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| 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) 863-2839 144 Bignall Street Warwick, RI 02888 September 2, 2011
Bulletin
#386 Dear
Colleagues, Calls for participation, employment, funding, and conference and workshop opportunities, online and other resources. To post information, and/or to receive the bulletin via email, please contact the AEPDC or leave a message at (401-863-2839). 
Janet Isserlis
NOTICES -
– in
addition to events listed here, a recently updated list of events
(including workforce development workshops, new practitioner the RI Adult Education Professional Development Center has a new home: 144 Bignall Street, Warwick, RI 02888; if you haven’t already received updates you will from staff members with new email and phone contacts to follow. contact for this bulletin remains unchanged. New website for the Rhode Island Adult Education Community. Connect with us and let us know how you like it! http://riaec.com/default.aspx from Lenore Balliro: The second issue of Program Notes, a publication of the Managing Stress to Improve Learning project at World Education in Boston, is now online. Read about teachers' and students' experiences with yoga in the classroom, creating altered shoes as art, feedback theater, and Brain Gym. Lots of cool pix, too. http://www.nelrc.org/managingstress/program%20notes%2002%20july%2021%20with%20corrections.pdf TRANSITION TO COLLEGE - A Division of Rhode Island Regional Adult Learning Next Weekend Program begins in October. If college is your goal, call today to enroll in a free program to prepare for the transition to college. TTC is a natural segue for GED, EDP, and Advanced ESL students to prepare for continuing education at the college level. TTC free College Reading (ENGL 0850) at CCRI in Providence; Student Success Workshops, Career Exploration Workshops, Mentoring, Academic Writing, Basic Math and Pre-algebra classes, Computer lab and tutoring, Academic Advising, Student Support Services, College Application and Financial Aid preparation. Info Sessions: Sept. 10, Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3 at10:00 am, 175 Main Street Pawtucket Phone 722-9800 Email or call 722-9800 to register for the Information Session.mariecrecca-romero@riral.org Please allow 2 -3 hours for assessment. Please do not bring children 30th Anniversary Adult Literacy Mini Conference has been postponed. Engaging Young Adults in Learning September – December 2011 - Free of charge Goal: The overall goal of the New England Adult Education PD Network is to build the capacity of ABE, ASE/college transition and ESOL providers to offer the highest possible quality instruction and related services that enable adult learners to meet their educational and life goals. Major Topics Covered: 1) Teaching the Millennial Generation 2) Evidence-based practices for engaging young adults in learning Teaching basic and classroom management strategies; Using social media and technology to engage youth; Principles of effective youth-adult partnerships 3) Program design options and policy considerations – optional webinar geared to administrators Modes of Delivery: Four-week, facilitated online course (8 hours) Face-to-face, interactive workshop (6 hours) Webinars (6 hours) Virtual community of practice (4 hours) and Readings (2 hours) Stephanie Korber is the Director of Youth Education at Center for Literacy (CFL) in Philadelphia. She provides professional development opportunities for teacher and program administrators. Stephanie designed and taught two online courses: Young Adult Education: Strategies and Materials for Ensuring Success and Young Adult Education: Program Design. She is also the lead author of the Toolkit for Serving Out-of-School Youth with Low Literacy Levels published by the Center for Literacy. This opportunity will be coordinated in Rhode Island through the RI Adult Education Professional Development Center (the PDC For questions and more information: Jill Holloway at jholloway@ric.edu or at 456-2833 To Register: Contact Jessica Ortiz at jortiz@ric.edu a flyer containing more information is here (word doc). Registration Open for 2011 Supporting Meaningful Employment Course - a Person Centered Approach to Career Planning, Job Development and Job Retention Approved National ACRE Certificate Program Course begins September 30 (note change from September 9) Center on Disabilities, RI College and sponsored by the RIDHS- Office of Rehabilitation Services. For more information about the Supporting Meaningful Employment course, please contact Vicki Ferrara, (401) 456-8092 or vferrara@ric.edu . Obtain a brochure: http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/publications/sme.pdf Tool for adult education referrals in Rhode Island - An interactive referral website for adult education services in RI: http://groups.google.com/group/rhodeislandreferrals. Find profiles of adult education agencies, post class openings or request help with a student referral. Please update your agency's profile information, and if your agency is not listed, contact Karisa Tashjian at ktashjian@yahoo.com to have your agency added to the list. This site is open to all agencies who provide services (educational, social service, etc.) for adult education students in