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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.February 21, 2001 Bulletin #112
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). I will be away at TESOL from February 27th through March 4th, but will check voice and email as often as possible.
Janet Isserlis ____________________________________________________________ NOTICES
ESOL sharing/discussion group will meet on Tuesday, March 13th at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence, at 3:15 PM. Participants returning from the TESOL conference will be sharing ideas and materials; as always, all are welcome and topics for sharing/discussion are open.
Sharing/discussion session for adult educators with an interest in women and literacy will be held on Monday, March 26, at the Swearer Center for Public Service, 25 George Street, Providence. 3:30 pm. Citizenship test changes ? from Peggy Dean PDean@irc-desplaines.org on the NIFL ESL list: Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 - At the January 26 meeting of the Citizenship Educators Interest Group, facilitated by the Adult Learning Resource Center in Des Plaines Illinois, an INS Supervisor announced that a series of procedural changes have just been released concerning the dictation and reading portions of INS naturalization testing. The changes include the following points: The key to determining that a dictated sentence is acceptable or passing will be the ability of a "reasonable person" to decipher the meaning of the sentence. This will permit phonetic spelling. Punctuation and capitalization will not disqualify a sentence as long as it does not affect its meaning. If an applicant is unable to write the sentence read by the adjudicator, a second sentence will be read for dictation. If the applicant is unable to write that sentence, a third and final sentence will be given. Only one correctly written sentence is necessary to pass. In order to reject all attempts made by an applicant to write the dictation sentence(s), a supervisor must review the writing and agree that they fail to accurately communicate their meaning. Applicants will be asked to read one sentence. If they are unable to read the sentence given, a second sentence will be selected by the adjudicator. If the applicant is unable to read the second sentence, a third and final sentence will be designated. The Chicago district will continue to use the list of 30 sentences that have been designated as the only source for dictation and reading testing. These changes are now in effect in the Chicago district. We understand that their implementation is system wide. The response to the changes by applicants has been very positive. If you have questions, contact Peggy Dean, at the Adult Learning Resource Center, 847-803-3535. Publish: From Judy Wagner: If you have created education-related materials in the fields of adult, career, or vocational education, please consider submitting them to the ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education. Types of materials considered include: conference papers, research reports, completed manuscripts, instructional materials, annotated bibliographies, lesson plans, manuals, and handbooks. All materials accepted by ERIC are announced in the abstract journal Resources in Education and authors receive a complimentary copy of the document in microfiche. By sending your materials, the educational community will have access to your work via the Internet and at more than 1,000 locations throughout the world. In addition, the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS) can make your materials available in paper, microfiche, and electronic forms. The ERIC database is used by teachers, counselors, students, administrators, policymakers, researchers, parents, and the general public. To submit materials, please send them to Steve Chambers, ERIC/ACVE, 1900 Kenny Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1090. Each item should include a reproduction release form. The form can be obtained from the Clearinghouse's website at: http://www.ericacve.org/submit.htm or by calling 800-848-4815, extension 26991 or by e-mail to: <chambers.2@osu.edu>. Please contact us if you have any questions. Judy Wagner / wagner.6@osu.edu / ericacve.org/ ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education 1900 Kenny Road / Columbus OH 43210-1090 USA 614/292-8625; 800/848-4815 (ext 2-8625); FAX: 614/292-1260 TTY/TDD: 614/688-8734
TESOL adult ed standards The conceptual framework and the Core DRAFT Teacher Standards are now posted on TESOL's Web site at http://www.tesol.org/assoc/alstandards/index.html; Comments and response to the standards are being solcited; comments can be sent to Srisucha McCabe at smccabe@tesol.org. She will be collecting the responses for the TSTF meeting in St. Louis. The DRAFT Standards will be posted through February 15, 2001. The standards draft is also linked to LR/RI standards page, http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/standards.html
Funding opportunities: CTC Applications Expected in March
The 2001 Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) Competition.
The Rhode Island Foundation's website is a source to check from
time to time forinformation about ongoing funding opportunities in a variety
of areas. Go to http://www.rifoundation.org/grants.html;
as well visit the site overall at http://www.rifoundation.org/.
Bridging the Gap 2001 - learning support for all -
a 5-part series of workshops being presented by RI' s Bridges to Practice
team . The series, Bridging the Gap, consists of five 3-hour workshops,
scheduled for February 2. March 2, April 6, May 4 and June 8. All
sessions will be held at URI College of Continuing Education, Shepard Building,
Providence. For more information, please contact Elaine Stafford
(elaine_stafford@yahoo.com), 245ó1467; to register, contact LR/RI.
There is no fee for this series of workshops.
The RI Bridges to Practice team presents a 5-session continuum of best strategies for working with adult learners who have difficulties succeeding in a traditional classroom. These workshops will consist of multisensory, practical, direct teaching activities that can immediately be applied in an learning environment. March 2: Spelling: How hard it really is! April 6: Comprehension Strategies May 4: Down to earth grammar June 8: Math and Beyond: Integrating Content Areas All sessions will be held at URI - College of Continuing Education - Shepard Building, Room 328, from 1:45 to 4:45 pm. To register, contact Janet Isserlis at 863-2839, or janet_isserlis@brown.edu For more information contact Elaine Stafford at 245-1467 or elaine_stafford@yahoo.com Parking will be validated; refreshments will be served. Bridges to Practice presents these workshops in collaboration with the RI Department of Education.
