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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.August 15, 2003 Bulletin #169
Dear Colleagues, Calls for participation, employment, funding, and conference and workshop opportunities, online and other resources. To post information, please contact LR/RI or leave a message (401-863-2839).
Janet Isserlis
NOTICES
Put a face to the numbers - http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/175/1/146/ OMB watchís Social Investment Initiative (SII) is based on the premise that a discussion of federal budget priorities must begin at the state and local level. Following is a short description of the project. Read about it, and about how to utilize these strategies in support of adult learning: http://lists.literacytent.org/pipermail/ncl_update/2003/000012.html ESOL share Friday, October 3 at 2 PM Genesis Center, 620 Potters Ave, Providence Adult education research share Monday, September 22 at 2 PM, at the Genesis Center State Adult Education Conference - Thursday, April 22, 2004. details in the next bulletin.
CASAS Certification Training. The Providence Housing Authority is looking to hold an onsite CASAS certification training for its adult education staff. Other adult education providers wishing to share the costs of this training should contact Therese Strik at 401-751-6400, ext.6402 or thereses@pha-providence.com. What Does Freedom in the Workplace Mean to You? The Institute for Labor Studies has received a grant from the RI Committee on the Humanities to produce a video on freedom in the workplace. If you or someone you know (i.e. members, workers, employers, advocates, immigrants, people involved in union organizing drives, people fired or treated unjustly by their employers, etc., etc.) is willing to be interviewed for this project, please contact Chuck Schwartz at the Institute for Labor Studies 401-463-9900, charlesvschwartz@att.net, or http://www.RILaborInstitute.org Note: We can keep the personÇs name & workplace confidential, not show their faces, and even not use their voices.
SURVEY: As part of a project supported by the American Foundation for the Blind,
SABES South East, the Adult Literacy Resource Institute (Boston SABES)
and LR/RI are collaborating to develop a two-part workshop series addressing
issues related to adults with visual impairments participating in adult
language and literacy programs. In order to ensure that our workshops address
both needs and interests of area programs and practitioners, we ask that
you please complete this survey.Ý
If you would like a copy of the survey in word format, please contact
LR/RI.
1. Are you working with adult learners with any kind of visual impairment? If so, what kinds of visual difficulties?ÝÝ 2. Have you ever worked with adults with visual impairments? 3. If you have provided services for adults with visual impairments, what strategies/ accommodations did you utilize? (for example, large print, large computer screen, assistive devices [magnifiers, e.g.], lighting, etc.) 4. How well is your program equipped to work with learners with visual impairments? 5. What resources are you aware of to assist adults with visual impairments? 6. What would you like to learn about working with adults with visual impairments? 7. If you are interested in learning more about the training, or if you have questions that we can answer (or find those who can), please contact LR/RI. Statewide conference Save the date: April 22, 2004 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 soon as possible. Rhode Island Special Interest Group of MATSOL The Rhode Island SIG is a group of professionals in ESOL and Bilingual
Education organizing under the auspices of MATSOL, in order to meet the
professional needs in the field in Rhode Island. Our purpose is to
recruit ESOL and Bilingual Education professionals in Adult ESOL, Higher
Ed, Workplace Ed, Elementary, Secondary, and Low-Incidence programs serving
English Language Learners in Rhode Island, to determine advocacy and professional
development needs. If you are interested in joining or learning more
about the Rhode Island Special Interest Group of MATSOL, you can contact
Jenifer Giroux by e-mail jgiroux@ric.edu or at 456-8794.
