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 January 13, 2008
Bulletin
#290 Dear
Colleagues, Calls for
participation, employment, funding,
and conference and workshop
opportunities, online
and other resources.
Janet Isserlis
Offer VALUE membership opportunities to your students Student leadership organizations are a critical component of any education system. VALUE is a national student organization. VALUE is currently very active in making sure that student voices are heard. The Rhode Island Office of Adult and Career and Technical Education is very interested in supporting student and alumni organizations and has supported several in the career and technical education arena. As for adult education participants, EDP assessment candidates, and GED test takers and graduates, it is important to clarify that membership fees in reputable student leadership organization is an allowable expense. Please, feel free to review the membership materials contained in the link below and discuss with your students, alumni, test takers, and staff. http://valueusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=104 ESOL share Wednesday, January 21st, 3 pm at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence. Swap Shop – write up an activity, strategy or lesson plan you've used that's worked particularly well. Include key pieces – time needed to implement, time needed to prepare, level(s) at which the activity works, materials needed as well. Please bring at least 8 copies to share. If you don’t have time to write your piece, that's fine – but please be prepared to walk us through it. Standards Rollout If you've not yet participated in the introduction to RI's adult education content standards, consider spending the morning of January 23rd (from 9 to 1) with us to learn more about them. For more information, and/or to reserve space, please contact Jessica Ortiz (jortiz@ric.edu ) by January 19th. Providence area providers: You are invited to the first meeting of the Providence Adult Education Network group on Wednesday, January 14th from 2:30 - 4:30 at Dorcas Place (220 Elmwood Avenue). The purpose of the meeting is to begin the process of forming networks for adult education in Providence for better access and continuum of services for learners and to be poised for the next RIDE funding cycle that will commence in 2010. The agenda for the meeting will be to share information about your agency's services and capacity, to identify service gaps, and to develop a tentative work plan for the group. To expedite the process, you will receive an invitation in a separate email (from RIFLI HR) to complete a Google Survey that captures your agency's offerings and will be the basis for the group's analysis. Please complete one survey per agency, if possible. Please RSVP to Jessica Ortiz at the PDCenter (jortiz@ric.edu or 456-2838) by Friday, January 9th. At this point, a few members of the RIDE Network Work Group (Christine Yankee/Goodwill, Bernice Morris/Genesis Center, Jill Holloway/PDC and Karisa Tashjian/RIFLI) as well as Nancy Fritz (Genesis) and Brenda Dann Messier (Dorcas) are spearheading this effort, however, no formal structure or design for the group has been determined. We welcome your input! You are also welcome to invite others from your agency who may be interested in joining the group. If you have any questions or difficulty completing the survey, please feel free to contact Karisa at 455-8185 (ktashjian@provlib.org). 8th Annual Adult Education Fair CCRI, Providence Campus, January 15, 9:00 AM – Noon This event will give students and practitioners the opportunity to learn about adult education and training programs. All students and agency staff are invited to attend. Please contact Yvette Kenner with number of attendees, and if you would like to staff a table. (Tables are on first come, first serve basis for registered agencies). For more information, please contact: yvette@lvari.org Join us each Thursday starting Jan. 22nd as The Genesis Center hosts one of the city's most interesting exhibits in 2009. Common Threads: From Vietnam to Iraq contrasts and compares displaced populations from the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam to the potentially displaced populations occurring after the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq: Jan 22 6:30pm - Pa N'dau Exhibit Private collectors show their priceless hand-sewn cloth panels while discussing the deep significance this visual story-telling artform has culturally, spiritually, and historically. Jan 29 @ 6:30pm - Documentary Peter O'Neil will present and discuss his 1982 documentary co-directed by Ralph Rugoff, titled, A Personal Story of The Hmong Refugees from Laos. Feb. 5 @ 6:30pm - Panel Discussion Experts will discuss the historical accounts of displaced populations from war-torn countries from Vietnam to Iraq. Feb 12 @ 6:30pm - Stories from Iraq RISD students will demonstrate and discuss their latest project, Navigating the Space between Home and Exhile. (free; donations gratefully accepted). To RSVP or for more information, contact Mike Ritz 401-781-6110 x28 or mike@gencenter.org Co-sponsors: Office of Public Engagement, RISD & Swearer Center for Public Service, Brown LOCATION OF EVENTS The Center for Integrative Technology at RISD 169 Weybosset St, Providence College Goal Sunday: On January 25th, The RI Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, in conjunction with the Lumina Foundation for Education, will be hosting College Goal Sunday at four RI locations: CCRI Lincoln, CCRI Providence, CCRI Newport, and Central Falls High