September Newsletter

Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida
Literacy Florida! Inc.

Newsletter
September 2008

Contents: Board News, Regional Sessions, Member News, Family Literacy Tips, Calendar,

BOARD NEWS

New Name – Same Association
At their regular meeting in August, the Literacy Florida! Inc. (LFv) board voted to select a new name that better describes what members do. Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida is now the generic name for LFv. “We wanted the words “volunteers” and “adult” in our name because most of our members use volunteers to provide free reading and English language instruction for adults. We wanted our name to reflect this important work.” explained Sandy Newell, President of the association.

The new name takes effect immediately, but does not replace the official, Literacy Florida! Inc. name. “We plan to use both.” Newell went on to say. The header on all of documents like this newsletter will be, Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida, followed by Literacy Florida! Inc. in smaller print.

“Our vision and mission stays the same. We will continue to provide funding, technical assistance and training for organizations with the goal to have free literacy services provided by volunteers for adults in all of Florida’s 67 counties.”

Free Technical Assistance Sessions

A free technical assistance session will be provided in Port St. Lucie for volunteer literacy groups on Saturday, September 13, from 9 a.m. – Noon at Learn to Read of St. Lucie County, 809 Delaware Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida 34950, by board members of Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida. Jim Wilder, past president, surveyed groups in the area to learn their specific needs. As a result, the session will cover grant writing, recruitment and retention. For more information about the session, contact Jim Wilder, jimwbbbs@hotmail.com.

“We are continuing to hold our board meetings around the state so that we can help local groups,” said Jim Wilder. “Last year we were in Gainesville and Sarasota. We wanted to reach our southeastern members and thus scheduled the September 13 session in Port St. Lucie. Our next technical assistance session will be in Jacksonville in the spring.”

Next Board Meeting
The next face to face meeting of Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida will be Saturday, September 13 from 1 pm – 5 pm at Learn to Read of St. Lucie County, 809 Delaware Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida 34950. Members are welcome to attend all board meetings. We hold three face to face meetings yearly. One is always at our annual meeting during the Florida Literacy Conference. We have the rest of the meetings using conference calls.

New Grant Program
Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida announced the winners of their first round of grants at their annual meeting at the 2008 Florida Literacy Conference. They plan to have a second round of grants in 2009. For a list of winners...

Student Authors

Feature Member News

Lake County Library System Adult Literacy Program is proud to announce Tavares Public Library ESL learners are being published!

The Florida Literacy Coalition recently informed Tavares Public Library ESL students Gonzalo Hernandez, ‘My Adventures with English’ and Luz Angela Vasquez, ‘How I Learn’ that their stories have been selected for inclusion in the 2008 adult learner essay book Opening a New World. The book was unveiled at the Florida Literacy Coalition Annual Meeting at the Regal Sun Resort, Orlando in May, 2008. An electronic version of the book is available online at http://floridaliteracy.org/EssayBook08.pdf

Gonzalo has been working with a tutor since 2006, and Angela joined us in 2007. Since that time they have been working very hard to achieve their goals. To have the opportunity to have their stories published in a statewide book is beyond their dreams! We are so proud to have been able to support their efforts and assist them as they put their stories into words. They are amazing and represent the dedicated group of adult learners we have the fortune of working with on a weekly basis.

For more information about the Lake County Library System, Adult Literacy Program contact Erika L. Greene, Literacy Coordinator and Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida board member at 352-253-6183 or check out their web page at www.lakeline.lib.fl.us/adultliteracy
Greene said, “It is an honor for our students to be included in the Florida Literacy Coalition’s publication."

Established in 1985, The Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) promotes, supports and advocates for the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy services in the state of Florida. As a statewide umbrella literacy organization and the host of Florida’s State Literacy Resource Center, FLC provides a range of services to support more than 300 adult education, literacy and family literacy providers throughout Florida.


More News from Our Members……

Literacy Council of Sarasota (LCS) New Staff: Salie O’Malley was named program manager for the Literacy Council of Sarasota this summer. She is managing the ESOL and Basic Literacy programs, initiatives for LCS, and has been a long-time LCS volunteer and member. The group also has a new position, Office Manager, filled by Tim Hartnett.

Indian River County Fundraising Ideas: Community residents will receive a bag of tea in a direct mail campaign along with a description of the Literacy Services of Indian River County and a request to donate money to support our cause. The program has a race/walk and love literacy luncheon scheduled for 2009. To learn more go to http://www.literacyservicesirc.org/SpecialEvents.asp

Literacy Council of Bonita Springs’ Moms and Tots program:
Twenty-one tots graduated August 15 from the Moms and Tots program sponsored by the Literacy Council of Bonita Springs which is in its fourth year. It is designed to teach English to Hispanic pre-school tots at the same time that their mothers are learning to understand, speak, read, and write the language. It started out in one location with a handful of moms and their children. Today, classes are held in seven locations, with more than 280 students. Susan Acuña, executive director of the Council, said that the significance of the ceremony was that all of the graduates “are ready to start school on an even level with their peers, confident of their English language skills.” To learn more go to http://www.bonitaliteracy.org/

The Alachua County Library District Literacy Directory for Gainesville
The library has an online directory which has current contact information for a variety of literacy programs serving children and adults in the Gainesville area. They published the directory with the help of a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant. Go to the directory at
http://www.aclib.us/index.php?site_area=community_information&page=literacy_directory

Expanded Role for FLC
Cuts in Regional Literacy Centers
The State Adult Literacy Resource Center Florida Literacy Coalition will be the State of Florida contact for volunteer based resources and information. The five Regional Adult Literacy Centers were discontinued as of June 30, 2008 by the Florida Department of Education. Through this centralized coordination, The State Adult Literacy Resource Center, which is the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC), will serve as contact for capacity building, professional development and resource services. For additional information go to www.floridaliteracy.org.