the state. You only need a Google account to access and post information. If you need help setting up an account, please contact KarisaTashjian or Bernice Morris at BerniceM@pha-providence.com. also online: Student Centered Learning. from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (July 2011), by Babette Moeller and Tim Reitzes of the Educational Development Corporation; the report has primarily to do with technology uses that equip students with skills needed for college, work, and life in the 21st century. Although focused on K-12 students, many of the findings are relevant for adult education. http://www.nmefdn.org/uploads/Integrating%20Tech%20with%20SCL.pdf resources from MN that may be helpful for teachers working with low-literate English language learners - the Study Circle Guide For Teachers of Low-literacy Adult ESL Students: http://www.atlasabe.org/professional/adult-esl The last issue of the E-News (#19, August 15) is online at http://www.caalusa.org/enews.html. Readers who wish to be on CAAL's direct E-News mailing list may sign up by contacting bheitner@caalusa.org OVAE Connection archived online at http://www2.ed.gov/news/newsletters/ovaeconnection/index.html – weekly bulletin from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education; to subscribe directly, please contact ovaenewsletter@ed.gov or online http://www.edgov/about/offices/list/ovae/index.html from the Center for Study of Education and Work at OISE in Toronto:: http://www.csew.ca. PHOTOVOICE MANUALS IN COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH Based on lessons learned over a decade of Canadian community-based research, Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence is offering its step by step PhotoVoice guide to teach others how to bring together small groups of women to capture their stories. See previous exhibits: http://www.pwhce.ca/program_poverty_photovoice.htm After training from a professional photographer, women use a disposable camera to take pictures that represent their experiences of living in poverty, and the policies and programs they would like tochange or keep. The women meet to share their pictures and talk about what the photos mean to them. Their powerful images can be showcased in public showings, to broaden awareness of the realities of living in poverty and stimulate action for just social and economic policies to improve women's lives. Order your PhotoVoice Manual for $12 using the online form at http://www.pwhce.ca/publications_order.htm, or phone (204) 982-6630. A summary of the online discussion on Using Video as Instructor Professional Development is now available: http://lincs.ed.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/11videopart1_summary The summary includes participant feedback (w/o attribution) as well as a compilation of all links shared during the discussion. The full edited transcripts are also available: http://lincs.ed.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/11videopart1_transcript Transcripts are linked by discussion threads at the top, or you can just scroll down to read the discussion in its entirety. Everything for the above discussion is housed in one accessible location: http://lincs.ed.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/11video_part1 - Jackie Taylor, Professional Development List Facilitator AALPD:http://www.aalpd.org/ 865.680.7668 Jackie@jataylor.net online: Guest Blog Discussion Schedule—Social Innovations in Adult Education —A Guest Blog Discussion Series on the Importance of Social Innovation for Adult Literacy Technology innovations are changing our relationship with education and knowledge. These social innovations can be used to advance causes such as adult education and literacy by connecting users to technology tools for learning, building networks, and bridging the digital divide. How are we—and how can we—harness innovation to improve adult literacy in the United States? Join the National Coalition for Literacy for a guest blog discussion series that explores how social innovations can positively impact literacy in the U.S. and what you can do to help. read entries here:http://blog.ncladvocacy.org/2011/08/guest-blog-discussion-schedule/ Peaceful Tomorrows The Change Agent, Issue 33 This issue of The Change Agent breaks new ground. It teaches the history of 9/11, wrestles with important legal and moral questions related to security and liberty, examines the “rule of law” in the context of terrorism, provides a forum for the humble but profound voices of people seeking justice and reconciliation, and includes extremely moving stories – many of them written by adult learners – about 9/11 and the aftermath. Using poetry, short narratives, interviews, cartoons, illustrations, and photos, this issue roots reading, writing, and social studies lessons in content that is thought-provoking and relevant to adult learners. Background pieces and interesting facts provide opportunities for students to extend their learning. Lesson plans and discussion questions give teachers classroom-ready material that will engage students and provide an important forum for critical thinking, sharing, and achieving understanding across diverse experiences. For
more information, see http://www.nelrc.org/changeagent
or call Cynthia Peters 617-482-9485.
