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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.April 6, 2001 Bulletin #115
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).
Janet Isserlis ____________________________________________________________ NOTICES
ESOL sharing/discussion group will meet on Tuesday, April 24th at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence, at 3:15 PM. People are asked to bring examples of commercially produced or teacher/learner-generated materials to share ? what are you using? What do you like/dislike about these materials? With or without materials in hand, all are welcome. As well, Bob Mason will be joining us to share insights and information about upcoming ESOL-related events and funding. A survey about resources for ESOL activities, developed by Debby Venator, is available online. We request that teachers complete the survey and send their responses to LR/RI as sson as possible. Learning opportunity - fall 2001 Transition to College at Providence Adult Education Learning Center The Providence Adult Education Adult Learning Center is recruiting for its fall session. Students who are interested in learning about our program should call the center to be place on our waiting list. The Transition to College program is free, and open to students who have a GED or high school diploma, and are fluent in English. The 16-week transition program offers career-development workshops, basic computer classes, and reading, writing, math, and study skills classes to help prepare students for college. The program also offers assistance in attaining financial aid information, as well as, help filling out the college application forms. These classes are appropriate for adults who are looking to start college
or a technical program but may need to brush up on their reading, writing
and math skills. Students must also be proficient in English. The
Providence Adult Education program is located at 160 Broad St., the YMCA
building, second floor. For information, call Marie Crecca-Romero at 331-0766.
From Dionne Dobbins, Research Analyst American Institutes for Research: PRO-NET 2000's web site site provides the adult education and literacy field with up-to-date information about professional development resources, materials, and activities. PRO-NET 2000's guiding philosophy is to draw upon the field's expertise and experience to enhance the quality of professional development and to foster continuous program improvement. The PRO-NET 2000 team is in the process of developing competencies for professional development coordinators. We would like to build on your expertise to guide us. Register now (http://www.pro-net2000.org) and take a few minutes to respond to PRO-NET 2000's REQUEST FOR FIELD INPUT on professional development competencies. Your input is very valuable as we continue to develop materials for the adult education community.
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.
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, Providence, 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. save the dates Thursday, May 24, 1-4 pm Cassandra Drennon, who has worked with practitioners around the country on issues related to practitioner research, will present a workshop focusing on teacher inquiry, its possibilities and ways in which we in Rhode Island might consider utilizing this valuable professional development vehicle. In June, current inquiry project participants will share their findings - meanwhile, information their work is available at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/inquiry.html Details forthcoming soon about Cassie Drennonís workshop and about the inquiry project share. and Friday June 1. Extended ESOL/LD workshop with Robin Schwarz ? details to be announced soon.
Online, from Anna Silliman, editor of Hands on English - reading/discussion activity called "Where do your taxes go?" is on our website at http://www.handsonenglish.com/currentevents.html I hope that this article will help your (intermediate) students join in the national discussion about taxes and the federal budget. Also, our latest print issue of Hands-on English was just mailed out--it includes three activities about filling out your tax forms. These are meant to help familiarize students with the process that people go through each year. (They are not meant to help students with their individual taxes.) Hands-on English, P.O. Box 256, Crete, NE 68333 Toll-free: 1-800-ESL-HAND (1-800-375-4263) Phone:402-826-5426 Fax: 402-826-3997 Email: anna@handsonenglish.com Helping Adult Learners to Persist - April 18th, 2-4 PM
Learning opoprtunity / professional development Emi Flynn of Multisensory Learning Associates offers teaching
training courses in Orton-Gillingham ? a systematic, multisensory and phonetically-based
approach to teaching reading and spelling for summer 2001. Courses
are held in East Greenwhich, RI (Friday July 27, and Monday through
Friday July 30 ? August 3, and in Rehoboth MA, August 10 and August 13-17.
Tuition ($975 for 45 hour course; $1450 for yearlong practicum) is due
by June 1 for the course, and September 1 for the practicum, with a deposit
being required to hold places for one and/or the other. For further
information, please call 508-252-6482.
Call for proposals - TESOL 2002 - the form for submission of proposals for TESOL 2002, Language and the Human Spirit, April 9-13, 2002, Salt Lake City, Utah, is online at http://www.tesol.org [click on either "What's New or on "Conventions." Proposals will be accepted over the Web until approximately 9 am EST, May 2. Once submitted on-line, submitters have until 5 pm EST, May 4, to make changes to title, abstract, or summary. A 57k Adobe Acrobat PDF file of the Call for Participation for TESOL 2002 is also available at http://www.tesol.org/pdfs/2002call.pdf and an on-line information request form http://www.tesol.org/global/request.html provides an easy way for visitors to request a printed Call for Participation be mailed to them.
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 SEIU Local 285 WORKER EDUCATION PROGRAM (WEP)
Program Trainer
Basic Skills / Program Trainer
Pay Scale: $628.00 to $ 884.00 per week. Benefits: Outstanding
benefits package
Energetic individual needed to teach Russian refugees ESL in preparation for citizenship exam. Applicant must show sensitivity to people of Jewish culture, have good instruction and communication skills and one year experience in adult education instruction. Please fax 401-33105772 or send resume to Dan Kane, LICSW, Coordinator, Resettlement Services, Jewish Family Service, 224 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02906. Equal opportunity employer. No phone calls, please.
