Filing for Unemployment--an Opportunity

Consider developing a partnership between the literacy program and your library to help with a new demand.  Beginning August 1, 2011, some of the rules changed for filing for unemployment.  Adults now have to file for benefits online.  Previously they had the choice to file online or make a phone call.  New applicants also have to complete a skill survey--which is being called discriminatory by some-- for those who cannot read well enough to complete the survey.  Adults are scrambling to meet the requirements and are waiting inline at computers in libraries.  Learn how you can help....

What can you do???? Your literacy program's trained tutors could help staff library computers set aside for E-Government.  Adults usually need longer than the time limits in libraries for their regular computers.  Libraries need to set up E-government and adult literacy computers to allow two at a station.  I know volunteers are in short supply, but there will be some out there who would be interested.  Tutors may be able to volunteer monthly to staff a computer to help someone apply for unemployment --when they cannot  tutor weekly.  They could come in one day a month. Mondays and Tuesdays are busy days for filing.   Snowbirds who get some training in working with those who cannot read well are another pool a literacy program can tap in partnership with their library.

Researchers' Symosium December 3

Sharon Jaskula, VALF Advisory Board member, is inviting you to the following free workshop.


The Florida Literacy Coalition, the Jacksonville Public Library, and the Literacy Council of Jacksonville are proud to host a Researchers’ Symposium focusing on Workplace Education, Writing Strategies, Comprehension Skills, and Transitioning Learners to Post-Secondary Education.  Researchers from universities across the country will be on hand to share best practices and new approaches.

Please join us on Saturday, December 3 from 1:00-5:00 for this free event at the Jacksonville Public Library (Conference Level Auditorium).  Registration is required; the registration link to the pdf with a list of presenters and session descriptions below.
  

For more information, please contact the Florida Literacy Coalition (800-237-5113) or visit www.floridaliteracy.org

For more information and to register...

Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers provide an interesting way for a writer to outline their thoughts before they put their pen to paper (or fingers to computer keys!).  There are many forms that can be used -- based on the purpose of the writing.  http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1grorg.htm  describes the different  types of graphic organizers and how they could be used with students.

http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/  has a variety of forms in pdf format to print off and use.  This site is maintained by the company, Houghton Mifflin.

Here are some examples from the site:
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/sandwich.pdf Sandwich: uses different parts of a sandwich to outline details for a story

Voce of America for ELL ...and maybe basic English readers

Who knew that Voice of American has a wide variety of topics, news, practice session, vocabulary building activities???  The site is well done with podcasts, audio articles sentence by sentence that is read to those interested  in learning English.. It has a dictionary, matching activities that could be used by adult basic new readers. The topics are of adult interest.  Check it out and let us know what you think.

Adult Orientated Stories, Games, Nonfiction and more

Looking for an interesting adult oriented site that mixes up audio, books, movies, games and more, then check out Candlelight Stories.  In October scary themes were highlighted.  Check it out to find a ghoulish game where you shoot the vampires.  On October 25, the home page featured the movie, Day the World Ended, a 1955 , a film by Roger Corman and a horror short, Legend of Michigan's Dogman.

You can down load free podcasts that are fun to listen to.  Some are based on classics with books free to download.  Other free podcasts are written around books that can be purchased in paperback or as an ebook. from the web site.

The site has short stories like Reaping, written by an Australian author.  Since it is Australian, some of the language is different.  Torch is the word for a flashlight in the story.  This might make it a harder read--especially for English Language Learners who are working on American English vocabulary. It is not a real low level story but would be  high interest for adults and teens.  A woman comes home to her farm from a night of partying and finds her lights out and her cat dead.  The story is very short --which does make it an easier read.

Do be aware that the site does have some advertising.  For example, when you listen to a story, there ma be a promo for other resources on the site.

I like this site --because it is accessible, uses multimedia and fun...and more importantly appropriate for adults.  It does get political at times.  There are postings related to the Occupy movement.

