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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 19 March, 2012 Bulletin #400
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). Also, see the RIAEPDC's website and calendar at : http://www.riaepdc.org/Pages/default.aspx 
Janet Isserlis
NOTICES -
– in
addition to events listed here, a recently updated list of events
(including workforce development workshops, new practitioner RI Adult Education Conference – May 24th, at RI College Program is being finalized so that registration can begin, we hope, before the end of this month. what people with disabilities can do: Able & Willing -an untapped pool of talent: vignettes about people with disabilities and businesses working together to create successful mentorships, internships and long term employment opportunities; online resources and clip of an informational video: http://www.ableandwilling.net/ ESOL practitioner learning community will meet on March 22 at 3 pm at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence. Our focus will be on policy and its implications for our work. As well, please bring ideas, lessons, materials, questions relevant to day to day teaching and learning. Please join us. (more about policy here) REMINDER: Upcoming STAR PLCs: April 27 (Technology); June 7 (Planning). STAR participants are invited to bring colleagues--please RSVP for handouts, room size. bbowen@riaepdc.org “Congratulations to our newest CASAS State Certified Trainer, Angela Salvadore, Transition Pathways, Coordinator at the Community College of Rhode Island, Center for Workforce and Community Education. Welcome aboard, Angela!” CASAS Facebook page, February 7, 2012 Angela Salvadore of the Community College of Rhode Island has completed training and has received certification as the CASAS Certified State Trainer in Rhode Island. Angela and the Adult Education Professional Development Center are planning many activities that will help practitioners support CASAS in the classroom and guide learners to reach their goals. CASAS Agencies Guidelines: All CASAS testing materials MUST be locked up when not being used, Always use a CASAS Appraisal test to determine appropriate pre- tests, The CASAS test items must not be reviewed with learners Only practitioners who were trained by a face-to-face trainer or participated in an online training and received a certificate can administer and order CASAS assessments and materials Please go to this link to fill out a brief questionnaire as to what CASAS trainings and support you think are needed: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3JZ3XR8 - Angela Salvadore, RI CASAS State Certified Trainer 401-455-6140 asalvadore@ccri.edu - Jill Holloway, Director, RI Adult Education Professional Development Center 401-941-8353 x 108 jholloway@riaepdc.org Health Information Training, at no cost A Governor’s Workforce Board Jobs Initiative Program Must be accepted into the Stepping Up Program 3 weeks of Stepping Up classes learning office skills, medical terminology, computer and customer service skills; 10 weeks at one of the Providence Community Health or Thundermist Health Centers, training one-on-one with Health Information staff During 10 week training at either facility, 1 day weekly with Stepping Up learning workplace readiness skills Job placement assistance Eligibility Requirements: Age 18 +. Availability 9am - 3pm, Monday through Friday, Able to commit to full training schedule, Experience in health care or office work desired, Unemployed or underemployed, High School Diploma or GED, Authorization to work in the USA Will be required to take TABE and test at 8th grade English level or higher, to pass a BCI check, provide immunization records and pass Required Interview. For information please call the Stepping Up Office: 401-831-3647 Job developers/case managers – please contact Robin Adams for schedules for PLCs (radams@riaepdc.org) Workforce Strategy Center is pleased to join forces with the SkillsNET Foundation to introduce SkillsPass, JobReadiness and the Labor Market Value Index - a suite of tools to help align curriculum with job skill requirements to make it more responsive to employers' needs, and more relevant to students' gainful employment and career aspirations. We will be presenting a webinar about the tools on Wednesday, March 14th from noon to 1 PM EST and again on Thursday, March 22nd from noon to 1 PM. In these sessions I will be joined by Michael Brown, Melissa Goldberg and Marc Anderberg. Mr. Brown will demonstrate the tools and show how they can generate actionable information to drive curriculum revision and development to prepare students for targeted jobs in your labor market. As an example, we will illustrate how the tools can be used to address evolving and emerging skill requirements identified in job openings of particular interest to trade-affected workers who are eligible for training assistance. During the webinar we will show how the tools can inform: Virtual industry advisory board operations; Present labor market value of courses currently offered, and Gap analysis that provides targets for