Directed literacy instruction was the topic of the free workshop sponsored by Literacy Florida! Inc. volunteers (LFv) this month. Program managers and volunteers from Duval, Collier, Lee, Sarasota, Leon, Palm Beach and Lake Counties learned instructional strategies proven to succeed with low level adult learners.
Sharon Jaskula, workshop presenter, said, "Because we knew our adult learners may only stay with us for six or so months we developed our Fast Track program to provide as much basic reading instruction possible fast!" Participants learned how to introduce basic grammar rules using family and dating analogies. We found out how the program helps adults learn clues to break words into syllables and sound out words. Sharon said her learners asked why no one had shown them these tricks before.
Everyone attending the workshop received a scripted, set of activities, worksheets and more. Sharon recommended that tutors or teachers should follow the curriculum step by step to help learners get the basics.
Sharon and her literacy staff developed this customer friendly instruction as the literacy program director with the Jacksonville Public library. The library got into the literacy business in the mid-1980's. In the late 1990's they added small group instruction as part of a three year program improvement grant funded by a Lila Wallace Readers Digest coordinated through the American Library Association, Office of Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS). This curriculum is based on their years of experience.
This workshop was successful because of our partners. I want to thank the Sarsota County Public Library for handling local arrangements. Sarah Hoeffel, the library's Hispanic outreach coordinator with the library, arranged for the room, promoted the program and set up the refreshments provided by the library. The Region 3 Adult Literacy Center provided travel stipends for those who drove from outside the county. They also advertised the training.
This is one example of services we provide our members, and we often open up the workshops to other literacy programs. Check out this blog for announcements about future trainings.
Our annual meeting will be held at the Florida Literacy Conference in Orlando in May 2008.
This year we are sponsoring three programs at the conference, one on student persistence, another on how to start a volunteer literacy program and a networking program for library literacy programs.
To learn how to become a member.
Sandy Newell, President LFv
literacyflorida@hotmail.com