LVA National - Dynamic, national literacy organization seeks
individual, with a minimum 3 years experience, to write foundation, government
and corporate grant proposals. Responsible for research, prospect
cultivation, proposal writing, finalizing budgets, monitoring proposals
and reporting to funders. This part-time consultant will work closely with
the Program Development Department, the President and the Resource Development
team. Master's degree or the equivalent experience in fund development
and/or grant writing with excellent organizational, communication, and
relationship-building skills required. 20 hrs/wk. Fax or email letter
and resume with salary requirements to: Christine Kshyna at 315-472-0002[fax]
or cksnyna@literacyvolunteers.org.
Visit our web site at www.literacyvolunteers.org <http://www.literacyvolunteers.org/>
. Application deadline: April 30, 2001. AA/EOE For a copy of the
full job description send a request to info@literacyvolunteers.org
online from Thursday notes, April 5, 2001
Hispanic Population Soars In Unlikely Spots For ESL - The US Hispanic population grew 58 percent nationwide last year to 35.3 million, compared to just 13 percent population growth for the nation as a whole, says 2000 Census data. While major cities remain centers for Latino populations, leading states include NM, TX, FL and AZ. The Hispanic population of New Mexico, for instance, grew 32 percent this decade. Nearly one of every two New Mexicans is Hispanic, the highest percentage in the country. Census data also show a projected trend: growth among Latinos across the south and midwest in states that, until recently, were primarily made up of non-Hispanic whites and African Americans. North Carolina led the country in Hispanic growth--up 394 percent over the decade--followed by AR, GA, TN and NV. While the actual number of Hispanics was far fewer than in California, midwestern states such as MN, NE and IA had greater growth rates. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/ and site search AP for "Hispanics." Go to April 2. ESL Lessons Available Online http://www.everythingesl.org for lesson plans, teaching tips, resource links and discussions on teaching ESL learners. Much of the material is free; some is for sale. Site recognized by the National Education Association. also online Language and Literacy is a Canadian on-line journal for educators interested in a broad range of literacy issues encompassing research and teaching in multimedia, print, and oracy. Available at http://educ.queensu.ca/~landl/ Literacy on NPR - National Public Radioís Morning Edition recently focused attention on literacy. See the links they chose to support these programs and hear them online at http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2001/mar/010319.literacy.links.html
Walk for Literacy - Saturday, May 5th. If you need information about the Walk, please contact LR/RI. As well, information will be available soon about Adult Education events planned at the State House.
Call for Articles for the Next Issue of The Change Agent
The Change Agent is a biannual newspaper published by the New
England Literacy Resource Center of World Education. The mission
is to provide news, issues, ideas and other teaching resources that inspire
and enable adult educators and learners to make civic participation and
social justice related concerns part of their teaching and learning. Each
issue of the 24-page newspaper focuses on a different social justice topic.
Some of the past issues have been about the changing world of work, environmental
health, immigration, and media literacy. The Change Agent includes a mix
of articles and activities that are of interest to both teachers and students
in adult education programs (GED, basic literacy, English as a Second Language).
The newest issue of The Change Agent, Focus On The Media And
You, is available and contains a variety of articles including: What Do
You Think...Does The Media Promote Violence, The Corporate Curriculum,
"Making A Killing" ---- The Marlboro Man Rides On, Media Activism: Learners
Turn The Tables With Grassroots Media Projects, Students For Sale, Who
Owns The News, How To Detect Bias In The News Media, and Fake News.
The Change Agent is available in hard copy through LR/RI, online at www.nelrc.org/changeagent
; and through subscription ? contact NELRC/World Education, Attn:Kerline
Tofuri, 44 Farnsworth St., Boston, MA 02210. F individual copies can be
obtained from Art Ellison <aellison@ed.state.nh.us>. Please include
a mailing address if you would like a free paper copy. The Change
Agent in the Classroom ? resources to accompany Change Agent articles óas
well as The Change Agent itself -- are online at http://www.nelrc.org/changeagent/.
Educators and Adult Learners:
conferences - conferences are listed chronologically and are updated with each bulletin The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and PIRI invite you to the LEARNING & THE BRAIN CONFERENCE, a meeting for teachers, administrators, Learning specialists, and psychologists, May 3-4, in Washington, D.C. Learn how to improve teaching, learning, and child behavior through brain-compatible curriculum, instruction, and assessment. A distinguished faculty of neuroscientists paired with leading educators will help you translate the remarkable findings of brain research into practical strategies for your school or work with children. Earn up to 14 continuing education credits. Groups rates and student discount rates available. For program information and online registration: http://www.EDUPR.com Email: piricc@mail.com Topics include: LD, ADHD, the arts, behavior, memory, cognition and
emotion, instruction/ assessment, gender differences, child and brain development,
temperament, brain-based teaching,
from previous bulletins: REMINDERS, RESOURCES:
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. 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 |
