled: the Orientation planned for September 16, at IIRI (645 Elmwood Ave) has been rescheduled for Saturday, October 21st from 9 to noon and/or Friday, November 3rd, also from 9 to noon. (breakfast will be served). Rhode Island Workforce Literacy Collaborative (RIWLC) is holding this Orientation for new (and experienced) Adult Education Workforce Practitioners. Our goal is twofold: One, to pilot an orientation for new practitioners in workforce education. Two, to have the opportunity to network with practitioners in the field and gather ideas about what kinds of staff development would be useful for them. All interested Adult Education Practitioners in RI are welcome to attend. You do not need to be a member of the Collaborative, or to work exclusively in workforce education. We welcome participation from experienced practitioners, as well, to add to the discussion. It will be an informal session, with Collaborative members and experienced practitioners available to share expertise and support. We will cover the following topics: Workforce/Workplace Adult Education in RI: highlights of several different kinds of programs RIWLC Staff Development Credential project, Panel Discussion with experienced practitioners (come with questions) ABE in the workplace, ESL in the workplace, pre-workforce education, mentoring resources available to Workforce Practitioners: materials, agencies, websites. For further information, please call or email: Elizabeth Jardine, Staff Development Project Manager, RI Workforce Literacy Collaborative 861-0815, email: Riwlceliz@aol.com Learning Disabilities training with Stromsky and Payne will begin October 16 - 19, with 9 follow up dates to be determined throughout the academic year. Learning Disabilities in Adults: STRATEGIES FOR INSTRUCTION
Back by popular demand, Dr. Anderson will continue the series of workshops based on the National ALLD Center publication, Bridges to Practice. This training provides a look at instructional strategies for adults with LD, based on strengthens and weaknesses. These workshops are facilitated by the New England Partnership for Adults with Learning Disabilities whose mission is to ensure that adults with learning disabilities receive the instruction and support necessary to achieve their educational and career goals. Funded through the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)
The Change Agent is available online:http://easternlincs.worlded.org/docs/changeagent. call for articles: The next issue of The Change Agent [March 2001] will focus on Media Literacy. Theme Media Literacy -- Educators and Adult Learners: We are looking for articles, lessons, activities, and student writings. Some questions to think about: - What effect does advertising have on your life? What TV programs do you watch? How do they reflect your own life and community? Where do you get your news about your community, state and the world? Should we care where the products we buy are made, by whom and under what kind of working conditions? What difference does it makes that only 10 transnational corporations control most newspapers, radio, cable and TV stations in the US and they also own many other businesses ranging from nuclear and electric power to music, movies, sports teams and travel? Please send your writings (on PC disk, if possible) and pictures or drawings to: Silja Kallenbach NELRC/World Education, 44 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210 phone: 617-482-9485 fax: 617-482-0617 email: skallenbach@worlded.org All articles must be received by November 1, 2000. All articles will be considered. Final decisions about content are made by The Change Agent Editorial Board. We also welcome referrals to people and programs working on projects related to the theme of this issue. from Silja Kallenbach, Coordinator, New England Literacy ResourceCenter/ World Education Steve Quann, NELRC's web master has created a great set of learning
activities, in collaboration with Jessica Spohn. These activities extend
from the articles in our Change Agent paper. This is a new Web site
that brings material from The Change Agent to the Web for teachers and
learners. It enables classes to utilize the interactivity of the
Internet while tackling the issues of social justice and civic participation.
http://easternlincs.worlded.org/lincs/whatsnew.htm
We would like to do more of this sort of thing, but we have no budget
for it. So, I'm recruiting volunteers to develop lesson(s) that extend
from selected articles in each issue of the paper that comes out
twice a year. Steve has agreed to mark up the lessons on the Web
and to show the prospective lesson writers some of the possibilities
the web offers for interactive lessons. The current issue of the
paper is on immigration. The next issue will be on the topic of media
literacy
3rd RI Partnerships to Employment conference and supported
employment honor roll reception - October 3 and 4 at the Providence
Marriott. Single day registration is possible for Thursday when Glenn
Young, and Steve Brunero address links between dis/abilities
and work.A few spaces are available for October 4th; Octuber 3rd is completely
filled. One day registration is $50. Contact Melissa at 456-8072
by Monday October 2nd.