learning opportunities Online learning: - opportunity to participate in five 3 credit courses and practicum, focused on adult education and designed to satisfy requirements for: Adult Education Endorsement, .12 graduate creditsl "Certificate of Completion in Adult Education" and. Recertification credits Classes begin September 8. Registration forms must be completed and faxed to VALRC 804-828-7539 on or before August 29. Don Finn is the instructor for both Fall courses. http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/news/2003/august/online-edu.html To register, download the form linked below, complete both pages and fax to the Resource Center at 1-804-828-7539. http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/news/2003/august/CourseRegistration.pdfÝ Tuition is based on a reduced off-campus rate for a cohort of 20 participants: $1,500 per student, $300 per person for a 3 credit hour course [Compared to off-campus rate: $456 per person for a 3 credit hour course]. Two courses will be available online toward the Certificate in Family
Literacy sponsored by Penn State's Goodling Institute for Research
in Family Literacy in partnership with the National Center for Family Literacy
and Penn State's World Campus. The Introduction to Family Literacy
(ADTED 497A will be offered for the second time. Adult Literacy (ADTED
497B, will be offered for the first time. The Introduction to Adult
Education (ADTED 460) is available every semester. http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/pub/famlt/
Courses in the 15-credit certificate may be applied to a bachelor's or
master's degree program. Tuition is priced as low as possible.
Orientation begins on August 27 with classes beginning on September 3.
Please contact Nickie Askov (ena1@psu.edu) if you have any questions.
Job Training Programs at The Genesis Center for September Culinary Arts: September 15- December 19, 2003 (see below), Teacher Assistant: October 14- January 16, 2004 Office Skills/Computer: September 15- January 16, 2004 All Programs meet 30 hours per week Registration: Thursday, August 28th
10am-12pm and Wednesday, September 3rd 6-8pm Or call DeeDee at 781-6110
X18
what do you think? LR/RI has had an online survey on its site for months. Previously, those who may have come across the survey were asked to copy and paste it into an email message, or to print it and complete it. Thanks to the brilliant technical support and inservice learning provided by Brown University, the survey can now be completed on line. I'd be grateful if you could please take the time to complete it. While occasional word comes back about the work LR/RI has done, this survey attempts to be somewhat more systematic in considering the work that's done and the work that needs to be accomplished. Please complete the survey at http://www.brown.edu/lrri - scroll down and click on the link to the survey. If you lack web access and wish to complete the survey, please contact LR/RI to receive one via snail mail or fax. OVAE's "Blueprint for preparing for America's future. The Adult and Literacy Education Act of 2003" The Blueprint can be found at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/AdultEd/aeblueprint2.doc. It's been described as a document comparable to that which spawned the No Child Left Behind initiative. We should read it. funding opportunities - large and less large Funding Available for Community Based Research and Social Action Projects The Sociological Initiatives Foundation provides grants of $5,000 to $15,000 to support community-based research and social action projects. Areas of interest include but are not limited to social justice, social welfare, human rights, literacy, language learning and use, dialect use and curricular issues in teaching second languages and non-native languages. The Foundation is also interested in supporting research by sociologists and linguists that provide a direct benefit to communities. Complete guidelines for the September 2003 application deadline are available at http://www.grantsmanagement.com/sifguide.html. For more information, contact Prentice Zinn at http://comm-org.utoledo.edu/mailman/listinfo/colist pzinn at grantsmanagement.com or 617-426-7080. Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy invites applications
for 2004 National Grant Competition Deadline: September 5, 2003
The Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) announces another round of education reform grants in areas of social science research. PRACC is particularly interested in issues such as high classroom turnover/mobility and its disproportionate impact on low-income, minority, and farm worker students. However, other issues will be considered as well. To apply, send PRRAC a proposal outlining the planned research and methodology, the advocacy work it is designed to support, a budget, timeline, and qualifications of the researchers. Maximum grant: $10,000. No application deadline. http://www.prrac.org/grants.htm Funding Solutions for Small Nonprofit Organizations A collection of resources to help small nonprofit organizations fundraise including ways to motivate your board, sample fundraising letters, phonathon advice, and tips to improve your direct mail solicitation. http://www.nonprofit-innovations.com/
employment opportunities Teaching positions Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative Family Literacy Program Lead ESOL Teacher(s) needed for intergenerational ESOL family
literacy program in the Providence Public Library system. Work as
a team to develop and implement family literacy activities in library-based
program.Ý
Children's Teacher(s) needed for intergenerational ESOL family
literacy program in the Providence Public Library system. Work as
a team to develop and implement family literacy activities in library-based
program. Develop materials and lesson plans for the Children's Program,
teach a class of children ages 3-12, and work closely with the Lead Teacher
and Computer Teacher for the development of whole group activities.
