VALF held their annual meeting May 8 and awarded a series of grants dedicated to volunteer literacy for a second year. Five programs across the state are receiving $500 grants. This year more than 15 friends and colleagues of Jack Newell donated to Jack's Literacy Grant Program to honor the contributions Jack has made to adult and family literacy over the years.
The following lists the programs successfully earning the grants.
Learn to Read Jacksonville – grant will be used to purchase books to use with adult students including Living in America Teacher Resource Series: Using Official Documents and Understanding key Health Issues, Citizenship: Passing the Test, Endeavor Student Books and Teacher’s Guide 3-5 and Voyage Student Books and Teacher’s Guide Foundation – Level 3
Learn to Read of St. Lucie County, Inc. – grant will be used to buy 20 Laubach Way to English Teacher Manuals, Laubach, 20 Laubach Way to English Illustration Books and 20 Laubach Way to English Workbooks for use in 6 intensive tutor training workshops and 2 in-service workshops.
Literacy Volunteers of America-Monroe County Inc. – grant will be used to pay part of the trainer’s fee for one 18-hour tutor training and one-three individual mini trainings.
Volusia Literacy Council – grant will be used to purchase 32 Challenger’s Teachers’ Manuals
Learn to Read of Northwest Florida, Inc – grant will be used to purchase Skills Bank Reading software (from Houghton Mifflin Learning Technology Division) and a printer
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Jacksonville Public Library Program Recognized as “Exemplary Project”
The Jacksonville Public Library’s Center for Adult Learning was recently recognized by the Division of Library and Information Services for a project targeting lower-level adult readers and their tutors. This initiative, Volunteers as Special Educators, was selected as the “FY 08-09 Exemplary Project” among those supported by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Volunteers as Special Educators has allowed the Jacksonville Public Library to expand services to adult basic education and English language learners by recruiting and training volunteer tutors. However, instead of utilizing workbooks traditionally used by adult literacy programs, this project developed new materials, teaching strategies and tutor-training modules based upon Orton-Gillingham principles. The project has received accolades for its innovative way of teaching syllable division and syllable types to tutors and students. Jacksonville Public Library staff will be demonstrating components of this new curriculum at the 2009 Florida Literacy Conference in Clearwater, FL.
The Jacksonville Public Library’s Center for Adult Learning first began providing reading instruction to adult learners in 1985. They currently offer small group and computer-assisted instruction in reading, math, pre-GED and English language skills to more than 800 adults annually. For more information about the Center for Adult Learning or the Volunteers as Special Educators project, please contact Sharon Jaskula at sharonh@coj.net.
The Jacksonville Public Library’s Center for Adult Learning first began providing reading instruction to adult learners in 1985. They currently offer small group and computer-assisted instruction in reading, math, pre-GED and English language skills to more than 800 adults annually. For more information about the Center for Adult Learning or the Volunteers as Special Educators project, please contact Sharon Jaskula at sharonh@coj.net.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
New Learner Mentor Program
Lake County Library System Adult Literacy Program has a new Learner Mentor at the Leesburg Public Library!
We are very excited to be offering a new program! We know how hard learners work with their tutors to improve their English language skills and sometimes it is difficult. So, we are pleased to announce that we have created a Learner Mentor program. The learner mentors will be available to answer questions, offer support, make changes, and anything else that will help the adult learners achieve their literacy goals. We hope that this will make the learners experience in the Lake County Library System Adult Literacy Program a better one!
We are pleased to welcome Silvia Truyts Carey as the new Leesburg Learner Mentor. She is 41 years old and was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. She came to the United States in 2000 and first lived in Orlando but after meeting her husband, Brian, she moved to Leesburg. She works at the Waterfront Inn in The Villages as the Executive Housekeeper. Not only is Silvia working with a tutor but she is volunteering additional time to help staff and tutors communicate with learners as well as recruit new learners to the program. Silvia has been instrumental in recruiting over 15 new learners in the short time she has been a volunteer Learner Mentor! We are thrilled to have her as part of the literacy team.
We are very excited to be offering a new program! We know how hard learners work with their tutors to improve their English language skills and sometimes it is difficult. So, we are pleased to announce that we have created a Learner Mentor program. The learner mentors will be available to answer questions, offer support, make changes, and anything else that will help the adult learners achieve their literacy goals. We hope that this will make the learners experience in the Lake County Library System Adult Literacy Program a better one!
We are pleased to welcome Silvia Truyts Carey as the new Leesburg Learner Mentor. She is 41 years old and was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. She came to the United States in 2000 and first lived in Orlando but after meeting her husband, Brian, she moved to Leesburg. She works at the Waterfront Inn in The Villages as the Executive Housekeeper. Not only is Silvia working with a tutor but she is volunteering additional time to help staff and tutors communicate with learners as well as recruit new learners to the program. Silvia has been instrumental in recruiting over 15 new learners in the short time she has been a volunteer Learner Mentor! We are thrilled to have her as part of the literacy team.
Leesburg Tutor and Learner Celebrate
I Got It!
Ron Wood and Sue Terhune, proud to be part of the Leesburg Literacy Team
“I (Ron) earned my CDL in January 2009. I have been working with Sue for one year. We worked on academics for a long time. I decided to make a career change and we studied for the CDL. It was difficult but the hard work paid off! I couldn’t have done it without my tutor, Sue.” Ron and Sue, congratulations on your success and achievement! They are now checking out driving schools – his next big goal! Good luck!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Library Literacy Virtual Summit on April 7, 2009
Sandy Newell, President of VALF and Chair of the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Literacy, will be joining the current and incoming ALA Presidents as a speaker at the first virtual literacy summit dedicated to library literacy on April 7, 2009. For more about the summit go to the facebook page for the event.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Grant for Volunteer Literacy Programs
The VALF grant application is now available. Applications are due March 31, 2009.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
March 2009 News and Notes
.JPG)
NEW NAME / NEW LOGOVALF, Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida, has a new logo as well as a new name. The Lake County Public Library staff designed this new logo for VALF to reinforce our new name.
