Rhode Island Adult Education Professional Development Center



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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, go to Bulletin Archives.  To receive the bulletin via email, contact LR/RI.

 
To learn more about professional development opportunities, please contact the RI AEPDC at (401) 456 -2838 or (401) 863-2839

 
July 18, 2008

  Bulletin #274

  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 signature

 Janet Isserlis



 
NOTICES


 classes this summer:

 English For Action
is offering a participatory Advanced ESOL class that is based on the Legal System in the United States. Special curriculum attention is
 placed on Labor Law.  We are still looking for more learners-- classes began June 9th and will end August 15th. Meeting time is Mondays and Wednesday from
 6:30-8pm at the EFA office. They are taught by a visiting ESOL facilitator who is also a labor lawyer. We are located at 122 Manton Ave, office 604.
 To sign up or for more information, please contact Alicia Pantoja, Education Director, at 401 421 3181.


summer classes at CCRI. 
Students must have a CASAS Reading level of 233 and a Math level of 226.
 
The class is a GED/College Ready class.  The class will continue for 15 weeks, and GED
testing is included during class time. 
 
Dates and times: July 22- October 30, 2008
 
Providence campus (day class)  T,W, and Th. from 9-Noon
Lincoln campus (evening class) T, W, and Th. from 5:30-8:30
 
Contact Angela Salvadore
401-455-6140
asalvadore@ccri.edu

 
 classes this summer?  If your program is offering classes and you’d like to post information in this bulletin, please contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu


  ESOL  share Tuesday, August 5th at 2:00 pm, Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence.
  

  This is an open discussion group – practitioners with an interest in adult ESOL are all welcome.

 On July 31st at 2:00 CASAS national trainer will facilitate an interactive CASAS Q+A/training in Central Falls. 
 This training is for those currently utilizing CASAS products or considering implementing the CASAS assessment system, including TOPSPro and QuickSearch, at a future date. 
 This is not a certification seminar.   We ask that the attendees have completed the CASAS Basic Implementation Training. It is requested that participants RSVP and submit questions,
 concerns and interests prior to the event so that the CASAS national trainer can be prepared to address participants' needs.  Please e-mail Thomas Larrabee (tomandjr@yahoo.com)
 to RSVP and submit suggestions.


 Health Care Curriculum Free Professional Development Training August 14 & 21 10:00 A.M.—2:00 P.M. 100 Midway Road, Suite 21 Cranston 

 The Rhode Island Health Literacy Project (RIHLP), a statewide coalition of public health, adult education and medical organizations, has partnered with RIDE to offer a unique professional
 development opportunity to adult educators.
 To increase understanding of health information among adults with low literacy levels, the RIHLP has developed a health curriculum. The objectives of the curriculum are to increase
 understanding of health information, increase patient compliance with treatment plans, decrease inappropriate emergency room utilization, increase utilization of preventive care and empower individuals
 and families to take more control of their health. RIHLP and RIDE have collaborated to offer a twoday in-depth training on the curriculum.

 Thistraining will provide you with the tools needed to answer students’ questions about health care and implement important lessons in your classroom. Space is Limited Register by August 1.
 Please contact Jessica Ortiz - jortiz@ric.edu <mailto:jortiz@ric.edu>  For more information contact: Amanda Barney 946-7887 ext. 111 amandab@hari.org ; http://www.rihlp.org
 Directions will be provided upon registration LUNCH WILL BE SERVED


  practitioner share August 11th, 3 pm. -  topic and location next bulletin.

CCRI Lifelong Learning, in coordination with the RI Adult Education Professional Development center, is sponsoring a workshop on Understanding by Design, facilitated by Donna Chambers,
on Friday, August 8th, from 9-1 at CCRI Providence.
 
 This four hour workshop will introduce Understanding by Design, a framework for improving student learning. Understanding by Design works within a standards-driven curriculum to help
 teachers clarify learning goals, devise informative assessments of learners’ understanding, and create effective and engaging learning activities.  The goal of this session is to provide an opportunity
 for participants to become familiar with this research-based learning theory and introduce some important techniques for teaching and learning within a standards-based curriculum.  The focus will
 be on improving student outcomes.  There are limited seats available, so please reserve one by emailing Jessica Ortiz at  jortiz@ric.edu.
 

  other RI Adult Education PDC events: http://www.ric.edu/aepdc/calendar.php


 RIRAL's TRANSITION TO COLLEGE -   INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENT SESSIONS
 
  Weekend session begins in October.  CALL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE!


