LR/RI logo



Contact LR/RI

 

Bulletin Archives


LR/RI home

 
 

 





LR/RI produces a bulletin roughly every two to three weeks in order to inform area practitioners of news, events, and calls for participation and also as a forum for posing questions, issues and discussion topics. The current bulletin is posted below. To read previous bulletins, go to Bulletin Archives.  To receive the bulletin via email, contact LR/RI.

February 22, 2007

Bulletin #237

Dear Colleagues, 

Calls for participation, employment, funding, and conference and workshop opportunities, online and other resources.  To post information,  and/or to receive the bulletin via email, please contact LR/RI or leave a message at (401-863-2839).
 

Janet Isserlis signature

Janet Isserlis 
____________________________________________________________

NOTICES


RI Adult Educators’ conference: save the date. The fifth state conference will be held on May 17th, at the Airport Radisson. 
Call for participation here.

ESOL  share Wednesday, March 14 at 2:15 pm  at 2:30 at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters Ave, Providence.  Open focus – please bring an idea that’s working, a question, a challenge, materials.

Assessment Fair  February 28,  9:30 a.m. - noon, Cranston Adult Learning Center, 205 Norwood Ave

Presentations of  Best plus, CASAS and TABE. Opportunities for Discussion & Review of Materials. Come and find out what are choices are . All adult education programs, providers and funders are encouraged to attend. The event’s primary purposes are to familiarize ourselves with the standardized assessments available to us and to continue our discussion on their use with learners. Your concerns, opinions and expertise are important. Please come to learn and to share. Sponsored by the Assessment Work Group of the Governor’s Task Force for Adult Education.
For information contact Howard Dooley; no RSVP necessary 762 -3841 hdooley@RIRAL.org

Jean Marrapodi, from the Providence Assembly of God Learning Center is looking to see who in RI is working with pre-literate adults. They have a group of elderly pre-literate Liberians and are interested in knowing if there are other programs serving this type of population to determine: a) what resources are being used for this level b) what types of learners (age, nationality) in this segment others may be seeing c) if there is a need to expand their current program to reach an underserved population.  Jean is best contacted by e-mail at rejoicer@aol.com, but may also be reached on her cell phone at 401-440-6165.

Literacy Volunteers of Rhode Island and Community College of Rhode Island Providence Campus is sponsoring the 6th Annual Adult Education Fair Thursday March 15, at the Providence Campus of Community College of Rhode Island from 9:00-12:00.
This event will give students and practitioners the opportunity to learn about adult education and training programs offered in the state of Rhode Island and the services they provide. It is our intent that each adult education agency set up a table so that attendees can ask questions and learn more about the services your agencies provide.  We are also requesting that you invite all of your students and staff members to attend this networking and informative event.  Please contact Kashia Clay by March 8, 2007, to let her know if you intend to attend, (how many? staff? students?) and if you’d like to staff a table at the adult education fair on at the Providence Campus on Wednesday March 8, 2006 from 9am-12pm (set up time from 8:30am-9: 00am). 
Please include this information, and send the email to: Yvette@lvari.org
Name of Agency
Contact Person
Phone and/or Email  and Number of expected participants

Independent Man Awards - Accepting Nominations
The Genesis Center is proud to host the first annual Independent Man Awards (IMA) at The Providence Hilton on April 27.  
Through the assistance of an award selection committee, chaired by Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, we will present five miniature bronze Independent Man Awards to three Rhode Island immigrants (male or female), one Rhode Island company that embraces diversity and the immigrant population, and one national leader (male or female) who has made a significant positive impact on immigrant issues.  The process starts with you.
Please take a moment to nominate those individuals and organizations you feel embody the traits worthy of The Independent Man. Nominate online at http://www.gencenter.org/IMA.htm or contact Mike Ritz at 401-781-6110 x28.  Independent Man Award (IMA) Descriptions:

The Emerging Leader IMA recognizes an outstanding young immigrant destined to contribute to a better tomorrow. The recipient of this award must be under 21 years of age at the time of his/her nomination.
The Community Service IMA recipient is a proven immigrant leader who has demonstrated a selfless commitment to serve his/her community, responding to its needs by contributing time, talent, and/or treasure.
The Entrepreneur IMA recognizes an enthusiastic Rhode Island immigrant who developed the necessary strategies, know-how, and determination to manifest his/her vision. This award will be presented to a positive thinker who has owned a successful business for more than 5 years.
The National Impact IMA is presented to a passionate leader who has demonstrated a commitment to the United States immigrant through thought, action, example, and impact.
The Corporate IMA was created to honor those private enterprises that have made significant contributions, which have directly impacted the immigrant population of Rhode Island. This award will be presented to a business that recognizes Rhode Island’s diverse community, welcomes it into the workplace, and provides equal opportunities for career advancement and professional growth.