talk about it: A Conversation about the GED 21st Century InitiativeTM: Moving from GED® test to a career and college ready assessment system to be held during the week of September 12 – 15. Panelists will discuss the GED 21st Century Initiative, with primary focus on the upcoming version of the new GED® assessment system (currently known as the GED test) set to be released in early 2014. Topics will focus on the components of theInitiative; overview and current activities for the new GED® assessment system; how content and format will differ from the current GED® test; expected outcomes of the revised test; and how instructors and programs can begin to prepare for these changes. From the GED Testing Service® website: The GED 21st Century Initiative will transform the GED® test into a comprehensive program that will prepare more adult learners for postsecondary education, training, and careers. The program’s structure includes three major components which are labeled Prepare, Perform and Progress. Within these components are: Nationally accessible preparation programs designed to prepare more adults more quickly to perform on the new GED® exam; A GED® assessment system based on 21st century skillrequirements including alignment with emerging Common Core state standards and certifying not just high school equivalence but also college- and career-readiness, and atransition network that supports and links adults with postsecondary education, training and career opportunities -- providing them a chance to earn a sustainable living wage. The Initiative will contribute to the nation's vital goal to build a globally competitive workforce by ensuring more adults, who previously dropped out of high school, become college- and career-ready through this new GED® program. and talk about this: Redesigning Service Delivery to Increase Persistence and Improve Learning Outcomes for Adults with Special Learning Needs September 7-9, 2011 Guest Speaker: Laura Weisel, Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership, Neuro and Cognitive Psychology, and Research, along with a M.S. in Reading and Post-Masters in Special Education: Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disorders, and Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Laura Weisel, CEO of The TLP Group, began her work as an educator focused on schools and students that fail to thrive. She has been drawn to researching how the brain learns, identifying holistic challenges to learning, and creating services that align with the natural learning process. Through her transformational learning system, PowerPath to Education and Employment, she works with states, school districts, human services, behavioral healthcare, corrections, and colleges to help innovate services to better serve participants of all ages and those struggling to become or stay employed. Dr. Weisel has been a long-time leader and Board Member of the National Association of Adults with Special Learning Needs (NAASLN), and is a frequent presenter at national and state conferences. In her work with states and organizations, Dr. Weisel leads a certification course on Innovating Learning! Description: If adult learners didn’t have any special needs they would go to a library, take out GED practice books, meet with friends to study, pass the GED Tests, and successfully manage postsecondary and/or employment. However, ALL adult learners in basic education, literacy, developmental education, and transition courses have special learning needs. Many have been diagnosed as having LD and have received either special education services or other support services during their school years. Persistence research has confirmed that adult education cannot replicate K-12, special education, or traditional support services. Across the board, there appear to be a common set of systemic changes that will improve learner persistence and outcomes. So, what will work to serve this population and why have initiatives targeting systemic shifts in service delivery been so difficult to implement and sustain? Join this provocative discussion to focus on a service delivery system that is needed ... right now! Guiding Questions How can adult education services be redesigned to best serve adults with special learning needs? What can adult education offer that is new and unique, builds on vast interdisciplinary research, and provides the environment to co-create learning with instructors that are working as facilitators? How should learners and communities be included in planning, implementing, and evaluating service delivery transformations? Resources: Making it Worth the Stay: Findings from the New England Adult Learner Persistence Project – http://www.nelrc.org/persist/report09.pdf Persistence: Helping Adult Education Students Reach Their Goals –http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/ann_rev/comings-02.pdf Learning Disabilities Study Shows Complex Issues Behind Learners’ Struggles –http://www.ketadultlearning.org/pdf/newsletter/spring08.pdf Expanding Horizons – Pacesetters in Adult Education for Work – http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/Expanding.pdf Persistence Among Adult Education Students Panel – http://lincs.ed.gov/webcasts/persistence/persistence_cast.html Crossing the Bridge – GED Outcomes and Postsecondary Educational Outcomeshttp://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/news/Crossing_Bridge_PR.htm Transformation/Innovation Executive Summary – Theory U – Leading from the Future as it Emerges (2 pages) http://www.presencing.com/presencing-theoryu/papers.shtml The Essence of Theory U and Presencing– Otto Scharmerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lUyGBBcdJY Changing Education Paradigms – Sir Ken Robinsonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATCqh-OjSuw&feature=related complete information on this discussion at http://lincs.ed.gov/drupal/lincs/discussions/learningdisabilities/11redesigning#guest; you can register to participate in the discussion via email, or choose to read it online at: http://lincs.ed.gov/mailman/listinfo/Learningdisabilities learning opportunities Building Economic Security for Workers and their Families – free workshop: Dates and Locations: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1497291439 Thursday, September 15th,, Warwick Public Library 9:00 am – Registration 9:30 - 12:30 pm - Workshop Thursday, September 22nd, Woonsocket Public Library 9:00 am – Registration 9:30 am - 12:30 pm - Workshop Monday, September 26th, Newport Public Library (map) 1 pm – Registration 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm - Workshop Trainers: Linda Katz and/or Rachel Flum, The Poverty Institute Workshop Description: In this workshop we will provide an overview of the eligibility and application processes for the key work supports for low and moderate income families and individuals in Rhode Island: RIte Care/RIte Share, Child Care Assistance Program, SNAP and the Earned Income Tax Credit. We will also review key provisions of the RI Works Program that relate to workforce development and to receipt of cash assistance benefits. Finally, we will demonstrate the Poverty Institute's Guide To Government Assistance Programs, an on-line tool that can help staff refer families and individuals to a variety of resources to help meet basic needs. access other ongoing self-paced online courses (available at no cost) here: http://207.10.202.20/home/ The Goodling Institute at Penn State University and the National Center for Family Literacy are pleased to offer the following post-baccalaureate professional development opportunity: ADTED 457: Adult Literacy is a three-credit post-baccalaureate course that examines adult literacy issues, research, theory, and instructional practices in the context of family literacy. The course studies the literacy needs of adults as they pertain to the roles of parent, worker, and community member. Parents' involvement in their children's education is an ongoing theme, with a focus on how to engage parents with low-level skills in literacy activities with their children at home. Research related to teaching English as a Second Language is also discussed in the context of adult and family literacy. The course begins on September 7. More information about the Certificate can be found at: http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/family-literacy-certificate/overview or you may contact Dr. Sheila Sherow at sms20@psu.edu. Course registration is open for the 2011-12 offerings of Teaching Adult Numeracy online professional development courses from http://www.professionalstudiesae.org. Courses are offered at $179; group rates available. Foundations of Teaching Adult Numeracy September 19 to October 31, 2011 In this foundational course you’ll learn how to keep students at the center of numeracy instruction. You’ll explore the components of numeracy, how to address the needs of students with learning gaps, how students’ styles of learning math and levels of math knowledge affect their math skills, and ways to build student’s success in learning math. You’ll plan classroom activities, test them with your students, and share your experiences with fellow teachers. Registration link: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6528 Course instructor: Brooke Istas Teaching Reasoning and Problem Solving Strategies October 31 to December 19, 2011 Numerate adults do more than calculate figures. They think about the relationships between mathematical concepts and real-life situations. They look for patterns, make predictions, and evaluate their conclusions. They can form problems, represent them, and solve them. They apply critical thinking skills. This course examines mathematical reasoning and problem solving strategies and provides numerous teaching strategies and activities that you can apply to your teaching right away. Registration link: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6508 