Check it out and let us know what you think.  Are there parts you like or dislike?  Tell us in the comments below.

TECHNOLOGY DONATIONS FOR NONPROFITS

TechSoup is a nonprofit program that distributes donated and deeply discounted software and technology products to eligible nonprofit organizations and libraries. An organization can save as much as 80 – 96% on brand-new software donated by top companies. All products are available either for a small administrative fee if donated, or at prices that are deeply discounted.

Each of TechSoup’s donated and discounted product programs has specific eligibility guidelines. Organizations wishing to apply should review the Nonprofit Eligibility Requirements and Donor Partner Restrictions before making a donation request.

Public libraries that are listed in the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) database or that have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status are eligible for TechSoup’s services. Each branch of a library system, not just the main branch, must register with TechSoup individually to request software products.

For additional information, including a list of available programs and links to the Nonprofit Eligibility Requirements and Donor Partner Restrictions, visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/TS11.

Trends in Dropout Rates

A new report on high school completion of students 24 and under published this month –provides a variety of trends.  In many ways—graduation rates have been trending up since the 1970’s.  Hispanic rates tend to be much lower than whites and blacks. 

Rates are higher when they include populations that did not go to schools in the U.S. which includes many enrolled in Florida’s adult literacy programs.  Lower income students have a higher drop out rate.

This study presents the dropout rate trends in a variety of ways.  One is based on the graduation rate of schools.  As you see from report data below, Florida is just below 70% with 8 other states.

State averaged freshman graduation rates for public school students:

Eight states had rates below 70.0 percent—Alabama, 69.9 percent; Florida, 68.9 percent; Georgia, 67.8 percent; Louisiana, 67.3 percent; South Carolina, 66.0 percent; New Mexico, 64.8 percent; Mississippi, 62.0 percent; and Nevada, 56.3 percent—as did the District of Columbia, 62.4 percent.

Check out the report at http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012006.pdf

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Testimony of an Adult Literacy Learner

VALF will be sharing stories from adult learners.  Read this one to get a better understanding of what it feels like to not be able to read.  It is from Gadsden County Public Library, Quincy, Florida, Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA)

VALF Member

In their own words.......

                In the beginning, I was trying to see if my tutor was serious about helping me, so I would leave with the van driver when I was suppose to meet with Mrs. Hall.  I wanted to see if she would give up on me like other people did, but she didn’t. 

Tutor Inservice for Adult Literacy in Tampa on October

Register today for the October 22, Saturday, workshop in Tampa, the Fast Track Reading System: Exploring the Relationship Between Sounds & Syllables.  It's an essential skill many adult literacy programs fail to teach. It is a method that helps adult learners see immediate results and encourages them to stay in programs longer. This training is for adult literacy tutors and for those who want to learn strategies to help teens and adults who have learning differences.

Sharon Jaskula will provide an overview of a curriculum developed by the Jacksonville Public Library with the support of a Library Services and Technology Act Grant administered by the Florida Division of Library and Information Services. This curriculum focuses on using syllable division and syllable types as a way to strengthen the word attack skills of new readers. Discover the piece that your students have been missing and open up a whole new world.

Location: Hillsborough County Public Library
              Town 'N Country Regional Public Library,
              7606 Paula Dr., Suite 120,
              Tampa, FL 33615-4116
              Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
Lunch is being provided by the Hillsborough Literacy Council  To register email DouglasJS@hillsboroughCounty.org by Friday, October 14. 

VALF stands for Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida.
OUR
MISSION
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.

Library Snapshot Day November 2, 2011

Make sure you literacy program is recognized in your public library's snapshot day.  Talk with your library to see if they are participating.  If so, coordinate with the library to show library partnerships with literacy programs.  Ask the library to make sure they snap a picture of a tutor with a student working together in your library.  Of course, get the permission of the pair first.  Other ideas for pictures-- your literacy program manager browsing the library's adult literacy collection, photo of a tutor talking with the reference librarian about his/her needs for topics to use in lessons, student taking his family to story time or using the instructional programs on the computer .... or --come up with your own brainchild for a photo and share with VALF too.