School. The Purpose of College Goal Sunday is to assist the college-bound students and parents in our communities with the college financial aid process. So many students are either intimidated or unaware of how it all works. We are here to help. Families will be able to receive assistance with filling out financial aid forms, have their questions answered, and most of all, they will leave the program with a sense of ease, accomplishment, and knowledge. (College Goal Sunday focuses on assisting with the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is required for any student seeking federal financial aid, including grants and loans, at educational institutions nationwide.) This is a free service to citizens of Rhode Island. For information or for families to register on line: http://www.collegegoalri.org or contact: Gail Walker, gwalker@risla.com or Andrea Swain, aswain@cpcri.org. The follow up to Persistence Conference that had been scheduled for December 19th has been rescheduled to Thursday, January 29th at 3 PM; location to be determined shortly. The follow up still extends an open invitation to all interested practitioners, whether or not you’d attended the conference itself. As well, if you've not completed a work plan or evaluation, please contact Jessica Ortiz (jortiz@ric.edu) for an electronic copy of these documents. Transitions from ESOL to ABE – what do we need to know? A group of practitioners have been discussing what we need to learn and how we can help each other as more and more learners leave ESOL classes and move into ABE classes and programs. How can we support learners and one another in making these shifts? Please come to share ideas, questions and suggestions. We'll be meeting on January 29th, at 5 pm, at a location to be decided. You don't need to RSVP, but if you could send email to janet_isserlis@brown.edu if you plan to attend, it will help us determine where to meet. Location will be announced in early January. New Practitioner Orientation (NPO) for full time practitioners will be offered on January 30th and 31st, at the Genesis Center, from 9 am to 4 pm. Question? please call (401) 863-2839. To RSVP, by January23rd, please contact Jessica Ortiz (jortiz@ric.edu). daycare available: Urban League of Rhode Island, Inc. Early Learning Childcare Center 246 Prairie Ave, Providence. - Now Enrolling Infants to 5 years old Monday - Friday from 6:30 AM - 5:30 PM Before and After School Program Children ages 5-12 years old. Monday - Friday from 6:30 AM ˆ 9:00 AM After School from 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM Please call Dawn Olagbegi at 401-351-5000 ext 166 for more information or to enroll your child/children in our quality and affordable childcare programs. Applications forms are available at the Urban League of RI. Urban League Of RI operates a DCYF licensed childcare program and accepts DHS childcare subsidies. Sliding scale fee is also available for working parents. learning opportunities Electronic Village Online (EVO) 2009 sessions are begining, and TESOL's Adult Education Interest Section is co-sponsoring several sessions, including, What's in the Library for ESL/EFL Students? This is a free, online professional development opportunity presented through TESOL’s CALL Interest Section. We are a warm and friendly, supportive group of volunteers and you are sure to learn a lot and have fun along the way. Sessions run from January 12 – February 22. Here is the link to the Call for Participation. http://evosessions.pbwiki.com/Call_for_Participation09 When you get to the webpage, scroll down to What’s in the Library for ESL/EFL Students? (You may also be interested in the other AEIS-sponsored sessions). You can click on this title and it will take you to a description of the session and at the bottom you will see Join this session. Click there. And, from session moderators, Lynn Zimmerman and Anna Koorey: The library is no longer limited to 4 walls. Whether your students need to find reading material for pleasure or for classes, or to conduct research, the library is the place to start. This session will introduce teachers to ways that they can use the library and its resources with ESL/EFL students. If you're interested in growing your skills in technology for the purpose of teaching ESL, consider participating in Becoming a Webhead, a free, well- structured online training opportunity offered by TESOL's CALL interest section (computer assisted language learning). http://www.call-is.org/moodle/ The session starts in January and is part of TESOL's Electronic Village Online. For six weeks, participants can engage with ESOL experts in collaborative, online discussion sessions or hands-on virtual workshops of professional and scholarly benefit. These sessions will bring together participants for a longer period of time than is permitted by the four-day land-based TESOL convention and will allow a fuller development of ideas and themes of the convention or of professional interest in general. The sessions are free and open to all interested parties. You do not need to be a TESOL member to participate. online learning opportunities: ProLiteracy's online course Young Adult Education: Strategies and Materials for Ensuring Success in Adult Education begins this month. The content of this course is especially relevant to those working with 16-24 year-old learners in GED programs, Job Corps, YouthBuild, etc. Young Adult Education: Strategies and Materials for Ensuring Success in Adult Education (10-hour course), January 26 – February 23 Course info at: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6650) Course