- Mike Ritz Development Director Office: 401-781-6110 x28 Cell: 401-261-1900 Email: mike@gencenter.org

The next Year Up class begins March 5th, so if you've been thinking of a young person who might be interested in the program (or is looking for some direction) please send her or him my way!  It takes a few weeks to get through the Application/ Admissions process, so now is the time.  Year Up Applicants are low/ moderate income 18-24 year olds, who already have their HS diploma or GED, and who are looking for an opportunity to earn a stipend for a year of classes and training to become an Informational Technology Professional.  The first step is to have a meeting with me, so please have them call or email me.... or send me their info, and I'll follow up with them! Here at Year Up, we are about to graduate Class 3 at the end of January, and are moving Class 4 into their apprenticeships!  We look forward to successfully filling Class 5, with your assistance, and seeing more of our young adults move into successful, mainstream, careers (one month after our last graduation in July, 100% of the graduates were headed to college full time, or were earning between $28 and $40,000/ year!). 
- Jill Holloway Outreach and Admissions Year Up 10 Dorrance St., Ste. 1108 Providence, RI  02903 (401) 421-7819  x1115 (f) 421-7839 jholloway@yearup.org http://www.yearup.org/

Special Call for Student Writings on Voting For The Change Agent

We are interested in hearing from adult learners who voted in the November 2006 elections.   Write to us about your experience with voting in the recent elections.  The writings will be considered for the March 2008 issue of The Change Agent  journal. It will be a special edition on Voting and Advocacy that aims to help adult educators and learners to become active advocates and informed voters.
Questions:
What was your voting experience like?
If you voted for the first time, what motivated you to vote?
Why do you think voting is important?
All articles must be received by March 31. All articles will be considered. They must be typed. Suggested length is 500-1,200 words. Final decisions are made by The Change Agent editorial board. A stipend of $50 will be paid to each adult education student whose work is accepted for publication in this issue. Please send material (by email or PC disk) to: Angela Orlando, Editor New England Literacy Resource Center/World Education
44 Farnsworth St., Boston, MA 02210 Phone: 617-482-9485 fax: 617-482-0617 email: aorlando@worlded.org

The summer issue of Field Notes offers a chance for teachers to write about their work in a personal way.  The topic teaching from the heart is open to interpretation. Write about your most heartening classroom stories, your heartbreaks and heart-healing tales about teaching.  Write about a book you've used that has plenty of heart, or even has heart in the title. Submit a lesson about Valentine's Day. Or even send in a lesson plan on keeping the heart healthy, in more ways than one.  We welcome book reviews, movie reviews (500-700 words), personal stories (c.1000 words or less), lesson plans,  heart-filled photos (with captions), an ESOL lesson on idioms related to the heart, or other ideas you may have. Deadline for submission is April 1. Go to http://www.sabes.org for complete submission guidelines, found under the Field Notes click. To talk to a real person about real ideas, call  Lenore Balliro, editor, at 617-482-9485, or email her at lballiro@worlded.org.


Volunteers needed: 

Federal Hill House needs literacy volunteers/reading coaches to help parents that need to learn to read or need to improve their reading skills.  Duties will include: using assessment tools to determine reading level and using beginning reading materials to bring clients to a fifth grade reading level.  Requirements: Good reading/writing skills, ability to communicate ideas in an uncomplicated manner, and a desire to help others.  If interested, please call Sandra Perez at 421-4722.

learning opportunities

two online discussions:
Discussion Topic: Evaluation—Expected Outcomes and Intended Audiences, Family Literacy Discussion List
February 27 and 28  To Participate: Subscribe by visiting: http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Familyliteracy 
Guest Facilitator: Don Seaman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus and former Research Scientist, College of Education, Texas A&M University

Discussion Topic: Transition from GED to Postsecondary Education, Focus on Basics Discussion List
February 26 - March 2  To Participate:: http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Focusonbasics   
Guest Facilitators:  Barbara Garner, editor of Focus on Basics, Cynthia Zafft, Director of the National College Transitions Network, World Education, Inc., Sandy Goodman, Director, New England College Transition Project, World Education, Inc.