Transition to College is part of the Rhode Island State Transition Initiative in partnership with the Community College of Rhode.

The program is held at 175 Main Street  Pawtucket, RI.  For more information, contact MarieCrecca-Romero@riral.org,  Program Director at 401. 722.9800.



 learning opportunity:
  The Extending Mathematical Power (EMPower) curriculum and professional development opportunities were created specifically with adult numeracy teachers and their diverse student
  populations in mind. The curriculum fosters a  pedagogy of learning for understanding and challenges students and teachers to extend their ideas of what it means to do math. It also promotes a learning
 community in which students are encouraged to work collaboratively, explore open-ended investigations, and share multiple ways for solving real-world problems.
 (see, e.g. http://www.keypress.com/documents/ALookInside/EMPower/EMPower_SeekingPatternsSB.pdf)
 Our hands-on trainings, based on the EMPower series, introduce teachers to effective ways of developing an understanding of all math strands at all levels. This year, TERC is pleased to announce two EMPower Professional Development  - In Louisville, KY on July 17 & 18 Topics: Data and Graphs and Proportional Reasoning
- In Cambridge, MA at TERC on August 14 &15  Topics: Number and Operation Sense and Algebraic Thinking

 The cost for attending the Institutes is $150 per participant per day. All materials will be provided—including the EMPower teacher and student book for each of the topics covered (a retail
 value of $83.80). Both trainings will be presented by EMPower co-author Mary Jane Schmitt. For more details and a registration form, please email Sherry_Soares@terc.edu or visit:
 http://adultnumeracy.terc.edu/EMP_SumInst2008.html.

 Alternatively, your program may choose to host a professional development training (open to groups of 25+) at your location, which can be customized to best meet the needs of your staff and student population.
 For  details, please see our EMPower Workshop Inquiry form  http://adultnumeracy.dev.terc.edu/EMP_wkshp_inquiry.cfm .
 Please note that these offerings are not part of the Teachers Investigating Adult Numeracy (TIAN) initiative; they are additional opportunities. -  Sherry Soares, EMPower Workshop Coordinator

 (note to RI educators – if your program would like to participate, but needs to find additional practitioners, please contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu so that we can announce your interest and let
 others know).

 Help students gain accuracy, speed, and prosody  
 The WILSON Fluency™ Workshop will show you how to improve your students' word automaticity and rate-appropriate independent reading of connected text with ease and expression.
 This five-hour workshop will examine the important aspects of explicit fluency instruction and will provide hands-on practice conducting formalized fluency lessons with the WILSON Fluency /
 Basic program.  This workshop is designed for teachers who are currently using (or considering) the WILSON Fluency / Basic Kit.  August19, $225 * Oxford, MA

 WILSON Fluency / Basic is a supplemental fluency program appropriate for younger students with beginning reading skills or for older students who are not reading fluently due to decoding
 deficits. Although it specifically supplements Steps 1-3 of the Wilson Reading System®, it can be used with any reading curriculum that directly teaches closed syllable structure. To learn more about the
 Fluency/Basic program, about saving $50 when you register early, please go to : http://www.wilsonlanguage.com/frame_Wilson_Fluency_Basic.asp

Wilson Language Training is a recognized leader for teacher professional development and is included in the National Staff Development Council’s (NSDC) initiative, What Works in K-12 Literacy Staff Development

  from OVAE’s Thursday notes,  July 3, 2008

 White House Announces NIFL Board Nominees

 President Bush intends to nominate two new members <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080619-18.html>  to the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) advisory board.
 They are Mary E. Curtis, of Massachusetts, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring Nov. 25, 2011, and Diane Barone, of Nevada, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring Jan. 30,
 2011.  Curtis is the lead author of OVAE’s STudent Achievement in Reading (STAR) Tool Kit and spearheads evaluation activities for the National STAR Training Network.  Her work on STAR
 <http://www.startoolkit.org> since 2005 has helped more than 400 teachers, administrators and professional developers learn to implement evidence-based reading instructional strategies in adult education
 classrooms in 12 states.  Curtis is involved in plans to add another 270 adult educators in six more states this fall. Barone is a professor of literacy studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, and a member
 of the board of the International Reading Association.  The board, created by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), provides input to an interagency group comprising the departments of
 Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, which provides NIFL's policy direction and guidance.
 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080619-18.html
 