Computer Assistant(s) needed for intergenerational ESOL family
literacy program in the Providence Public Library system. Work as
a team to develop and implement family literacy activities in library-based
program. Develop materials and lesson plans for the adult students
in the program, teach basic computer skills, use computer programs to increase
English fluency, and work closely with the Lead Teacher and Childrenís
Teacher for the development of whole group activities. Demonstrated ability
in computer knowledge, with advanced knowledge of MS Word and the Internet.
Experienced in working with adults and children in an educational or tutorial
setting; a commitment to literacy and an interest in working with adults
or children of diverse economic, linguistic and/or cultural backgrounds;
college students (particularly Education/ESOL majors) and recent college
graduates encouraged to apply. Positions are part-time, 6 hours per week
for 33 weeks. Send resume and cover letter by August 20 to
Literacy Department, Providence Public Library, 225 Washington Street,
Providence, RI 02903.Ý
Dorcas Place: Technical Support Specialist: - Part time position at Dorcas Place to provide technical support, installation, troubleshooting & problem resolution in a Microsoft Windows environment. This position requires good communication and organizational skills as well as a strong knowledge of all aspects of networked PC operations. Associates degree or equivalent work experience is required. Send letter and resume to MIS Director, Dorcas Place, 220 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI 02907. CCRI is looking for an ABE/GED instructor, approximately 20 hours week ( 8:30am ? 12:30 pm, Mon ? Fri), to teach adults in a Family Literacy Program beginning in September. Applicants should send a resume to Leslie Gell at lmgell@ccri.edu or fax it to Leslieís attention at 455-6190. Deadline for applications is August 25th. National Institute for Literacy: links to employment in adult literacy, at: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/whats_new/job_announce.html Rhode Island Community Jobs (RICOMJOB) is a public e-mail announcement list that seeks to raise the profile of meaningful work in Rhode Island by helping non-profit and public interest employers publicize openings effectively. Anyone seeking a job that makes a difference in Rhode Island can join the list. Any non-profit, government or private sector employer advertising a paid position related to the public interest or community concerns can post a free job listing. Positions must be paid but may be part-time, full-time or temporary. To join the list as a job seeker or to post a job as an employer go to: http://www.ricommunityjobs.org Rhode Island Community Jobs is supported by the Swearer Center for Public
Service at Brown University and the Rhode Island Campus Compact.
If you have questions about this service, please contact us at ricomjob@brown.edu
online / resources From the ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education, new Practice Application Briefs Adult Civic Education (30) by Susan Imel examines the role of adult civic education in contemporary society and provides recommendations for its practice. Preparing for Multiple Careers (29) by Sandra Kerka looks at some of the evidence and new models and theories of careers. It identifies the career management skills needed to make transitions across career fields. Connecting CTE to Labor Market Information (28) by Bettina Lankard Brown reviews why and how the use of LMI can help program planners and policy makers design effective CTE programs. Locating Statistics and Resources in Adult, Career, and Career-Technical Education (27) by Judith Wagner includes a variety of resources designed to help you find the information you need. Available at http://ericacve.org/listserv.asp or as e-mail messages. To request copies, send a message to ericacve@osu.edu and indicate the format you would prefer. If you want paper copies, be sure to include your mailing address. Language Services Action Kit: Interpreter Services in Health Care Settings for People with Limited English Proficiency, available from The Access Project: 617-654-9911 or email: lepactionkit@accessproject.org.; online at:ÝÝ http://www.healthlaw.org/pubs/2003.lepactionkit.html The Access Project and the National Health Law Program have developed
a Language Services Action Kit for advocates and others working to
ensure that people with limited English proficiency in their state get
appropriate language assistance services in medical settings. Federal
laws require health care providers to offer language services, such as
interpretation and translation, but many say they do not have the funds
to do so. However, providers and others are often unaware that federal
funds are available to help states pay for language services for patients
covered by Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Federal funding for interpreter and other language services can benefit
everyone: health care providers, state governments, and patients with limited
English skills in need of services. This offers an unusual opportunity
for these stakeholders and others to come together to advocate for reimbursement
for language services in their state Medicaid and SCHIP programs. We hope
the materials in this Action Kit will assist you in undertaking such an
effort in your state.
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) and The Access Project released a revised publication, entitled "Immigrant Access to Health Benefits: A Resource Manual." This manual, originally published in 2000, has been revised and expanded. "Immigrant Access to Health Benefits: A Resource Manual" was written for use as a resource in conjunction with an intensive training program developed by The Access Project and the National Health Law Program. It is available from either organization for $25. To order call 310-204-6010 or send an e-mail to nhelp@healthlaw.org. "Immigrant Access to Health Benefitsî is essentially a primer on health access for immigrants. It details and explains basic eligibility requirements for key federal and state programs and identifies issues that can be significant barriers to access to health care for immigrants and their families. e-literacy: The National Institute for Literacy's electronic newsletter is online (new and archived issues) at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/eliteracy/archive.html NIFL also maintains an online calendar of events at http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi search LR/RI - the search function at http://www.brown.edu/lrri has been improved so that the LR/RI website is now searchable. Please try it. Let me know what you think.. Thanks to Bill Dennen at Brown for his assistance in getting it to work. Free education publications are available from ED Pubs, the U.S. Department of Education's Publications Center. To order free books, brochures, videos, and more, visit the ED Pubs Web site (http://www.ed.gov/about/ordering.jsp) or call ED Pubs toll-free at 877/433-7827. LR/RI website: a shortcut. The URL for Literacy Resources/RI's website has not changed; you can now get to it more quickly by using this new address: http://www.brown.edu/lrri/ -- with thanks to Kath Connolly and Bill Dennen at Brown University for making it so. conferences and workshops - conferences and workshops are listed chronologically and are updated with each bulletin
Rhode Island - Training/events around employment issues for people with disabilities http://www.ric.edu/uap/training.html BUILDING A MOVEMENT: A POPULAR EDUCATION SKILLS RETREAT August 23-24, in Atlanta, GA Learn the basics of using popular education - an education method that values the knowledge of everyone involved - and learn to create a space where people can create this tool. This will be our general movement building. We will talk about our work, the state of the movement for social & economic justice, ways to use popular education to build a movement, and more. During the weekend we will break into small groups and create our own popular education tools. For information, or to register go to the Project South BAM website? http://www.projectsouth.org/bam. Registration is based on a sliding scale. Pay what you can afford within this range. All payments above the minimum will be used for scholarships for low-income partners. Registration is non-refundable if cancellations are made less than 2 weeks before the date. Registration includes a Roots of Terror toolkit as well as meals but does not include lodging. Questions can be directed to Dan Horowitz de Garcia at bam@projectsouth.org or phone: (404) 622-0602 Center for Popular Education and Participatory Research 5501 Tolman Hall, #1670 University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-1670 (510)642-2856? http://www.cpepr.net What do teachers need to know in order to use standards to guide
curriculum instruction and assessment?
The target audience is teams from states and national organizations
that are considering implementing EFF, that are interested in implementing
standards- based instruction and assessment, or that want to learn more
about EFF. Composition of teams (2-3 individuals) should be program administrators,
staff developers, and other key individuals with responsibility for implementation.
For more information or to register, go to http://cls.coe.utk.edu/eff2003
or you may contact us by email at eff@utk.edu
Trapped by Poverty, Trapped by Abuse Research Conference, October 17-19, 2003 in Austin, Texas The Center for Impact Research, the University of Michigan School of Social Work, and the University of Texas School of Social Work announce the fourth Trapped by Poverty/Trapped by Abuse Research Conference. We now understand that violence against women is a form of social control
with wide-ranging effects on women's poverty. Domestic violence can interfere
with education, training, and work, cause dependence on welfare, or prevent
a successful welfare-to-work transition. Domestic violence can sabotage
control of reproduction that, in turn, can interfere with economic self-sufficiency.
Domestic violence can cause or aggravate alcohol or drug abuse, or cause
mental and physical health problems that can also can sabotage employment.
This conference brings together researchers, policy makers, service providers,
advocates, and elected officials to learn more about these relationships,
to explore effective policy responses, and to hear about innovative service
delivery strategies.
TESOL Forum Teachers Building a Culture of Peace: Classroom Responses to War and Terrorism, The American University, Washington, D.C., October 17, http://www.tesol.org/edprg/2003/peaceforum.html The State University of New Jersey Rutgers University Graduate School of Education Presents the 20th annual Rutgers Invitational Symposium on Education Conference Directed By Dr. Alisa Belzer and Dr. Harold Beder, October 23, and 24: Defining and improving quality in adult basic education: issues and challenges. This two day conference will be built around concurrent paper sessions featuring nationally recognized scholars discussing their work with a specific focus on issues of quality, and an international panel of scholars sharing their perspectives on the topic. Registration fee $175 (special graduate student rate $99) Embassy Suites Hotel, Piscataway, NJ (732) 980-9473 (Hotel accommodations available at discount rate of $110) To register contact us at (732) 932-7496 X8202 http://www.gse.rutgers.edu/conted/20thRise.pdf - conference brochure and registration details?
The Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education presents SCALE's Read. Write. Act. Conference October 31 - November 1, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.readwriteact.org/conference.html Please join us for the only national conference created specifically for campus-based literacy programs, college student tutors, program coordinators, adult learners and community partners. Come experience a terrific weekend of workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and reflections on issues surrounding literacy work. [If you are interested in presenting a workshop, please visit http://www.readwriteact.org/conference.html to submit a proposal.] You will have the opportunity to participate in quality workshops offered by national leaders in the literacy field. You will also meet individuals from other campus-based programs, building a new network of peers to support you in your efforts. No matter your role in campus literacy work, the Read. Write. Act. Conference will enhance your professional development and result in real program improvement. Student Rates: SCALE member schools: $75 non-member schools: $100 For more information, visit the website above, Email scale@unc.edu -or call (919) 962-1542. other events and conferences http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi
from previous bulletins: REMINDERS, RESOURCES:
SABES Resource Lists Available. From Carey Reid [full message here]: As you might know, Massachusetts now has a rigorous, stand-alone ABE teacher's license. SABES, the System for Adult Basic Education Support, is a state-wide staff development system funded by MassDOE. Ö[S]months ago I asked if NLA subscribers were interested in helping SABES build resource lists, by standard, in support of teachers seeking the new license here in Massachusetts. Many of you helped out, thank you, and we've also worked with small groups of people locally to build these 29 lists, now with over 150 resources--books, articles, websites, and videos. The lists are now available on SABES's license support website at http://www.sabes.org/license. You can get quickly to the lists by clicking on the "new resources added" link under What's New, or at any time by using the resources link on the bottom of every webpage. When you arrive at the chart listing the 29 standards, click on any standard to go to the resource list we've compiled for it. The lists are annotated; with the annotations, teachers who wish to improve their knowledge and skills in respect to a particular standard can be more assured they're getting the resource they want or need. If the resource can be viewed or downloaded on the Net, we've provided a link. Additionally, we want to improve these lists, so please email me
if you'd like to suggest additions or changes. BTW, the full list
of resources is also collected in a ProCite bibliography file, so if you
use that software and would like to have your own "instant" database, let
me know and I'll email you the file. As stated earlier, SABES is funded
by the Massachusetts Department of Education. To avoid confusion,
the website is not an official DOE site but rather one of SABES's means
of supporting license-seeking teachers in our state. Links to Massachusetts
DOE webpages, however, are provided on the site.
breathe - everyday yoga at your desk. http://www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/everyday_yoga.html 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 |