2007 Parent Workshop Series Brochure
- (for full schedule, please contact lrri@brown.edu)
Entrance to all workshops is $5. 
Workshops will take place at the CVS-Highlander Charter School in Providence on designated evenings from 7 - 9 PM.

The program includes 13 workshops for parents, including:
Understanding Learning Styles, Organized for Learning, Orton-Gillingham for Parents, Transitions
to Higher Education, The Journey of Parenting: Connections to the Evolving Brains of  Children
Ages 4 - 14, Self-Esteem, Quirky Kids, Understanding the Impact of Early Reflexes on Sensory and
Academic   Development., Parenting a Child with Learning Differences, Homework, Using
Evaluation Data to Advocate for Your Child,  Cultivating Collaborations:  Creating a Team to
Support Your Child Attention
Pre-registration is required.  Seating is limited.   Feel free to contact me with any questions. -  Cathy Sanford, Director, Hasbro Center for Teaching Excellence c/o The Dunn Institute for  Learning Differences 401-831-7323

The CALL Interest Section of TESOL is pleased to offer the opportunity to participate in the  Electronic Village Online (EVO) 2007 season. This is a professional development project and virtual extension of the TESOL 2007 Convention in Seattle . The intended audience includes both TESOL 2007 participants and those who can participate only virtually. 
You do not need to be a TESOL member to participate in a free , six-week , wholly online session of the EVO, Jan 15 -Feb 25.
Please visit our Announcement Web page to select one among the various offerings. http://evo07sessions.pbwiki.com  
- Paula Emmert, On behalf of the EVO Coordination Team

Providence Public Library eventshttp://www.provlib.org/branchout/current.html

funding opportunities - large and less large
Funding opportunities from  PEN Weekly NewsBlast, (from Pen Weekly Newsblast; To view past issues of the PEN Weekly NewsBlast, visit:  http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_past.asp


Grants for Community Improvement Programs - Hamburger Helper is looking to lend a helping hand to neighborhoods nationwide with its "My Hometown Helper" grant program. Individuals from communities and organizations across America can submit a written essay of 250 words or less describing how the "My Hometown Helper" grant would help improve their community project. Maximum Award: $15,000. Eligibility: Requests for funding must be sponsored by a municipal or civic organization or public school. Deadline: May 31, 2007http://www.myhometownhelper.com/

Hasbro Children Foundation grants to support the development and/or expansion of programs for children. Maximum Award: $500-$35,000. Eligibility: Programs must provide direct services to children under age 13. They must serve children and families who are economically disadvantaged. They must be innovative and provide a model from whichothers can learn.
Deadline: N/A.  http://www.hasbro.org


UPS Foundation Education Grants fund high impact philanthropic programs that raise the level of educational instruction, family learning opportunities, and school involvement projects. Maximum Award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations. http://www.community.ups.com/philanthropy/grant.html

- other grants from the Public Education Network: http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp

- The federal government's new one stop grant site: http://www.grants.gov/


The Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) announces another round of education reform grants in areas of social science research.  PRACC is particularly interested in issues such as high classroom turnover/mobility and its disproportionate impact on low-income, minority, and farm worker students.  However, other issues will be considered as well.  To apply, send PRRAC a proposal outlining the planned research and methodology, the advocacy work it is designed to support, a budget, timeline, and qualifications of the researchers.  Maximum grant: $10,000.  No application deadline. http://www.prrac.org/grants.php

Funding Solutions for Small Nonprofit Organizations
A collection of resources to help small nonprofit organizations fundraise including ways to motivate your board, sample fundraising letters, phonathon advice, and tips to improve your direct mail solicitation. http://www.nonprofit-innovations.com/

employment opportunities
Employment opportunity: English for Action seeks an executive director. (more about EFA: http://www.englishforaction.org/en/Home.php)
For a word doc of the position announcement, please contact LR/RI.