Plan Your Florida Library Snapshot Day on
November 2, 2011 With These Simple Steps

Welcome to our New VALF Members

Broward County Library Learning Services

Community Learning Center

DeSoto County Literacy Council

Hillsborough Literacy Council Inc.

Hope Community Center

Library Literacy Friends, Inc.

Literacy Council of St. Petersburg

Literacy Council of Upper Pinellas

Literacy Volunteers of Gadsden Co., Inc

Literacy Vol. of Big Bend

Martin Co Library Center for Reading & Literacy

Palm Beach Library Adult Lit. Project

Bay County Public Library Volunteers for Literacy

Recent Tools and Trends in English Language Literacy and Social Networking Literature Search

This summary highlights findings related to instruction, especially in the context of English Language Learners (ELL) and reading, writing and telling stories.  It also concentrates on use of technology, a tool that can motivate while providing implementation challenges for adult literacy programs.

Summary of Points from Recent Reports

• There is little research on adult literacy and adult English Language Learners (ELL).  The findings for these reports were thus based, in part, on other populations.  Because of this, more research needs to be done to confirm whether or not the findings apply to adult literacy.
• Adult ELL in the United States are very diverse.  Their education levels range from those who are highly educated with advanced college degrees to those who cannot read or write in their home language.  Those who come from countries where the home language is based on the alphabet rather than symbols generally have an easier time learning English.
• Adults who cannot read or write in their home language need more intensive instruction.  This instruction may be more productive if they initially learn to read and write their home language as a bridge to reading, writing and speaking English.
• Adults learn best when instruction is learner centered and based on authentic instruction that can be immediately applied to their daily life.  Tutors need to find ways to develop learner centered lessons for their students.  
• Writing is a necessary skill for many jobs and daily life.  It also is important to reinforce reading and writing English.  Writing is a complex process which can be broken down into planning, text production, evaluation and revision.  Poor writers do not know how to rewrite, and they rarely consider their audience as they write.  Tutors need to work with ELL learners to help them build their vocabulary to speak and read English better.  Tutors and students need to work together so that learners have multiple ways to easily practice writing.  Tutors also need to write stories along with students to model what they teach.

VALF Board Meeting -- September 20

VALF is holding their monthly board meeting tomorrow.

Upcoming Adult Conferences

I guess there is not a national conference that is really dedicated to the needs of volunteer literacy programs, their students, tutors and program managers any more. ProLiteracy, a membership organization for volunteer programs, now calls its conference the United States Conference on Adult Literacy (USCAL).  In the initial description, I don't even see the word, volunteer. 

The ProLiteracy Conference is in Houston, November 2.  Their registration is open. I guess there is not enough money today to hold a conference 100% for volunteers.  Years ago, when I went to my first volunteer conference, it was so motivating, to be around committed volunteers and program managers.  I know there is the need to partner and applaud that--but I also think there is a place for more for volunteer programs. 

Please post in comments whether or not you are attending--or presenting at the USCAL.   VALF would like to capture the Florida presence there.

Smart Phone Apps -- Not Just Momma Bell's Phone

Ways to learn continue to evolve.  Collaborative learning is now possible because of social networking and the new media.  New technologies accommodate different learning styles than pen and paper lessons, and smart phones put the potential for learning in the hands of many.   E-books are becoming more mainstream in 2011, and one of the newest tools being used today is the smart phone.

Your phone comes with the ability to record video, an easy way to record a dialog for your student.  They can then listen to it, practice and send you their practice session.  

If you don't want to use video, there are Apps that can be downloaded to turn a phone into a tape recorder.  Students can record their audio stories through a traditional recording on this.   

