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LR/RI produces a bulletin roughly every two weeks in order to inform area practitioners of news, events, and calls for participation and also as a forum for posing questions, issues and discussion topics. The current bulletin is posted below. To read previous bulletins, go to Bulletin Archives.

May 4, 1999

Bulletin #68

Dear Colleagues,

Notice of upcoming professional development events, employment opportunities, conferences, meetings and adult education week. To post information, please contact me at LR/RI or leave a message (863-2839).

Thanks.

Janet Isserlis

____________________________________________________________

NOTICES

Discussion/sharing session for educators with an interest in ESOL in adult education will be held on Tuesday, May 4th at 3:00 at the International Institute of RI, 645 Elmwood Avenue Providence. Participants are invited to view (and bring) videos being used with adult learners.

A videotaped recording of Dr. Jenny Horsman's plenary talk at the International Conference on Women and Literacy (held this past January) will be shown at the Swearer Center for Public Service on Friday, May 7, at 2:00 PM and again on Thursday, May 13 at 3. If neither time works for you and you'd like to view the tape, please contact LR/RI. The talk provides an overview of Dr. Horsman's work with violence and literacy learning; other print materials will also be available related to the topic; see also LR/RI's women and literacy page .

Discussion/sharing session for educators with an interest in intergenerational learning and adult education will be held on Thursday, May 27th, at 2:30 PM at the Genesis Center. Practitioners returning from the National Center for Family Literacy Conference will be discussing information gathered from the conference. As well, a new report on strengthening family literacy, from the National Institute for Literacy will be available, (and/or call LR/RI to learn more about that report).

Seventh Annual Conference On Serving Adults with Learning Disabilities, May 27 Farmington, CT. Primary emphasis of the conference will be on serving adults with learning disabilities and other hidden disabilities, as well as adults who have difficulty learning for a variety of reasons. Registration: $95, or $86/each for groups of three or more individuals attending from the same institution; deadline May 21. contact LR/RI or Debbie Kalanquin, (860) 524-4046.

materials display: Two representatives from Heinle and Heinle Publishing will be at the Providence Adult Learning Center on May 5 from 3:30-5:30 to display ESL materials. All ESL teachers are welcome to attend. The address is 160 Broad Street (The YMCA building), 2nd floor by the day care.

Adult Education week -- the week of May 17th. Activities for the week

Connections through Literacy presents Dr. Susan Baum - Multiple Intelligences Theory in the Classroom: Pathways to Implementation, Saturday, May 15, 9 am -12, IIRI. Fee $10. Practical strategies for implementing Howard GardnerÕs Theory of Multiple Intelligences in the classroom with all types of learners. Participants will take away a set of strategies which may be adapted for all learning, including application for family literacy and learning disability situations. Participants will actively explore specific pathways for Multiple Intelligences Theory to improve reading and teaching. Deadline for registration: May 1. Questions? Call Terri Coustan, 351-4252 or email at TCoustan@aol.com. Checks payable to Connections through Literacy can be sent to Debbe Fate, LV-NRI, c/o Central Falls Free Library, 205 Central Street, Central Falls, RI 02863.

Government in Action - May 17 and 19: groups of adult learners will participate in mock legislative sessions at the invitation of Senator Mary Parella, Chair of the RI Adult Education Commission. If you've not received a mailing about this activity and want more information, please call LR/RI.

Adult Education Day at the State House, May 20, 2-5pm - Learners, teachers and staff from adult literacy will be at the state house to display program information and to talk with their legislators. If you haven't already done so, please contact LR/RI to confirm your attendance if youÕd like table/ display space made available. If you have them, please bring agency banners to display from the banisters. We will gather at 3:30 in the Governor's State Room for a short speaking program, including recognition of significant events in adult education during this past year.

9th Annual Walk for Literacy, Saturday, May 22 - (registration 8:30 am State House), sponsored by the Providence Journal Charitable Foundation/United Way Literacy Fund. Seven adult literacy agencies will raise monies through the 5K walk through Providence, India Point Park and the east side.

On Friday, May 21, from 1:30-3:30 PM, Arthur Peña will present a workshop entitled Grammarwords: A Grammar-Teaching Paradigm Shift, at the International Institute of RI, 645 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. He describes the workshop: As teachers of ESL/EFL, we find ourselves obliged to speak in apparent contradictions. We tell our students: 'the past is used for a hypothetical present/future' (If we won the lottery...); 'the present is used to express a kind of scheduled future' (The plane arrives at eight-o'clock tomorrow...); 'the present is used to talk about past events' (...and then he walks right up to her and says...); 'the present continuous is used to talk about future plans (We're eating out tonight...); and so on. There must be a better way.... Dispensing with abstract constructs such as "past", "perfect", and "continuos", the grammarword paradigm presents the tense/aspect/modal forms ('ed', 'have...en', 'be...ing', etc.) directly, systematically, and concretely as meaningful words (i.e. "grammarwords") in their own right. Participants in this workshop can expect to gain not only a theoretical understanding of the grammarword approach, but also the ability to use it in their own classrooms. Pre-registration preferred (not required): Just call (401) 461-5940 ext. 4604 and leave your name.