Mailing list - if you would like to be on the mailing list for the RI Workforce Literacy Collaborative, please call 861-0815 or email riwlceliz@aol.com to be added to the list to receive updates on workforce education training, ongoing practitioner discussion groups and other events aso online at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/standards.html - report from the EFF study circle, and an open letter from David Hayes and study circle participants ______________________________________________________________________ From Thursday Notes, 10/5/00 From the Desk of Ronald S. Pugsley,
Director, DAEL
Adult Ed Students Show Job Gains; Steady Citizenship New data for our most recent year show that more adult education students got jobs, kept them or advanced on the job in 1998-99 than in 1997-98. While this development is supported by a burgeoning economy, it also may reflect the impact of state policymakers' and local educators' increased emphasis on work, in advance of the August 6, 1998 enactment of the Workforce Investment Act. In spite of the demands of work activity, the percent of adult education participants becoming citizens and registering to vote remained about the same as in the previous year. "What Works" For Learners Not Literate in Any Language With new
waves of US immigration drawing individuals from the lower economic scale
of most nations, how to teach English to new arrivals who are not literate
even in their own language is an increasing challenge for adult educators.
A study currently under way, funded by DAEL and the Planning and Evaluation
Service, is identifying the combination of ESL acquisition and literacy
development instruction to help improve functional English literacy skills
for these learners. Most students in the study have had no education in
their home countries and the majority are from Mexico. Researchers are
working in 12 programs in AZ, CA, IL, MN, NY, TX and WA this year and additional
programs next year. Final results of the study are expected in fall 2002.
Contact michael_fong@ed.gov
Proyecto Esperanza is recruiting people to work the polls on election day in November. They are looking for people that fit these requirements: -- They be: US citizens, registered voters in either Central Falls or Pawtucket, andbilingual speakers of Spanish and English If anyone does fit these requirements they need to contact Al at Proyecto Esperanza by 13 October to ask for more information at 728.0515. There will be a traing for the job on 1 Novemeber at 3 and then the actual work will be on election day 7 November from 6:15 am - 9:15 pm. If chosen there will be a monetary compensation. COABE call for participation ? deadline to submit a proposal to present
at COABE/Memphis (April 2001) is November 1st. For information, please
contact LR/RI.
Online: Election websites from MaryAnn Florez and other contributors to the
NIFL ESL and NLA electronic discussion lists:
(Scholastic.com has info on campaign issues and candidates' opinions)
There's an online book specifically for citizenship education:
Other U.S. government sites with quizzes & citizenship test practice: http://eleaston.com/govmat.html#US New Citizen Voter curriculum. http://www.ncg.org/difference/citi.html
From: David J Rosen DJRosen@world.std.com NLA List Moderator Colleagues and supporters of adult literacy/basic education and ESOL, -- In April I conducted an on-line survey of the field (including adult learners) to choose a name for a national system of adult education. Although consensus was not reached, six names received a solid majority and fewer than 10% of those voting said these six were unacceptable. It is now time to vote on these six (and one other name which I have added because it was used in the recently published national adult literacy agenda, "From the Margins to the Mainstream.") It is time to see if one is viewed by the field as superior to the others. If not, presumably any one of the seven names would serve, and then perhaps the National Coalition for Literacy -- which represents all organizations serving our field -- should choose a name. You might be asking why we need a name for a system of adult education.
This is part of an effort to get adult education the same kind ofrecognition
and resources as the other two education systems --
If you would like to participate in choosing this name, the Web address
ofthe survey is
Resource available: The newest State Policy Update, "The Professionalization of Adult Education: Can State Certification of Adult Educators Contribute to a More Professional Workforce" is now available for order through EDPubs by calling 1-877-433-7827. It is also available or you can download directly at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/policy/certification.pdf. online - the NIFL summit action agenda, Adult Literacy: From the
Margins to the Mainstream has been released, along with other
information relevant to the summit held last spring. The action agenda
sets out goals for adult literacy and education. Find it at http://www.nifl.gov/
or
contact LR/RI if you need help with accessing these materials online, or
to order printed copies of From the Margins to the Mainstream: An Action
Agenda for Literacy, call 1-800-228-8813 or go to the EDPubs site. Single
copies are available free of charge. For more information about the
report, please contact Robbin Sorensen, Coalition Chair. For more information
about the National Literacy Summit 2000 process that led to this report,
please visit http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/summit.html.
and read what Bill Clinton has to say about the work at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/summit/presidential_message.html
Temple University's Center for Intergenerational Learning is sponsoring
a national conference in Philadelphia on November 10-11. The conference,
Connecting
Generations, Strengthening Communities, will explore how generations
can work together to promote social change. Workshop themes include:
education/literacy, family support, child/elder care and positive youth
development. For more information, please call (215) 204-3767 or
visit our website, http://www.temple.edu/cil
[registration: $200 Early Bird Special (register by Sept 24) $225
after Sept 24 $125 one-day]
also online at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/standards.html - report from the EFF study circle, and an open letter from David Hayes and study circle participants
funding opportunity Pfizer Inc. Announces 2000 Health Literacy Grant Program Deadline: November 15, 2000 Pfizer (http://www.pfizer.com/) invites applications for two grants of $75,000 each: one for research to advance the understanding of health literacy, the second for an intervention that overcomes problems associated with low levels of health literacy. Examples of projects include: developing new measures or new ways of looking at the causes or impact of health literacy, developing programs that demonstrate improved health literacy, or creating policy initiatives that promote improved health outcomes. Grants may be used to supplement a specific aspect of already existing programs or research, but may not be used to supplant existing funding. Applications are encouraged from investigators in diverse fields such as health literacy, adult education, health economics, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public, health, anthropology, health policy, social work, the management sciences, and ethics. Proposals for community-based research and interventions are encouraged. Visit Pfizer's web site for program details and application information. Contact: Charlene Landis, Pfizer Inc. 235 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017-5755 Tel: (888) 457-3033 RFP Link (pdf format): http://www.pfizer.com/pfizerinc/about/health.pdf
Laubach Literacy is seeking grant applications for its National Book Scholarship Fund Laubach Literacy is seeking grant applications for its National Book Scholarship Fund (NBSF), which distributes books and educational material to qualified adult literacy and education programs nationwide. NBSF grants are designed to help educational groups expand their work or to begin new programs among under-served populations. First priority is given to family literacy programs that work to improve the literacy skills of parents and children. Grants are also awarded to programs that work with special groups, such as the homeless, refugees, people learning English, and adults with learning disabilities. Last year, the NBSF gave $225,625 worth of in-kind grants to 96 programs, and is made possible through the support of foundations, corporations and individual donors across the country. For information or to apply for a grant, contact Mara Roberts, project administrator, NBSF , Laubach Literacy, PO Box 131, 1320 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210; telephone 315-422-9121, email mroberts@laubach.org. Additional information is on line at http://www.laubach.org/NBSF/indexnbs.html. The grant application will be available online from September 1 to November 30, 2000; applications will be accepted until December 7, 2000. Laubach Literacy is a nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to helping adults improve their lives and their communities by learning reading, writing, math and problem-solving skills. The Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education (SCALE) will hold its Read.Write.Act Conference for campus-based literacy groups October 27-29th, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We would like to feature model campus-based family literacy programs -- especially those that incorporate America Reads work study students. If you have such a program, please consider submitting a workshop proposal! We'd like to hear from you and learn about your work. For more information about SCALE's national training and technical assistance, presenting a workshop and attending the RWA conference, check our website at http://www.unc.edu/depts/scale. or contact Kathy Sikes, Executive Director, (SCALE) 208 North Columbia Street, UNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill , CB#3505 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3505 ph: 919.962.1542 fax: 919.962.6020 volunteer opportunity: Volunteers needed for English/literacy program. Tutor basic English skills to adult learners from all over the world in your local library. Training provided, no experience needed. 2 hours/twice a week, morning or early afternoon classes, For information or to register, call Denise at 455-8041. Providence Public Library Family Literacy Program, Volunteers are also needed for children's program. volunteer opportunity Writing skills teacher/tutor needed. A male in his thirties wishes to improve his writing skills with the goal of writing successful grant funding proposals for some arts projects that he is developing. He will benefit most from a small group situation aimed at carrying out a more or less formal program of activities in-class that are aimed acquiring and using spelling, grammar and writing skills. Though he readily devotes time outside class to creating first drafts, he does not as easily find time to do excercises/revisions. His typing and computer skills are weak and his work is handwritten. Although he has a high school diploma, he was in classes for Special Students most of his high school career. He seeks a low-cost learning opportunity in Pawtucket, Central Falls or nearby Providence. Please call Jane Ingle 334-2649 (email: ibhji@hotmail.com), if you can offer ideas for assistance.