curriculum development and revision Please register by clicking on one of the following: March 22nd https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/326543846 - Julian L. Alssid Executive Director, WSC, 401-253-9721 jalssid@workforcestrategy.org http://www.workforcestrategy.org Website for the Rhode Island Adult Education Community. Connect with us and let us know how you like it! http://riaec.com/default.aspx 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. The National College Transition Network is calling for contributions to the Aspirations Toolkit, a collection of promising practices that foster adult learners aspirations along their education and career pathway. We seek descriptions of effective counseling and instruction practices, lessons, activities that adult basic education practitioners use with learners at various class types (e.g. ESOL, pre-GED or GED) and skill levels to foster their aspirations, goals, and consideration or planning for next steps. The Aspirations Toolkit will be a resource for practitioners to make this important paradigm shift in promoting learner aspirations early and often in their instruction and counseling interactions. The toolkit will be flexibly organized around phases of programming: enrollment, ongoing instruction; ongoing counseling; and planning for next steps. In addition, the Aspirations Toolkit will inspire and illustrate how to embed the four areas of college and career readiness into all phases of programming. To learn more: http://collegetransition.org/about.currentprojects.aspirationstoolkit.html or to contribute a promising practice to the Aspirations Toolkit, go to http://collegetransition.org/about.currentprojects.AT.callforcontributions.html. The deadline for contributions is March 19. The Change Agent, NEW ISSUE What's Age Got To Do With It? - students and practitioners ask and answer: What does age have to do with learning? With more and more young people (ages 16-24) in ABE, dynamics are shifting in the classroom and in programs. What happens when teenagers and 40-somethings tackle Shakespeare together? Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Why are so many high schoolers choosing adult education instead of traditional secondary school? Read inspiring stories of older and younger getting past their preconceptions and reaching out to make friends, share struggles, and learn from each other across generational lines. http://nelrc.org/changeagent/toc.htm via Ellen Hewett: In Today's Economy, How Far Can a GED Take You?, produced by NPR: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/npr.php?id=147015513 Please join us April 23 and 24, 2012 for a guest discussion with colleagues from the GED Testing Service who will respond to your questions and comments on the new Assessment Guide for Educators. Chapters 1 and 2 of the Guide are now available for download. Chapter 3 will be released March 13. To register and download the Assessment Guide for Educators Chapters 1 and 2, go to: http://www.GEDtestingservice.com/assessment. The Poverty Institute is now The Economic Progress Institute from Kate Brewster. Executive Director: …We have always been committed to creating opportunities and economic progress for all Rhode Islanders. We believe that our new name more accurately reflects our goals, and the reality that we have become advocates not only for Rhode Islanders living in poverty, but for the growing number of middle-income Rhode Islanders struggling to make ends meet. While our name has changed, our mission has not. We will continue to promote policies to ensure that Rhode Island workers and businesses have the skills to compete, that families can support themselves, and that the state has the resources it needs to invest in building a strong economy. New Features on Website Check out all of the new tools and features on our site: Cost of Living Calculator: See how much it costs to live in Rhode Island and what you need to earn to meet basic needs: http://www.economicprogressri.org/CostofLivingCalculator/tabid/180/Default.aspx Facts and Stats about poverty, income, wages and other indicators of the economic vitality of Rhode Island and its residents: http://www.economicprogressri.org/FactsStats/FactsStatsOverview/tabid/292/Default.aspx 2012 Policy Agenda, Guide to Assistance, and more. see for yourself: http://www.economicprogressri.org/ The Community College of Rhode Island will hold a Grand Information Session for potential adult students from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10th at CCRI's Liston Campus in Providence. Space is limited, so if you know anyone who may be interested, please encourage him or her to reserve a spot now. This event will have: advisers to help with questions about educational plans and career paths; financial aid staff to discuss how to pay for college; faculty to discuss the more than 80 programs offered at our four convenient campuses and two satellite locations, and students and alumni to share their CCRI experiences . Reservations for 66 available seats can be made by sending an e-mail to gis@ccri.edu. 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 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. learning opportunities LaGuardia Community College ( http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/pcap /CUNY, in partnership with World Education http://www.worlded.org/, the National College Transition Network http://www.collegetransition.org/ and the New England Professional Development Network http://neadultedpd.ning.com/ offer an exciting professional development opportunity for adult educators. Designing Career Focused Basic Skills Instruction participants will: Join an informational webinar on March 21, 2:00-3:15 PM to learn more about participating in the Designing Career Focused Basic Skills Instruction course, http://careerfocusedbasicskillsinstructionwebinar.eventbrite.com/ Participate in a Kickoff webinar on June 26, 2012, 2-3:30 PM Attend an interactive Career Pathway Builders Workshop at LaGuardia Community College in New York City on July 18-19, 2012 Participate in the Career Pathway Builders Virtual Community of Practice Participate in two phone coaching sessions with instructors from LaGuardia Community College Attend pre-conference event to present lessons and celebrate with colleagues at the National College Transition Network Conference on November 7-9, 2012 in Providence, Rhode Island. A complete program description is available at LaGuardia Community College's Pre-College Academic Programming Department webpage. (http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/pcap/professional_development/) To learn more about this professional development opportunity, join us on March 21, 2012, for an informational webinar. To register for the webinar,: CareerFocusedBasicSkillsInstructionWebinar.eventbrite.com ( http://careerfocusedbasicskillsinstructionwebinar.eventbrite.com/ ) The Literacy Assistance Center Academy is accepting applications for our spring program for program managers and teachers interested in college transitions titled A Comprehensive Approach to College Transition and our summer intensive program for current and aspiring GED teachers titled Preparing Students for the GED using the Common Core State Standards. This collaboration between the City University of New York’s College Transition Teaching Initiative and the LAC Academy is a foundational eight-session seminar that offers future as well as current educators an overview of best practices for college transition reading, writing, math and advisement. Participants will attend 25 hours of on-site classes and engage in an additional 50-75 hours of on and off-line study, research, reflection and practice. Only the spring program is offered at this time. More will be added at a later date. April 20, 2012 – June 22, 2012, 2 – 5 p.m. Application Deadline: April 13, 2012 Preparing Students for the GED using the Common Core State Standards This program provides adult educators with a firm foundation in the newly-created and newly-adopted Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the GEDTS’s “Assessment Guide for Educators.” The program focuses on research-based practices that will accelerate the academic progress of students who will be ready to take the GED before 2014 in addition to the significant instructional adjustments that will be necessary as 2014 nears. Participants attend 36 hours of on-site classes supplemented by an additional 90-120 hours of study and reflection online as part of a professional community of practice via Moodle. 100 Hours/10 CEUs July 23, 2012 – August 6, 2012, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Application Deadline: June 22, 2012 Please see our website (http://www.lacnyc.org/profdev/Academy) for more information about these programs and feel free to contact me by email or phone with any questions. NAASLN Webinar Series March 27 1:00 – 2:00pm Internet-based seminar-- Helping Adults with Special Needs Transition to Postsecondary or Work Activities -Nancie Payne, Ph.D, President/CEO, Payne & Associates, Inc., internationally recognized for more than 35 years of work in organizational development, human resources, adult and postsecondary education and workforce-based services. The Theme of the 21st Century is successful transition. What does that mean for individuals with special learning needs? Researchers have identified that of learners with learning disabilities entering postsecondary, training, and apprentice programs, over 90 percent drop out before the end of their first year. Researchers have further determined that individuals with special learning needs do not disclose special learning needs to supervisors or human resources personnel with high levels of frequency. The question of successful transition is not about individuals independently transitioning – it is about us understanding, guiding and supporting the distinctive transition needs of individuals to access independence. Join Nancie on this webinar to discover and expand transition development to ensure success of individuals with special learning needs. Online Registration accepted up to 24 hours before the session at http://www.naasln.org/webinars.htm Fee per session: $40.00 