Contact LR/RI
| The Rhode Island Adult Education Professional
Development
Center 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, please go to Bulletin Archives. To receive the bulletin via email, contact LR/RI. To learn more about professional development opportunities, please contact the RI AEPDC at (401) 456 -2838 or (401) 863-2839 October 30, 2008
Bulletin
#283 Dear Colleagues, Calls for
participation, employment, funding,
and conference and workshop
opportunities, online
and other resources.
Janet Isserlis
VOTING If you're not already aware of this page on the Secretary of State's website, you might be interested in seeing how it works - for yourselves and/or with learners and colleagues. http://www.sec.state.ri.us/vic From the page you can enter your own personal information to see your voter registration data and polling place or simply enter a street address to learn where your polling place is. Both sites also provide information about local and state reps and link to a PDF file of the ballot to be used on November 4th. ESOL share November 19th at 3:00 pm, Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence. information forthcoming Practitioner share, Tuesday November 5 3:00 p.m. at Crossroads RI, 160 Broad Street, Providence. Many practitioners struggle with helping adult learners stay engaged in learning. Responding to people's lives: Developing Adult teaching and learning, by Appleby and Barton, combines awareness of the complexities of adults’ lives while also focusing on classroom practice. Please join the discussion. Visitor parking is available in the YMCA parking lot; please enter through the Copy Center; contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu for more information. Building Futures offers a construction skills based GED class to help young men and women move into apprenticeships in the construction trades. Union apprenticeships combine well paid jobs with structured on the job training which enables the worker to advance. The starting wages of construction apprenticeships are well above minimum wage. The GED class is a first step toward meeting the requirements for these positions. Classes are held at Nickerson House in Olneyville. The class is free and open to GED students 18+. To join the next class cycle, you must attend one of these orientations: November 5: 6-8 PM; November 6: 3-5 pm; or November 7: 9:30-11:30 AM. Call 919-5919x203 to enroll. If you would like printed announcements to post in your organization please email Beatrice McGeoch at bmcgeoch@provplan.org Wednesday, November 19, The Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence - Home Across Lands, a film that chronicles the work of International Institute of RI staff and volunteers as they guide a group of Kunaman refugees making the transition from a life of despair in the Shimelba Refugee Camp in Ethiopia, Africa to a life of hope in their new home in Providence. 6:30: Patron Reception 7:15: Film Showing General Admission: $35 Reserved Seats: $100 Sponsorship Options: $500 to $5,000+ includes tickets, Patron Reception. To reserve tickets or for information contact Jessica Barry at jbarry@iiri.org or 401.784.8619. The Change Agent Adult Education for Social Justice: News, Issues, and Ideas CALL FOR ARTICLES Please submit illustrations, cartoons, and graphics on this theme too! Theme: Health Attending to your health can be a challenging task. You have to find the right providers, deal with health insurance companies (if you’re insured), take time for healing, and sometimes work hard to get the attention you (and your family) need. The next issue of The Change Agent will focus on the personal, social, political, and financial concerns related to being healthy and dealing with illness. We are interested in hearing from teachers and adult learners about your experiences, stories, lessons, and reflections on health. You may use the following questions as writing prompts, but please don’t feel limited by them. And please don’t try to answer all these questions. Pick one or two and explore them, sharing your own personal perspective. Questions for students and teachers to think about: • What do you do to stay healthy? • How do you take care of your mental health as well as your physical health? • What is the most challenging aspect of health care for you and your family? • Do you use alternative medicine, like acupuncture or homeopathy? What is your experience with these practices? • What do you need in your personal life to feel healthier? • What do you need in your community to feel healthier? • What health practices did you learn in your country of origin or in your childhood that are different from what is commonly practiced now? • Share some home remedies that you may have learned from other family members or community members. Do these remedies work for you? All articles must be received by November 6, 2008. Suggested length is 500-1,200 words. Final decisions are made by The Change Agent editorial board. We cannot print writing that criticizes or endorses an y political candidate or party. A stipend of $50 will be paid to each adult education student whose work is accepted for publication in this issue. Please send material (preferably by email) to: Cynthia Peters, NELRC/World Education, 44 Farnsworth St., Boston, MA 02210Phone: 617-482-9485 fax: 617-482-0617.Email: cpeters @worlded.org All articles and emails MUST include contact information for the student and/or the teacher. The mission of The Change Agent is to provide news, issues, ideas, and other teaching resources that inspire and enable adult educators and learners to make civic participation and social justice concerns part of their teaching and learning. It is published by the New England Literacy Resource Center.  