New Cycle of Grant Applications
VALF will award another round of grants to support Florida's volunteer literacy programs. This year, grant awards will be as much as $500, an increase from last year's grants of $300.
Organizations who are members of VALF can apply for a grant in March 2009. Grants will be awarded at the VALF annual meeting at the Florida Literacy Conference in Clearwater on May 7, Friday, at 10:00 a.m. If your organization is not a member, it only costs $25 to join. For more information about the grant program, email literacyflorida@hotmail.com.
This year VALF will award grants in honor of Jack Newell, a long time leader in volunteer and family literacy in Florida. We have extended the deadline for you to make a donation in Jack's honor. If you are a friend or colleague of Jack and want to be part of this surprise, complete the form posted in our blog below, and mail us your check. Our deadline was extended to March 31. If you send by then, we will award your dollars this year.
Jacksonville Program for Volunteer Literacy Programs
A program on the start up and improvement of volunteer literacy programs will be the topic covered at a networking workshop on Saturday, March 7, from 9:30 am - 12:30 p.m. at the Jacksonville downtown library. VALF is providing this free program for literacy groups. The main library is located at 303 N Laura St [32202]. Their phone number is (904) 630-2665 or see at map.
The session will be followed by the VALF Board Meeting. For more information about the session or board meeting, call Sandy Newell at 850-245-6624 or email her at snewell@dos.state.fl.us
Virtual Library Literacy Summit
The American Library Association is hosting the first library literacy virtual summit in April.
Literacy for ALL: Advocacy, Libraries, and Literacy
| When: | 1:00PM ET Tuesday, April 7th |
| Where: | Webcast |
The current ALA President, Jim Rettig, will join the incoming President, Camila Alire, and leaders from all types of libraries to explore the roles of libraries in literacy. Go to the ALA Committee on Literacy's facebook account to learn the latest.
If you set up your own facebook account, you can become a fan of the ALA Committee on Literacy and get the latest information on the Summit.
Some literacy programs and libraries use facebook and other free social networking tools to advertise their own literacy program.
VALF Program on National Trends in Library Literacy
Sandy Newell, President of VALF and Chair of the ALA Committee on Literacy, will lead a discussion on library literacy program issues during the Florida Literacy Conference. The session will be at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 8. It is one of several events nationwide follow-up on the ALA virtual library literacy summit. This will be the only opportunity for library literacy practioners to meet and discuss issues.
Tips for Program Managers, Tutors and Trainers
Gaming and Literacy Toolkit
Libraries are finding that games are excellent tools to foster literacy while attracting teens into the library. ALA has just published an online toolkit to help library staff who want to do their own gaming program. The toolkit contains a fact sheet on gaming and literacy.
Gaming helps a person gain vocabulary, solve problems and develop a higher order of thinking skills -- all necessary for literacy. During gaming sessions, students practice their reading while "having fun at the same time". Literacy programs have often used games to reinforce learning. Now the library could be a partner. Volunteer literacy programs who want to appeal to young adults could join with the library to provide a gaming night for their students.
ProLiteracy Provides Stimulus Webinar with No Mention of Volunteer Literacy
Joyce Whiddon, Tony Lagos and and Phil Anderson were Florida literacy professionals attending a free webinar hosted by ProLiteracy on February 26 on strategies and tips for accessing stimulus funding at the local level. Surprisingly, little was said about whether there was any help for volunteer literacy programs.
Nonprofit groups were briefly mentioned and schools were often cited as potential recipients. Groups were encouraged to connect with their state's politicians or advocate for adult education at the Local Education Agency (LEA) level. May 1 was a date mentioned on when plans on how state's utilize the dollars had to be completed.
A panel of experts discussed major provisions of the stimulus package, LEAs, and adult formula grants, along with other parts of the stimulus that could benefit adult literacy and basic education programs.
One of the observations made by several speakers was that the stimulus bill requires concurrency between attainment of basic skills and vocational skills. The bill is all about jobs.
Quality literacy programs are positioned to move quickly. Because many of our programs are small and use one on one tutors, we can work closely with students. Lessons often include instruction on reading, writeing and speaking English while teaching specific job skills and language. This link between the two may a key for volunteer groups to earn stimulus dollars.
Please share your ideas on how programs can tie job skills with basic skills here. We also want to hear your over all thoughts and suggestions about volunteer literacy in the comments section of this blog.
Links on How Facebook and Social Networking Sites to Support Literacy
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6573270.html
Recruitment video on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1089097826690
Page Being Used to Ask for Donations
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/194131?m=8ef6a43a
How to Use Facebook
http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/archive/2007/05/23/put-your-non-profit-on-facebook.aspx
Example of a Volunteer Literacy Tutor Wiki
http://adult-literacy.wikispaces.com/Instruction
Program Management Links
How to Start a Volunteer Literacy Program
Illinois Department of State
Florida Literacy Coalition
Resources and training opportunities for Florida volunteer literacy programs
National Assessment of Adult Literacy
NAAL finally released estimates for Florida, county by county using the numbers for basic prose literacy from the 2003 national survey. 20% of Florida's adults lack basic literacy. The poorest literacy rates coincide with the number on non-English speakers. Miami ranks the highest with 52%. St. Johns (7%) and Clay County (9%) have the best rates as compared to Hendry County with 42%. An excel spread sheet with these numbers can be downloaded from this site.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)