Family Literacy Tips

Family Literacy Month
It is not too early for programs to begin planning for National Family Literacy Month held in November. This is your chance to recruit volunteers and get noticed. The National Center for Family Literacy has a helpful tip sheet and ideas at http://www.famlit.org and select National Family Literacy Day, which takes you to a variety of resources for National Family Literacy Day and Month!

One idea on this site is “Reading with Our Heroes” from a literacy program in
Madisonville, KY. At the local mall, guest readers included local firemen, policemen, the Mayor, Red Cross volunteers, ministers, nurses and the director of the Senior Citizens’ Center. Guest readers read their favorite stories, followed by parent and child interactive activities. During the event, children received free books and the parents received handouts and tips on reading with their children. Literacy programs could use events like this one to recruit volunteers, students and donations.

Parenting and the Internet
Research has proven that lessons tailored to student interests and goals are most effective. Tutors can use a variation of language experience to make any reading material part of a lesson. For example, parents who want to understand what their teens are doing online may appreciate lessons on Internet safety.

The manual, Parenting in the Media Age: Social Networking, published online by The National Institute for Media and the Family, can be used as a literacy lesson. Even though it is not written on a very low level, it can be made accessible with the help of a tutor who applies a variation of language experience. For example, a tutor could read the manual out loud to a student. Lower level students could repeat key points they wanted to share with their teenager. The tutor would write down their words and use it for lessons. Higher level students could write their key points with their tutor’s help. The lesson could be enhanced by a search of social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, Xanga, Friendster etc.) on the Internet. Their homework could be a discussion of key points between the parent and their teenager.

This is one of several manuals that can be downloaded at http://www.mediafamily.org/network_guides.shtml. Other manuals cover cell phones, emerging technologies, YouTube and more. You must subscribe to download the manuals, but there is no charge.

New Spanish Parenting Materials
The SPANISH VERSION of the free parent-child early literacy material titled On the Go is available on the web. It includes 14 activities designed to be used outside the home: in the car, while walking, during bus rides, etc. The activities encourage early language and literacy development from birth through preschool. These activities are appropriate for children with disabilities, as well as children who are developing typically.

To download materials go to www.walearning.com and click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page. Look for the “On the Go” files to download the material in PDF format.

Florida Adult and Family Literacy Month
In conjunction with Florida Adult and Family Literacy Month 2008, proclaimed by Governor Crist, there is Free Admission to all State Parks from Sunday, Sept 7 thorough Saturday, September 13 with any of the following: a library card, a library book, donation of a new or gently used family appropriate book. For more information go to www.floridastateparks.org.

Last year more than 1.3 million participated in the state park celebration. Individuals donated 10,000 books for literacy efforts.

LSTA Exemplary Awards
Two of Florida's library literacy programs will receive LSTA Exemplary Award plaques at the Florida Public Library Directors' Meeting on October 15, 2008 in Delray Beach. The Holmes County Public Library and the Palm Beach County Public Library implemented a statewide program called Read and Write Around Florida in 2007.

This program brings together low educated parents and their children to discuss Florida stories. They also use an online writing tool to capture their own family stories. This tool is on www.floridamemory.com where students and tutors can search for photos, audio and video recordings and lesson plans about Florida.

Read and Write Around Florida was a statewide program implemented in 2007-2008. It has three programs: a short story version targeting adult non-English speakers, a family literacy program and the online writing tool. If you want an electronic version of the how to manual e-mail Sandy Newell at snewell@dos.state.fl.us.

Calendar

September 2008 Florida Adult and Family Literacy Month

September 8, 2008 International Literacy Day

September 13, 2008 Technical Assistance Session in Port St. Lucie
Saturday: 9 - Noon

October 1 -4, 2008 ProLiteracy Conference, Little Rock, AK

October 2008 Health Literacy Month

November 1, 2008 National Family Literacy Day

November 2008 National Family Literacy Month


More About Us

OUR MISSON
The mission of Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida is to enhance and promote the abilities of individuals and organizations to provide direct and indirect literacy instruction to adults and families in need through volunteer service.

OUR VISION The ability to read, write and speak the English language shall be provided in all 67 counties of the State of Florida by trained literacy volunteers. These volunteers will equip adults and families with the tools necessary to solve the literacy problems encountered in daily life.

Join Today
Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida's membership year starts July each year. To become a member go to our Membership form

Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida
(Literacy Florida! Inc)
2925 Optimist Drive Suite A
Marianna, FL 32448
Telephone: 850-482-9296 Fax: 850-482-9297
literacyflorida@hotmail.com