 States' Input on Technical Assistance Needs Now on Web
 OVAE solicited input from states participating in the 2008 National Conference for State Directors of Adult Education on technical assistance they need, including not only issues
 to be addressed but also mechanisms that could provide  assistance.  The discussion focused on new areas and ongoing needs. States said they want technical assistance that is systemic and hands-on to reinforce
 learning with practice in administration and instruction.  OVAE has synthesized the results and just posted a summary on the Web 
 http://www.optimalsolutionsgroup.com/sdm2008/PDF/SummaryofStateDirectors'TechnicalAssistanceNeeds.pdf
 
 Community Colleges  Serve Military Families
 Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) <http://www.soc.aascu.org/socgen/ForStdnts.html> , created in 1972, is making it easier for military personnel whose jobs require frequent moves,
 and their adult family members, to obtain college degrees.  Over 40 percent of the more than 1800 colleges and universities <http://www.soc.aascu.org/socgen/Coll_UnivList.html> in the SOC consortium
 are community colleges.  SOC students may enroll in associate, bachelor’s, and graduate-level degree programs on school campuses, as well as at military installations and armories in the United
 States, overseas, and on Navy ships. Students may take courses using distance learning, including correspondence, computer and video courses.  SOC is funded by the Department of Defense
 through a contract with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU <http://www.aascu.org/> ).
 http://www.soc.aascu.org/socgen/ForStdnts.html
 

from Pen Weekly News Blast, July 18. 2008 http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_current.asp

 Ed Department Releases Evaluation Guide for Online Learning <http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/evalonline/evalonline.pdf>

 The US Department of Education has released its first guide to evaluating K-12 online-learning programs. The report comes at a time when online education is growing rapidly, notes Education Week, and school
 districts have been turning increasingly to online courses to fill a range of instructional and support needs. But methods for evaluating online education have failed to keep up with its swift growth, varying
 application, and complexity. The guide, "Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success," draws lessons from seven recent evaluations of online programs and instructional resources, and
 was prepared by WestEd, Inc.

from the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium,
-This announcement is from ProLiteracy. Free Online Course Helps New Adult Readers Develop Computer and Internet Skills Project developed by ProLiteracy and funded by Superpages.com
 Adults with low-level reading skills now can learn basic computer and Internet search skills while they practice reading and writing using a free online course developed by the partnership of ProLiteracy and
 Superpages.com(r)  The course is designed for adults with a fifth grade reading level and who are familiar with computers and the Internet.
 
 The course consists of five lessons; each lesson demonstrates a specific search skill - getting directions to a specific location, for example, or using the keyword search to find a specific type of business. After the
 demonstration, the student can practice exactly what he or she saw in the demonstration. The lesson ends with the student using Superpages.com to perform a similar search for businesses in his or her own city.
 Each screen has accompanying audio and the demonstrations are narrated to support adult learners who have trouble reading the screen text.  "The course is designed so that teachers or tutors can facilitate the
 lesson, but the audio component makes it possible for adult learners to use the course on their own as well," said David C. Harvey, ProLiteracy president and CEO.
 
 In addition to the course, there are free, downloadable Teacher's Notes that offer discussion ideas for introducing each lesson, identify key vocabulary, and provide ideas for expanding the activities. There also is a
 free, downloadable Student Workbook with step-by-step directions for the features highlighted in the lesson and a worksheet for the activity in which the student applies the new skills to search for businesses in
 his or her home community.  The course, Getting Started with Superpages.com, a PDF of the Teacher's Notes, and a PDF of the Student Workbook can be found at http://www.superpages.com/adultlearners.


  learning opportunities

  National Priorities Project analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. 
 Numeracy, critical thinking and technology:  have a look http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home  

funding opportunities - large and less large
  Grants from the Juanita Sanchez Community Fund may support human service organizations, community centers, art institutions—any nonprofit that works toward enriching or improving
 the lives of Latinos in Rhode Island. Several grants will be awarded each year in the range of $500 to $1,500.
 For consideration in the upcoming grant cycle, grant applications must be completed and submitted to The Rhode Island Foundation, One Union Station, Providence, RI 02903 by October 1.
 The Juanita Sanchez Community Fund will accept no more than one application per organization in any given year; however, applying to the Sanchez Fund does not restrict an organization from applying for a
 grant from another fund administered by The Rhode Island Foundation. For more information, contact Inés Merchán, Community Philanthropy Associate, at imerchan@rifoundation.org or (401) 274-4564,
 and/or learn more at http://www.rifoundation.org/matriarch/documents/SanchezRFP.pdf

  Verizon Foundation -- Education, Literacy and Health Grants
 The Verizon Foundation aims to help people increase their literacy and educational achievement; avoid being an abuser or a victim of domestic violence; and achieve and sustain their health and
 safety. To achieve this goal, the Foundation funds programs in the following areas of interest: education, literacy, domestic violence prevention, healthcare and accessibility and Internet safety.

 Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Proposals will also be considered from elementary and secondary schools that are registered with the National Center for
 Education Statistics.
 Deadline: November 1, 2008 Contact the Verizon Foundation directly for complete program information and application guidelines: http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/guidelines.shtml
 
 The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Announces the 2009 National Grant Competition http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/nga.html
 The Foundation's grant-making program seeks to develop or expand projects that are designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children. A total of approximately
 $650,000 will be awarded; no grant request should exceed $65,000.
 Family Literacy programs funded through the Foundation's National Grant Program must include all of the following components: Reading instruction for parents or primary care-givers (pre-GED/GED/ESL etc.);
 literacy or pre-literacy instruction for children, and Intergenerational activities where the parents/primary caregivers and children come together to learn and to read. Programs can also include additional components
 such as parent support groups, parent involvement, home visits, job training etc.



- other grants from the Public Education Network: http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp

- The federal government's new one stop grant site: http://www.grants.gov/


  The Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) announces another round of education reform grants in areas of social science research.  PRACC is particularly interested in issues such as high
  classroom turnover/mobility and its disproportionate impact on low-income, minority, and farm worker students.  However, other issues will be considered as well.  To apply, send PRRAC a proposal outlining
  the planned research and methodology, the advocacy work it is designed to support, a budget, timeline, and qualifications of the researchers.  Maximum grant: $10,000. 
  No application deadline. http://www.prrac.org/grants.php

  Funding Solutions for Small Nonprofit Organizations
  A collection of resources to help small nonprofit organizations fundraise including ways to motivate your board, sample fundraising letters, phonathon advice, and tips to improve your
  direct mail solicitation.        http://www.nonprofit-innovations.com/

employment opportunities
employment opportunities are generally sent as they arrive via email; if you would like to receive this bulletin, and those updates by email please contact
janet_isserlis@brown.edu.

Substitute teaching: The Genesis Center is interested in adding to its substitute list. If you are an ESOL instructor who is interested in occasional work as a substitute, either day, evening or
Saturday hours, please call Nancy Fritz or Pat Clarkin at 781-6110.

employment opportunities at Bristol Community College: http://www.bristolcc.edu/administration/human_resources/jobListing.cfm
 

Jobs in Literacy – nation wide postings on the National Institute for Literacy's LINCS site: http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/lincs/jobs/jobs.cgi

Substitute list: if you would like your name added to the general list, please see contact LR/RI.  The list needs to be updated so that it can function more usefully for teachers and programs hoping to
work with them. (http://www.brown.edu/lrri/sub.html)

Rhode Island Community Jobs (RICOMJOB) is a public e-mail announcement list that seeks to raise the profile of meaningful work in Rhode Island by helping non-profit and public interest
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.  If you have questions about this service, please
contact us at ricomjob@brown.edu 



online / resources available
Guidance documents from the UK’s Skills for Lifehttp://excellence.qia.org.uk/page.aspx?o=Guidance 
 – contextualizing work for those with clearly identified learning difficulties (defined as): physical and sensory impairments – for example those with mobility difficulties or hearing or visual impairments; unseen
 disabilities such as health conditions, mental health  difficulties and dyslexia; those whose disrupted learning experiences (for example those in offender establishments) and difficulties with learning have led them
 to work at a significantly lower level than the majority of  their peers.
 