Application forms for this year's Hands-on English ESL Minigrants competition are now available. To learn about the grants, please visit: http://www.handsonenglish.com and look for the "Minigrants" link. You can get an application form by contacting Hands-on English with your postal mailing address at P.O. Box 256, Crete, NE or download a PDF file of the application form on their website. The deadline for applying is June 30, 2001.
employment opportunities Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative Children's Program Coordinator
QUALIFICATIONS: BS/BA in Early Childhood or Elementary Education
or equivalent experience. ESOL instruction or training a plus; minimum
of two years experience working with children in a learning environment;
broad knowledge of resources pertaining to childhood education; experience
in training of staff and volunteers; supervisory experience; a demonstrable,
successful experience working with children of diverse economic or cultural
backgrounds; computer literate; travel throughout the State is required.
Flexibility required.
Assistant Director Worker Education Program SEIU Local 285
The Assistant Director will develop and implement all aspects of the
project, including: convening and coordinating labor-management committees
at participating employers to oversee program work; implementing training
and educational activities; completing all grant reporting and documentation;
and hiring and supervising program trainers and teachers. The ECCLI
project is funded for 16 months and funding is renewable. Outline
of Duties: Implement and coordinate program work, including
planning activities, training & educational project components and
program evaluation activities. Establish and staff ongoing labor/management
committees to oversee program activities at participating employer sites.
Develop union and work site leadership to work on labor/management committees.
Coordinate planning, implementation and monitoring of outreach, recruitment,
counseling, assessment, enrollment and course completion activities at
participating employer sites. Hire and supervise program trainers and teachers.
Oversee compliance with grant requirements and complete all required grant
documentation with assistance from project staff. Assist in administration
of grant budget. Coordinate and chair overall Advisory Committee for ECCLI
project. Develop procedures and forms to assist worker participants with
career goals.
Learning opportunity The Center for Women and Enterprise and the YWCA of Greater RI are offering two programs for women and their families. Making your money work will be offered in Providence on Thursdays from 6 to 8 PM, March 8 through April 26. There is a $12 registration fee. The series teaches foundation for managing finances and includes credit repair, expense management, budgeting, savings and investment tips. The second event, You, Your Kids and Money, presented by Phoenix Fiscal Fitness Seminar is a two hour session created to provide guidance, perspective and specific steps to educate children about money, and is free of charge, All participants receive individual support and financial counseling, free childcare and future opportunities to gain computer skills. You, Your Kids and Money will be presented on March 8, from 6 to 8 PM at the YWCA of Greater RI, 790 N. Main Street, Providence. To learn more about these events, please contact Betsy David at 277-0800 or Kim Harris, 831-9922. Deadline for registration is March 1, 2001.
online Adult Multiple Intelligences Study Web Site is up and running at http://pzweb.harvard.edu/ami From Donna Curry, Publications Coordinator, Equipped For the Future
National Center
Electronic Virus hoaxes ? recently I sent a virus alert to recipients
of the email version of this bulletin. Several of you were kind enough
to point out that this particular alert had been a hoax. The following
website provides lists of hoax viruses, for future reference
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
TESOL St. Louis, February 27 - March 3. Information
is available on line at http://www.tesol.org/
The National Conference on Family Literacy - Dallas, Texas March 18-20, 2001. Proposals are invited for participation in the Poster Session on Monday, March 19. Closing date for receipt of proposals is Friday, November 24. Information on the conference and the proposal form for the Poster Session are available online at http://www.famlit.org/conference/conf2001.html Texas Foreign Language Education Conference 2001 University of Texas - Austin March 23-24; http://www.utexas.edu/students/flesa/texflec
The 2001 COABE Conference will be held in Memphis, Tennessee, April 1-4, 2001. The registration brochure can be found online at http://cls.coe.utk.edu/abe/taace/coabe.html For hard copies, contact LR/RI. The annual meeting and workshops of the Adult Numeracy Network (ANN)
will be held this year on Saturday, March 31, from noon until 7:00 p.m.
at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN. The meeting is being held as
an extended pre-session to the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE)
national conference, April 1-4, 2001 in Memphis, TN. Join us for
a day of teaching and learning activities related to the GED 2002 Test.
We will begin with lunch followed by workshops and later a social hour.
All are included in the pre-session fee. Plenary and breakout sessions
include: Kenn Pendleton, Math Specialist from the GED Testing Service,
sharing the latest information on the new 2002 GED Mathematics Test and
will be available throughout the day to answer all our questions.
Casio is supplying each attendee a complimentary fx-260SOLAR calculator
(the one required for the 2002 GED Mathematics Test). We will use them
during a workshop on integrating calculator activities into instruction.
Additional workshops include activities for exploring data with learners,
family math, numeracy and science, and numeracy and Equipped For the Future
are slated. Besides numeracy nourishment, we will be supplying lunch, snacks
and a wine,/soda/cheese reception for networking, sharing and discussion.
As always, membership for next year is included in the registration fee.
You may register electronically at http://cls.coe.utk.edu/abe/taace/coabe.html
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
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 |