Course instructor: Barbara Goodridge Number Sense: Teaching About Parts and Wholes January 9 to February 20, 2012 Teaching students how to use estimation, mental math, benchmarking, and calculators will enhance their conceptual understanding of numbers and what numbers represent. This course focuses on helping adult students develop number sense by addressing two key questions: When is it necessary to have an exact answer, and when is an estimate sufficient? When calculation is necessary, which tool is appropriate to use? You’ll design math activities that are permeated with estimation, mental math, and reasonableness strategies. Registration link: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6503 Course instructor: Jean Stephens Geometry: Teaching About Shapes and Their Measures February 13 to March 26, 2012 Adult basic education students need foundational geometry and measurement skills not only to succeed in GED math, but also in the workplace. In this course, you will explore key topics in geometry, such as area, perimeter, and volume, and their importance in everyday life. You’ll look at numerous instructional activities for teaching about angles, spatial relationships, similarity, and figure transformations on a coordinate graph system. Registration link: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6511 Course instructor: Barbara Goodridge Data: Helping Students Interpret Statistical Representations March 19 to April 30, 2012 Data, or numerical information, can be described, represented, analyzed, and interpreted in various ways for various purposes. This course looks at some common uses (and misuses) of data. Learn about the measures of central tendency statistics, graphs, and probability. Through the course readings, activities, and discussions, you’ll review basic concepts and explore strategies for introducing and teaching these concepts to your adult students. Course instructor: TBD Registration link: Watch http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6500 Algebra: Introducing Algebraic Reasoning April 23 to June 4, 2012 Research suggests that math topics, including algebra, should be taught at all levels, not just when a student is ready for GED preparation. In this course, you’ll learn how to introduce algebraic reasoning to your students, and you’ll experiment with strategies for teaching numeric patterns, relationships, and functions based on real-life situations. You’ll also explore strategies to help students model quantitative relationships using graphs, tables, words, and equations. Registration link: http://www.newreaderspress.com/Items.aspx?hierId=6515 Course instructor: Barbara Goodridge Questions? prodev@proliteracy.org; ProfessionalStudiesAE.org is a partnership of World Education, Inc., and ProLiteracy/New Readers Press. Visit http://www.professionalstudiesae.org for a complete listing of available courses. brief, interesting article: The relative benefits found for students with and without learning disabilities taking a first-year university preparation course - Maureen J. Reed, Deborah J. Kennett, Tanya Lewis, and Eunice Lund-Lucas Active Learning in Higher Education 2011;12 133-142 http://alh.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/12/2/133 via Donna Brian, moderator,Workforce Competitiveness Discussion List. (note; if you have problems accessing the full text, please contact lrri@brown.edu) ELL-U is a free, innovative online training and professional development community for adult ESOL professionals. This Web site provides users with a variety of learning activities and social networking opportunities designed to create a community of professional practice focused on improving ELL instruction. ELL-U's first online course, Second Language Acquisition: Myths, Beliefs and What the Research Shows, is available online. The course consists of four sections that can be completed independently. Each section will take about 20 minutes to complete and provide opportunities for extended learning activities. To register for the course, visit the Online Courses page under the Academics section. Registered users can access the course learning page to chat with other participants and engage with the course's author, Dr. Martha Bigelow, through ELL-U office hours. The office hours will take place online and are an opportunity for participants to ask questions. Once you've completed the course, please complete the online survey and check out additional ways to interact with the ELL-U community. http://www.ell-u.org/member/login read all about it: the Times in plain English http://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/wp about persistence - online, from Ronna Magy, ronnawrite@sbcglobal.net: Dear Colleagues, I'm attaching a link to a paper I wrote recently on learner goal setting and learner persistence which will I hope will contribute to our discussion. In the paper you'll find several suggestions for classroom strategies for learner persistence