numeracy resources: The Problem Solver, Massachusetts math newsletter, online at http://www.sabes.org/resources/publications/problemsolver/index.htm;  Massachusetts also produces a math newsletter that
 focuses on research: the SABES Math Bulletin. You can access copies of that publication at: http://sabes.org/resources/publications/mathbulletin/index.htm
 

interesting idea  -from the MIRA July 9 Bulletin (sohno@miracoalition.org): Welcoming MA, The Welcoming Massachusetts Launch was a great success!  On the Grand Staircase inside of the Statehouse, at least 200 people representing diverse immigrant communities, faith, and labor came together and spoke about the need and importance of respecting the dignity of all communities across Massachusetts.    
In a beautiful embodiment of what it means to be welcoming, attendees stood together to form the shape of a heart on the staircase.  They later broke bread together in an age-old tradition symbolizing welcoming and empathy.    The group of at least 200 issued a call to action that manifested the collective power and intention of Massachusetts residents in their desire to create a more human, welcoming, and respectful environment for immigrants in the state.  For more information about the Welcoming Massachusetts Campaign, please contact Ellen Gallagher <mailto:egallagher@miracoalition.org>,  at 617-350-5480 x217. To endorse the Welcoming Massachusetts campaign, please click here  http://www.welcomingma.org/
 
Lots to do at the library Providence Public Library's calendar of events: http://www.provlib.org/calendar.asp

 
online, from Rethinking Schools, Spring 2008: Queer Matters - Educating educators about Homophobia
by William DeJean and Anne René Elsebree. Educators consider social justice and topics such as homophobia not so much as issues, but as matters affecting learners and practitioners. http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_03/quee223.shtml



 The Scoop on Your Member of Congress - information from our colleague Art Ellison, Policy Committee Chair, National Council of State Directors of Adult Education:

 The link to Congressional Quarterly's Politics in America 2008, connects you to one of the most valuable resources for advocates working with current members of the US Congress.
 This 1,212 page publication contains a huge amount of information on every member of Congress. It is essential that all members of your state networks and every local adult education program director in your
 state have the information for their member of the US House and both members of the US Senate.   
The NAEPDC Policy Committee has purchased the web based Congressional Quarterly's Politics in America Online Edition. It is on the Council Advocacy Resource web page http://www.ncsdae.org/advocacyresource.htm
 under Congressional Fact Sheets. The User Name is NAEPDC and the Password is vb1024 or you can go directly to the CQ's page at http://library.cqpress.com/pia/  and use the same username and password.
Click on "state"
Click on your state name

 There you can find information on your governor and a map of your congressional districts if, like me, you cannot remember your home district.
 The bio's on each member of Congress provides their committees, issues in which they are interested, personal information and interests, contact information, positions on issues, office locations and an overview of
 the district. Prior to writing or meeting with your member or her/his staff, it is helpful to study the bio so you can relate your discussions to his/her interests. 
 NCSDAE - National Council of State Directors of Adult Education, 202.624.5250 dc2@ncsdae.org
 

online: from ETS on the issues: Adult Education in America. An issue of ETS Policy Notes (Volume 16, No.1) briefly summarizing results of the Adult Education Program Survey sponsored
 by the US Dept of Education and conducted by ETS. http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=9b90b8dc9e258110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=3f85be3a864f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD 

What's new at NIFL?  http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/whats_new.html
 

  Educating the Public and Elected Officials about Adult Education: Report on Adult  Education Advocacy Efforts in New England by the New England Literacy Resource Center
 at World Education

 This new report takes stock of the program, policy and legislative context for adult education in each of the six New England states.  It discusses local and statewide advocacy strategies by
 adult educators.  The findings show that adult education advocacy efforts in New England are multi-faceted, and growing in sophistication and reach.  The report discusses the principal
 challenges and related promising strategies revealed through interviews with leading adult education advocates in New England.  They are grouped into four areas:
 1) Visibility;
 2) Framing the Message;
 3) Student Involvement; and 4) Increasing and Sustaining Advocacy Efforts.
 Available for downloading (as a PDF file): http://www.nelrc.org/expertise/civic.html#educating (For a word doc version,  please contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu)

 Building Basics - ESOL Toolkit for General Construction, Landscaping, Painting, and Plumbing
 Building Basics is a multilevel curriculum for teaching students that have expressed a need to learn English within the context of the construction trades. It has been organized into four modules
 which can be downloaded separately:  General Construction, Curb Appeal (Landscaping), Painting, and Plumbing.  The lessons provide a facilitator guide with step-by-step instructions for
 implementation, facilitator materials, and learner handouts. http://www.valrc.org/publications/buildingbasics/  - Nancy R. Faux, ESOL Specialist, Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
 

 The new LINCS Resource Collections are online subject-oriented collections of high quality instructional resources, including multi-media resources, informed by research, especially scientifically
 based and other rigorous research, for  use  by adult education and literacy educators.
 To access the National Institute for Literacy's Resource Collections: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/resourcecollections/resource_collections.html

 The Basic Skills Resource Collection contains resources on reading, writing, and mathematics and numeracy.