employment opportunities
The Institute for Labor Studies and Research is seeking ESOL teachers for its Dislocated Worker Education Program. Part time (four hours per week teaching + one hour prep) evening and full-time (20 hours per week teaching + five hours prep) are available at the Institute's Pawtucket site. For more information contact David Hayes at 722-1648 or Jackie Kelly at 463-9900. ONLINE Worker.gov http://www.workers.gov connects to more than 1,000 federal, state and local government resources. Through the site, one can search a variety of Internet job listings, acquire skills through distance learning, scan websites for medical information, find services for families in need, plan for retirement, or explore resources available for people with disabilities. Families can also plan vacations, obtain advice on managing and investing income, look for volunteer opportunities, file a safety complaint, find school lunch programs or health insurance for children. New refugee information website: http://www.culturalorientation.net draft standards are posted on LR/RI's standards page. Please view the standards at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/standards.html and send comments to LR/RI. Hard copies of the standards are also available upon request. Almost 20 adult educators have participated in drafting these standards and welcome your input. Stop the Hate, http://www.stopthehate.net/index1.htm
- provides numerous resources of value to anyone working in adult education,
community development and/or hoping to consider viable ways in which to
approach social change.
conferences - conferences are listed chronologically and are updated with each bulletin
Call for Proposals to present at the 10th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy, Partners in Learning, to be held March 18 - 20, 2001 in Dallas, Texas. Deadline to Submit Proposals: October 6, 2000. Call for Proposals available at: www.famlit.org If it is not possible to access the form off the website, you may call 502-584-1133x135 and make a request for one to be mailed to you or faxed to you. (If you leave a voice message, please provide your complete mailing address and/or fax number) LVA Conference October 4 -7 Kansas City, MO: Show Me the Future! information available at: http://www.literacyvolunteers.org/conference/index.htm. Those who attend are encouraged to share information, materials etc. through the bulletin and/or coming sharing sessions. Please contact LR/RI.
AAACE national adult education conference schedule is available; - The American Association of Adult and Continuing Educationís national conference will be held in Providence in November; The early registration deadline for the AAACE conference has been extended indefinitely;. For information, please contact LR/RI or go to AAACE's website at http://www.cdlr.tamu.edu/tcall/aaace/conferences/aace2000.htm Promoting Participation in Community Development Models, Methods and Best Practices A workshop for practitioners, researchers and community organizers wanting to build public participation in community development, community youth development, community health and environmental projects. Sponsored by the Community Partnership Center - University of Tennessee Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday November 30 - December 3, 2000 Knoxville, TN This workshop will focus on models, methods, tools and best practices
for promoting participation in community development. Pactitioners with
particular experience in the areas of community development, community
youth development, community health, and environmental projects will share
models and methods for doing participatory community research and planning,
and will facilitate small group sessions around their own experiences and
participants' best practices in these sectors.
for more complete information see Bulletin 100, or contact LR/RI.
January 22-24, 2001 Atlanta, The Center for the Study of Adult Literacy at Georgia State University, in collaboration with Laubach Literacy Action and the Centre for Literacy of Quebec, announces the third International Conference on Women and Literacy. The focus of the conference is Language, Culture, and Literacy as they relate to women in adult basic education classes. Call for Presenters - presentation proposals are due August 1. We are defining adult basic education as basic literacy, ESL, family literacy, health literacy, workplace literacy, pre GED, and GED classes. We purposely did not define language and culture in the proposal, because we want presenters to feel free to define these terms in ways that are meaningful for them. The conference will address the following question: How do language, culture, literacy and women interact in basic literacy, ESL, family literacy, health literacy, workplace literacy, pre-GED, and GED classes? Proposals for presentations are invited from Practitioners, Researchers, Policy Makers, and Learners. Proposals with an international perspective are particularly encouraged. All proposals should address Practice, Research, and/or Policy, and can be presented as a seminar, workshop, demonstration, panel discussion, or round table. The round tables will be scheduled for 1 hour, and all others for 1 1/2-hours and 3 hours. Lead presenters will be notified regarding proposal acceptance by September 1. More information: contact LR/RI, or download forms at http://education.gsu.edu/CSAL .