The September 2008 issue of The Change Agent - Making Sense of Climate Change – is available. A deeper understanding of global warming, reasons for hope, actions you can take, opportunities for justice - these are just some of the reasons to bring the current issue of The Change Agent into your ABE or ESOL classroom. This issue offers 60 pages of short articles, illustrations, cartoons, math lessons, and quizzes to break down the science, economics, and everyday effects of global warming. Learn about greenhouse gases, energy-saving tricks that also save money, green jobs, justice-based solutions to climate change, and how adult learners are teaching their kids about conservation, saying no to junk mail, and lobbying their mayors to do more for the environment. http://www.nelrc.org/changeagent Support the Change Agent’s ongoing work to make social justice part of the adult education classroom. - Cynthia Peters, editor; cpeters@worlded.org learning opportunities New, Free Online Courses Demonstrating your program's effectiveness is important to your program's success, and free, online self-paced courses are available to help you. http://207.10.202.152/ With support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, ProLiteracy brings field-tested program accountability strategies to administrators and staff of literacy and adult basic education programs Data Collection and Management Part One of the three-part online series centers on collecting and managing credible, high-quality student data. Course length: 3-4 hours This course will help you: Build a common language and an approach to accountability, organize data collection and management efforts around key decision points and staff roles, and increase confidence in your program's data collection and management practices Data Analysis for Program Decision-Making Part Two helps administrators and staff learn how to institutionalize data-driven decision-making practices to create a culture of continuous program improvement. Course length: 3-4 hours In this course you will: Review and practice data analysis skills, improve decision-making using a team approach to data analysis and review, and streamline program improvement using practical planning tools and strategies Coming Fall 2009: Communicating Success to Stakeholders, Part Three in the series. NAASLN webinars: http://www.naasln.org/webinars.htm. Upcoming topics include GED Accommodations, and Math. $20 for members, $30 for non-members. National Priorities Project analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. Numeracy, critical thinking and technology: have a look http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home funding opportunities - large and less large National Program Improvement Grant Opportunity Learn effective and innovative ways to tell your community and your funders about your program's effectiveness with the help of ProLiteracy and your peers! Apply to join Year Three of the Dollar General/ProLiteracy Performance Accountability (DGPA) Initiative As a one-year participating program, your program gets: Ideas tested by your literacy peers; a stipend to help offset travel and reporting requirements; two places at one of six regional trainings, "Communicating Success to Stakeholders," scheduled for February and March 2009; Access to practical resources and support through the DGPA wiki and online discussion list and the opportunity to test and evaluate new strategies Applications available November 2008 For information e-mail Marie Cora, DGPA Project Manager at mcora@proliteracy.org This project is made possible through the generous support of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Verizon Foundation -- Education, Literacy and Health Grants The Verizon Foundation aims to help people increase their literacy and educational achievement; avoid being an abuser or a victim of domestic violence; and achieve and sustain their health and safety. To achieve this goal, the Foundation funds programs in the following areas of interest: education, literacy, domestic violence prevention, healthcare and accessibility and Internet safety. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Proposals will also be considered from elementary and secondary schools that are registered with the National Center for Education Statistics. Deadline: November 1, 2008 Contact the Verizon Foundation directly for complete program information and application guidelines: http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/guidelines.shtml - other grants from the Public Education Network: http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp - 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 employment opportunities are generally sent as they arrive via email; if you would like to receive this bulletin, and those updates by email please contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu. 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 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.