There are even Apps that capture a person’s vacation with photos, audio and writing.  One of the popular ones is (My Vacation).  There is a free lite version that will capture one trip.  To do more, pay $2.99 to ITunes.   

Even a humorous program like Talking Tom can provide a silly way for an ELL to practice speaking English and send a short story to their tutor via their Smart Phone.  The the basic version is free but can be enhanced if you pay.

Smart Phones and Literacy

Smart phones are the newest technology tutors and students can use to build up literacy skills.  If you think that only rich people have smart phones, read this post to learn more about who has a phone.

Free Workshop on Working with Low Level New Readers on October 22

Sharon Jaskula is presenting the Fast Track Reading System Workshop on October 22, Saturday in Tampa at the Town' N Country Regional Public Library.  VALF is partnering with the Tampa Hillsborough Public Library to bring you this award winning program developed by the Jacksonville Public Library.  This workshop is for you if you are looking for new strategies to tutor the lowest level adults in basic reading. Sharon will cover the relationship between sounds and syllables. Check out the workshop flyer for more information.   

Sharon presenting the workshop at Tavares.

To register email your name, name of program and email address to VALFlorida@hotmail.com. .  Put Fast Track Workshop in the subject line.

Audience at Tavares workshop in Lake County

The mission of VALF 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.  We are funded by memberships and donations.

What's a Glog?

Or you might want try your hand at including a glog in your lessons. Glogster,  http://glogster.com

which allows the creation of public or private “glogs” mixing graphics, photos, videos, music and text.

ESOL Learners who use multiple media in digital storytelling amplify their sense of authorship and find deeper meaning in what they want to say through the process of combining modes.

Mobile Apps for Adult Literacy

MOBILE APPS FOR ADULT LITERACY by Harvey Pressman and Andrea Pietryzk, Central Coast Children’s Foundation  http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102474671827-87/adult_literacy_apps_5_30.pdf viewed August 2011

Adult literacy programs are just beginning to use smart phone apps for tutoring.  This article provides an overview of the use of phone applications for all types of learners.  The Apps are categorized by Reading Skills, Vocabulary, Grammar, Spelling and Apps that parents could use with young children.  It includes the title, link, purpose, cost, platform and reviews if available.  The authors stress the value of parents using these with their children as a way to help the children and reinforce their own learning.  Here is a sample related to English Language Learners.

Easy to Read Wikipedia

Simple English Wikipeida http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Did you know there is an easy to read version of Wikipedia online for those who can not read English very well?  Students can contribute to it.  Check it out today.

More

Creating Learning Games

There are tools online that tutors can easily use to make lessons more interesting.  Study Stack provides a way for students to memorize information.  Students can play the games online or download them to a smart phone.   Once you create cards, they can be used in a variety of ways ranging from matching activities to creating a crossword puzzle.  Check out Study Stack and tell us what you think.
 More...

FREE Podcasts for English Language Learners

WWW.ESLpod.com is a site of free podcasts on a wide variety of topics.  The podcasts are free for you to listen online or download to your ipod.  Additional items, like the learner's guide, from this site do cost.  You can purchase a guide for each podcast or subscribe. 

The speaker talks slowly.  I listened to the podcast English Café 309.  It is about the movie, West Side Story, but also includes questions from listerners on the meaning of terms like “ship” in friendship.  Music helps adds to the slowness of the session and  you can move the recording ahead. 

There are a variety of ways you could enhance this lesson about a classic movie.  For example, the student could borrow the movie or listen to the musical sound track after listening to the podcast.  Then he or she could come to a tutoring session prepared to talk or even write about it as part of a lesson or independently.   

More

New Instructional Tool for ELL -- Grant Application Due September 30, 2011

The Florida Literacy Coalition is partnering with IBM again to offer up to ten Reading Companion grants to eligible ABE, Literacy and Family Literacy programs throughout the state of Florida. Here are last year's grant winners. This grant (valued at $10,000) provides free access to IBM’s Reading Companion software.