and learner goal setting which can be used at the beginning of the term and throughout the school year. http://futureenglishforresults.com/materials/Author%20Articles/RMagy_Monograph.pdf Work documented by Barbara Piccirilli Alsabek and Nancy Fritz – read and learn: http://www.nelrc.org/persist/instruction_evid_h.html funding opportunities - large and less large - grants posted on the National Institute for Literacy website: http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/lincs/search/gsearch/dbsearch.cgi?action=Show%20Results - 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. Jobs for Change "seeks to spark a nationwide movement toward careers in the nonprofit, government, and social enterprise sectors" – online at http://jobs.change.org/ 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 janet_isserlis@brown.edu The list needs to be updated so that it can function more usefully for teachers and programs hoping to work with them. (http://www.brown.edu/lrri/sub.html) Rhode Island Community Jobs (RICOMJOB) is a public e-mail announcement list that seeks to raise the profile of meaningful work in Rhode Island by helping non-profit and public interest employers publicize openings effectively. Anyone seeking a job that makes a difference in Rhode Island can join the list. Any non-profit, government or private sector employer advertising a paid position related to the public interest or community concerns can post a free job listing. Positions must be paid but may be part-time, full-time or temporary. To join the list as a job seeker or to post a job as an employer go to: http://www.ricommunityjobs.org Rhode Island Community Jobs is supported by
the Swearer
Center
for Public
Service at Brown University and the Rhode Island Campus Compact. RI DLT's Rhode Island Red job search feature draws 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
Unemployment
lifeline – from the AFL-CIO,
with locally-searchable links to resources http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/
online / resources available from the July 28th newsletter of the Council for the Advancement of Adult Literacy: The Font for People With Dyslexia . According to a study by the University of Twente (Netherlands), people with dyslexia read with much greater ease and get better results using a new typeface called "Dyslexie". The Twente website shows how the visual representation of letters, including orientation and shape, is altered to make the font more user friendly. http://www.studiostudio.nl/project-dyslexie/ online: from Esther Prins. Associate Professor and Co-Director Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy The Center for Rural Pennsylvania has released the final report for our study, GED Preparation through Distance Learning in Rural Pennsylvania. http://www.rural.palegislature.us/GED_DL_2011.pdf The fact sheet is appropriate for distribution to policy makers, funders, and program administrators, while the brochure presents highlights of the study. These items will soon be posted on the ISAL/Goodling Institute website. We hope you'll find these resources to be useful, The Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework, now available, includes a competency-based curriculum framework and related assessment and learning material resources that help adult learners transition to their goals of work, further education and training, or independence. It provides practitioners with guidance and support to make closer connections between literacy programming and the skills, knowledge, and behaviours learners need to reach their chosen goals. http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/oalcf/index.html http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/publications/OALCF_Curriculum_Framework_Mar_11.pdf Work after prison: One-year findings from the transitional jobs reentry demonstration is the first major evaluation of the multi-year "Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration" project funded by the Joyce Foundation. MDRC is the lead evaluator in a team that includes the Urban Institute and the University of Michigan. The project focuses on programs that provide temporary subsidized jobs, support services, and job placement help. The project's purpose is to test transitional jobs as a promising approach to regular paid employment for ex-offenders and other disadvantaged groups. The 278-page report describes how the program was implemented--with more than 1,800 men assigned to it in four cities (Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Paul). It also looks at results in terms of employment and recidivism in the first year following entrance into the program. A key general finding is that transitional jobs, as currently designed and operated, do not sufficiently help people get or retain permanent jobs, nor do they have an impact on recidivism. Only about one-third of the participants was employed in the formal labor market at the end of a year. However, it