topics include: · Determining appropriate materials and instructional strategies for younger learners · Evaluating lesson plans designed for youth in mixed-age and youth-only classrooms · Building lesson plans for a mixed-age or youth-only classes using youth-friendly materials and strategies Other upcoming courses: Managing the Multilevel ESL Classroom (15-hour course), January 26 – March 9 (Course info at: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6680) Course topics include: · Benefits and challenges of a multilevel classroom · Formal and informal strategies for assessing students' needs · Framing instruction to build on students' strengths and resources · Instructional strategies to try in your own multilevel classroom and then discuss with other course participants Trainer Tune-Up: Conducting the Training Event (10-hour course), February 9 – March 9 (Course info at: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6560) Course topics include: · Collecting information about participants · Planning warm-up activities· Setting effective ground rules · Managing group processes, including problem behaviors · Questioning strategies, giving feedback, and active listening full listing of ProLiteracy and World Education facilitated and self-paced courses http://www.ProfessionalStudiesAE.org.  online discussion: Join the Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List January 19-23, to explore the role of adult literacy in international social change initiatives and what it could mean for you in your community. Literacy for Social Change is the term ProLiteracy uses to describe its approach to adult basic education and literacy in more than 50 developing countries worldwide. Lynn Curtis, Vice President of International Programs at ProLiteracy, will be our guest. Author of Literacy for Social Change and several literacy and action manuals used in developing countries, Dr. Curtis directs the international work of ProLiteracy. Subscribe to Participate (free): http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment Visit ProLiteracy's International Literacy for Social Change Training Project Web page to view resources to support literacy for social change and to take free online courses - Overcoming Poverty Through Action-based Literacy or Literacy for Social Change. http://www.proliteracy.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=420&srcid=379 This is the second discussion in a miniseries on Literacy for Social Change. The first explored Student Involvement and Critical Thinking in Adult Literacy: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/08student.html About the Discussion Literacy for Social Change is the term ProLiteracy uses to describe its approach to basic education and literacy in more than 50 developing countries worldwide. It is a methodology that integrates four critical components—fundamental skills, critical thinking, cultural expression and learner-initiated action. In practice, this integration involves a wide range of educational programs combined with an equally diverse spectrum of community change projects. In Moshi, Tanzania, literacy classes emphasize the vocabulary and information to start a small business and as part of the curriculum, all learners initiate and expand their own businesses. In Madurai, India, women confront the forces of gender violence through a learning and action program they call “Literacy to Eradicate Female Infanticide.” In Calamar, Colombia, literacy learners discussed health vocabulary and as a class project, built and managed a village health clinic. In thousands of similar classes worldwide, facilitators organize learners to practice and apply their emerging literacy skills in such life changing projects as building and running schools for their children, preventing and treating AIDS, constructing latrines, drilling clean water wells, combating malaria, creating aquaculture ponds, planting community gardens, documenting citizenship, fighting domestic abuse and a host of other applications. Many of these literacy programs not only develop local community applications, but also participate actively in advocacy effort to influence policy, legislation and practices on a community, district and even national level. Could or should this approach be applied in your community? Some observers in the US and other industrialized nations question the practicality of this method in developed settings where health, income, schools and community infrastructure are already in place. They often site the many rules and restrictions that would inhibit such programs. Others champion this approach and are in fact making it happen in their communities. Have you encountered or worked with a literacy for social change program? What barriers or drawbacks do you think are associated with this type of programming? What benefits do you think might be realized through integrating literacy, community action and advocacy? What problems? Could or should there be legislation or funding to advance literacy for social change? Should literacy be mixed with the inherently political process of community change? Discussion Resources Enroll in ProLiteracy's free self-paced courses: Overcoming Poverty Through Action-based Literacy or Literacy for Social Change by visiting: http://207.10.202.152/home/ Literacy for Social Change International Training Project Web Site http://www.proliteracy.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=420&srcid=379 Related Link: Education for All (EFA) Movement http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.phpURL_ID=47044&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html About Our Guest Lynn Curtis, Ph.D.