White Table for Veterans Day

Here is a way a library or another organization could honor veterans. The White Table display can be used to remember November 11, Veterans Day. Below is information about how to set up this simple display and a few pictures from Florida libraries showing their displays from 2012. The book could be included in lessons for family literacy programs.

White Table for Veterans Day America's White Table, by Margot Theis Raven, is the inspiration for this simple display. Ever since the Vietnam War, a white table has been set across America in mess halls and at military events to honor America's Armed Forces, especially those missing in action and held prisoner of war. Valparaiso Community Library, Okaloosa County Materials needed: One small round table.     One chair. White tablecloth. Black napkin. One lit candle. Table setting for one. Salt shaker with some salt sprinkled on the dinner plate. A lemon slice. Vase with yellow ribbon tied around it. Red rose. Water glass inverted on table. What they symbolize: This table, set for one, is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone. It is set for one, symbolizing the fact that some are missing from our ranks. The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country's call to arms. North Palm Beach Public Library The black napkin represents the sorrow of captivity. The single red rose in the vase, signifies the blood that many have shed to ensure the freedom of the United States of America. This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep the faith, awaiting their return. The yellow ribbon on the vase represents the yellow ribbons worn on the lapels of the thousands who demand a proper accounting of our comrades who are not among us tonight. A slice of lemon on the plate reminds us of their bitter fate. The salt sprinkled on the plate reminds us of the countless fallen tears of families as they wait. The glass is inverted because they cannot toast with us. The chair is empty because they are not here. The candle is reminiscent of the light of hope that lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.  John Hopkins Middle School, St. Petersburg Celebrating America's Freedoms U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has activities and program suggestions for honoring veterans that libraries can use to create meaningful cooperative programs.

Florida Electronic Library Databases for Everyone

Check out FEL today...

If you have a Spanish speaking student who wants to pass the GED or get an additional degree, it could be worthwhile for them to study subjects in their home language. If that is the case, you may want to introduce them to this free resource, Florida Electronic Library, which is available to any Florida resident via a computer or smart phone.

 FEL also has a wealth of material in English with audio that can be used by basic reading students who are studying for the GED.  They can even download the audio to their IPod and listen to the articles.

Here is information available in Spanish.

 

Spanish-language magazines

http://www.flelibrary.org/
Informe is specifically designed to meet the research needs of Spanish-speaking users.  With full-text articles from the most popular Spanish-language and bilingual periodicals, it provides quality Hispanic reference material - not simply Spanish translations of English-language materials.  Aimed at the needs of both serious, academic researchers as well as casual browsers, Informe provides access to the full text of more than 420 Spanish-language and bilingual products, covering a wide range of subjects, from current events to academic disciplines.

Activities for VALF Interns

Become involved at a statewide level and make a difference. Apply to be an intern with Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida. Here are activities you could be involved in. The program is for college students and requires a 6 month commitment.

• VALF Marketing plan using social networking tools 
• Membership
• Fundraising
• Using Social Networking Tools in Adult Literacy
• Using E-Books with Adult Learners
• Video Story Project with Adult Learners
• Provide Production Support for Online Training
• Face to Face Training for Adult Literacy
• Adult Literacy Field Services
• Publishing VALF Newsletter, Monthly Tip Sheets

5 Tips for using Text Messaging to Teach ESL

source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4995209_use-text-messaging-teach-esl.html

1. Create your own word-of-the-day service. Send your students one new word every day. Make the word meaningful, not random. Relate the words to the current lesson plan. For example, if the current lesson is about weather, send weather-related words or phrases.

2. Text message grammar tips. Have your students text you back about their day using that grammar tip.

3. Text message conversational tips. For example, if your students work in restaurants, text message them phrases that they can use at work.

4. Have your students text you messages using the word-for-the-day. Texting is a good way to encourage students to begin writing.

5. Introduce text messaging casually. It is just one tool for teaching. Make it meaningful and you and your students will learn and have fun.

National Literacy Month--Partnership Between Libraries State Parks

It is not too early to start planning for National Literacy Month. International Literacy Day is September 8. Most programs have expanded the day and hold activities throughout the month. The Florida Governor's wife spoke at a Florida State Park last year.

You may want to consider partnering with public libraries this year. The state park system will  waive park entrance fees again Sunday, September 8  and on Veterans Day, November 11.

 

Future of the Library and Literacy

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April 2009 Library Literacy Virtual Summit Speakers in Washinton DC

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently surveyed the library community to determine the priorities for the Library of the Future. Of those responding, a little over 10% thought that literacy was an important role for the library. About 15% thought learning was an important role. The respondents included Digital Literacy as part of literacy.

Here are the roles that library staff and library leaders thought were most important:

1.  Help navigate and curate information 32%
2. A community center or gathering place 30%
3. Provide community programs and services 24%
4. Provide technology access and training 20%
5. Will be a space for learning 16%
6. Bridge the digital divide 15%
7. Provide literacy programs (just over)10%
8. Stay the same (just under 10%)

As you can see, there is not an overwhelming consensus on what your library should be doing by 2018.

What do you think the role of the library should be in five or more years?  If, you work within a library literacy program, how do you make the case that adult literacy programs are important? If you are in a community based group, what role should your public library be playing in learning?

Share your comments and thoughts below.

VALF's President is serving on a Community of Practice CoP for library literacy that will be developing a library literacy action agenda.  The CoP was formed through a partnership between the American Library Association and ProLiteracy. The CoP will be meeting in early September 2013 to finalize the agenda. Add your comments to help inform the work of the CoP







 

Health Literacy Resources & Summitt

Florida will have a health literacy summit on July 26, http://www.floridaliteracy.org/healthsummit.html. You can get free health information through your computer at the Florida Electronic library. Learn about it in a previous post.  

The site has magazine articles and the following reference books which can be searched. Some health problems, like diabetes, require more reading than others. If your student has a health problem, learning to read medical terms might be one of his goals. If so, you could include lessons that include vocabulary to help them.


A-Z Diseases & Conditions
Health and Wellness Resource Center
Health Reference Center Academic
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer
Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders