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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 29, 2004

Bulletin #189
 

Dear Colleagues, 

Calls for participation, employment, funding, and conference and workshop opportunities, online and other resources.  To post information,  and/or to receive the bulletin via email, please contact LR/RI or leave a message at (401-863-2839). 

Janet Isserlis 
____________________________________________________________

NOTICES



ELCIVICS and ESOL combined share - December 2 at 2:30 pm at the Genesis Center. Share and discuss ideas for projects and ongoing elements of professional development on civics-related topics.


Revolution of Words: Russian Poetry Night II  Wednesday, November 3 at 6:30 pm  Rochambeau branch, 708 Hope St., Providence: A bilingual discussion and Russian refreshments will follow the play. For more information, please call Sarah Weed at 455-8110.- Join Victoria
Richter and a troupe of actors as they transform the Rochambeau Friends Community Room into the electrified literary atmosphere of pre-revolutionary Russia. the poetry series that started with "Sharing Pushkin" last April, they will read, in Russian and English, a variety of avant-garde poems from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Presented in a short play format, the production features the works of the poets Mayakovsky, Akhmatova, Blok, Khlebnikov, Mandelshtam, Tsevtaeva, Pasternak and Esenin who"threw the classics off the ship of modernity." Songs and live guitar music will enhance the play. http://www.provlib.org/community/events/poetryreading.htm


Reading workshop: November 18, Genesis Center, 3 - 5 pm:
Nancy Fritz will give a summary of findings from her research project on teaching reading in the ESOL classroom. She will outline some specific recommendations for teaching reading that are supported by specific research.  To preview these findings, please go to 
http://www.brown.edu/lrri/fritz.doc
Sandy Jacobi will give an overview of what she does when she teaches phonics in her ESOL classroom. She will describe the six syllable types that are important to know when teaching reading, and will also give an overview of the Phonics Workshop series that she is will offer again from January to March.  That workshop series will be given on Thursday afternoons from 3 to 4:30 pm beginning January 6th. (Specific dates are Jan. 6 and 20, February 3 and 17, and March 3 and 17). The series will be held at The Genesis Center. Participants must be practitioners in Rhode Island and will be paid a stipend of $30 per session attended. Information on registering for the workshop series will be available in December.


The Providence Public Library in collaboration with Quisqueya in Action, Inc. and Instituto Duartiano/ Biblioteca República Dominicana present The Dominican Family Journey

Children, pre-teens and teens and their parents are invited to this program which includes book and film discussions, games, and digital art projects to document and celebrate Dominican culture. This program is open to all, Adults and children over 3 years old
Guest speakers, gifts and dinner provided every night.
Knight Memorial Branch, 275 Elmwood Avenue,
Wednesdays, from Oct. 6th - Nov. 3rd  5:30 pm  - 7:30 pm. For more information and to register for this free program,  please call  Evelyn Castillo at (401) 455-8041.  This program is made possible by a grant from Libraries for the Future and the Metlife Foundation



Since 1997, Literacy Resources/RI, with support from the RI Department of Education, has worked with adult educators to develop a range of professional development activities and initiatives, including practitioner-based research projects, mini-grants, workshops, sharing/ discussion groups, and (since 2003) an annual conference. Many of us in the adult education community have participated in the past year's discussions and in working groups geared towards strengthening a system for adult education. 

As it is highly likely that significant changes will occur with the coming fiscal year, it seems particularly important to consider how to utilize relatively limited professional development funding for this current year ? as we look back at what's been useful and ahead to what we hope to build and maintain for ongoing professional development work.  It's critical that we continue to be participants in the ongoing process of strengthening the adult education system across the state - including deciding where/how to focus our energies in the coming year - as well as in working
out processes for broadening professional development opportunities in years to come.
To that end, an informal meeting was held  on Friday, October 1st to gather input and ideas around a focus or points of focus for this year.
Should we offer support for inquiry projects?  Develop study circles?  Bring in outside people/workshops?  Some of each?  Consider other options?  We already know that funding has been secured for the 2005 annual conference (to be held on May 12th).  While the conference
provides wonderful opportunities for networking and new learning, what other efforts do we want to undertake to support our own ongoing learning and professional development? 
A report  on that meeting will appear in the next bulletin.



Many of you have followed the progress of the  Governor's Adult Literacy Task Force and/or have participated in the process over the last six months. Through your hard work, the Governor has accepted Task Force's recommendations to expand and enhance the adult basic education system in RI. There is much work to do to refine and implement those recommendations; the field's input is critical. It's time to sign on to a work group and help shape the future of the adult education system in our state.  3 work groups are continuing the work around: learner assessment and learning standards, program quality and performance standards, and state-wide professional development 

Please contact Judy Titzel if you are interested in participating in a work group, or if you have further questions. Email Judy at Judy@ripolicy.org or call 521-3120 ext 125. Meetings will start over the next several weeks. If you would like more information, check out the project's web site at: www.ripolciy.org/literacy/ for notes and reports documenting work to date. 
Part-time adult educators will be paid a small stipend for their participation in the work groups.



The Change Agent, a newspaper for adult educators about teaching for social justice, is calling for articles for its next issue on the theme of "transitions."  Adult Learners and Educators: In this issue we want to hear and learn from people who have made successful transitions, and
overcome obstacles. We also want to hear and learn from teachers and counselors and other program staff who assist students in this process. We are looking for student writings, lessons, activities and reflections addressing the theme of educational and life transitions such as from GED to post-secondary education or training, from incarceration to community, from public assistance to economic independence, from country of origin to the USA, and from one stage of life to another.
Questions for students and teachers to think about: If you yourself decided to make a transition, what motivated you to do it?  What was your life like before, during and after the transition? What have you learned through this experience? What issues have come up for you during the transition? How were they resolved?  What social programs and supports helped you or hindered you during the transition? What teaching or counseling strategies and resources have been helpful?  What could an adult education program do to best facilitate students' transitions and help them take the next step? What advice would you give to adult learners who want to make life changes?
All articles must be received by November 12, 2004. All articles will be considered. Suggested length is 500-1,200 words. Final decisions are made by The Change Agent editorial board. A stipend of $50 will be paid to each student whose work is accepted for publication in this issue. Please send material (by email or PC disk) to:  Angela Orlando, Editor New England Literacy Resource Center/World Education, 44 Farnsworth St., Boston, MA 02210 Phone: 617-482-9485 fax: 617-482-0617 email: angela_orlando@worlded.org

From Anna Silliman, Editor Hands-on English: I've just posted a new activity about the election on our website. Counting Electoral College votes is available at: http://www.handsonenglish.com/currentevents.html. This activity includes a short reading about the election process, and a chart for students to track Electoral College votes on election night. There is also a U.S. map showing the number of electoral votes for each state. I know many teachers are looking for election material right now. If you have any teaching suggestions to contribute, let me know and I'll be happy to pass these along, or mention them on the webpage. anna@handsonenglish.com

The Better Questions, Better Decisions Voter Education Initiative offers a non-partisan, skill-building educational strategy engaging more low-income citizens as voters that can complement existing approaches. Many voter participation efforts focus on the important logistical work of getting information out to a target audience, getting people registered and getting them to the voting booth. This initiative starts at an earlier point by investing in people's ability to make their own connection to the value of voting. Through a series of simple exercises that build sophisticated critical thinking skills, low-income citizens discover new links between their lives and the value of voting. http://www.rightquestion.org/betterdecisions/index.html.  Also see, for more on voiting: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/election/index.html


The Rhode Island Center for the Book: two projects for 2005

Letters About Literature  Readers in grades 4 - 12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author, explaining how his or her work changed their view of the world or themselves. Young readers can select authors from any genre—fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic.
Deadline for entries is December 4, 2004.  Entry forms (enclosed) are also available at the Rhode Island Center for the Book website at http://www.ribook.org.   A 16-page teaching supplement to guide students through the reading-writing process is available at the Library of Congress Center for the Book website at loc.gov/letters.  The 2004 Letters About Literature contest resulted in 2 national finalists from RI. T.J. Cienki, from George Hanaford Elementary School, and Hannah Catabia, at St. Mary's Academy-Bayview, were two of the six national winners selected among almost 40,000 submissions nationwide.  They read their lettersin a ceremony in October  at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

Reading Across Rhode Island   The Center has chosen The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for Reading Across Rhode Island - 2005.  The book is an epic tale of fathers and sons, of friendship and betrayal that takes readers from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to
the atrocities of the present.   Hosseini's debut novel and the first Afghan novel to be written in English, opens in Kabul in the mid-1970s. Raised in the same household but separated by class, Amir and his best friend Hassan are inseparable until a tragic event changes their relationship forever. Their intertwined lives and their fates reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them.   We are urging teachers to pre-read the novel for their particular group of students as there are several graphic scenes in the novel.  The kickoff conference for educators, librarians and book group leaders will take place on January 15, 2005, with the author as guest speaker. The author has also agreed to a videoconference on May 6, 2005 and final event on May 7.  For more information /upcoming dates, http://www.readingacrossri.org

Letters About Literature and Reading Across Rhode Island are projects of the RI Center for the Book, which is hosted by the Providence Public Library. RI Center for the Book is an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.



We are happy to announce that ALM is starting a refereed online journal, ISSN 1744 - 1803. The ALM Journal will be published twice a year. The first volume is planned to be published by the end of this year.

"Adults Learning Mathematics - An International Journal"  is an international refereed journal that provides a forum for the online publication of high quality research on the teaching and learning, knowledge and uses of numeracy/mathematics to adults at all levels in a variety of educational sectors. Submitted papers should normally be of interest to an international readership. We invite contributions in the following areas:
Research and theoretical perspectives in the area of adults learning mathematics/numeracy. Debate on special issues in the area of adults learning mathematics/numeracy; Practice: critical analysis of course materials and tasks, policy developments in curriculum and assessment, or data from large-scale tests, nationally and internationally. Both full-length articles and shorter reports may be submitted. No preference is given to any particular research methodology. For more information, please visit www.alm-online.org Contributions can be send to alm-journal@alm-online.org On behalf of the editorial team Mieke van Groenestijn



Special-Topic Issue, Autumn 2006 Race and TESOL. Edited by Ryuko Kubota and Angel Lin
TESOL Quarterly invites TESOL professionals worldwide to submit abstracts for the 2006 special-topic issue focusing on how issues of race affect English language learning and teaching. 

Abstracts should describe previously unpublished work that bridges theory, research, and practice and uses language that is accessible to TESOL Quarterly's broad readership. In addition to abstracts for full-length articles, authors are invited to submit descriptions of shorter papers for Brief Reports and Summaries and the Forum, as well as reviews of cutting-edge books. Articles are sought on a broad range of topics that explicitly address race and TESOL from theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical perspectives, especially work that focuses on race's interrelationship with other categories, such as gender, class, and sexual identity. Topic areas include:
Learner/teacher identities and race: How do racialized identities get constructed in various settings (e.g., K-12, postsecondary, adult learners, ITA training, teacher education)?
Race in curriculum, instruction, materials, and technology: How do local and global education practices reproduce racial norms, racism, and other racial meanings? How do antiracist pedagogies challenge these meanings?
Language policies/ideologies and race: What significance do racism and other racial meanings have for linguistic imperialism, English only, standard English, and other hegemonic ideologies that affect English language teaching?
Whiteness, native speaker myth, and the teaching of language and culture: How can the relationship between linguistic and racial privileges be theorized? How is it reflected in practice? What does it imply for teaching and learning?
Critical (classroom) discourse analysis and race: How are racial domination, subordination, and resistance manifested in the discourses of the classroom and other teaching and learning contexts?
Please send a 600-word abstract for a full-length article, a 300-word abstract for a Brief Report or Forum article, and a 150-world abstract for a book review. For all submissions, send three copies of the abstract without author name(s). On a separate sheet, include each author's name, affiliation, mailing address, email address, telephone and fax numbers, and 50-word biographical statement. Send abstracts and inquiries to Ryuko Kubota, School of Education, CB#3500, Peabody Hall, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500. rkubota@email.unc.edu Abstracts are due December 31, 2004.


learning opportunities


Mentor Non-traditional Adults Returning to College
Project RIRAL's Transition to College project is currently seeking volunteer mentors and/or tutors to support our non-traditional adult students in their endeavor to prepare themselves for the rigors of  college. If you are interested in becoming a Mentor and/or Tutor, please
contact Marie@transitiontocollege.org or call 722-9800.

TTC is currently accepting students for the spring 2005 session.   Registration and Placement Testing will be held on Friday, November 19 at  1:30 at 175 Main Street Pawtucket, RI (Pawtucket Visitor's Center bldg -   2nd floor).  Detailed directions and information about the
program at: htttp://www.transitiontocollege.org. Please contact Marie if  you are interested in enrolling in the spring session. Hurry, enrollment  is limited.


Do You Know Someone Who Would Like to Earn While They Learn?
Year Up is Looking for Students

There's a new educational/workforce development program for youth in Providence, named Year Up. The program is a year long training and  apprenticeship program focused on preparing low income urban youth, ages 18-24, for jobs and careers in the Information Technology field.  The program has existed for four years in Boston and Cambridge, with a consistent track record of starting their students on successful career and college paths.

Year Up's classes begin every six months, at the end of January and again in August. Twenty-two students are being recruited for January 2005, and thirty for each successive class. The first six months of the program are spent in classroom and project-based training: developing technical, communication and professional skills. The second six months are spent in an apprenticeship with a local company or community based organization. Support from staff and mentors, as well as peer guidance, are provided to each participant throughout the year. Each student also earns an educational stipend while in the classes and in the apprenticeship.

The classes take place from 8:30a.m. until 3:30p.m., Monday thru Friday, at the Year Up offices, 10 Dorrance St., Suite 1108, Providence (next to Kennedy Plaza). The apprenticeships are sited around the city and state. All students must sign a work agreement that reinforces the expectations of the program, including consistent attendance and punctuality, a professional dress code, and respect for themselves, for their work, and for those around them. The application process is multi-step, and screens for motivation and commitment.

Opportunities available through Year Up are: 
 to learn the technical and professional skills most in demand in the IT world
 to build an IT career in Help Desk or Desktop Support
 to obtain a corporate apprenticeship
 to earn an educational stipend throughout the entire year of classes and apprenticeship
 to earn college credits through their classes
 to receive help in job placement and in college access after graduation 

Eligibility criteria:
 18-24 years of age
 High School diploma or GED
 Able to commute to Providence
 Low or moderate income
 Interest in learning technology skills
 A legal resident or possess work authorization

Opportunities for Volunteers:
 - be a one-time speaker on a Friday afternoon (share your life/ career story with students)
 - tutor students (any combination of hour/ week commitment is welcome!)
 - be a Year Up Mentor (sign on to meet with one student, just twice a month, for a year)

If you're interested in learning more about Year Up, check out the website and/or contact:
Jill Holloway, Outreach and Admissions
c/o Year Up
10 Dorrance St., Suite 1108
Providence, RI 02903

Tel: (401) 421-7819  Cell:  (401) 378-7800 Fax: (401) 421-7839
email: jholloway@yearup.org 



P E O P L E ' S   S C H O O L F A L L   W O R K S H O P S
Workshops start October 18th and end on December 9th, 2004. All workshops are free!
Register online: http://www.peopleschool.org/pagetool/index.php?name=workshops
or call us at 401.467.7336 to register over the phone. Registration is preferred, but not required.
Child care is available during workshops.

Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE) is offering a "Women at Work" workshop free of charge to labor and community organizations, and we're looking for groups to participate. Women at Work is a project of DARE's Jobs with Dignity Campaign, whose goal is to build women's leadership in the labor movement. In order to build connections between women workers and advance the issues that are important to women workers, this project conducts workshops which focus on efforts to preserve health care and to win community access to good, living wage jobs. If you'd like the DARE workshop team to come to a meeting, class, or other event and lead the 30-minute workshop, please contact Eric Larson at Eric_D_Larson@brown.edu.

ASTHMA WORKSHOP AND ESOL LESSON 
This workshop fuses key, simple vocabulary and grammar into a lesson-like format tailored for ESOL learners.  The workshop is one to one and a half hours long, and includes information about the main characteristics of asthma, its symptoms and triggers.  Through a participatory and interactive environment, learners not only become aware of basic information relating to asthma, but they also learn English.  This workshop can also include data on how asthma affects Latinos, and local community resources where they offer bilingual help.
The workshop is free of cost and its language is applicable to all levels.  This is a workshop that could easily be integrated into a health unit or delivered as an isolated informative session and lesson.  If you and your learners would like to schedule a workshop, please feel free to contact me via e-mail or by phone.  Thank you. - Erick Garcia, ESOL Facilitator, American Lung Association, 401.935.8736 erickdgarcia@hotmail.com


funding opportunities - large and less large


The NIFL ESL Special Collection is now accepting applications for mini-grants of $250.  Mini-grants are awarded to instructors who use the materials found on the ESL Special Collection to create lesson plans.  The purpose of the Mini-Grants is to promote innovative practices, and share those projects via the ESL Special Collection. For all of the details, visitwww.literacynet.org/esl/minigrants/index.html The deadline to apply is November 5.
Leadership for a Changing World seeks nominations of community leaders across the country who are successfully tackling tough social problems. 17 outstanding social justice leaders and leadership teams who are not broadly known beyond their immediate community or field
will receive awards of $100,000 to advance their work, plus $15,000 for learning activities that will advance their efforts. The program seeks to encourage a public dialogue that recognizes a wide variety of leaders and leadership models as authentic and important to social progress. To this end, the program includes a major, multi-year research initiative and numerous forums to bring awardees together with other leaders to share experiences, address specific challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration.  Leadership for a Changing World is a program of the Ford Foundation, in partnership with the Washington-based Advocacy Institute and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.  Leaders must be nominated by someone who is well acquainted with their work and can attest to their qualifications.  To learn about 2001 -  2004 awardees are, to request a brochure, or for more information on the
program, go to http://www.leadershipforchange.org. Specific questions can be submitted via email to info@leadershipforchange.org, phone (202)  777-7542, or by writing to Leadership for a Changing World, Advocacy Institute 1629 K St., NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC
20006-1629.  Deadline: January 7, 2005.


The UPS Foundation funds volunteer management, hunger and literacy efforts.
http://www.community.ups.com/community/philanthropy/focus/main.html.

The federal government's new one stop grant site: http://www.grants.gov/


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



Substitute list: if you would like your name added to the list, please see contact LR/RI.  The list needs to be updated so that it can function more usefully for teachers and programs hoping to work with them. (http://www.brown.edu/lrri/sub.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

Literacies, a Candian journal, is available by subscription and archived online.  Special sections of the website recently posted include: three oral history projects at http://www.literacyjournal.ca/oh.htm  and have added a practitioner knowledge page at http://www.literacyjournal.ca/cw.htm.


From the Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy:  In Oregon, community colleges govern adult education and literacy, and they provide nearly all services offered in the state.  Policy is based on the premise that adult education and literacy are on a par with all other community
college programs.  And, state financial support is provided almost exclusively in the form of full-time equivalency reimbursement funding to the colleges.  These are just some of the features that set Oregon's adult education/literacy system apart and make the state an important model. The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy’s report, "OREGON SHINES! Adult Education & Literacy in Oregon Community Colleges," is the sixth in CAAL's series of working papers on the role and potential of community colleges in adult education and literacy.
The 84-page document by Clare Strawn and Sharlene Walker (Amy Rothman and Gail Spangenberg, editors) contains an Executive Summary and four main sections: (I) Demographics of Need and Service, (II) Building An Integrated Statewide System, (III) The College
Perspective, and (IV) A Closer Look at Some Elements of the Oregon Story.  A supplemental reading list and other appendices are included. CAAL's community college study and publication of the Oregon paper are funded by the Ford Foundation, Household International, Lumina Foundation for Education, the Nellie-Mae Foundation, the McGraw-Hill Companies, Verizon, and several  individual donors. The report is available in PDF format at http://www.caalusa.org/ -scroll down the left column and click on the title.


Getting the word out: We're pleased to invite your organization to  apply now for a Google Grant, which provides a minimum of three months of  free Google AdWords (https://adwords.google.com) advertising for nonprofit  organizations with 501(c)(3) status. The Google Grants program is  designed to help nonprofit organizations like yours further their goals and  objectives through targeted, online advertising on Google.com. Past  Google Grant recipients have used their grants to publicize services and  awareness, recruit staff and volunteers,
promote special events, sell  merchandise related to their organization or cause, and much  more.
There is no deadline to apply, but if you are selected for a Google Grant award, we will ask you to create your account by a specific  date. So  you should apply when your organization is able to take full  advantage of the AdWords program. To learn more about the Google Grants
program and apply, please visit our program page,  http://www.google.com/grants/


http://writenet.ca/ - a new website devoted to writing.
 The goal of Writenet.ca is to promote the use and value of writing in literacy and social/special programming.  Based on years of experience working with new and/or reluctant adult writers, we believe that writing is a fun and effective way to increase literacy skills, feel part of the  community and make healthy changes in our lives.  A dedicated group of Writing Out Loud Literacy Instructors from across Canada has worked together to develop and build Writenet.ca as a place to find a wealth of information and support to help bring writing to your learning settings in new and engaging ways. What makes Writenet.ca different than other websites about writing?  Well, in short, it's the growing community of like-minded people who recognize that writing is more than just spelling and grammar.  You'll quickly feel apart of this community when you join in the dynamic and educational discussions on the Writenet.ca Bulletin Boards.   Writenet.ca as is stands now, is a starting point.  This space is designed to change and grow according to the needs and interests of the membership.  We look forward to sharing information and learning together as we go along.  Please visit the site to read about us, register for discussions and join us in this
exciting learning adventure. Deborah  Morgan,  Writenet.ca Project 4802  50 Avenue Camrose, Alberta T4V 0R9 (780) 672-6289


Living in Poverty slideshow does the math: what does it take to live at the poverty level.
http://www.nccbuscc.org/cchd/povertyusa/tour2.htm


RI Foundation online scholarship directory - searchable by city/town, intended field of study, current high school, and more. http://scholarship.rifoundation.org/



Securing the Right to Learn
An internationally-produced guide to advocacy- adult educators from 10 countries met to produce an advocacy guide for use by adult educators in increasing demand for adult learning at local, national and global levels and in a variety of geographical and societal contexts. http://www.niace.org.uk/projects/RightToLearn/



YouthBuild USA Learning Network has links to Web sites and full-text documents, and  includes a section on "Authentic Materials/Engaged Learning/Constructivism/Contextual Learning/Project-based Learning." http://www.youthbuild.org/learningnetwork/professionaldev.html


Providence Community Resource Network (PCRN) http://www.provplan.org/pcrn
Spanish language version of PCRN is up and running.  You can access the site from the PCRN home page, http://www.provplan.org/pcrn, or go straight to http://www.provplan.org/pcrnespa. The Web pages, online instructions, and the content of the database have all been translated.


Civics 101 -  website of the RI Secretary of State, at http://www.rules.state.ri.us/civics_101/; a high school curriculum that may be adaptable for adult learners and/or useful for initiating critical
reflection about citizenship and communities.
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


Rhode Island Department of Health Office of Women's Health Third Annual Conference Health Literacy & Cultural Awareness : The Face of Women's Health 18-44 
November 16, 8:00AM ? 3:00PM Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Crossings With Support from the Office on Women's Health, U.S. DHHS, Region I 
Registration A non-refundable registration fee of $25 payable to W&I Hospital must accompany registration and be received by November 5th. Mail to: Health Education Department. W&I Hospital. 101 Dudley St, Providence, RI 02905 For questions, call Nancy Libby Fisher RI Department of Health (401) 222-7621
Hearing Impaired: 1-800-TDD-1477

8:45 Keynote Address - Guadalupe Lara, MSW, CSW Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Division of Family and Community Support
9:45 Rhode Island Health Data - Jana Hesser, PhD RI Department of Health Office of Health Statistics
10:30 Workshop Sessions (Choose One):
A. Mental Health/Depression/ Substance Abuse 
B. Reproductive Health/ HIV/AIDS
C. Breastfeeding/Nutrition/ Obesity/ Physical Activity 
D. Domestic Violence
12:00 Buffet Lunch
1:00 Health Literacy - Sue Stableford, MPH, MSB Director, Maine AHEC Literacy Center University of New England
2:45 Closing Remarks and Adjournment
CEUs pending approval CHES - New England Chapter Society for Public Health Education Commission on Dietetic Registration National
Association of Social Workers, Rhode Island Chapter National Board for Certified Counselors Rhode Island State Nurses Association 
The cost to exhibit is $50 for nonprofit agencies and $150 forcompanies. Exhibit fees includeone free admission, table, tablecloth and chair.
Workshop Panelists
Sarah Fox, MD W&I Hospital Department of OBGYN, Margaret Howard, PhD W&I Hospital Postpartum Disorders Day Hospital, Peg Langhammer Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center Cheryl LeClair RI Department of Health Family Planning,  Noreen Mattis, RN, Med W&I Hospital, Project Link, Patricia Risica, DrPH, RD Brown University, Institute for Community Health Promotion, Robin Rodgers, RN, FNPC, BSN W&I Hospital, Family Van,  Teri Pearlstein, MD W&I Hospital Women's Behavioral Health Coordinator: Nancy Libby Fisher, MMHS RI Department of Health Office of Women's Health 3 Capitol Hill, Room 408  Providence, RI 02908



