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LR/RI produces a bulletin roughly every
two
to three 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. To receive the bulletin via email, contact LR/RI.
June 19, 2006
Bulletin #218
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
ESOL share
- Wednesday, June 21rd at 2:00 pm at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters
Ave, Providence. Please join us; the theme is open-ended. We
might want to review the year just completed and contemplate plans for
fall.
Professional
Development Luncheon Using
Lexia to Drive Reading
Achievement July 12, 2006 Noon - 1:30 at
The Wolf School, 215 Ferris
Ave East Providence.
The Wolf School and Dr. Jean Welsh present a
luncheon seminar for educators interested in understanding how to best
implement Lexia reading software for improved academic performance.
Lexia's programs are research-based and focus on providing skill
practice to strengthen automaticity. Throughout the US, schools are
turning to Lexia to help students from kindergarten through adults
develop phonemic awareness, sound--ymbol correspondence, decoding,
recognition of high frequency sight words and word attack skills.
Experimental studies published recently in the Journal of Research on
Reading have shown that students who use Lexia in elementary school
out-perform students in control groups who do not practice reading
skills using Lexia. Additionally, Dr. Welsh will demonstrate
Lexia
Cross Trainer - a suite of interactive software programs designed to
improve cognitive development in students ages 7 to adult. Lexia Cross
Trainer helps students strengthen thinking, memory and problem-solving
abilities, thereby improving the foundational skills that impact
performance in reading and math. Following the luncheon, a tour of The
Wolf School is available. The Wolf School is an independent day school
that provides a unique educational environ-ment for students with
multiple learning differences in grades K - 8. Guests will
receive
free Lexia software to preview with students There is no fee for this
luncheon seminar, but space is limited.
Please RSVP by June 30 at (401)
432-9940
On Friday, June 16,
from 10 am to noon, Tony Santaniello will demonstrate a reading program that he has
developed over the past 40 years, encompassing a complete sight word
vocabulary, which promises to help new readers learn to read more
quickly and comprehensively than previously imagined.
Registration isn't required, but it would be helpful if you could
contact LR/RI so we'll have a sense of how many people to expect.
The demonstration will take place in the conference room adjacent to
the Literacy Volunteers of RI office, at 260 West Exchange Street,
Suite 106.
Fan Zhang is a graduate student
looking for someone or some people to volunteer
to meet with him
throughout the summer so he can improve his
English before the Fall semester. His English is really
quite good -
but he needs some real life conversations in English this summer.
This
is Fan’s request: Hey, this is Fan, a graduate student from Dept.
of
Art History. My research focus is East Asian art and archaeology. I
would like to find a language partner to practice spoken English and
expand my vocabulary to prepare my TA ship. In exchange, I am also glad
to tell you things about Asian art and culture if you are interested.
My schedule is flexible and I will be available in most afternoons this
summer. I am looking forward to meeting you.
If you would like to work with Fan, please send him an email at
Fan_Zhang@Brown.edu.
Also from David J.
Rosen, Special Topics Discussion List Moderator djrosen@comcast.net
I am pleased to announce that on the Special Topics discussion
list from July 10-18, Dr. John Comings, Director of the National
Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL),
will be a guest to discuss research on student persistence in
adult literacy education. Special Topics is an intermittent discussion
list. The topics open and close throughout the year, so there are
periods where there will be no discussion or postings. You can
subscribe to the e-list for a particular topic of interest, and then
unsubscribe, or you can stay
subscribed throughout the year. To participate in this topic, you
can subscribe by going to:
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
Fall SCALE Conference,
November 3-4, 2006 – call for presenters: Each year SCALE – Student
Coalition for Action in Literacy Education - hosts the Read. Write.