Reading Companion uses innovative speech recognition technology that "listens" and provides individualized feedback to the user, enabling emerging readers to practice their pronunciation as they acquire fundamental reading speaking skills.English Language Learners really like the program.  You need higher level equipment and band width to use the program.  Because of that libraries and schools may be better positioned to apply for the grant.  The actual specs are below.

For more information on the Reading Companion Program, and to view a 4-minute video demonstrating this software, visit http://www.readingcompanion.org and click on “explore”. For more information about using technologies for adult literacy go to this report published last year.  To get the application:

Hurricanes and Florida

It is that time of year, when hurricane's stalk the Florida and eastern coasts.  We were lucky this week, but the season is just getting going.  Check out this Hurricane Preparedness lesson created by Martha Lane, former VALF President to be used by volunteer tutors.

If you and your student want to learn more about storms that have hit Florida go to Florida Memory for photos from across Florida.

Fact Sheets on Each Section of the GED Test.

Check out these fact sheets on the GED test.  They are posted online and are available in a printable version.

Instructional Games

Check out these online instructional games at FloridaTechnet.  Games make learning more interesting for students. 

Web Quest--One More Way to Jazz Up Learning

If your student or program is lucky enough to have access to a computer on the Internet, you may want to jazz up lessons by giving your student a webquest.  The term webquest was coined in 1995 as the Internet became more prevalent in adult learner classrooms.

Even if  you or  your student lacks the Internet at home, a learner may have a computer and be able to go online via wireless at the library or even at Mcdonalds.  Some learners may have a computer --but can't afford the monthly Internet charge.  On a smaller scale, a smart phone could be used to do the research.  It won't be so easy to write up on that small screen, but the phone can help find lots of interesting facts.

A webquest is a great way to learn issues to help them pass the GED while practicing their research and critical thinking skills.

More about webquests can be found at FloridaTechnet.

Here are some steps to include in your webquest.  It is important to start with a topics of high interest to an adult learner.  For example, global warming may be impacting an English Language Learner's home country.  If so, he could start researching this topics.  Is weather changing in his home country or in his home town in America?  Are diseases like malaria moving into places they have never been before (or not?) Is the water level rising?  Are temperatures changing --or not?.  A learner could go in and reserach these or other topics of interest.

Mission Possible--Adult and Community Education (ACE) Conference

The ACE conference is always held the end of September.  This year it starts on Monday, September 26 in Orlando. To register

This one is very expensive, $350 for members.  I am guessing most volunteer programs cannot afford it, but  it is a good place to learn the latest on school based programs.  It is also a good place to see exhibits. You might be able to get into the exhibits only if you are in the Orlando area.  Contact ACE to find out.  Often, they want to have exhibit foot traffic --so you might have a chance...

The theme is Mission Possible.

Palm Beach Organizational Member Renews

We are pleased to announce that the Palm Beach County Public Library Literacy Project recently renewed their organizational membership with VALF.  This program is part of the library's outreach department. The Board of County Commissioners is actually the library's governing board.  The program recognizes the support of the Commission by listing names of each Commissioner on program announcements.

This library based literacy project has a Friends of Literacy that provides material and support for the library's volunteer literacy program.  Watch for more blog posts about Florida's volunteer literacy programs.. 

Thinkfinity Courses Move To ProLiteracy

You don't have to be a member of ProLiteracy to take online courses now available at their site.  The courses are free and most were originally on Thinkfinity which has now gone to k-12 (kid focused).

All you have to do is set up an account. 

Once you take a course, provide a review of it  via comments on this blog.

Here are courses available in mid-August 2011... 

Adult Literacy Instruction.    
Principles of Adult Learning
Working With Adult Literacy Learners     
Phonemic Awareness Instruction for Adult Literacy Learners      
Volunteering in English Language Learner Literacy Classes      
Culture and English Language Learners     
Citizenship: The Literacy Test 

Free Literacy Material

The Florida Literacy Coalition has a variety of grant funded posters, bookmarks, books and more available for free.  Order them today.