Summer programs? If you or anyone you know is offering adult education classes this summer, please notify LR/RI as soon as possible so that we can let others in the field know what learning opportunities to share with students.

LR/RI will offer computer drop in sessions again this summer. Please contact me if you think youÕd like to participate; although registration is not required, this will help in planning for the sessions. thanks.

A project report of literacy materials gathered and distributed to women in transition shelters in Canada is online at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/transition.html

The National Institute for Literacy State Policy Update "Strengthening Family Literacy: How States Can Increase Funding and Improve Quality" is now available online at http://www.nifl.gov/policy/mar18.htm. (or to order a print version, please call the NIFL publications hotline at 1-877-433-7827).

"In the Mix", the PBS reality series for teens, will re-broadcast "Teen Immigrants: Five American Stories" during the week of May 15.

Viewers are invited to tape the program off-air for use as an educational resource. PBS has received positive feedback from ESL teachers who caught the show the first time around. This enlightening program allows young viewers to hear firsthand about the American immigrant experience from people they relate to best: other teens. Featuring first-person profiles of young people from Africa, China, Russia, the Dominican Republic, and Tanzania, In the Mix introduces viewers to the hearts and minds behind unfamiliar faces, helping break down negative stereotypes, celebrate diversity, and gain tolerance and understanding across lines of color and nationality. As the program educates young people on issues teen immigrants face, it also emphasizes what everyone has in common, encouraging them to interact with peers from other countries. The show's companion website, "Immigration Station", includes a transcript, Teacher Guide, additional comments from the interviewed teens, resources, a US immigration timeline, and survey [ www.pbs.org/mix/immigration/ istation/ishome.html.] Different PBS affiliates will air this show at different times during the week-- please check local listings, contact your PBS station, or visit the carriage list on our website at www.pbs.org/mix. For information or to order a videotape copy of this 30-minute special, e-mail InTheMix@pbs.org.

funding opportunity (from Fran Keenan, NIFL-ESL list)The Lucent Technologies Foundation & the Nat'l Conference for Community & Justice (formerly Nat'l Conf. of Christians and Jews) are funding a program to "design & implement innovative programs that build respect and understanding among youth of diverse backgrounds." Although the request for proposals is national, preference will be given to the following cities and nearby suburban or rural areas: San Jose, CA; Denver, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, St Louis, Omaha; Asbury Park, Newark, & Plainfield, NJ; NYC, Columbus, OH; Oklahoma City, Reading & Allentown, PA; Dallas, and Washington, DC. For copies of the RFP or more info, contact Hylan Hubbard, Nat'l Conf., 212-545-1300. The deadline is 3 p.m., Friday, May 28. By e-mail you can reach the NCCJ at nationaloffice@nccj.org

The RI Family Literacy Initiative-East Bay seeks volunteers for its spring and summer literacy program. The 8-week summer course begins the week of July 12. All classes take place in Warren and East Providence. The program focuses on conversation for intermediate to advanced ESL adults. Since this is a family reading program, parents are encouraged to bring their children, ages 3-12 for age appropriate literacy classes. Learners are grouped according to abilities into small groups lead by volunteers. Volunteers do not need experience, just a willingness to commit to 4 hours per week. East Providence: 6:30-8:00, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Weaver Branch of the library. Warren: 10:30-12:00, in the George Hail Library. Contact Kristen McKenna, 434-2719 or 245-7686.

from Paul Jurmo: update - 1999 Adult Learner Leadership Institute to be held in June in Indianapolis.

Organized by VALUE (Voice for Adult Literacy United for Education), a national organization for adult learners, with help from the adult education community in Indiana and financial support from several national and state-level organizations. So far we are expecting learners from 31 states (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington State, West Virginia, and Wisconsin). - About two thirds are female and one third are male, half are European American, one quarter are African American, one quarter are Latino, and a small number are Asian-American and Native American, and about 7% are between 20-30 years old, 58% are between 31-50 years old, 29% are between 51-65 years old, and 6% are over 65 years old.