is seen as a positive indicator that about 85 percent of the men assigned to the program actually worked in an income-subsidized transitional job, reflecting genuine eagerness to work. And the evaluators are inclined to think that subsidized transitional employment programs could be effective if they were strengthened with components that provide basic and workplace skills instruction and if better job- and post-placement services were built in. The project will be followed up for one more year with further results after which another report will be issued. full repoirt: http://www.mdrc.org/publications/570/full.pdf This report is also available as a 14-page executive summary: http://www.mdrc.org/publications/570/execsum.pdf Opening Doors to Student Success A Synthesis of Findings from an Evaluation at Six Community Colleges - Susan Scrivener and Erin Coghlan http://www.mdrc.org/publications/585/overview.html Khan Academy - have you seen this? http://www.khanacademy.org/ Developing oral proficiency of adults learning English – resources from CAL http://www.cal.org/adultspeak/ The U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education’s (OVAE) Division of Adult Education and Literacy has a new quarterly newsletter - Adult Career Pathways (ACP) News is a part of the department’s effort to provide technical assistance resources that will revolutionize the quantity and quality of available career pathways instructional programming for low-skilled adults. Browse headlines available in this issue below, and view the whole article and newsletter online: Resources from the Field ACP News will be devoted to highlighting resources of value to local practitioners. This first issue features recently published resources that have been recommended by the Technical Working Group (TWG) members. U.S. Departments of Labor and Education Partner on Career Pathways Technical Assistance Initiative The Career Pathways Technical Assistance Initiative is directed at strengthening career pathway systems for low-skilled adults and dislocated workers. Knowledge is Power - ProvPlan Invites You to Take a Closer Look at Census 2010 http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=5qk7mzeab&v=001qwhULkbmHDtNFUfHfpFZNJtf-NJdp5pUGyVTleegoV6kfIc5JeElD7t4g5JZKkyXSoyHwvyoyRK7OdZn4ENkYrZ3YI25Zl-LoMSkkAyH5fLVliwVXED1y5bJZ_4c4Nkk11S_TQT-7ygS10SNI5leSg%3D%3D updates form the National Coalition for Advocacy: http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=2d6768592c02f5717ce038fa8&id=d2dadf552b fact sheets from the national Coalition for Literacy: http://www.ncladvocacy.org/ffadult.html and http://national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/AdultEducationSupportsNationalPriorities.pdf Teaching ESL to Adults Classroom - Approaches in Action MaryAnn Florez and Betsy Parrish, ESL consultants A SERIES OF 8 TRAINING VIDEOS View online for free or purchase DVDs at minimal cost In spring 2010, the New American Horizons Foundation, with the help of ESL training specialists MaryAnn Florez and Betsy Parrish, produced its first two teacher training videos, set in real classrooms led by expert teachers using evidence-based practices. They were titled Lesson Planning for Life Skills and Building Literacy with Adult Emergent Readers. Six more videos are now available, and you can view online for free and/or own the complete set of eight videos on three DVDs at a minimal cost ($5.00 for materials per DVD plus shipping). The new titles are: Growing Vocabulary with Beginning Learners, Working with a Multi-level Class, Developing Listening Skills with High-intermediate Learners, Teaching Grammar in Real-life Contexts, Cultivating Writing Skills at the Intermediate Level and Developing Reading Skills for Intermediate/Advanced Learners http://www.newamericanhorizons.org The New American Horizons Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to making adult ESL courses more widely available and affordable. Its current priority is to develop high-quality teacher training resources for adult ESL. did you know? a listing of research and evaluation projects, and other initiatives funded through OVAE: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/englit.html The proceedings for the 2009 LESLLA (Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition) Symposium in Banff, Alberta, Canada are available at http://www.leslla.org/files/resources/Conference_Proceedings_FINAL_Aug12.pdf. Thanks to Theresa Wall and colleagues at Bow Valley College for putting them together. Reflect 13 - special report on employability; teaching composition and using poetry; classroom-based research as Continuous Professional Development; a phonics debate; how statistics can confuse rather than clarify; how television is being used to reach adult learners in Ireland; teaching in secure hospitals; prisons – creativity space and books for new readers; the Reflect approach and ESOL; and the role of care support workers in developing the literacy, language