Ideas for Reaching Boys and Men

I recently ran across an idea for promoting reading to men and boys.  A library in England developed Football Family Fun Day with activities and games to promote the variety of sports resources available in libraries. Volunteer literacy programs could provide a family sports day where dads could come and play sports with their children --AND be exposed to sports computer web sites, high interest magazine articles, short stories, biographies, audio books, dvd's and more --all borrowed from the library,donated by your local sports store, a sports bar etc..

Social Networking Tools, Literacy and Libraries

A discussion started this month on social networking tools and literacy.  One article, written by the ALA Literacy Office, Dale Lipschultz, covers issues that are not a surprise for tutors.  You have to read and write before you can effectively use the Internet on a computer or smart phone.

What was interesting to me was a new word: Auding...

David Rosen, a long time authority in adult literacy and technology provided a post about -- Auding is the ability to learn by listening.  This word seemed so new that I couldn't find it in wikipedia. People who are blind have often had to have good "auding" skills to learn but so do adult learners who can understand English.  Learners with the goal of getting the GED--can start studying by listening to articles on science, history, literature etc. even if they can't read very well.  As I have mentioned in the past, free magazine and research articles are available through the Florida Electronic Library.  All they need is an IPod to download an authoritative article.  I get my newspaper online now and can listen to articles on my I Phone.

Learn About the Marion Literacy Council

Marion County Literacy Council

Karen Hill is the MCLC Executive Director.  This community based volunteer literacy program is located in Ocala, Florida and offers programs for ABE, GED and ESOL.   Funded mostly by United Way and DOE grants they served about 400 students in 2010.  They offer managed enrollment for ESOL students and hold classes of about 12 students  in locations throughout Marion County.  About 50% of their students are ESOL, 30% ABE and 20%GED (Please see descriptions of these programs below). Classes in citizenship, career development and financial literacy are also offered.  This year the council has two VISTA volunteers who are busy recruiting volunteers and running classes.  The big fund raiser for each year is “Kiss the Horse.”

See their excellent web page http://www.marionliteracy.org/               

New Education Commissioner

Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson started work this week at a $275,000 salary.  Robinson came to Florida from Virginia and is a school choice advocate.  He was appointed by Governor Scott in June.

Who's Reading Our Blog

While the majority of our VALF blog  readers are from the U.S., we do have people from other countries.  Surprisingly, France had the most readers after the U.S.this month and the UK ranked next.  We also had people from Germany, South Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary and India. We can't tell where people are from in the U.S. or in Florida.  So, please post in the comments where you are from.
Thanks,
Sandy Newell, VALF President

Fact Sheet on the GED

The U.S. GED testing service has posted a new fact sheet on the GED.

Volunteer Recognition

Literacy Month is just a month away, and many program's recognize volunteers then, but most program managers strive to fold in little gestures of thanks throughout the year.  Here are a couple of ideas we have gleaned from other sites.  More ideas are available at our Members Only Wiki.  Join or renew VALF today.

       
STICK WITH IT  Put a sticky note on a volunteer’s  file saying—“Stick with it!” when a student doesn’t seem to be making progress, and the tutor is getting frustrated.

THANK YOU TREE   Ask an organization with public space (the library or city hall) to host a thank you tree.  Use a Christmas tree and hang cards with the picture of the volunteer with a”Thanks for Being a Tutor”.  Working tutors will see they are appreciated, and the tree can attract new volunteers.

For more, become a VALF member today and check out our members only wiki.  
This year you can join VALF by completing the membership form and paying via our PayPal Account.

Writing for the GED

Looking for more online tutor training options, then check out this new OTAN video on writing for the GED.  The essay test is the 2nd hardest part of the GED test.  Math is the first.  A GED teacher working with basic reading students who are American born and former English Language Learners describes her strategies for working with adult learners, and then you get to view the process.  Tutors who work individually will find ideas for adapting this technique.