THE AGENDA: Learner leaders from around the country will participate in interactive workshops and other activities to help them be effective leaders in their education programs, communities, workplaces, and families. The Institute is being planned and run by adult learner leaders who are members of VALUE. Although time is short, we still have room for a limited number of additional participants, especially from states not already represented. See VALUE's Web site www.literacynet.org/value or call our office at 732-254-2237 for information on how to apply. VALUE welcomes financial and in-kind help from individuals and organizations who support our mission of building the leadership capacities of under-educated adults. Our immediate focus is on the Adult Learner Leadership Institute in Indianapolis, but our strategic plan maps out other services which we hope to provide beyond the June 1999 Institute.

funding heads up: Requests for Proposals for RIDE program funding are due out within the coming week, or early next week, and will be due in June. If you donÕt receive information within the next week or so, please contact RIDE or LR/RI.

[and from the National Intute for Literacy]

What's New page (http://www.nifl.gov/whats_new.html)

April 29:

--Check out updates on News Flashes (http://www.nifl.gov/Flash/Flash99.html) including: 1. "Skills Demands of Work: Is There a Literacy Surplus?" by Tom Sticht; 2. Information on state plans from the U.S. Department of Education, Division of Adult Education and Literacy; 3. The education of the future exhibit, TECH: Making the Grade, currently on display at the National Education Association's headquarters, and much more.

--New grant and funding opportunities: 1. Fannie Mae Foundation 2. eBay Foundation 3. Department of Education's Community Technology Centers Program grants with a schedule of workshops on how to apply for the CTC grants are posted. Grants and

What's New at the Regional LINCS Web sites:

--New at Eastern LINCS: 1. Bright Ideas Spring 1999 issue (Media Literacy): a guide to using the film, Shawshank Redemption, in a classroom; also a Web-only bonus feature: Sorry Wrong Number: Using Radio Drama in a GED Class. 2. Opening Borders (3/11/99) - Excerpt from a guide to incorporating different cultural materials into the curriculum.

--New at Southern LINCS: 1. Adult Education At Work (a PDF file) edited by Dent Davis: A handbook for Adult education professionals developing or strengthening their learning programs to meet the needs of stakeholders at a particular workplace. 2. Southern LINCS Consortium of End Users projects - articles written by Consortium of End Users and locally produced materials recommended by Consortium of End Users.

New at Midwest LINCS: 1. Family Literacy: Midwest LINCS Special Collection has many new updates. 2. The LIFT - Missouri's Literacy Resource Center has been redesigned.

New at Western/Pacific LINCS: 1. Antes de Mis Padres: Exploring New Mexico history and Hispanic genealogy - this site is for/by adult learners interested in improving their reading skills. 2. Visiting the Doctor: Lessons in Language and Culture - for ESL students. 3. Learning Resources: CNN SF Bureau News Stories Used as On-Line Instruction - An online adult literacy site that benefits all learners and instructors.

Jaleh Behroozi, National Institute for Literacy

INTRODUCTION TO THE WILSON READING SYSTEM A Multisensory, Structured System of Teaching, FRIDAY, MAY 7, 3:00-8:00 PM and SATURDAY, MAY 8, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM at DORCAS PLACE PARENT LITERACY CENTER 270 Elmwood Avenue, Providence

Program includes: Description of Dyslexia, identification of students, 10 Critical Points of the Wilson Reading System, Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic/Tactile Instruction, Pretesting and Lesson Plan formats. Co-sponsored by Literacy Volunteers of America-Rhode Island and Dorcas Place Parent Literacy Center with funding from the Rhode Island Department of Education. Lunch and a light supper will be provided. No charge; pre-registration is requested. Call Joan Anthony at 273-8866 or Donna Sherman at 861-0815.

conferences

Workplace Learning Conference - Milwaukee, May 16-18. Bringing together teachers, program planners, funders, union representatives, business people, and governmental agency representatives, sessions will be offered across four tracks: Partnerships and Linkages; Program Design and Evaluation; Resources and Technologies; and Trends Affecting the Workplace and Workers.Information: http://www.cew.wisc.edu/workplace or call 608-265-3542.

"A Woman's Place Is...in the Curriculum" conference, August 1- 5, 1999, Rohnet Park, California, focusing on multicultural approaches to incorporating women's history into the k-12 curriculum. Contact: National Women's History Project, 717-838-6000 or nwhp@aol.com .

relatively new on the website:

- An update on VALUE, the national learner organization, (go to learners), new postings on the links, women and literacy and inquiry pages, as well.