Non-Member, $20.00 Members Fee per video of this session and other archived sessions: $40.00 Non-Members $20.00 Members ** **NAASLN Members: To get this discounted fee of $20.00 when you register online, use your Members Only Code. If you don’t have your code, contact us at NAASLN@kocmemberservices.com and we will send it to you. Go to www.naasln.org/webinars.htm for more information about the on-going NAASLN Webinar Series and registration. If you have any questions, you can email us at naasln@kocmemberservices.com or leave a message at 888-5NAASLN (888-562-2756) National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs Self-Efficacy Course offered by NELRC and the PDCenter- Limited time to sign up - newly developed blended course on Building Learner Self-Efficacy, to be offered by the New England Literacy Resources Council, and underwritten for a limited number of RI practitioners by the PDCenter. This should be a wonderful resource, especially for teachers and case managers, and will require a real commitment on the part of that practitioner, and support by the program;s director, to do so. contact the PDC for more information Free online professional development opportunity and resource center The Adult Career Pathways Training and Support Center (ACP-SC) is an innovative comprehensive website that supports adult education providers in designing, implementing, and improving adult career pathway programs. Through this website registered users have unlimited access to a robust collection of instructional resources, implementation strategies, best practices, research, and other tools as well as collaborative peer learning opportunities and resource sharing. The site is free, easy to use, and anyone can sign-up and receive access to ACP-SC. The site offers: National professional development activities; Online collection of high-quality instructional resources,’ Policy briefs on topics related to developing and implementing career pathways; Latest research on the effectiveness of career pathways; Online, self-paced professional development courses; E-Newsletters, and Virtual community of practice where practitioners can learn collaboratively and share resources. To register go to http://www.acp-sc.org/register. For more information email us at info@acp-sc.org. - Jeffrey A. Fantine, M.Ed. Senior Project Director Kratos Learning Solutions Project Director, Designing Instruction for Career Pathways (project funded by USDOE/OVAE) Project Director, Points of Entry (project funded by the Open Society Foundations)2920 South Glebe RoadArlington, VA 22206 703-299-1602 jeffrey.fantine@kratoslearning.com http://www.kratoslearning.com courses on line: The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center offers online professional development opportunities and is currently taking registrations for our spring session. Registration will go through Monday, April 9 at 5 pm. The six-week course, Beyond Basics: Multilevel ESOL Classes (18 hours over 6 weeks, will begin on Friday, April 13 and go through Thursday, May 24. http://www.valrc.org/trainings/courses/multi.html for more information about the course. If you are out of the state of Virginia and interested in enrolling in our online course, please contact Lauren Ellington at courses@valrc.org or call 800-237-0178 to begin the registration process. These courses are available to out-of-state participants and non-OAEL or VLF funded programs for a fee of $125. If you are interested in these online courses but are outside of Virginia or working in a non-OAEL or VLF funded program, please contact Lauren Ellington at courses@valrc.org for payment methods. Online courses are asynchronous (not in real time) and are self-paced. Expect to devote about three to five hours per week to the discussion and assignment. Participate in class when it's convenient for you! If you have any questions at all about participating in this exciting professional development opportunity then please contact me at 1-800-237-0178 or email me at courses@valrc.org. Differentiated Instruction March 13–May 7, with 3 synchronous chats scheduled during Lessons 2, 3, and 4. Adult educators almost always face many different levels of learners in their classrooms, with all the attendant difficulties in teaching. In this facilitated, interactive course, you will learn how differentiated instruction can help produce effective teaching in your classes. You will learn to make the strong learning objectives required to keep multilevel instruction on target. Both research and specific strategies will be addressed. By the course end, you will produce your own lesson plan with effective learning objectives and differentiation suited to your own environment. Full Course Description: http://professionalstudiesae.worlded.org/pdf/DIOverMar12.pdf Required Text: How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms, 2nd Edition, by Carol Ann Tomlinson (Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), 2001), Course Instructor: Wendy Quiñones Estimated Completion Time: 30 hours/6 weeks Course Fee: $249.00 Registration: http://professionalstudiesae.worlded.org/index.html#di 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. 