Act. National Conference on the campus of the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. It's the only national conference devoted to
the interests and concerns of campus-based literacy programs. Campus
literacy leaders and representatives from across the nation gather each
fall for an intensive weekend of workshops, panel discussions,
networking events and reflection sessions. Participants come to share
information, learn new skills, challenge assumptions, and develop ideas
to create more participatory literacy programs. We are accepting
workshop proposals that address one of our conference themes:
Tutoring Strategies and Techniques, Social Justice & Activism in
Education,Civic Engagement & Reflection; Service Learning,
Assessment & Evaluation, Policy Issues, Program Practice &
Program Management (e.g. volunteer recruitment, tutor training,
sustaining your program),Diversity and Community Partnerships
We are accepting poster session proposals that address one of the
following themes: Program practicProgram models, Tutoring materials,
Research on tutoring and Program evaluation (For example, writing a
great tutor handbook, providing interesting
activities for ESL tutors, or implementing an effective program
evaluation would be appropriate topics.) Conference Participants
will include representatives from adult, youth and ESL campus-based
literacy programs; undergraduate and graduate student leaders, tutors,
mentors and volunteers; service-learning faculty; community service
staff and America Reads administrators; adult learners; community
partners; AmeriCorps / VISTA volunteers. Please visit http://www.readwriteact.org/rwa/conference.html
to submit a
proposal. Deadline is June 30, 2006.
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services' Quick Guide to Health Literacy
Combining evidence and best practice, the new HHS Quick Guide to Health
Literacy is a reference for professionals interested in health
literacy. Strategies discussed in the guide reflect the current
body of research in health literacy and health communication.
These strategies include: improving the usability of health
information; improving the usability of health services; building
knowledge to improve health decision-making; and advocating for
health literacy improvement. The action-oriented tools can be
applied to health care delivery, policy, administration, and public
communication and education activities. (background): In
2000, HHS released the Healthy People 2010 objectives, based on
research that is used to shape policy and programmatic directions, as
well as stimulate changes in organizational, professional, and public
practices. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
(ODPHP) at HHS is the lead agency for Healthy People 2010 and
specifically for the Health Communication Objectives that include
health literacy improvement. Since 2003, ODPHP has used these
objectives to lead an HHS-wide effort to develop the research base,
identify organizational and professional barriers, raise awareness, and
develop tools for health literacy improvement. The Quick Guide, along
with a sample Power Point presentation on health literacy/other
resources, is available at: http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/default.htm.
- Stacy Robison, MPH, CHES, Health Literacy Fellow, Office of Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion, Department of Health and Human
Services, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite LL100, Rockville, MD 20852 Phone:
240-453-8271 Email: srobison@osophs.dhhs.gov
Financial
literacy curriculum for ESL students divided into 3 units:
Basic Banking Services, Credit, Planning for the Future, and there is
an additional lesson on Identity Theft. The lessons are most
appropriate for Intermediate High students but can be adapted for other
levels. In our district we have used it for a special 30-hour
class as
well as integrated it into a regular ESL class. Available for
downloaded from the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network at:
http://www.adultedteachers.org/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=mini
Search
for Financial Literacy Lessons for ESL Students - Leslie
Shimazaki San
Diego Community College District
Practitioner
minigrant projects are underway – read about them at http://www.brown.edu/lrri/minigrant0506.html.
The fourth annual RI Adult Educators
Conference was held on May 11. http://www.brown.edu/lrri/conference06.html
Thanks to all for your participation in the May 11th conference.
If you have an evaluation to submit, or would like to share ideas from
your own action plan, please contact lrri@brown.edu or call 863-2839.
ALE Wiki: Katrina - families,
literacy, access and community
learning
opportunities
Mentor
Non-traditional
Adults Returning to College - TRANSITION TO COLLEGE is seeking
volunteer mentors and/or tutors to support their non-traditional adult
students as they prepare for the rigors of college. Over three dozen
TTC graduates have been mentored during their post-secondary
educational journey, which has demonstrably impacted our students
retention and persistence. As one student proclaimed about his mentor,
My mentor knows which buttons to push to have me challenge myself to
become more pro-active and self-confident . . . She is a friend, a
teacher, a cheerleader, and a role-model. If you are interested in
becoming a
Mentor and/or Tutor, please contact Marie@transitiontocollege.org or
call 722-9800.