—Vice President of International Programs, ProLiteracy has served in consulting and leadership roles to advance grassroots learning and development among high need populations in 65 developing countries and the US and is the author of the guidebooks Literacy for Social Change, Picturing Change, and manuals in the Literacy Solutions series. Dr. Curtis provided the leadership to initiate and implement the global Women In Literacy initiative to reach 1.1 million women through literacy and action during the decade of the nineties. His pioneering experience in developing the FAMA and Literacy Solutions training systems provided the basis for program expansion, overseas intern placement and multi-national agency collaborations. Since 2000 he has successfully enabled venture-philanthropist donor activists to launch high impact, multi nation programs of learning and community development including the Learning-based Micro-Finance and Enterprise Initiative, the Africa Learning and AIDS Initiative, the Literacy, Women and Human Rights Initiative and the International Family Literacy Initiative. Certificate in Family Literacy graduate courses through flexible online learning at Penn State University Spring 2009 classes run January 21, 2009, through April 22, 2009, and registration is underway. Certificate courses offered this semester include: ADTED 456, Introduction to Family Literacy, which probes comprehensive family literacy services as a way to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and under-education. ADTED 459, Interactive Literacy: Parents and Children that prepares educators to understand, plan and practice interactive literacy strategies in intentional and strategic ways. There is an ongoing focus on effective learning strategies for all children and families, including English language learners. For more information visit http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/FamilyLiteracyCertificate.shtml or contact Dr. Sheila Sherow at sms20@psu.edu http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/StudentServices_GettingStarted.shtml 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 deadline extended: The National Center for Family Literacy Verizon Tech Savvy Awards recognizes exemplary programs that demystify technology for parents and enable them to better guide their children in the use of new media. Maximum award: $25,000. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, including community-based nonprofits, libraries and schools. Deadline: January 12. http://www.famlit.org/techsavvyawards Applications are now being accepted for grants from the Charles Evans Book Fund, a special program of ProLiteracy’s National Book Fund, that supplies local programs with adult literacy and basic education curricula and materials. The Fund, dedicated to improving the lives of people who are homeless, was established with a generous grant from the Charles Evans Foundation in honor of the late Charles Evans. Non-profit organizations that provide adult literacy or basic education services for people who are homeless are eligible to apply for a Charles Evans Book Fund grant from ProLiteracy. Grants typically range between $3,000 and $8,000, but may be smaller or larger depending on the needs of the applicant organization. Grants are in the form of vouchers for teaching materials and products from ProLiteracy’s publishing division, New Readers Press. In addition to literacy instructional and reading materials, New Readers Press also produces many materials to help individuals with life skills such as applying for a job, parenting, obtaining a driver’s license, and others. Applications are being accepted by mail and must be postmarked no later than January 23, 2009 to be considered. For grant guidelines, applications, and additional information: http://ww.proliteracy.org 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 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. GED Testing Service is building Content Coordinating Teams to assist us in the review of new test items being developed for the 2012 Series GED Tests. This is an opportunity for specialists in the content areas assessed on the GED test battery to have a real and lasting impact on the items that will ultimately appear on the new tests. We will be putting six content area teams together (one each for the five GED Test content areas--language arts-reading, language arts-writing, mathematics, science, and social studies--plus a sixth team for the Canadian Social Studies GED Test), and hope to have the teams in place by January 30, 2009. Teams will begin meeting, either in person or virtually (via WebEx), beginning in the first quarter of 2009. details and application form: http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/about/GEDTS_Contractor_Opp.htm. (You can also navigate to this link by going to our web site, http://www.gedtest.org/ > About GED Testing > Opportunities with GED Testing Service > Content Coordinating Team Consultant.) For more information: Martin D. Kehe, Director of Test Development, GED® Testing Service, American Council on Education, One Dupont Circle, NW Ste 250, Washington, DC 20036 (202)939.9701 martin_kehe@ace.nche.