online / resources available A growing number of research studies have documented the relationship between social determinants of health and health outcomes. However, relatively little is known about how to translate this knowledge into practice. To address this gap, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in partnership with Transtria LLC and the Saint Louis University Prevention Research Center, developed Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health. This workbook was created to support new and existing partnerships to address the social determinants of health inequities. It highlights lessons learned by communities and provides information and tools to develop, implement and evaluate interventions that address social determinants of health inequities. It was designed for a wide range of users interested in achieving health equity. Download or order a free copy from the CDC Community Health and Program Services web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dach/chaps/ Order a free copy (maximum of 10): http://wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/CHAPS.aspx We hope you will find this resource helpful and encourage you to share this workbook with others who seek to achieve health equity by addressing social determinants of health. -Marilyn Metzler, Social Determinants of Health Analyst, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion/McKing Consulting, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia  Health and literacy are inextricably linked, and health and literacy providers are working together in new and exciting ways to use that link for positive results. The newest issue of Focus on Basics is packed with articles on a wide variety of partnerships: between nursing and teacher educators in the university, between medical schools and literacy programs, between health educators and literacy students, between health planners and literacy providers. Also included is a long-awaited report on a 5-year study of the impact of a literacy curriculum that incorporate health information on the literacy skills and health knowledge of learners, a new way to look at what the health information in the National Assessment of Adult Learning reveals, and how to use illustrations effectively in health education materials. Authors include Dr. Susan Levy, Dr. Andrew Pleasant, and Dr. Ian Bennett and colleagues, and National Institute for Literacy's Health Literacy discussion list moderator Julie McKinney. Download Focus on Basics, Volume 9, Issue B, Health & Literacy Partnerships. from the right hand column of publisher World Education's home page: http://www.worlded.org or find the new issue and all past issues at http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/fob/2008/fob_9b.pdf and http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=31 Moving towards Participatory Adult Education: Involving Family Literacy Students in Meaningful Leadership Experiences - Blaire Willson Toso, Esther Prins, Brendaly Drayton, Ramazan Gungor, and Edith Gnanadass http://www.ed.psu.edu/goodlinginstitute/pdf/Research_Brief_4_Final.pdf a manual of family numeracy activities, ready to use in early literacy programs, day care centres, primary grades and Adult Basic Education/Literacy programs. Patterns, recipes, and hand-outs all included (109 pages). Download your free copy: http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/familymath/cover.htm Math for the whole person: Spirit, heart, body and mind are all connected in the activities in this book. When we balance the spirit, heart, body and mind, math becomes part of our whole lives, not a beast or a barrier. Activities for the whole family: Things to do in the kitchen and on a walk, rhymes, games, and things to make, all to promote math thinking and learning. For more information: Kate.Nonesuch@viu.ca. Funded by The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Beyond the checklist: Using reflective practice to remove barriers infamily and community literacy by Cheryl Brown and Wendell Dryden – while specifically examining an intergenerational literacy project, the article poses a number of considerations useful in thinking about learner persistence across learning spheres: http://www.literacyjournal.ca/literacies/9-2008/pdf/brown&dryden.pdf English for your health: A Health Literacy Curriculum for Beginning ESOL Learners, a site designed to teach high-beginner to low intermediates preventive health care and to interact with health care providers. http://www.queenslibrary.org/index.aspx?page_nm=ALP_English_Health survey on advocacy – information about resources: The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) is interested in your opinion on the need for advocacy resources that will help others overcome challenges to participating in adult literacy public policy advocacy. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ZWa5JKLDsJilZjENAhSloQ_3d_3d Please complete this survey by October 28, 2008; it should take less than 10 minutes to complete. The NCL will use the results to develop the Online Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit. This Web-based toolkit will be a one-stop online collection linking to existing advocacy resources as well as to new resources you would like to see developed. The toolkit will be available online in January. - Jackie Taylor Consultant to the National Coalition for Literacy advocacy@ncldc.net from Thursday notes, October 23: New ELL Resources Available Online The Center for Adult English Language Acquisition Network, funded by OVAE, offers two resources to help create professional development programs for English language learning (ELL) practitioners. The tools build on OVAE’s research on what constitutes good professional development in numeracy and extends those principles to ELL. Reflective Practice in the Professional Development of Teachers of Adult English Language Learners describes how teachers can analyze their classroom approaches to improve their teaching and suggests ways to incorporate reflective techniques into their teaching practice. Using Data to Plan Professional Development for Practitioners Working with Adult English Language Learners lays out a process for making data-driven, systematic decisions that respond to stakeholders’ needs as well as for providing a foundation for evaluating these professional development efforts. http://www.cal.org/caela/ Study Suggests Community College Students Need Support The low rate of transfer to four-year institutions for academically underprepared students suggests they need focused academic support in the first two years of their postsecondary careers, according to a research review by the Education Commission of the States in the September 2008 issue of its Progress of Education Reform. The article offers insights on the strategies that show the most promise for promoting greater education attainment for community college students. NAEP Plans National Technological Literacy Assessment The National Assessment of Educational Progress’ (NAEP) governing board announced plans to develop a technological literacy exam which will debut in 2012 as the first nationwide assessment in this area in the U.S. NAEP assessments already exist in reading, math, science, history, writing and other subjects. The board awarded a $1.86 million contract to develop the 2012 NAEP Technological Literacy Framework. Contractors will seek advice on constructing the assessment from technology experts, engineers, teachers, scientists, business representatives, state and local policymakers and employers. The governing board then will assess the contractor's findings and decide which grade level—4, 8 or 12—will be tested in 2012. http://blogs.jsonline.com/education/archive/2008/10/09/national-exam-aims-to-test-students-technological-literacy.aspx from Thursday notes, October 30, 2008: Data Help Strengthen State Policies for Working Families State directors revamping adult education state plans have a new data resource for understanding current state conditions and related state policies in each of four areas: • Education and skills training available to working adults; • Employment opportunities for entry-level and low-wage workers; • Conditions of low-income working families; and • Conditions and employee benefits at existing jobs. More than 100 indicators were used in conducting the State Policy Assessment Reports of the Working Poor Families Project (WPFP) and were taken from the federal government's American Community Survey, Current Population Survey, and Occupational Employment Survey. WPFP is funded by the Annie E. Casey, Ford, Joyce, and Mott foundations. It helps state nonprofit organizations nationwide to assess the economic conditions and state policies affecting working families and to use policymaking to strengthen those conditions and policies. http://www.workingpoorfamilies.org/indicators.html South Dakota has created a training requirement that seems to be paying off. The state's Request for Proposals for adult education funds requires a minimum of 80 percent of teachers in funded programs to attend a statewide summer institute. The institute offers experienced teachers training and helps the state ensure that they all get training on the National Reporting System, initiatives like STAR, writing and math instruction, and strategies to address low performance on the GED. Few local programs do not meet the 80 percent minimum, and many programs now have 100 percent attendance at the summer institute. The state asks the local program and instructor to locate professional development that provides specific help to instructors who miss the summer institute. More information is available from Marcia Hess Marcia.Hess@state.sd.us Available on the CAELA Network Web site - the September issue of Network News, a quarterly newsletter. Check out information on CAELA Network state meetings, publications from the Network for practitioners working with adult English language learners, and links to information about conferences of interest to these practitioners. http://www.cal.org/caelanetwork/newssept08.html To subscribe to this online publication, send an email to caelanetwork@cal.org The National College Transition Network's newest publication, The College Transition Toolkit, is a comprehensive guide to program planning and implementation that draws on the expertise of practitioners from The New England ABE-to-College Transition Project and around the country. The Toolkit contains detailed information to help adult educators and administrators plan for the needs of students interested in pursuing postsecondary education and training. Chapter titles include: Program Models; Partnerships and Collaborations; Recruitment; Assessment; Counseling; Curriculum and