The Center for Literacy Studies at the
University of Tennessee and the Ohio Literacy Resource Center at Kent
state announce spring Professional Development courses
for the AEProfessional project. All AEPro on-line workshops have been
piloted and reviewed by adult educators and administrators to excellent
reviews. Most last about six weeks and require a time commitment of
roughly 2 hours a week. Spaces are filling up quickly so you will need
to act soon to meet the registration deadline. For further information,
please visit the project web site at:
http://www.aeprofessional.org/ All courses begin on 6/5/06. Registration Deadline 6/29/06
To register: http://utk-cls.ra.utk.edu/register/AEPro/event2.asp
Bill McNutt, CTO, AEProfessional Project
Comprehensive Reading and
Strategies Help CEUs: 1 (optional) Facilitator: Jan
Lichten
This web-based training will provide you with information and resources
that will help you help your students be better readers. If you want to
be effective in helping your students achieve their goals, it is
important that you know about a variety of aspects regarding the adult
student and strategies to enhance reading skills.
Topics within this training include:
The Adult Learner and Brain Compatible Classrooms, Essentials of
Reading, Adult Learners and Comprehension Strategies, Helping ESOL
Students and Students with Learning Disabilities, Helping the Adult to
Help the Child
Adult Education - Teaching
Tools CEUs: 1 (optional) Facilitator: Deb
Hargrove
Delivered via the Internet, this six-week course focuses on
familiarizing instructors with teaching tools that will enhance
teaching practices leading to greater learning, retention, and success
for adult students. It offers a wealth of resources and teaching
strategies on topics such as reflective teaching,
cooperative/collaborative learning, multiple intelligences, and
contextual instruction. The course will help participants draw their
own connections between current research and teacher practice; it
provides opportunities for practical classroom
application, online collaboration, and sharing best practices with
other adult educators-and much more!
All participants must have their own e-mail address to participate in
the course. ALL online course participants will complete a "Tech Check"
one week before course start date to ensure their computer equipment
and Internet connection are sufficient for effective course
participation.
ESOL Basics
CEUs: 1 (optional)
Do you need to know the basics of ESOL instruction? Through this online
course, you will learn how to identify characteristics of adult ESOL
learners, effective methods of teaching languages, the four language
skills, and how adults learn another language. Online activities,
discussion boards and assessments will keep you engaged.
Integration of Technology
into the Adult Education Classroom CEUs: 1 (optional)
Facilitator: Linda Eckert, AE Pro Developer
Have you ever tried to blindly put a puzzle together without knowing
what the final picture will look like? This may be what is happening to
you when you are trying to integrate computer technology into your
classroom. This course will provide quick access to educational
resources, lesson plans, activities, tools for evaluating educational
software, information about purchasing educational software, and
knowledge to help you utilize a variety of software applications and
web-based activities in the classroom. Online activities, discussion
boards and assessments will keep you engaged.
Other
online courses: The Center for
Literacy Studies at the University
of Tennessee, and the Ohio Literacy Resource Center at Kent State
University announce spring 2006 distance learning courses.
Overviews
of each course, as well as start dates, are posted at http://www.aeprofessional.org.
- Pennsylvania State University's
online Certificate in Family Literacy Program is a partnership
between the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy at Penn
State and the National Center for Family Literacy. The program is
offered through Penn's World Campus and brings experts in family
literacy together with specialists in early childhood and adult
education to offer a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to
professional development that focuses on literacy instruction. The
Goodling Institute's Family Literacy Certificate Program offers these
two three-credit online courses, from May 24, through August 23.
ADTED 456: Introduction to Family
Literacy
This course provides opportunities for students to discover and analyze
comprehensive family literacy within a model centered on how services
evolved out of a need to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty
and under-education.
ADTED 459: Interactive Literacy:
Parents and Children
This course prepares family literacy and early childhood educators for
understanding, preparing for and practicing interactive literacy
lessons. It emphasizes teaching in a planned and intentional mode that
encourages language and literacy development by integrating language,
reading, and writing/drawing processes.