from previous bulletins: REMINDERS,
RESOURCES:
LD/ESOL resources: ESL Instruction and Learning Disabilities,
the new digest from the National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education
(NCLE) by Robin Schwarz and Lynda Terrill is available from ncle@cal.org,
from (202) 362-0700, ext. 200, or can be downloaded at www.cal.org/
ncle/digests/LD2.htm NCLE is also unveiling a new feature: a
resource collection. The title of this first collection is Learning Disabilites
and Adult ESL and is posted at www.cal.org/ncle/whatnew.htm
The Resource Collection contains articles, reports, books, websites, organizations,
electronic discussions, policy materials, ERIC documents, and other resources
that address the featured topic. NCLE welcomes your comments, suggestions,
and recommendations for additions to the collection.
list servs: LR/RI listserv: As some of you know, Literacy Resources has a list serv - an email discussion group available to anyone with access to email in the state (or beyond, as interest warrants). To learn more about the list, or to subscribe, please send an email message to janet_isserlis@brown.edu. To date, about 30 people have joined the list. Its purpose is to provide a forum for local educators to discuss policy, practice, resources, issues and news related to our work with one another. Unlike the bulletin, which arrives as email, the list is interactive - when you respond to message from the discussion list, everyone else on the list receives your message -- and the conversation, we hope, continues and grows. VALUE e-list: VALUE has established a valuelearners mailing for email users, hosted by the Western/Pacific Literacy Network, part of the National Institute for Literacy Information and Communication Network System (LINCS). This "e-list" is a way for adult learners who are members of VALUE to communicate with each other. Only adult learners who are members of VALUE can subscribe to this e-list. VALUE is the national organization for adult learners (current or former participants in adult basic skills programs) in the United States. VALUE provides training and other supports to adult learners who want to be more effective leaders in their education programs, communities, and states. This e-list is being managed by members of VALUE's Communications Committee. Subscribers are encouraged to communicate about information, ideas, questions, or problems of interest to them. If you are a member of VALUE and need help subscribing, please contact LR/RI. If you're not a member, but would like to become one, contact LR/RI or visit the VALUE website at http://literacynet.org/value.
LEARNER is intended primarily for adult learners. LITERACY is a general list for adult literacy practitioners and others. Information on these electronic lists is below. LEARNER To subscribe to LEARNER, send an email message to: listserv@nysernet.org Skip the message header and in the body of the message, type: subscribe LEARNER Yourfirstname Yourlastname All submissions to LEARNER should be addressed to: LEARNER@nysernet.org Questions regarding the list should be sent to: Beverly Choltco-Devlin Moderator, LEARNER bdevlin@dreamscape.com LITERACY To subscribe to LITERACY, send an email message to: listserv@nysernet.org Skip the message header and in the body of the message, type: subscribe LITERACY Yourfirstname Yourlastname All submissions to LITERACY should be addressed to: LITERACY@nysernet.org Questions regarding the LITERACY list should be sent to: Beverly Choltco-Devlin bdevlin@dreamscape.com
Welfare to work listserv: from Glenn Young - For those interested in the subject of welfare reform and learning disabilities, there has been a listserv created through NIFL. To sign up, please send a message to: listproc@literacy.nifl.gov write in the body of the message subscribe nifl-wtwld and your name. Do not write anything in the subject line and do not use any dots or dashes other than between nifl and wtwld. (Click here for more information on listservs). Professional development initiative: In 1998, I spent time at the RI Dislocated Worker Program, facilitating classes for teachers there so that they could have an opportunity to observe one another's classes and to reflect on their learning and teaching. (The full text of their reflections is available on the LR/RI web site at Writing from the Field - or contact LR/RI for a hard copy). Please let me know if you would like to participate in this process of professional development. All that's required is your willingness to share your reflections about the observation/learning process for others. I hope to build a block of writing and thinking about this and other forms of our own professional development both through the bulletin and the web site.
Please contact LR/RI if you have information, questions or announcements to share with adult educators in Rhode Island. Bulletins go out at least twice a month; more frequently when there's more to share. To submit information for the next bulletin, please contact LR/RI by phone (401-863-2839), mail (PO Box 1974, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912) or email. back to LR/RI home |