 The Program Planning Resource Collection contains resources on assessment, learning disabilities, and program improvement.
 The Workforce Competitiveness Resource Collection contains resources on workforce basic skills education, English language acquisition, and technology.
  Catalyst, the National Institute for Literacy’s first newsletter in more than a decade, is here! The inaugural issue is packed with news and information about the Institute's programs, people, and publications.      http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/Catalyst5-08.pdf  

NIFL launched an e-news and announcements to share information about its people, programs, publications, projects, and more. Subscribe at http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/announce <http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/announce> to receive news and updates from NIFL. This is an announcement only list.
 

 Seven habits and more: a recent online discussion about reading and ESOL (and English speaking) learners, led to a number of resources being shared, including Heide Spruck Wrigley's
 Seven Habits of Successful Readers, http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/7Habits.pdf.
 To follow the entire conversation, go to http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/2008/date.html and follow the conversation thread that begins on May 12th (you’ll need to scroll down the page).


The UK's Open University course, 'Who counts as a refugee'  considers the interrelationships between citizenship, identity and belonging, personal lives and social policy for people who
 have fled their country of origin seeking asylum in the UK, and includes useful information about refugee status and related issues for those living in other countries:
 http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3490


 UK National Curricula for ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy, with associated material and  support for teachers, including the competencies for each skill at each level. 
 As well, a significant number of resources for working with people with  a range of disabilities.  (See, for example): http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/access/workwith/principles/
 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_esol/
 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/
 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_numeracy/


 Workplace Essential Skills and  GED Connection series Now Available Through VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

 The adult learning series Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection are available online through the Rhode Island PBS video streaming portal.  In 25 half-hour segments, the Workplace Essential Skills series
 presents refreshers in fundamental reading, writing, and math skills as they relate to getting, keeping, or advancing in a job. Lessons also cover job applications, resume writing, and job interviews. An orientation
 segment touches upon the use of the different components included in this series. Lessons are written at a pre-GED level, and can help prepare adults for the GED tests. Four workbooks accompany the series.
 In 39 half-hour programs, the GED Connection helps learners prepare for the GED exam. Episodes cover subjects and skills related to work, community, and home life. Practice tests help learners know what to
 expect, see which skills they need to strengthen, and build confidence.
 
 Access to Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection series through RI PBS video streaming is free. Users access VOD through an account and passcode, available by email request to
 Education@ RIpbs.org or by calling Education Services at 401-222-3636 x 211. Video streaming, also known as video on demand (VOD), allows users the convenience of watching lessons at any time
 from an Internet-connected computer. VOD is also flexible, allowing users to watch several episodes in one sitting, or repeat lessons as often as desired.

 Both the Workplace Essential Skills and the GED Connection series are also broadcast on RI PBS LEARN, digital 36.2 and Verizon 787. The Workplace Essential Skills broadcasts Fridays at
 12:30 PM and the GED Connection series broadcasts Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays at 12:30 PM.  For Workplace Essential Skills and the GED Connection broadcast dates 
 please visit: http://www.pbs.org/tvschedules/
For information about RIPBS Education Services please visit out web pages at http://www.ripbs.org/Education/
- Dr. María D. Velásquez de Tondreau Education Director Rhode Island PBS 50 Park Lane Providence, RI 02907 Phone: (401) 222-3636, ext. 211 Fax: (401) 222-3407 Education@RIpbs.org


  great online resource: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/index.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>

 While the work originates in the U.K., much of it has usefulness and validity for work in this country.
 


 online: STATE OF WORKING RI 2007 
 The Poverty Institute's biennial study documenting trends in wages, occupations, unemployment, and the state's workforce. The report points out that the state's labor
 force of 578,000 is more diverse, older and better educated than it was two decades ago but workers face a triple whammy – slowing job growth, eroding wages and benefits, and growing inequality.
  http://www.povertyinstitute.org/matriarch/documents/State%20of%20Working%20RI%202007.pdf



google literacy site
: http://www.google.com/literacy/

outstanding resource: http://www.youthliteracy.ca/ - Youth Literacy work in Canada