For more information, contact: Donna Bell (dbell@famlit.org) or Sheila
Sherow (sms20@psu.edu)
I Open Up: Exploring Learners' Perspectives
on Progress Our one year research project, "Learners'
Perspectives on Progress" is now complete and available at http://www.nald.ca/ppr/researchproject.htm
Special thanks to the National Literacy Secretariat, Human Resources
and Skills Development Canada and the Ministry of Training, Colleges
and Universities, Skills Investment Branch for their support of this
project. The staff at Parkdale Project Read, Toronto, Ontario http://www.nald.ca/ppr
Providence Public
Library events
- http://www.provlib.org/branchout/current.html
funding
opportunities - large and less large
United Way of Rhode Island announces
a funding opportunity for the Earned
Income Tax Credit
campaign. Details will be posted on the
United Way website as of June 12- http://www.uwri.org.
This RFP will
seek out applicants who want to engage in VITA site / EITC work as well
as applicants from EITC/VITA sites who want to engage in
year round
financial literacy work. A grantee does not need to engage in
both
aspects, but must be (or apply to be) an EITC/VITA site in order to be
eligible to apply for the financial literacy component.
Initial
letters of intent for this grant will be due to the United Way on July
10th
Funding
opportunities from PEN Weekly
NewsBlast, (from Pen Weekly Newsblast; To view
past issues of the PEN Weekly NewsBlast, visit: http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_past.asp
Hasbro Children Foundation grants to support the development and/or
expansion of programs for children. Maximum Award: $500-$35,000.
Eligibility: Programs must provide direct services to children under
age 13. They must serve children and families who are economically
disadvantaged. They must be innovative and provide a model from
whichothers can learn.
Deadline: N/A. http://www.hasbro.org
The Allen Foundation supports educational nutrition programs, with
priority given to training programs for children and young adults to
improve their health and
development. Maximum Award: Past grants haveranged from $2,000 to $1
million. Eligibility:
Schools and schooldistricts should partner with local nonprofits to
form nutrition education
programs. Deadline: Ongoing.
http://www.allenfoundation.org/
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.php
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
teaching: The
Genesis Center is interested in adding to its substitute list. If you
are an ESOL instructor who is interested in occasional work as a
substitute, either day, evening or Saturday hours, please call Nancy
Fritz or Pat Clarkin at 781-6110.
Jobs in Literacy –
nation wide postings on the National Institute for
Literacy’s LINCS site: http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/lincs/jobs/jobs.cgi
Substitute list:
if
you would like your name added to the general
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 available
from Providence Business News, June 6-12, 2006:
Immigrants conquer language barriers, by Natalie Myers, http://www.pbn.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/121234
Brief overview of the current employment climate and adult language
learning, with comments from RIDE and a number of local programs.
Math resource: The TV411 Think Math DVD
- With a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), ALMA has
produced the TV411 Think Math DVD for use in adult education classrooms
across the country. The DVD features…
• 8 video segments from the
TV411 broadcast series that embed useful math lessons in everyday
situations to engage adults and motivate them to learn
• Lesson plans
for teachers of adult learners on the topics of
-
fractions and percents
- basic geometry and
perimeter
- ratios and rates
- number
patterns and data analysis
• Links to lessons and interactive, online
games on our Web site, www.tv411.org, that reinforce the math content
•
A link to public television schedules posted on www.tv411.org
How You Can Be a Part of The TV411 Think Math DVD Outreach
Initiative
TV411 Think Math is an engaging curriculum resource for your
adult literacy program and a way to connect your program participants
with a wonderful educational television series. TV411 airs on public
television and cable stations around the country. The 30 half-hour
episodes are designed for pre-GED adults and cover basic reading,
writing, and math skills in real-life contexts. ALMA will make the
TV411 Think Math DVD available free to literacy programs that are part
of our outreach initiative. If you would like to participate in the
TV411 Think Math outreach initiative, here’s what to do:
• Contact
your local public television or community cable station and ask them if
they are airing TV411. If they are not currently airing TV411,
encourage them to do so.
• E-mail or call Shelley Ruchti at ALMA,
212-807-4244, sruchti@edc.org, and give her the contact information of
the person you reached at your local station.
That’s it! Once we’ve
heard from you, we will send you your free copy of the TV411 Think Math
DVD. Our goal is to get as many stations as possible to air TV411 this
fall. Once we have scheduling information for TV411 in your area, we
will send it to you to distribute to your program participants.