Instruction; Planning; and Using Data for Program Development. The toolkit also provides templates that you can download and adapt for use in developing your college transition program, links to a variety of online resources, and supplementary printable resources. For more details about the toolkit and information on ordering, visit http://collegetransition.org/toolkit.html Other questions? Please contact Priyanka Sharma at 617-385-3788 or psharma@worlded.org. The Centre for Literacy in Montréal has posted presentations from its 2008 summer institute on ESL and Literacy. http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca/whatsnew/sli2008/index.htm RI DLT's Rhode Island Red job search feature is now drawing job postings from ALL local jobs boards (except Monster.com). To access this resource visit RI RED http://www.dlt.ri.gov/rired/ -- under quick menu click job search; choose location search criteria, provide job title or other criteria. Source codes are listed at the bottom of the page Guidance documents from the UK’s Skills for Life – http://excellence.qia.org.uk/page.aspx?o=Guidance – contextualizing work for those with clearly identified learning difficulties (defined as): physical and sensory impairments – for example those with mobility difficulties or hearing or visual impairments; unseen disabilities such as health conditions, mental health difficulties and dyslexia; those whose disrupted learning experiences (for example those in offender establishments) and difficulties with learning have led them to work at a significantly lower level than the majority of their peers. numeracy resources: The Problem Solver, Massachusetts math newsletter, online at http://www.sabes.org/resources/publications/problemsolver/index.htm; Massachusetts also produces a math newsletter that focuses on research: the SABES Math Bulletin. You can access copies of that publication at: http://sabes.org/resources/publications/mathbulletin/index.htm Radical Math is a resource for educators interested in integrating issues of social, political, and economic justice into math curriculum and classes RadicalMath.org has the goals of raising mathematic literacy and simultaneously developing ways to address a range of community issues. The website supports educators to teach many different types of math within the context of studying social, political, and economic justice issues. RadicalMath.org also contains teaching materials on important financial topics for youth such as owning a credit card, paying for college, and avoiding subprime lenders, as well as materials on Ethnomathematics. Visit http://www.radicalmath.org/ for more or email info@radicalmath.org Lots to do at the library Providence Public Library's calendar of events: http://www.provlib.org/calendar.asp 2009 Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Presented by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) and Toyota, the Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Award is given to educators who demonstrate exemplary efforts to help parents and children achieve their academic and non-academic goals. The 2009 Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year will receive a $7,500 award for his/her program, courtesy of Toyota. He/she also will receive a trip to the 18th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy in Orlando, Florida, where he/she will be recognized during the Opening General Session. Nominations will be accepted online through December 5, 2008 Visit http://www.famlit.org/toyotateacher for nomination guidelines. What's new at NIFL? http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/whats_new.html Educating the Public and Elected Officials about Adult Education: Report on Adult Education Advocacy Efforts in New England by the New England Literacy Resource Center at World Education This report takes stock of the program, policy and legislative context for adult education in each of the six New England states. It discusses local and statewide advocacy strategies by adult educators. The findings show that adult education advocacy efforts in New England are multi-faceted, and growing in sophistication and reach. The report discusses the principal challenges and related promising strategies revealed through interviews with leading adult education advocates in New England. They are grouped into four areas: 1) Visibility; 2) Framing the Message; 3) Student Involvement; and 4) Increasing and Sustaining Advocacy Efforts. Available for downloading (as a PDF file): http://www.nelrc.org/expertise/civic.html#educating (For a word doc version, please contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu) Seven habits and more: a recent online discussion about reading and ESOL (and English speaking) learners, led to a number of resources being shared, including Heide Spruck Wrigley's Seven Habits of Successful Readers, http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/7Habits.pdf. To follow the entire conversation, go to http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/2008/date.html and follow the conversation thread that begins on May 12th (you’ll need to scroll down the page). The UK's Open University course, 'Who counts as a refugee' considers the interrelationships between citizenship, identity and belonging, personal lives and social policy for people who have fled their country of origin seeking asylum in the UK, and