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. Preparing for Work: EFF Work Readiness Course May 8-9, University of Tennessee Conference Center Equipped for the Future, a program of the University of Tennessee Center for Literacy Studies, will hold an open-registration training for the Preparing for Work curriculum May 82 at the University of Tennessee Conference Center in Knoxville, TN. The 2-day training is designed for instructors interested in implementing the curriculum in adult education or workforce development settings. Register online today at: http://www.cvent.com/d/lcqlxq Training fee: $750 Each participant will receive a copy of the newly REVISED teacher’s guide and student manual and a master copy of student materials on CD. Space is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Aaron Kohring with questions at akohring@utk.edu Building on Foundations for Success: Guidelines for Improving Adult Mathematics Instruction, Final Report http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/AdultNumeracyReportFinal2011.pdf Recognizing the paucity of research on adult numeracy instruction, the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) initiated the Strengthening America’s Competitiveness Through Adult Math Instruction project through a contract with MPR Associates, Inc. and its partners, the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Rutgers University, and TERC. This project sought to determine what to teach in adult numeracy instruction, how to teach it, and how to teach teachers to teach it. These questions form the basis for this report. To begin this work, OVAE proposed to examine the Foundations for Success report to determine if any of its findings or recommendations could apply to mathematics instruction for adults. Analysis of the NMAP report recommendations determined that 18 of the 45 recommendations were relevant to adult mathematics instruction. These recommendations and the guidelines derived from them fall into three broad areas: mathematics content, instructional strategies, and teacher preparation. There are guidelines related to each area, and the report includes a discussion of the guidelines in each area, including relevant research. Designed to be a blueprint for future work by policymakers, administrators, and researchers in the field of adult education, these guidelines outline the mathematics content adults need to know, strategies for teaching adults this content, and the preparation of adult education instructors who teach mathematics. Additional research, however, is needed for a better understanding of how mathematics instruction can best be provided for different populations of adults pursuing diverse goals. More information about the relationships among teacher characteristics and preparation, instructional strategies, and student outcomes would be useful, as would an assessment of the effectiveness of current in-service professional development programs. - Cynthia Zafft, czafft@worlded.org Kaye Beall, kbeall@worlded.org Region 1 Co-Directors, LINCS Regional Professional Development Centers a project of World Education changes: The GED® Testing Service has released The Assessment Guide for Educators, describing the new assessment launching in 2014. The Guide is designed to help the adult education community begin to incorporate this new direction in their preparation programs; it’s a comprehensive and definitive source about the new GED® test—providing an overview of the assessment, the assessment targets for each content area, description of cognitive levels, and item types—just to name a few topics covered by the Guide. To make it easier to digest the material, the Guide will be released in three installments—the first installment is available immediately at http://www.GEDtestingservice.com/assessment. You need to register to download the first and each subsequent chapter. You will also be invited to attend one of the four one-hour webinars focused on the first installment's content. Chapters 2 and 3 will be released on February 28 and March 13 respectively and will also have webinars to overview the content and, most importantly, to provide a forum for getting answers to any questions you may have. Additional resources will be available on the Web and you will have plenty of opportunities to hear more and engage with the GED® Testing Service at key national and local conferences this spring and summer. From the Harvard Family Research Project (developed by the Office of Head Start with the assistance of the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement for the Office of Head Start.): Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework: Promoting Family Engagement and School Readiness from Prenatal to Age 8 This tool is for early childhood education and care providers seeking to build effective engagement strategies. To download a copy, go to: http://tinyurl.com/7c7g4ew - via Sylvia Cobos Lieshoff, Ph.D., NATIONALFAMILYLITERACY-L@lists.psu.edu Healthy Roads Media has new free patient education resources, including English, Russian