Also, from ALMA” In July 2006, the Adult Literacy Media Alliance (ALMA)
is releasing a new multimedia financial literacy curriculum—TV411 Save
Smart—developed with a generous grant from the NASD Investor Education
Foundation. TV411 Save Smart features TV411’s math-minded “Calculating
Woman” and highlights key literacy and math concepts behind saving and
investing. The curriculum, designed for ABE students, is made up of
four units: Planning for Retirement; Tax-Deferred Savings and
Investing; Tracking Mutual Funds; and Reading the Fine Print.
Details on how your programs can receive a free copy of the TV411 Save
Smart curriculum on DVD are similar to those listed above; please
contact LR/RI for a PDF document outlining steps to take to receive the
Save Smart DVD.
ALMA is also distributing a half-hour TV411 Save Smart television
episode to public television stations across the country. As part
of our outreach efforts, we are asking ABE programs to contact their
local public television and encourage them to air the show. If
you have any questions about our TV411 Save Smart initiative, or would
like to learn more about other TV411 materials and ALMA’s professional
development services, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Edith
Love, National Partnerships Coordinator 212-807-4243elove@edc.org
TV411 – Tune Into
Learning http://www.tv411.org
The International Adult Literacy Study (IALS)
is now available in a searchable database, permitting users to retrieve
prose, document and quantitative literacy data for each of the
countries listed in the table, and for a wide range of combined
intermediate variables. Users can produce estimates of mean
performance, and percentages of each proficiency level for each of the
IALS literacy scales by any combination of background variables. Each
estimate is accompanied by the appropriate measures of statistical
reliability. The IALS database home page: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-588-XIE/ials-eiaa.htm
- access the database from there.
The National Training Support Center/America's Career Resource Network
invites you to participate in a Webinar focusing on the topic of Career
Development: Reaching out To Hispanic
Populations ,Thursday, June 22, from 3-4:15 p.m. EST.
Panelists will include: Dr. Deborah Santiago, Vice President for Policy
and Research, Excelencia in Education; Idalia P. Fernandez, Vice
President and CEO, Hispanic College Fund, amd Louisa Fuller, National
Training Support Center/America's Career Resource Network.
The Webinar will focus on sharing outreach techniques, free resources,
and key tips that effectively reach out to Hispanic populations in
encouraging career development, and pursuing postsecondary education
and training
opportunities. We encourage all state ACRN directors, Guidance
Supervisors, respective staffs, state Career and Technical Education
directors, guidance counselors, Tech Prep Coordinators, community-based
organizations, teachers, job training centers, and others who work with
Hispanic populations to join us for this free Webinar.
To access the Webcast on June 22nd, please go to: http://www.acrnetwork.org/webinar0622.htm
Thank you! The National Training Support/America's Career
Resource Network
more online discussions:
Dear Colleagues, I'm pleased to announce the following Guest
Discussion, June 19 – 23, 2006 Topic: Assessment in
Mathematics Guest: Myrna Manly – please see Myrna's bio below.
Myrna will respond to your email posts once per day – feel free to send
your post to the Assessment Discussion List, or to me so that I
can post it for you (marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com).
Myrna Manly, a mathematics teacher with experience at many academic
levels, retired in 2001 from a position as professor of
mathematics at El Camino College. In addition to
instruction, she has been involved with the
assessment of the mathematics proficiency of adults in various roles:
as the Mathematics Specialist for the 1988 version of the GED
test; as a member of the numeracy team for the Adult Literacy and
Lifeskills Survey (ALL); and as the numeracy consultant for a
similar international survey to be used in developing countries,
the Literacy Assessment and Monitoring Programme (LAMP). She is the
Past President of the Adult Numeracy Network (ANN), is the author of
The GED Math Problem Solver, and also works with states and programs
facilitating staff-development workshops aimed at improving mathematics
instruction to adults.
Myrna is presently writing a paper with Mary Jane Schmidt and Lynda
Ginsburg on the components of numeracy for NCSALL (National Center for
the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy). The paper reviews the
literature, describes the fundamental elements of adult numeracy, and
makes recommendations for further
research, particularly with respect to curriculum and assessment.