Instructor of Information Technology and Help Desk Support Providence, RI

Are you passionate about working with urban young adults and providing them with opportunities to excel?  Do you want to teach in a hands-on, project-based environment?  
Then come teach at Year Up!  Year Up is an exciting and dynamic young organization whose mission is to prepare urban young adults for work and learning in our technology-driven society, guiding them toward successful and rewarding careers and higher education.  Year Up offers its students intensive technical and professional skills training and paid internships with leading local companies.  We are looking for a passionate,
confident and entrepreneurial technology educator to join our team in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Instructor of Information Technology and Help Desk Support will be responsible for teaching Desktop Support and Troubleshooting, Client Server Technology and Applications, and Customer Service and Phone Support skills.  S/he will plan and coordinate with the various instructors, and teach classes him/herself.  The Instructor, as with all positions at Year Up, will also advise several students, and be expected to work
closely with the students, maintain an environment of trust and nurture, and engage with them on a daily basis in ways that contribute to both the students’ and the organization’s success

Qualifications

•    A proven passion for working with urban youth, an unshakeable belief in their potential, and confidence in his/her ability to make a difference.
•    Experience teaching or working with urban youth, preferably with the 18-24 age range.
•    Experience with curriculum, syllabus development and lesson planning.
•    Experience with student assessment and a talent to continuously evaluate the curriculum to identify what is working and what improvements can be made.
•    Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred. Technical certifications are a plus (MCSE, A+, Network +, MCT, MCSA, MCDST).
•    Strong team orientation – desire to be part of the Year Up faculty team and to lead the team in areas of expertise.
•    An interest in creating a hands-on interactive learning environment.
•    Strong interpersonal skills – experience working with diverse individuals and groups.
•    A desire to continuously evaluate and improve the program’s contribution to its students.
For more information, go to http://www.yearup.org
Send resume and cover letter to: rdubuisson@yearup.org

Substitute teaching: The Genesis Center is interested in adding to its substitute list. If you are an ESOL instructor who is interested in occasional work as a substitute, either day, evening or Saturday hours, please call Nancy Fritz or Pat Clarkin at 781-6110.

Jobs in Literacy – nation wide postings on the National Institute for Literacy’s LINCS site: http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/lincs/jobs/jobs.cgi

Substitute list: if you would like your name added to the general list, please see contact LR/RI.  The list needs to be updated so that it can function more usefully for teachers and programs hoping to work with them. (http://www.brown.edu/lrri/sub.html)

Rhode Island Community Jobs (RICOMJOB) is a public e-mail announcement list that seeks to raise the profile of meaningful work in Rhode Island by helping non-profit and public interest employers publicize openings effectively. Anyone seeking a job that makes a difference in Rhode Island can join the list.  Any non-profit, government or private sector employer advertising a paid position related to the public interest or community concerns can post a free job listing.  Positions must be paid but may be part-time, full-time or temporary.

To join the list as a job seeker or to post a job as an employer go to: http://www.ricommunityjobs.org

Rhode Island Community Jobs is supported by the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University and the Rhode Island Campus Compact.  If you have questions about this service, please contact us at ricomjob@brown.edu 


online / resources available
from David Rosen: from ETS's Policy Information Center, America's Perfect Storm: Three Forces Changing Our Nation's Future, by Irwin Kirsch, Henry Braun, and Kentaro Yamamoto, and Andrew Sum of Northeastern University, "looks at the convergence of three powerful sociological and economical forces that are changing our nation's future: substantial disparities in skill levels (reading and math); seismic economic changes (widening wage gaps), and sweeping demographic shifts (less education, lower skills)" From the Report: "If we continue on our current course… it is likely that our nation will gradually lose ground in relation to other countries, becoming more divided both socially and economically in the process.... If we are unable to substantially close the existing skill gaps among racial/ethnic groups and substantially boost the literacy levels of the population as a whole, demographic forces will result in a U.S. population in 2030 with tens of millions of adults unable to meet the requirements of the new economy. Moreover, a substantial proportion of those adults will be members of disadvantaged minority groups who will likely consider them-selves outside the economic mainstream…." "...there is a growing need for all individuals to become better educated and more skilled.. Individuals must have a broad set of literacy andnumeracy skills to successfully manage the various aspects of their lives: from planning their careers, to nurturing and guiding their children, to navigating the health-care system, to taking more personal responsibility for their financial future.
Why is the current distribution of educational attainment and academic achievement so problematic. <quite apart from the large and persistent racial/ethnic gaps? Early dropouts, as well as many holders of high school diplomas or GEDs, typically lack strong foundational skills and the key noncognitive skills that would enable them to benefit from learning and training experiences later on in life. In fact, the lack of both cognitive and the so-called “soft.skills” (e.g., persistence, teamwork skills, and communication skills) makes it more difficult for them to obtain and retain employment, especially for those jobs offering the potential for advancement."
(America's Perfect Storm, Three Forces Changing Our Nation's Economic Future Page 26, ETS http://tinyurl.com/2lyodb )