and Spanish versions of What is Medicaid? and What is Medicare? available as a web-video and handout. http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/topics/personalhealth.htm These videos are also available in a format for use on tablets, CCTV/VOD systems, etc. - http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/videos 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) 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 The National Center for Family Literacy announced grants of $25,000 each to 10 organizations across the nation working to encourage Hispanic and other families to earn college degrees. The competitive funding expands the reach of the innovative Family Literacy – Community College Partnership Initiative supported by MetLife Foundation. Organizations will use the support to implement plans for outreach to families about going to college, including use of a comprehensive set of interactive, bilingual resources available online. To learn about each program, visit http://www.famlit.org/collegereadinessgrantees 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. two part-time positions for learning specialists (academic coaches) on the URI website http://jobs.uri.edu, under "CCE", positions 6000699 and 6000700. Posting time is quite short (til 3/24). only applications submitted through the website can be considered. The Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) has an Employment Opportunities Bulletin Board at http://www.coabe.org/html/employmentbulletinboard.html 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/
working hard for the money: RI DLT on the job training opportunities: online / resources available The Change Agent, new issue: What's Age Got To Do With It? - students and practitioners ask and answer: What does age have to do with learning? With more and more young people (ages 16-24) in ABE, dynamics are shifting in the classroom and in programs. What happens when teenagers and 40-somethings tackle Shakespeare together? Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Why are so many high schoolers choosing adult education instead of traditional secondary school? Read inspiring stories of older and younger getting past their preconceptions and reaching out to make friends, share struggles, and learn from each other across generational lines. http://nelrc.org/changeagent/toc.htm As well, see the website for a Call for Articles (Deadline: May 4th). The next issue explores the theme of resiliency. The Call makes a great writing prompt to bring into the classroom. One more note: The Change Agent is available in audio! This is a great resource for ESOL students or native speakers who want to improve their reading fluency. See the website for details. http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca/sites/default/files/2012_03_MrchScanFINL.pdf MARCH 5, 2012 February Research Scan Posted from the Centre for Literacy: The current research scan includes summaries of studies from Canada and Australia on issues related to workplace literacy and essential skills (WLES). Topics include: a proposed Canadian framework for digital skills; low-income workers balancing work, learning and life; work-related informal learning; incorporation of information and communication technology into vocational education for youth; union-led workplace education; an international comparison of employment skill requirements, and Australian employers’ perspectives on WLES. http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca from the Center for Applied Linguistics: Download Briefs From Our Free Online Collection Facilitating Adult Learner Interactions to Build Listening and Speaking Skills Promoting Learner Engagement When Working With Adult English Language Learners . Teaching Pronunciation to Adult English Language Learners Visit the Adult ESL Education Website http://www.cal.org/adultesl/index.php - Browse our website for information about new resources, available services, and access to our rich library of evidence-based materials. Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) Just Write! Guide The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, and the American Institutes for Research announce the publication of the TEAL Just Write! Guide. The culmination of two years of work in identifying research-based instructional practices in the content area of writing, this guide is a resource for ABE teachers. It is intended to increase familiarity with evidence-based writing instruction and facilitate translation of research findings into teaching practices and products that will enhance the quality of instruction delivered to adult learners. PDF version of the TEAL Just Write Guide!: https://teal.ed.gov/documents/TEAL_JustWriteGuide.pdf HTML version of the TEAL Just Write Guide!: https://teal.ed.gov/tealGuide/toc -Mary Ann Corley, Ph.D. Principal Research Analyst and TEAL Project Director American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC from our colleague Kate Nonesuch in British Columbia: My free online book Family Math Fun! has been on the list of the Top 20 downloads at http://www.nald.ca/ every month since it first came out in 2009, but last month it fell off the list. Before it goes away quietly, I'd like to make sure that every person it was written for has a chance to see it. Do you know someone who works in a school or in a daycare or pre-school program? (Teachers, secretaries, principals, home-school co-ordinators, PAC members, and so on. Parents, too.) I'm writing to people I know to ask you to pass this link on to everyone you know who works with kids. http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/familymath/cover.htm Family Math Fun! A manual for educators and parents who want to promote math thinking in kids of all ages. Things to do in the kitchen and on a walk, rhymes, games, and things to make, all to promote math thinking and learning. Math for the whole person: spirit, heart, body and mind are all connected in the activities in this book. When these are in balance, math becomes part of our whole lives, not a beast or a barrier. Patterns, recipes, and hand-outs all included (109 pages). Funded by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, HRSDC. Download it free at http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/familymath/cover.htm Kate Nonesuch Victoria, BC Special Issue #24 of the CAAL E-News announces the formation of the Campaign to Invest in America's Workforce (CIAW). CAAL is one of 35 founding organizational members. For details, go to http://www.caalusa.org/enews.html. National adult education organizations wishubg to take part in CIAW meetings or consider becoming a member can contact Rachel Gragg at rachelg@nationalskillscoalition.org. If you wish to subscribe to the CAAL E-News, please send your email address and name to bheitner@caalusa.org. The Paul V. Sherlock Center announces its recently revised Guide to Accessing Employment Supports from the RI Division of Developmental Disabilities. This free, 1-page, easy to read flow chart and resource list is a great way to introduce professionals and families with children with developmental disabilities to available employment resources. For your convenience, active resource web-links are included in the on-line PDF version of the Guide. ORDER FREE Hard Copies of the Guide to Accessing Employment Supports from RIDDD by January 30 & receive FREE Shipping: ORDER ONLINE: http://sherlockcenter.publication-order-form.sgizmo.com/s3/ or call 456-8072. Free PDF download: http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/publications/DDEmploymentSupports.pdf To view other resources available visit http://www.sherlockcenter.org - Publications Resources of interest Getting the Most From Employment Services http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/publications/employmentguide.pdf Transition Folder: http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/publications/TranFolder.pdf http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/publications/DDEmploymentSupports.pdf Healthy Roads Media has several new free patient education resources. There is a Spanish version of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome available as a web-video and handout and a Russian version of Chest X-Ray available as a web-video and handout. http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/full_materials.htm. Additionally, numerous Multiple Use Videos are available at http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/videos resource available: The Life Skills, College and Career Readiness Guide for ESOL Learners, developed by the Massachusetts Dept. of Adult and Secondary Education, the System for Adult Basic Education Support, and several Mass practitioners, with technical assistance from the Center for Applied Linguistics. The Guide provides teachers with sample activities to use in their classrooms to help ESOL students develop the skills and knowledge they need to achieve their "next steps" employment, academic, or life skills goals. This resource is NOT a list of skills, of which there are many examples, but a resource that translates those skills into interesting classroom activities. The Guide is actually three guides, one each for Basic (SPLs 0-3), Intermediate (SPLs 4-5), and Advanced (SPL 6) ESOL learners. The Guide developers felt strongly that even Basic Level ESOL students can practice next steps skills in the classroom. While this resource was especially designed for ESOL learners, the activities can be easily adapted for ABE and Transitions students as well. The Guide is available in PDF but also in Rich Text Format, so that teachers can isolate particular activities, add new ones, or amend those that are provided. The RFT version also allows teachers to tailor listed activities for whole classes, groups of students working together, or an individual student. http://www.sabes.org/curriculum/esol/caela-guide-2011.pdf http://www.sabes.org/curriculum/esol/caela-guide-2011.rtf If any teachers are willing to take on the task of adapting this resource more specifically for ABE learners, please contact Carey Reid at creid@worlded.org. 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 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. 