Look for this resource soon from NCSALL.
Myrna has provided several questions below to get you thinking about
math assessment:
It is known that students and teachers come to value what is
assessed. What is your opinion of the influence that the
standardized mathematics assessments (GED, TABE, CASAS) have in
your classrooms? Are they assessing the mathematics that is
important for the 21st century? Do you think that they all assess the
same mathematics? What do you think is missing from
each?
Computation skills are easy to assess. How can we assess other
important aspects of mathematics like strategic problem solving,
conceptual understanding, and reasoning?
Describe instances where you have seen a student’s “math anxiety”
interfere with an accurate assessment of his/her abilities. Do
you assess math anxiety in any way? What strategies have you used
to reduce it? Any luck with them?
Which classroom techniques do you recommend for informal, ongoing
assessment of a student’s progress in learning mathematics?
In addition to the above questions to stimulate discussion, Myrna has
provided these sites for math assessment. Please take a
look at these sites and post your questions and comments to the
Discussion:
http://www.literacy.org/products/ncal/pdf/TR9805.pdf
Assessing Mathematical
Knowledge of Adult Learners: Are We Looking at What Counts? This
technical report from NCAL was written by Joy Cumming, Iddo Gal,
and Lynda Ginsburg in 1998. It discusses assessment
principles and evaluates their implementation in common numeracy
assessment tools.
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=573
The Inclusion of Numeracy in Adult Basic Education, Dave Tout and Mary
Jane Schmitt, 2002. This chapter from NCSALL’s annual review
contains a section on assessment that includes a description of
assessments in adult education from Australia and The Netherlands.
http://www.nctm.org/news/assessment/2005_12nb.htm
Will This Be on the Test?
This article discusses the importance of including significant
mathematics on tests. It includes a good example of a test item
that goes beyond procedural skills.
http://standards.nctm.org/document/chapter2/assess.htm
This document in an overview of NCTM’s assessment principle for K-12
mathematics.
Large-scale surveys of adult skills: Adult Literacy and Lifeskills
Survey (ALL) Numeracy Framework (begins on p.137): http://www.statcan.ca/cgi-bin/downpub/listpub.cgi?catno=89-552-MIE2005013
First results:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-603-XIE/2005001/pdf.htm
Data Tool: http://litdata.ets.org/ialdata/search.asp
National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL)
First results: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006470
Hard Copy Resource: Adult Numeracy Development: Theory, Policy and
Practice, Iddo Gal, ed., 2000. Hampton Press, Inc. This
book has a section on numeracy assessment with one article
discussing assessment issues and principles using examples from the
US and Australia and another article describing the use of
Supermarket Strategy materials for diagnosing the skills of
individual learners in The Netherlands. Thanks everyone, and I’m
looking forward to seeing you all next week to chat about math
assessment!
- Marie Cora, Moderator NIFL Assessment Discussion List
marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com
Are you running classes this summer? If so, and if you’d like to
announce your schedule, please contact LR/RI.
online learning opportunities in June:
The following authors will
discuss their articles from the recent issue of Focus On Basics, Vol.
8B, which is about Learners' Experiences. http://www.ncsall.net/?id=1103
June 12-16: Alisa Belzer, Influences on the Reading Practices of Adults
in ABE
http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=1108
and Learners on Learning to Read http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=1110
June 25-30: Hal Beder, Shaping and Sustaining Learner Engagement in
Individualized Group Instruction Class-rooms http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=1106
to subscribe: http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/focusonbasics
teaching resource: No Human is Illegal: An
Educator’s Guide for Addressing Immigration In the Classroom;
available at http://www.nycore.org
In the recent weeks HR4437 advocates have sought to
introduce
legislation that will radically change the legal, social, and economic
status of immigrant communities in the US. The debate rages on and we
have heard
opinions ranging from the conservatives to the democrats to the
left—and a powerful constituency has emerged stronger than ever before
in the 21st century—students. How will educators encourage these acts
of critical thinking, civic responsibility, agency, and above all—
student leadership in advocating for all human rights? How can
educators engage their students in these critical issues in the
classroom? How can we serve as the liaison between students andthe
mixed messages the media and politicians are sending?