CALL FOR PRESENTERS 2nd Annual (Net)Working Conference on Women & Literacy
WE LEARN (Women Expanding—Literacy Education Action Resource Network) is pleased to announce the Second Annual (Net)Working Conference on  Women & Literacy on March 11-12, 2004 in Providence, RI.
The theme for this conference is: Women’s Literacy….. Strengthening the Web
Proposals for presentations are invited from learners, teachers,  tutors, administrators, professional developers, researchers,  activists, and policymakers in adult basic education (ABE), GED, ESOL,  Family literacy, Health literacy, Citizenship, Prison literacy,  Workplace literacy and other alternative educational programs that serve women. The conference seeks Papers, Workshops, Poster Sessions, Panels,  Roundtables, Demonstrations, Art, and Readings about Promising  Practices and Issues like:
- Effects of Welfare reform, Immigration reform, War on Terrorism on  women’s literacy
- Economic literacy and/or women’s leadership development -- Violence and women’s learning
- Spirituality and women’s literacy --Health and Parenting issues 
- Civic engagement and social action
- Popular education and participatory learning approaches
- Effects of social oppression on women (race, ethnicity, gender,  social class, sexuality, age, ability)
- Math, Science, and/or Technology and women’s literacy 
- Writing and the Arts in women’s basic education
- Literacy and Literacies in the world
Guidelines for Submission:
1. If  selected, the presenter(s) agree to register for the conference  and provide handouts to participants.
2. Send a copy of the following by November 30, 2004:
Proposal Form, Abstract of Presentation (maximum of 100 words) that describes goals and/or learning objectives, content, and how audience will participate. 
EMAIL or MAIL proposals to: Mev Miller, Ed.D., WE LEARN, 182 Riverside Ave, Cranston, RI  02910. EMAIL: welearn@litwomen.org DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 30, 2004
To download the form, please go to:  http://www.litwomen.org/conferences/2005callpresent.pdf
Conference registration information will be available later in November.- WE LEARN Women Expanding: Literacy Education Action Resource Network http://www.litwomen.org/welearn.html


Literacy Changes Lives -  The 14th Annual  National Conference on Family Literacy, sponsored by the National  Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), to be held in Louisville,  Kentucky; April 25-27, 2005. http://www.famlit.org


The annual conference of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) will be held in Louisville, Kentucky, from November 2 through 6.  http://aaace.org


Making Knowledge: Democracy, Cultural Partnerships, and the University 
University of Pennsylvania, November 5 - 7 

What happens when democracy, imagination, and scholarship converge? Drawing on the groundbreaking work of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Community Partnerships, this year's conference will explore the collaborative production of new knowledge for the public good. Citizen scholars, working in and with universities, push the limits of community-based work in the arts and humanities. Based at the University of Michigan, Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life is a national consortium of colleges and universities committed to fostering campus-community partnerships in the arts and humanities. The conference program will showcase new research produced through cultural partnerships. Sessions will focus on innovative projects at the Center for Community Partnerships and major Imagining America initiatives, including the Tenure Transformation Team, research on excellent campus-community collaborations, and Sekou Sundiata's "dramatorio" in progress, The America Project. For more information, please contact Kristin Hass at kah@umich.edu,call (734) 615-8370, or see? http://www.ia.umich.edu.



December 9-11   A MEETING OF THE MINDS SYMPOSIUM
The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), the California Department of Education (CDE) Adult Education Office, and the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) of the American Institutes for Research are pleased to announce A Meeting of the Minds: A National Adult Education Practitioner-Researcher Symposium.
Scheduled for December 9-11, 2004, in Sacramento, California, the symposium is designed to provide opportunities for adult education practitioners and researchers to share and discuss the most current research findings and practitioner wisdom. It will engage practitioners and researchers with questions related to goals, accountability, and efficacy and efficiency in policy, practice, and research. The ultimate goals of the symposium are to enhance literacy practice and increase student learning gains. The theme of the symposium is Supporting  Student Success: What Does Research Tell Us?  Each session will be structured so that the research presentation will be followed by a panel of practitioners who will discuss implications for practice or policy. In addition, conference attendees will have opportunities for small group interaction and networking with researcher-presenters to discuss not only how research can inform practice and policy, but also how practice and policy can inform and suggest a research agenda.    For more information, visit the symposium Web site at www.researchtopractice.org.  -Mary Ann Corley, Ph.D. Symposium Coordinator and CALPRO Director, American Institutes for Research


other events and conferences http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi

TESOL worldwide calendar of events http://www.tesol.org/isaffil/calendar/index.html



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


what do you think? LR/RI has had an online survey on its site forever.  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.

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