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 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 Join The Poverty Institute at their annual State Budget Rhode Map Conference, where leading experts will speak about how to improve the economic vitality of Rhode Island and its residents. Thursday, February 16, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, $35 per person. Register at http://www.budgetconference2012.eventbrite.com Connecticut's Adult Education conference will be held March 28-30 in Mystic. We are hoping to expand and have presenters and attendees from around the region. Conference information: http://caace.net/Content/2012_CAACE_Conference.asp TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages international convention, Philadelphia, March 27-31 http://www.tesolconvention.org COABE (Commiitte on Adult Basic Education), in conjunction the Virginia Association for Adult and Continuing Education, April 9 -13 http://www.COABEinVirginia2012.org The NCWE Board of Directors announces the Call for Proposals for the 2012 Conference: Riding the Waves of Change: Leading Strategies for a Diverse Economy October 20-23, 2012, Long Beach CA Information: http://www.ncwe.org/?page=call_for_proposals Proposals must be received by April 16, 2012 4p PST MATSOL 40th Anniversary Conference Lessons from the Past, Innovations for the Future Early registration rates end January 15. http://www.matsol.org Thursday & Friday, May 3-4 Pre-Conference Institutes: Wednesday, May 2 Co-teaching and Collaborative School Practices for English Language Learners, Maria Dove and Andrea Honigsfeld, Instructors RTI in Practice: Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Intervention for English Learners, Dr. Catherine Collier, Instructor The Conference features workshops for educators in adult education, community college and higher education programs, including: Talk is priceless: Building students’ skills for powerful academic conversations - Jeff Zwiers, Stanford University On Repetition in Language Learning and Teaching - Diane Larsen-Freeman, University of Michigan Adult ESOL in Greater Boston An overview of Adult ESOL services in Greater Boston from the 2011 Boston Foundation Report Breaking the Language Barrier presented by Navjeet Sing, Commonwealth Corporation, and a briefing on current state initiatives from Anne Serino, ABE State Director. Followed by breakout sessions for community college, adult education and higher education educators. Challenges of Working with Postsecondary Multilingual Students with Learning Disabilities - Patricia Mytkowicz, Curry College Digital Storytelling for English Language Learners - Tom Daccord, EdTechTeacher Immigrants Raising Children: Undocumented Parents and Their Young Children's Development - Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Harvard University Knowing your Haitian students: Some Notes on History, Language and Education in Haiti- Michele DeGraff, MIT save the date - Meeting the Challenge: Skilling up the Workforce in a Difficult Economy, Thursday, May 17, 8:00 a.m. Crowne Plaza, Warwick Governor's Workforce Board Rhode Island Annual Meeting The Centre for Literacy in Montreal announces its summer institute 2012 Workplace, Literacy and Essential Skills Shaping a New Learning Culture June 27 - 29, 2012 – Montreal, Quebec Since 2009, our institutes have examined various issues on Workplace Literacy and Essential Skills (WLES). Recent research has raised questions about reasonable expectations of short-term interventions and about what outcomes we measure and how we measure them. Summer Institute 2012 will consolidate the learning from the last three years, examine several models of WLES that have been effective in specific contexts and ask how and why they worked, and why so few transfer well in other settings. International experts and invited guests include Alison Wolf, co-author of the Wolf Evans (2011) report, is an expert on the relationship between the education and labour market and is involved in policy debate in the UK and other countries. She will join the institute by video link from the UK. Steve Reder from Portland State University, will explore the possible implications of his Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL) for WLES interventions. Juliet Merrifield brings with her more than 25 years experience in adult education as a researcher and practitioner. She has co-authored – Developing Adult Literacy Approaches to Planning, Implementing, and Delivering Literacy Initiatives. Jay Derrick, will bring perspectives from his 20 year experience in workplace LES in England and his work at the Institute of Education, University of London. David Gyarmati and Karen Myers from Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) will share the baseline findings from the Measures of Success Project. Early bird registration ends on May 1. To register visit our website. Registration limit 100. http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca/ 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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