includes useful information about refugee status and related issues for those living in other countries: http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3490 UK National Curricula for ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy, with associated material and support for teachers, including the competencies for each skill at each level. As well, a significant number of resources for working with people with a range of disabilities. (See, for example): http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/access/workwith/principles/ http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_esol/ http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/ http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_numeracy/ Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection series Now Available Through VIDEO-ON-DEMAND The adult learning series Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection are available online through the Rhode Island PBS video streaming portal. In 25 half-hour segments, the Workplace Essential Skills series presents refreshers in fundamental reading, writing, and math skills as they relate to getting, keeping, or advancing in a job. Lessons also cover job applications, resume writing, and job interviews. An orientation segment touches upon the use of the different components included in this series. Lessons are written at a pre-GED level, and can help prepare adults for the GED tests. Four workbooks accompany the series. In 39 half-hour programs, the GED Connection helps learners prepare for the GED exam. Episodes cover subjects and skills related to work, community, and home life. Practice tests help learners know what to expect, see which skills they need to strengthen, and build confidence. Access to Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection series through RI PBS video streaming is free. Users access VOD through an account and passcode, available by email request to Education@ RIpbs.org or by calling Education Services at 401-222-3636 x 211. Video streaming, also known as video on demand (VOD), allows users the convenience of watching lessons at any time from an Internet-connected computer. VOD is also flexible, allowing users to watch several episodes in one sitting, or repeat lessons as often as desired. Both the Workplace Essential Skills and the GED Connection series are also broadcast on RI PBS LEARN, digital 36.2 and Verizon 787. The Workplace Essential Skills broadcasts Fridays at 12:30 PM and the GED Connection series broadcasts Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays at 12:30 PM. For Workplace Essential Skills and the GED Connection broadcast dates please visit: http://www.pbs.org/tvschedules/ For information about RIPBS Education Services please visit out web pages at http://www.ripbs.org/Education/ - Dr. María D. Velásquez de Tondreau Education Director Rhode Island PBS 50 Park Lane Providence, RI 02907 Phone: (401) 222-3636, ext. 211 Fax: (401) 222-3407 Education@RIpbs.org National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, dedicated to conducting research and development projects to improve literacy, numeracy, language and related skills and knowledge. On this site you will find information on all our activities, including: Research and development projects <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/projects.asp> Creative routes to specialist teacher qualifications <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/creativeroutes> The Voices on the Page storybank is now live! Read all of the 640 stories here <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/voicesonthepage.asp> Research reports and reviews <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=329> Latest e- newsletter <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=671> News and events <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/news.asp> While the work originates in the U.K., much of it has usefulness and validity for work in this country. google literacy site: http://www.google.com/literacy/ outstanding resource: http://www.youthliteracy.ca/ - Youth Literacy work in Canada Shannon Gavin, a senior graduating from Brown this year, has developed a new website, as her capstone project in Middle East Studies, called Arab Perceptions of the United States: Video Interviews from Amman, Jordan and Damascus, Syria.You can view them, and supporting text at http://arabperceptions.wordpress.com The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) - The U.S. Civics and Citizenship Online: Resource Center for Instructors is available online at: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=b36e663784bcd010VgnVCM100000d1f1d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=b36e663784bcd010VgnVCM100000d1f1d6a1RCRD The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), Assisting Refugees with Disabilities Program : Resource Guide for Serving Refugees with Disabilities available at http://www.refugees.org/DisabilityGuide The guide, written for refugee case managers and those serving refugees with disabilities, includes 139 pages of information about resources for serving adults and children with disabilities, housing for refugees with disabilities, assistive technology, medical resources, citizenship and disability, benefits for refugees with disabilities and more. If you have any questions or technical assistance