Florida Schools Charging for Adult Education Classes

Starting today, school systems will be required to charge for adult basic education, GED and classes for English Language Learners.  I heard NPR report this morning that students would be charged $30 and no more than $90 a year.  Ronda Cooper, the Leon County Library LVA program director, told me that she expected this will feed more students into the free volunteer literacy programs.

This change was one of many passed by the Florida Legislature this spring.  School systems were one of many institutions that got hit.  NPR also noted that schools would also be laying off teachers this fall as state funding cuts are realized.

This will likely mean volunteer programs may have longer waiting lists or face turning away students.  Waiting lists have been a hot topic on the ProLiteracy Listserve.  Programs have been sharing how many students they have on the list.  They also describing learning alternatives for students while  waiting for a tutor.  Some programs have a policy to keep their waiting lists short.  What do you do? Put your comments below.

Sandy Newell, President, VALF

Big Changes this Weekend in Tutor Training Online Courses

ProLiteracy's site is up with online tutor training courses.  Here is more context on recent changes.

If you are on the ProLitearcy Listserve you may have caught the announcement that Thinkfinity 
is no longer the go-to place for online courses for tutors needing in-service or initial training on working with adult learners. If not, here is a recap.

Starting this weekend, Thinkfinity will be dedicated to only K-12 students.  It will not host courses for adult education or for family literacy.  The announcement said that ProLiteracy is picking up the courses focused on adult learners who are English Language Learners or basic reading learners.  The National Center for Family Literacy  will be hosting  courses for family literacy. 

Learn more from this ProLiteracy email posted on the ProLiteracy listserve by Linda Church.

Use Pay Pal to Join VALF

Join VALF today.  Complete this membership form.

Using You Tube to Promote Your Adult Literacy Program

Are you wondering how to raise funds and recruit more volunteers?  Use You Tube. Here is an example:

View VALF Vice President on a youtube spot produced for Learn to Read Jacksonville.

If you are interested in meeting Joses DeMoranville, VALF VP, interviewed for this spot contact valflorida@hotmail.com.

If you want to make a difference, be involved in a statewide project, learn more about adult literacy and using media to tell  stories, contact VALF today.

Sandy Newell, VALF President

VALF Brochure

Learn more about VALF by viewing our brochure.

Join VALF today.  Membership renewal starts July 1 and runs through September 1.

Free Video Stories Online & to Download

Scene from Dating Show

Adults need real life scenarios to practice their English.  An adaptation of a fun one is the New York City Mayor's office free videos with instructional material available online for learners.   The only downside I see to this is the heavy emphasis on the New York urban environment.  Students can use them without a computer once the video is downloaded to a CD.  You might be able to transfer it to your smart cell phone.  If anyone downloads these, add a comment here on how you did it.

The most recent production is about going on a date -- where the couple thinks each other is rich.  They even get into banking as part of the story. The videos come with subtitles and  a full script in English and other languages along with a study guide.   

These provide discussion opportunities for students along with pointers related to working and social situations.  These include listening comprehension, vocabulary development, and understanding of communication strategies.  In the  “The Wedding” episode is the story of number of professionals (photographer, band, dress designer)  who get sick or pull out .  Then immigrants  step up to the plate and jump in to do the work. This is the big chance many have been waiting for.

View  the video at http://www.nyc.gov/html/weareny/html/videos/videos.shtml.  Scroll down and click on “The Wedding” (last segment) and check out the Study Guide as well.

This resource gives learners the chance to learn independently which is vital to the instructional process.  As you know, life happens and students often have to Step Out, our word for stopping formal program--but continuing to learn independently.  Thus these stories provide homework which can then be discussed in a tutor or small group session or can be used when learners leave your formal program.  Successful learners continue to study even if they are not in a regular program.