and numeracy skills of clients with learning difficulties and disabilities. http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=179# Rhode Island Employment Disability E-News, newsletter from the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, available at: http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/onlinepublications.html Good geography refresher...and good mouse skill practice as well. http://jimspages.com/States.htm from Kate Northcott, Director, Student Literacy Corps Webster University line: 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 Lots to do at the library Providence Public Library's calendar of events: http://www.provlib.org/calendar.asp 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 google literacy site: http://www.google.com/literacy/ 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/trainin The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) is calling for proposals for concurrent presentations at the 21st National Conference on Family Literacy to be held in San Diego, California, March 25-27, 2012. Concurrent sessions are hour long sessions that focus on topics relating to literacy practices. NCFL welcomes proposals from program staff, partners, students and others interested in the field of literacy. Deadline for submission of proposals is September 30, 2011. To learn more about the conference, visit http://www.famlit.org/conference/ Submit your proposal at http://www.famlit.org/call-for-proposals/ The Center for Health Literacy in collaboration with the American Public Health Association presents its second annual conference, Plain Talk in Complex Times September 22-23, Arlington, VA speakers include: Christopher Gibbons, MD, physician informatician and expert in urban health and healthcare disparities., Kevin Pho, MD, practicing physician, and social media's leading physician voice, KevinMD. Debra Roter, DrPH, Johns Hopkins professor of public health and expert in physician-patient communication. Jared Smith, of WebAIM, leading expert on Web accessibility and Christina Zarcadoolas, PhD, sociolinguist and internationally recognized expert in health literacy. Workshops: eHealth literacy, writing for the web, usability testing, design for readability, social media for engagement and outreach, and storytelling for usability. Continuing Education (CE) credits available. REGISTRATION Early-bird registration ends July 31; agenda updates: plaintalkconf.com. LESLLA 2011 registration open Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition (LESLLA) for Adults is an international forum of researchers who share an interest in research into the development of second language skills by adult immigrants and refugees with little or no schooling in the home country, low levels of literacy in the native language, and limited proficiency in the language of the new country. LESLLA'ss goal is to share empirical research and information that will guide further studies on second language acquisition for the adult immigrant population with limited formal education. This research, in turn, is meant to influence educational policy development in all those countries where immigrants settle and are likely to need educational support. http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ci/LESLLA/default.html VALUEUSA's 7th National Adult Learner Leadership Institute October 9 - 11, 2011, in Sacramento, California, Featuring Danny Glover as guest speaker. more information - http://valueusa.org VALUEUSA is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening adult literacy programs in the United States through learner involvement and leadership. VALUEUSA is governed and operated by current and former adult learners. VALUEUSA is the only national organization run by students of adult education. HOSTED BY VALUEUSA in partnership with the California State Library RITELL conference, Saturday, October 22 8:30-12:30 The theme of the conference is Special Education for English Language Learners. Thanks to the Support of REL (Regional Educational Lab) we have nationally recognized professor Janette Klingner as main speaker. Learn more at http://www.ritell.org 2011 National Refugee and Immigrant Conference Call for Conference Workshop Proposals We are pleased to announce the 2011 National Refugee and Immigrant Conference: Issues and Innovations to be held in Chicago on November 7-8, 2011. http://www.thecenterweb.org/alrc/refugee.html. Judith Diamond, Lynn Osheff - Adult Learning Resource Center, 2626 South Clearbrook Drive Arlington Heights IL 60005 Direct: 224.366.8632 The National College Transition Network at World - fifth annual national conference on Effective Transitions in Adult Education, November 14 - 15 in Providence (Warwick), RI. The conference is geared towards adult and postsecondary educators and administrators. Please visit http://collegetransition.org/ 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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