- Research Agenda for Adult ESL The National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education, in collaboration with National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy and with additional sponsorship and support from Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, has published a Research Agenda for Adult ESL. Its objectives are to provide funders with clear priorities for funding; to provide researchers with support for proposing specific projects; and to provide a focus for dis-cussion about how to improve adult ESL programs. The document incorporates feedback from learners, instructors, program administrators, policymakers, and researchers, and is available, free, from NCLE, 4646 40th street NW, Washington, DC 20016; (202) 362-0700 extension 200, or can be downloaded from NCLE at http://www.cal.org/ncle (and is also linked to LR/RI's ESOL page).

- The Key on line - Monthly newspaper for adults in Wisconsin's basic education and ESL programs.  http://www.keynews.org/ (and is linked to LR/RI's learner page).

from previous bulletins: REMINDERS, RESOURCES:

The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy has recently released a set of informative fact sheets outlining for practitioners and others the projects with which NCSALL researchers are currently engaged. Project histories, plans, and implications for practice are all highlighted in the fact sheets. Projects include studies of Learner Motivation, Impact of Literacy Programs on Adult learners, Adult Multiple Intelligences, Home Literacy Uses, Adult Development and Literacy Learning, Staff Development, Assessment, GED Impact, Health and Literacy, and Reading Diagnostics, Anyone interested in reading about one or all of the projects or anyone who may be interested in project participation information may receive copies by contacting David Hayes at (401) 331-9261. (The PDRN bulletin, including a link to the NCSALL fact sheets is also available online.

list servs:

LEARNER is intended primarily for adult learners. LITERACY is a general list for adult literacy practitioners and others. Information on these electronic lists is below.

LEARNER To subscribe to LEARNER, send an email message to: listserv@nysernet.org

Skip the message header and in the body of the message, type: subscribe LEARNER Yourfirstname Yourlastname All submissions to LEARNER should be addressed to: LEARNER@nysernet.org Questions regarding the list should be sent to: Beverly Choltco-Devlin Moderator, LEARNER bdevlin@dreamscape.com

LITERACY To subscribe to LITERACY, send an email message to: listserv@nysernet.org

Skip the message header and in the body of the message, type: subscribe LITERACY Yourfirstname Yourlastname All submissions to LITERACY should be addressed to: LITERACY@nysernet.org Questions regarding the LITERACY list should be sent to: Beverly Choltco-Devlin bdevlin@dreamscape.com

Welfare to work listserv: from Glenn Young - For those interested in the subject of welfare reform and learning disabilities, there has been a listserv created through NIFL. To sign up, please send a message to: listproc@literacy.nifl.gov write in the body of the message subscribe nifl-wtwld and your name. Do not write anything in the subject line and do not use any dots or dashes other than between nifl and wtwld. (Click here for more information on listservs).

women and literacy listserv.

To participate, subscribe by sending an email message to: LISTPROC@LITERACY.NIFL.GOV with the following request in the body of the message: subscribe NIFL-Womenlit firstname lastname Substitute your first and last name spelled exactly as you would like it to appear. For example, to subscribe to the NIFL-Womenlit list Sue Smith would type: subscribe NIFL-womenlit Sue Smith There should be no other text in the message (e.g., your signature block). It is recommended that the subject line be left blank if possible.

PROJECT BASED LEARNING AND ACCESS TO THE INTERNET

How is the internet being used in adult education? What are some helpful uses, and how do we sort through the huge amount of material available on line? Susan Gaer is interested in helping programs link to one another, and has been doing so through an email project homepage on-line, at http://www.otan.dni.us/webfarm/emailproject/email.htm. If you have or know of similar learner work on line, please contact Susan at SusanG2@aol.com.

David Rosen has asked that we have a look at the inquiry maps on the Adult Literacy Resource Institute's home page. As he explains, "[a]n Inquiry Map is a group participatory research process on a topic of high interest to the group. Participants (in this case, adult learners) make their own questions, and then set about finding answers to them. The Inquiry map is a process which is never finished. Many of the questions go unanswered, are only partially answered, or have only one answer given where other points of view are possible. So, there is room for other participants to join in the process at any time, to add their answers, their comments on the answers already given, and questions which they might also choose to research." Questions, answers and comments can be posted to David Rosen <DJRosen@world.std.com>, and he'll add them to the inquiry map. So, it keeps on being an inquiry process with each new person who reads and adds to it. He welcomes additions of questions and answers; as you may know, many internet sites run threaded conversations on a variety of topics. The ALRI sites are: http://www2.wgbh.org/MBCWEIS/LTC/ALRI/I.M.html and http://www2.wgbh.org/MBCWEIS/LTC/ALRI/IM3.html (How to make inquiry maps).