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 On January 8, The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released a new literacy report, National Assessment of Adult Literacy: Indirect County and State Estimates of the Percentage of Adults at the Lowest Literacy Level for 1992 and 2003, from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). The report provides the only available snapshot of adult literacy rates for individual states and counties. The report, based on the 2003 NAAL and the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), will serve as an important source of literacy information for policymakers and researchers. The report will be accompanied by an interactive web tool, which will show data for all states and counties. The tool will also provide the ability to compare states, counties, and progress in states and counties over time. http://nces.ed.gov/naal/estimates/index.aspx (estimates) and http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009482 The Children's Defense Fund has released its State of America's Children 2008 report, a compilation of the most recent and reliable national and state-by-state data on poverty, health, child welfare, youth at risk, early childhood development, education, nutrition and housing. The report provides a statistical compendium of key child data showing epidemic numbers of children at risk: the number of poor children has increased nearly 500,000 to 13.3 million, with 5.8 million of them living in extreme poverty, and nearly 9 million children lack health coverage―with both numbers likely to increase during the recession. The number of children and teens killed by firearms also increased after years of decline. Learn more and download the report. http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=WbbK8L5jVXMEyaKyJpBUNg The CAELA Network quarterly newsletter, Network News, is completed and posted on the CAELA Network Web site; it can be downloaded at http://www.cal.org/caelanetwork/news/dec08.html The issue includes articles on an online EL/Civics course, a checklist for students and other stakeholders to use when selecting an ESL instructional program, and projects on immigrant road safety. There are also links to CAELA Network briefs on using data to plan professional development for pracitioners working with adult English langugage learners and reflective practice for pracitioners working with adult English language learners. Finally, there is information about the CAELA Network technical work group meeting held this past October. Democracy At Risk: The Need for a New Federal Policy in Education http://www.forumforeducation.org/upload_files/files/FED_ReportRevised415.pdf New Research to Practice Briefs Two new additions to our series are written by Harvard Graduate School of Education doctoral student Lauren Capotosto, EdM. In Decoding and Fluency Problems of Poor College Readers <http://www.collegetransition.org/promising/rp8.html>, Lauren provides an overview of the research describing the print difficulties of many struggling college readers, as well as studies identifying strategies for improving poor readers' decoding and fluency. Working with Young Adults in College Transition Programs <http://www.collegetransition.org/promising/rp9.html> identifies the challenges of working with older and younger students together in college transition classes and presents strategies that four successful programs use in their work with younger students. read the documents at: http://www.collegetransition.org/ Tapping Online Professional Development Through Communities of Practice http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/ABELJournal08PD.pdf Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal, Fall 2008 (PDF - 513KB) Since 1995, the National Institute for Literacy's Discussion Lists have served as trusted online resources for adult literacy practitioners. In the fall 2008 issue of the Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal <http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=4130>, Jackie Taylor writes about professional development through Communities of Practice using examples from the Institute's Discussion Lists <http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html>. Taylor moderates the Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List <http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment> , co-sponsored by the Institute and the Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers. She began moderating the list at its inception in 2003, bringing the subscription base from approximately 70 subscribers to nearly 1,000 in 2008. Moving research about violence and learning into practice - How do we move the research about violence and learning into practice? This question was a starting point for research projects by 11 practitioners. In this publication they share their research process and what they learned. Topics explored included the effects of systemic violence; power relationships; mind-body learning; arts based approaches in literacy education; what literacy practitioners know about violence and learning; what people learn and apply from workshops on violence and learning; and a research model. http://www.learningandviolence.net/changing/ElevenResearchers/ElevenResearchers.htm and Move the body. Stretch the mind: Open yourself to learning through breathwork, movement and meditation, by Judy Murphy: Windsound Learning Society. sample page: http://www.learningandviolence.net/helpself/breathe.pdf To order: http://www.windsoundlearning.ca/pdf/MoveTheBody.pdf online: LessonWriter.com is a free website where teachers can copy, paste and submit any text (an article, essay, story, etc.) and create comprehensive, standards -based lesson plans and student materials in minutes. LessonWriter is a simple, fast and free way to use authentic, high-interest content to motivate