needs, please contact Xuan Nguyen, Director of USCRI Health and Human Services at xnguyen@uscridc.org or at 202-347-3507 ext 3056. Resources from EdChange family of Web sites: A new Classism and Poverty Awareness Quiz http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/quizzes.html ; Newly designed Social Justice News Service site http://mail.socialjusticenews.net/mailman/listinfo/news_socialjusticenews.net- email-based news service, periodic email digests of links to articles related to equity, social justice, and multiculturalism from sources all over the world. New essays and links to essays http://www.edchange.org/publications.html New essays in the Multicultural Education Research Room http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers.html 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 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 Developing Successful Employer Partnerships (Marketing Adult Education to Businesses) Robin Adams Workforce Development Training #1 - Thursday, November 6, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Warwick Public Library 600 Sandy Lane, Warwick, Rhode Island 02889 (401) 739-5440 This interactive, hands-on workshop will provide an opportunity for practitioners in adult ed to outline a program-specific marketing strategy for developing more effective partnerships with business and industry representatives. Participants will discuss common mistakes made in the approach and leave with valuable tips for developing winning partnerships with local businesses to help improve employment outcomes. Audience: Job Developers, Workforce Trainers, Coordinators, and Directors Workshop Learning Objectives Upon completion of this training, participants will have a better understanding of the benefits and importance of partnering with businesses for better employment outcomes. Specific objectives address: How to identify and target businesses that make appropriate AE partners How to define the features and benefits of AE programs (in business / marketing language) How to understand and apply proven techniques to forming successful business partnerships Robin Adams is the PD Specialist in Workforce Development at the RI AE Professional Development Center. She has a bachelor‚s degree in Business and over 20 years experience in business administration and operations in the public and private sectors. Her background includes providing technical assistance and professional development to staff and entrepreneurs and working with learners and practitioners in adult education / workforce readiness for the past seven years. Please register by Wednesday, October 29th at 4:00 p.m. For more information and to register: go to jortiz@ric.edu or contact Jessica Ortiz at (401) 456-2838 NAMI Rhode Island was founded in 1983 by family members of people with serious mental illness as a grassroots, volunteer organization joined together to improve services for persons diagnosed with mental illness. NAMI RI Presents its 24th Annual Bridging the Gaps Conference November 7 8:00am - 5:00pm Crown Plaza Hotel, Warwick. Among many interesting sessions, of particular interest to adult educators: The Importance of Work and Education in Recovery - Mike Braet, Manager of Rehabilitation Services at Gateway, Adam Alt, BA, Consumer, NAMI-RI Volunteer & Educator, Vicki Ferrara, MA, of the Sherlock Center on Disabilities at RIC. This panel discussion is designed to show the importance of work and school in the recovery of people living with mental illness. details : http://www.namirhodeisland.org/events/bridginggaps.htm The Rhode Island Family Life Center, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, and the Department of Labor and Training invite your participation in an employer development event titled Alternative Workforce Opportunities at the Biltmore Hotel on Thursday, November 13th from 5pm – 8:30pm. Mr. John Corella, CEO of Corella Companies in Phoenix, AZ, past Regional Small Businessman of the Year, National Minority Contractor of the Year, and winner of Congressional and Senate awards, will keynote the event with a discussion of the potential benefits and opportunities posed by hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. On the Governor’s Taskforce on Re-Entry, Mr. Corella dedicated his energy to cementing partnerships between employers and training providers for win-win workforce solutions. Following the keynote, our event will feature speakers from local Rhode Island businesses, training programs operating both inside and outside of the prisons, and those experiencing first-hand the barriers to employment. Our panelists will discuss re-entry and employment as a pressing community and public safety issue and will invite your questions and participation. Hor d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be provided. Parking is available on the street or at the Providence Place Mall, and the Biltmore offers valet parking as well. Please contact Heather Vail at the Rhode Island Family Life Center at 401-781-5808 x110 or hvail@riflc.org with any questions, concerns and to RSVP by Monday, November 3rd. - Sol Rodriguez, Executive Director Rhode Island Family Life Center The Poverty Institute is holding 2 training sessions on the implementation of the RI Works Program which replaced the Family Independence Program. The topics that will be covered pertain to eligibility, sanctions, DHS/DLT