This guide is for educators to take on the important
issues that
teachers and students alike have been tackling in
their activism from INSIDE the classroom. This resource can be
best used online as a web resource. – from Sally Lee, Founder, Teachers
Unite sally@teachersunite.net 646-206-4160, http://www.teachersunite.net
Google Scholar enables searches for
scholarly
literature, including
peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical
reports from broad areas of research. Use Google Scholar to find
articles
from a variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint
repositories and universities, as well as articles available across the
web. Google Scholar orders search results by how relevant they
are
to your query, so the most useful references should appear at the top
of
the page. This relevance ranking takes into account the full text of
each
article as well as the article's author, the publication in which the
article
appeared and how often it has
been cited in scholarly literature. Google Scholar automatically
analyzes
and extracts citations and presents them as separate results, even if
the
documents they refer to are not online. This means your search results
may include citations of older works and seminal articles that
appear only in books or other offline publications. http://scholar.google.com/
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/
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 to http://www.provplan.org/pcrnespa.
The Web pages, online instructions, and the content of the database
have
all been translated.
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
The New York
Association for Continuing/Community Education (NYACCE) is
hosting a three-day leadership conference for adult educators, July 26-28.
This leadership retreat will be led by Louis Miceli of Workforce
Professionals Training Institute, and features Sheila Maguire of
Working Ventures for a keynote presentation. For a brochure: http://www.workforceprofessionals.org/wpti_content/uploadfiles/NYACCE_brochure.pdf
registration form: http://www.workforceprofessionals.org/wpti_content/uploadfiles/NYACCE_registration.doc
For more information, contact Lou Miceli at
lmiceli@workforceprofessionals.org, or Marjorie Parker at
Marjorie.parker@verizon.net. To learn more about NYACCE, visit
www.nyacce.org. - from the WPTI team on behalf of NYCACCE.
Mariann
Fedele Coordinator of Professional Development, Literacy
Assistance
Center 32 Broadway 10th Floor, NY, NY 10004 212-803-3325
mariannf@lacnyc.org http://www.lacnyc.org
From Erik Jacobson,
Chair, J. Michael Parker Award Committee - The National Reading Conference's
(NRC) 56th Annual Meeting will take place in Los Angeles, from
November 29 to December 2. The conference covers a range of
literacy related topics, including adult literacy. Information is
available at http://www.nrconline.org/.
I encourage adult literacy researchers to join the dialogue at
the meeting and to consider submitting proposals. In addition, to
encourage research on adult literacy, NRC has established the J.
Michael Parker Award, given to graduate students and
untenured professors who present research on adult learning or
education at the annual meeting. Information and submission
guidelines at http://www.nrconline.org/pdf/2006callforproposals.pdf
SAVE the DATES: November 30-December
2, 2006 A MEETING OF THE MINDS II SYMPOSIUM
The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, the
California Department of Education Adult Education Office, and the
California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project of the
American Institutes for Research announce a Meeting of the Minds II: A
National Adult Education Practitioner-Researcher Symposium.
Scheduled for November 30-December 2, at the Sheraton Grand hotel in
Sacramento, California, the symposium is designed to provide
opportunities for adult education practitioners and researchers to
share and discuss 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 highlight
systemic changes that can enhance literacy practice and increase
student learning gains. The theme of this symposium is Systemic Change
and Student Success: What Does Research Tell Us? As in the first
Meeting of the Minds Symposium that was held in 2004, each session of
the 2006 Symposium will be structured so that the research presentation
is 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.
More information will be available soon at http://www.researchtopractice.org.
(This Web site currently lists presenters' PowerPoints and abstracts of
sessions held at the 2004 Meeting of the Minds symposium as well as
thoughts generated by attendees regarding implications of the research
findings.) We are updating this site to house information about online
registration for the 2006 symposium as well as information about hotel
registration. We will send out another notice after the Web site has
been updated.
-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.
please
submit
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
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