students while delivering the explicit language instruction that ELL's need in both English and content-area classes. There are advanced features that can differentiate instruction for multilevel classes and class tracking features that will automatically scaffold lessons. http://www.lessonwriter.com from Jobs for the Future: An Agenda for the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress: Ten Ways the Federal Government can restore economic vitality and increase competitiveness through education and skill development http://www.jff.org/Documents/AdvicetoObama.pdf - and – Education Sector also offers more education ideas for the next president, including recommendations on revamping the federal role in education human capital and revising NCLB to provide more high-quality public school options to the students who need them the most. Revamping the Federal Role in Education Human Capital by Co-director Andrew J. Rotherham http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=727538. In Need of Improvement: Revising NCLB’s School Choice Provision http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=727885. For more information about Education Sector and our work, please visit http://www.educationsector.org from the National Institute for Literacy: Adults wanting to learn or improve their English skills can log on to a new free Online English Portal called USALearns. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education, through its Division of Adult Education and Literacy, oversaw the design of USALearns. Launch of the site completes a goal set by President Bush in his August 10, 2007 announcement of initiatives to address border security and immigration challenges in the United States - a plan to have the U.S.Department of Education develop and launch a free, web-based portal to help immigrants learn English, expand their opportunities, and make effective contributions to American society." http://www.USALearns.org; fact sheet at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/USALearnsFactSheet08.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 Bananagrams – a word game, maybe useful for new readers, old readers. (full disclosure: a friend of a friend sold me one set and gave another to the PDC for further exploration. We gain nothing from any sales of the game.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananagrams 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 numeracy resources: from PEN Weekly Newsblast, December 19: Math videos on YouTube are study aids -Students have begun to use math tutorials found on YouTube for help with hard-to-understand concepts and formulas http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j27byHk1EAb3KhBo1ePXyg0h7rogD950NKS80 to subscribe to the Newsblast: http://www.publiceducation.org Lots to do at the library Providence Public Library's calendar of events: http://www.provlib.org/calendar.asp Registration is now open for the Reading Across RI Launch Conference at Bryant University on January 31, from 9 – 2:30 pm with Keynote Speaker, Ron Carlson, author of Five Skies. The conference fee is only $25 and includes a light breakfast, lunch, a copy of Five Skies and the opportunity to attend two interesting and informative workshops – all in the beautiful “Unistructure” at Bryant University in Smithfield. Please join Honorary Chair, Elizabeth Roberts and the RI Center for the Book members in welcoming author Ron Carlson to Rhode Island on January 31st. The Conference brochure and registration form is available for downloading on our web site: http://www.readingacrossri.org/documents/RARIConferenceFlyer.pdf Space is limited; please sign up before the deadline of January 22. http://www.readingacrossri.org/ RI BookLinks http://www.ribook.org/booklinks/booklinks.htm is a growing collection of links about reading, writing, making, and sharing books in Rhode Island. Use it to discover the many wonderful book resources in the state. RI Authors & Poets http://www.ribook.org/booklinks/riauthorslist.html Become a Member of the RI Center for the Book at Providence Public Library – Membership Form http://www.ribook.org/membership/printform.pdf from Thursday Notes, January 8, 2009: NRS Working Group To Meet on New Reporting Categories OVAE's Technical Work Group for the national contract Promoting Program Accountability in Adult Education will meet in Washington in February, to consider proposed guidance and technical assistance for states on new race and ethnicity reporting categories that will become effective on July 1, 2010. Other items slated for discussion include the pilot phase of a new distance education course on the National Reporting System for state staff, the content and scope of a new leadership academy for adult education state directors, and topics for the annual NRS training workshop this summer. State Plan Guidance Posted on Web - State directors can find OVAE's adult education 2009 State Plan Guidance just posted in the legislative section of our Web site. State plan revisions, required for states to receive adult education allotments expected July 1, 2009, are due to OVAE April 1. States should contact area coordinators for technical assistance in preparing the revisions. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/legisindex.html?src=rt Community Colleges Help Unemployed Adults Two community colleges are reaching out to adults in urgent need of more education right now. Indiana's Normandale Community College is offering free tuition this spring for new entering students who are eligible for unemployment insurance. http://www.nr.cc.mn.us/promote/TuitionWaiver.cfm Minnesota's Anoka-Ramsey Community College will cut tuition in half for all credit and non-credit courses for those who qualify for unemployment. The college combines that support with a payment plan for eligible students’ remaining share of the tuition. http://www.an.cc.mn.us/academics/workforceretraininginitiative.cfm  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 began on May 12th (you’ll need to scroll down the page). 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 TESOL Conference on Building a Culture of Peace – Saturday, February 7, 2009, 9:00 am—5:00 pm, George Mason University. Fairfax, Virginia (Fairfax Campus) Early Registration Deadline: January 30. Building on two previous successful TESOL peace conferences, this is a professional development conference for K–12, adult, and higher education ESL teachers, teacher trainers, administrators, and other educators who work extensively with English language learners. Participants will learn about educational initiatives, curricular resources, teaching methods, and language learning processes that build, enhance, and sustain understanding between persons, groups, cultures, and nations. For complete program and registration information, visit TESOL's Website at: http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=5&DID=11864 The conference fee is $35 if you register by January 30, $45 if you register after that. Conference participants, as well as those who are not able to attend this event, are invited to join an online discussion on building a culture of peace on TESOL’s Web site. A link to sign up for that discussion is provided on the conference Web site. If you have any questions, please contact edprograms@tesol.org or 703-518-2528. NAASLN's Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference - Access to the Workforce for Adult & Adolescent Learners with AD/HD and Asperger's Syndrome February 22–23 This regional conference will draw adult education practitioners, transition specialists, community college faculty, workforce counselors, disability advocates, and others from New York to Virginia. The self-contained conference site and tight format lends itself to ample time for small-group discussions of how these breakthrough strategies apply to the evolving economy; issues affecting the new workforce; transition to postsecondary education and the workforce; advocacy issues and techniques; webinars; leadership options; and more. The conference will feature three plenary sessions: ADD and Entrepreneurism...A Curriculum that Works! presented by Richard Cooper, Ph.D., Learning Specialist Asperger’s Syndrome, Part I: The Adult Education Class presented by Bevan Gibson, M.S. Sp. Ed., Director Southern Illinois Professional Development Center Asperger’s Syndrome, Part II: Transitioning to Postsecondary Education presented by Melissa Arnott-Cox, Ed.D., L.P.C., C.A.C., Director Academic Success Center, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ Registration is limited to 70 overnight registrants and 80 day-only registrants. Full registration of $250 covers a day-and-a-half of sessions, overnight accommodations, all meals, and 24-hour access to a hospitality suite. Day-only registration of $135 covers one day of sessions and two meals. For full session information, site description, accommodations, driving directions, or to register online, visit NAASLN at http://www.naasln.org/Regional_2009_conference.htm March 6-7, 2009 - URI, Providence Campus: WeLearn - 6th Annual (Net)Working Gathering & Conference on Women & Literacy http://www.litwomen.org/conference.html - more online – deadline – December 6th. Test Development Workshop - CETE/OSU March 9-11 , 2009 (7:30 AM to 4:30 PM) Developing valid, reliable assessments (tests) of job specific knowledge and skills is critical to effective defensible practice in workforce development and human resources. Occupational knowledge and skill assessments are used for many personnel- and education-related functions, including: Workforce development and Career Technical Education accountability (Perkins IV), Personnel selection and placement, Training needs assessment or diagnosis, and Individual certification and licensure. A carefully-designed systematic approach to test construction maximizes return on investment and contributes to candidate satisfaction and motivation. Poorly designed assessments may yield erroneous and damaging results, leading to employee or candidate dissatisfaction, ineffective credentialing decisions and possible exposure to litigation. To learn more: http://www.cete.org/AssessmentSP/images/March2009Brochure.pdf (pdf). and/or contact Kathy Summerfield at 614-688-4000 or summerfield.1@osu.edu. The Center on Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University, 1900 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH 43210 http://www.cete.org (If we receive insufficient registrations for the workshop, it may be rescheduled) Sharing Skills – Building Connections, March 11, in Worcester - Commonwealth Workforce Coalition’s 6th annual conference. http://cwc.cedac.org/ MATSOL Annual Conference : 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. http://www.matsol.org COABE Conference 2009, Louisville, KY April 17-22 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. . The goal of the Annual COABE National Conference is to provide best practices and program guidance to adult basic education professionals. http://www.coabeconference.org/ 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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