Shannon Gavin, a senior graduating from Brown this year, has developed a new website, as her capstone project in Middle East Studies,  called Arab Perceptions of the United States:
Video Interviews from Amman, Jordan and Damascus, Syria.You can view them, and supporting text at  http://arabperceptions.wordpress.com


  The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) - The  U.S. Civics and Citizenship Online: Resource Center for Instructors is available online at:
 http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=b36e663784bcd010VgnVCM100000d1f1d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=b36e663784bcd010VgnVCM100000d1f1d6a1RCRD


  The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), Assisting Refugees with Disabilities Program : Resource Guide for Serving Refugees with Disabilities
  available at http://www.refugees.org/DisabilityGuide

  The guide, written for refugee case managers and those serving refugees with disabilities, includes 139 pages of information about resources for serving adults and children with disabilities,
  housing for refugees with disabilities, assistive technology, medical resources, citizenship and disability, benefits for refugees with disabilities and more. 
  If you have any questions or technical assistance needs, please contact Xuan Nguyen, Director of USCRI Health and Human Services at xnguyen@uscridc.org or at 202-347-3507 ext 3056.
 

Resources from EdChange family of Web sites:
A new Classism and Poverty Awareness Quiz http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/quizzes.html ;
Newly designed Social Justice News Service site http://mail.socialjusticenews.net/mailman/listinfo/news_socialjusticenews.net- email-based news service, periodic email digests of links to articles related to equity,
social justice, and multiculturalism from sources all over the world. 
New essays and links to essays http://www.edchange.org/publications.html
New essays in the Multicultural Education Research Room  http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers.html


  Radical Math is a resource for educators interested in integrating issues of social, political, and economic justice into math curriculum and classes… RadicalMath.org has the goals of raising
 mathematic literacy and simultaneously developing ways to address a range of community issues. The website supports educators to teach many different types of math within the context of
 studying social, political, and economic justice issues. RadicalMath.org also contains teaching materials on important financial topics for youth such as owning a credit card, paying for college, and avoiding subprime lenders, as well as materials on Ethnomathematics. Visit http://www.radicalmath.org/ for more or email info@radicalmath.org

 Living in Poverty slideshow does the math: what does it take to live at the poverty level.
  http://www.nccbuscc.org/cchd/povertyusa/tour2.htm

 RI Foundation online scholarship directory - searchable by city/town, intended field of study, current high school, and more. http://scholarship.rifoundation.org/
 YouthBuild USA Learning Network has links to Web sites and full-text documents, and  includes a section on "Authentic Materials/Engaged Learning/Constructivism/Contextual Learning/Project-based Learning."  http://www.youthbuild.org/learningnetwork/professionaldev.html

conferences and workshops - conferences and workshops are listed chronologically and are updated with each bulletin
 Rhode Island - Training/events around employment issues for people with disabilities http://www.ric.edu/uap/training.html

   Effective Transitions in Adult Education to be held  on November 17-18, 2008 in Providence, RI

  Registration for the conference in now open: http://collegetransition.org/conference08/registration.html
  For more information, contact Priyanka Sharma  psharma@worlded.org or call (617) 385-3788. –


 2008 National Refugee and Immigrant Conference: Issues and Innovations September  25-26, Chicago, IL

 The 2008 Refugee and Immigrant Conference offers groups and individuals assisting  refugee and immigrant children and their families an opportunity to network and learn  about issues
 affecting refugee and immigrant children and their families, schools, health, and health care, along with the challenges of cultural adjustment.  
 Information and the Call for Conference Workshop Proposals http://www.thecenterweb.org/alrc/refugee.html   
 - questions, please contact Lynn Osheff (losheff@thecenterweb.org).


 ProLiteracyWorldwide's 2008 annual conference  at the Peabody, Little Rock, AR October 2 - 4: http://www.proliteracy.org/conference/


 Eleventh Annual Multicultural Conference and Curriculum Resource Fair Presented by the RIC Dialogue on Diversity Committee November 1st,  theme: Teaching for Change:
 Privilege, Power and Possibilities
 Program includes: Workshops on promising practices in multicultural education; A curriculum fair, including curriculum resources, books, software, and videos; Keynote address by Dr.
 Peggy McIntosh, "Youth Hour" - a round table dialogue with keynote speaker and college and high school students. 
 http://www.ric.edu/promisingPractices/workshops.php

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



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