collaboration, parents with disabilities, time limits and extensions, work requirements and exemptions. In addition, an overview of eligibility for RIte Care and Child Care subsidies and other assistance for working families will be covered. Attend one of our trainings to learn more! - November 18th 1:00 p.m -3:30 p.m or November 19th 9:00 a.m- 11:30 a.m Casey Family Services 1268 Eddy Street Providence Please note: space is limited so advance registration is required. Each session will cover all information-- just sign up for one session! to download a flyer: http://www.povertyinstitute.org/matriarch/documents/RI%20Works%20Training%20Flyer.pdf To register contact Heidi Collins 456-2751 or email: hcollins@ric.edu The Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College email: info@povertyinstitute.org Eleventh Annual Multicultural Conference and Curriculum Resource Fair Presented by the RIC Dialogue on Diversity Committee November 1st, theme: Teaching for Change: Privilege, Power and Possibilities Program includes: Workshops on promising practices in multicultural education; A curriculum fair, including curriculum resources, books, software, and videos; Keynote address by Dr. Peggy McIntosh, "Youth Hour" - a round table dialogue with keynote speaker and college and high school students. http://www.ric.edu/promisingPractices/workshops.php  Re-Envisioning Writing Assessment, November 1. Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center, Southbridge, MA http://www.umass.edu/reenvision/confprogram. Registration deadline October 15. Effective Transitions in Adult Education to be held on November 17-18, 2008 in Providence, RI Registration for the conference in now open: http://collegetransition.org/conference08/registration.html For more information, contact Priyanka Sharma psharma@worlded.org or call (617) 385-3788. – March 6-7, 2009 - Thursday, March 5, 2009 / Student Leadership Gathering (tentative) URI, Providence Campus: http://www.litwomen.org/conference.html - more online – deadline – November 30th. Wednesday, November 19, The Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence - Home Across Lands, a film that chronicles the work of International Institute of RI staff and volunteers as they guide a group of Kunaman refugees making the transition from a life of despair in the Shimelba Refugee Camp in Ethiopia, Africa to a life of hope in their new home in Providence. 6:30: Patron Reception 7:15: Film Showing General Admission: $35 Reserved Seats: $100 Sponsorship Options: $500 to $5,000+ includes tickets, Patron Reception. To reserve tickets or for information contact Jessica Barry at jbarry@iiri.org or 401.784.8619. Call for ABE Student Writing Women's Perspectives 2009 - Issue #4 Theme: Transition / Transformation details, lesson plans and pre-writing activities: http://www.litwomen.org/perspectives.html Deadline: 12/5/08. call for proposals from the MATSOL Conference Committee: We would like to invite you to present next spring at our annual conference on May 7-8, 2009 at the Sheraton Four Points in Leominster, MA. The 2009 conference theme is Multiple Literacies: Launching English Language Learners into a New Era. There will be a K-12 strand on both days and an Adult, Workplace and Higher Education strand on Friday, May 8. Our keynote speakers will be Stephen Krashen and Jim Cummins. We hope that you will consider sharing your strategies, tools, materials and research with your colleagues in the field of ELL and ESOL education. You can view and print instructions for submitting an online proposal at http://www.matsol.org/mc/page.do?orgId=matsol&sitePageId=68100 Proposals are due on December 1, 2008. Call for proposals: Winners Circle of Learning Champions , COABE Conference 2009, Louisville, KY April 17-22, 2009 Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), Kentucky Association of Adult & Continuing Education, and Kentucky Adult Education Council on Postsecondary Education are pleased to announce a Call for Proposals for the 2009 COABE national conference. Workshop proposals must be submitted by November 14th. The goal of the Annual COABE National Conference is to provide best practices and program guidance to adult basic education professionals. No matter how you say it, Adult Education is Absolutely Essential! Please consider sharing your expertise and experience in providing high quality and effective adult basic education programs. The workshop proposal form must be submitted on-line: http://www.coabeconference.org/call_for_presenters.html For more information, contact: Lorena Lasky, COABE 2009 Concurrent Sessions Chairperson, Jefferson County Adult & Continuing Education Lorena.Lasky@kentuckianaworks.org 502-574-4123 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
breathe - everyday yoga at your desk. http://www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/everyday_yoga.html street yoga - Through the teaching of free yoga, meditation and wellness classes we seek to help homeless youth increase their physical, emotional and spiritual strength, stamina and flexibility so they can better meet their own core needs. We work closely with those service providers striving to help homeless youth secure safe housing, nutritious food, accessible health care, employment, clean clothing, educational choices and human dignity.
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