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education is pleased to announce the launch of the National STAR Training Network Web site.  The Web site contains information on the Student Achievement in Reading (STAR) initiative, created to assist states and local programs in making systemic and instructional changes required to improve the reading achievement of intermediate-level adult learners (G.L.E. 4.0-8.9).  STAR provides teachers and administrators with Web-based tools that translate reading research into practice and high quality training and technical assistance to build capacity for reading reform.  
The National STAR Training Network is offering two training and technical assistance packages to states and local programs.  The new Web site describes these services and provides an array of tools to help you learn about and plan to implement evidence-based reading instruction. We invite you to visit the Web site at http://www.startoolkit.org to learn more about how you can improve adult learners’ reading achievement.

Health Literacy Study Circle+ Facilitators Training
The purpose of this training guide is to help experienced professional developers and others organize and conduct a one-day session to train and orient those who will serve as facilitators of a HALL/NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+. A Health and Adult Literacy and Learning (HALL)/National Center for Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) Health Literacy Study Circle+ is a professional development activity for adult basic education (ABE), adult secondary education (ASE), or adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) practitioners. This guide includes the information and materials you will need to conduct the training, but not background information on planning and facilitating training. Facilitators of the Health Literacy Study Circle+ Facilitators Training should be experienced trainers. For more information and to download the training guide, go to the NCSALL Web site: http://www.ncsall.net/?id=1169

Adult Literacy Research: Opportunities and Challenges by John Comings and Lisa Soricone
This occasional paper has two goals that support the building of a stronger research base for the adult literacy field. The first goal is to interest researchers in pursuing rigorous scientific research in this field. Despite the many challenges to research, this field offers researchers some opportunities to have a positive impact on education, increase the research base, and advance their careers. The second goal is to identify these challenges and approaches to overcoming them so that future research could design more successful studies. Addressing these challenges to research is a critical step toward building a larger and stronger foundation of evidence to support practitioner decisions.  To download the paper: http://www.ncsall.net/?id=26#opps
Evaluating and Interpreting Research Syntheses in Adult Learning and Literacy by Harris Cooper
T
his occasional paper introduces the methods of research synthesis and meta-analysis to researchers and consumers of research in the field of adult learning and literacy. The first section defines key terms and offers a brief history of how the methodologies developed. The second section provides a conceptualization of research synthesis that views it no differently from other research endeavors in the social sciences. Then, the tasks of research synthesis are presented within the context of a hypothetical example drawn from the literature on adult learning and literacy.  To download the paper: http://www.ncsall.net/?id=26#syntheses 

- Kaye Beall. World Education kaye_beall@worlded.org

 Resources from EdChange family of Web sites: A new Classism and Poverty Awareness Quiz http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/quizzes.html ; Newly designed Social Justice News Service site
http://mail.socialjusticenews.net/mailman/listinfo/news_socialjusticenews.net- email-based news service, periodic email digests of links to articles related to equity, social justice, and multiculturalism from sources all over the world. 
 New essays and links to essays http://www.edchange.org/publications.html
New essays in the Multicultural Education Research Room  http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers.html


from Thursday notes, 02/15/07:

States Trying Out DOL's CAAs 

President Bush's FY 2008 employment and training budget for the Department of Labor  renews his proposal for Career Advancement Accounts (CAAs).  Funds slated to be allocated to States as a single stream include: Workforce Investment Act Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth, as well as Employment Service funds.  CAAs provide dollars for education and training to out-of-school youth, low-income adults, and dislocated workers.  Last fall, as part of the President’s American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), DOL announced that three states—IN, PA, and WY—are receiving $1.5M discretionary grants to demonstrate CAAs, using a customized strategy for each State economy.  IN is using geographic regions to model service delivery for high-growth, high-demand industries to bring to scale Statewide.  PA is focusing on high-priority industries and industry clusters.  WY is targeting training to its key energy sector.  Five other states—GA, MI, MN, MO, and OH—have $1.5M discretionary grants to pilot CAAs for dislocated workers under the ACI.  Click on http://www.doleta.gov/BudgetFY08.cfm

ETS: Worker Skill Forecast Bleak
American workers will be less literate in 2030 than today.  So says America’s Perfect Storm, a new report from the Educational Testing Service (ETS).  As better-educated workers leave the workforce, incoming workers with lower skills will not qualify for high-wage jobs that are growing.  Instead, workers will compete with each other, and new immigrants, for low-wage employment.  To avoid a bleak future, the report says we need to handle the combined effect of: skill gaps in reading and math; a labor market rewarding higher skills; and an increasingly diverse population.  For the report, executive summary, and PowerPoint : http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/
Taking Matters Into Teachers’ Hands What if adult education teachers handled their own professional development as teacher researchers?  Teacher-researchers develop questions about what they think and observe about teaching and learning.  George Mason University (VA) has a helpful set of online materials and a how-to guide for teachers undertaking classroom research. http://www.gse.gmu.edu/research/tr/TRdefinition.shtml

Create Your State Check out the Education Counts database with 250 State-level, K-12 education indicators, many spanning multiple years.  Data were collected for Education Week's annual reports, Quality Counts and Technology Counts.  To build your own table, select indicators, years and States. http://www2.edweek.org/rc/edcounts/



CAELA's newest online resource collection,Working with Literacy-Level Adult English Language Learners. is now available at http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/collections/literacy.html    The collection includes links and annotations to many resources related to working with adult English language learners, who have had limited access to formal education. - Lynda Terrill, Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, Center for Applied Linguistics, 4646 40th St, NW, Washington, DC 20016  lterrill@cal.org


As referenced during the December Leadership Institute, please be advised that all services on WordChamp are being made available to RIDE funded programs for the 2006-2007 program year.
The program is designed to provide support to classroom language learning and can also function as an independent study tool for students at high intermediate to fairly advanced levels.  With guidance, this could also be a useful tool for more basic level learners. Find out more at http://www.wordchamp.com
(Please note that this is not an endorsement of the site, but is being disseminated for information purposes only).

from Daphne Greenberg: The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on December 13, 2006.  This was a tremendous achievement for all who had worked over the past 5 years and even before that, to put disability on the human rights agenda.   It is expected that the U.S. disability movement will campaign for the United States to sign and ratify the Convention.  While the U.S. had announced at the beginning of the process that they would never sign, this appears to have changed and they are considering a signature.  See the Convention in its final form at   http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/convtexte.htm


 

this is not a sales pitch: Earth from the Air is a "presentation of large-scale photographs of astonishing natural landscapes. Created by world-famous photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, every stunning aerial photograph tells a story about our changing planet. Seen together, they are an outstanding visual testimony to the world we live in today. A world with a growing population, shrinking biodiversity, polluted lands and oceans, a changing climate and a shortage of drinking water. A world, nevertheless, of beauty and of wonder.” Photos online for discussion, as well as  facts about the world (developing and overdeveloped), visuals to spark discussion and resources  to keep it going. http://www.earthfromtheair.com/  (with thanks to Miranda Shaw)
 
and

(from the Rethinking Schools list serv)10 fantastic color photographs taken by the Hubble space telescope.?  Please left click on the URL
below...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/galleries/index.html?in_image_id=302567&in_gallery_id=9139&in_page_id=1055>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/
galleries/index.html?in_image_id=302567&in_gallery_id=9139&in_page_id=1055

Reflect 6, the magazine of the UK’s National Research and Development Centre is now on-line.
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=71 
Articles of interest address numeracy, ESOL, work force learning and practitioner-research.

Immigration's Impact on the Workforce   Volume 4, Issue 3   Commonwealth Corporation announces the release of its Research and Evaluation Brief, Immigration's Impact on the Workforce.,  which looks at the impact of new foreign immigration on the population and labor force of Massachusetts, by examining their demographic characteristics, educational attainment levels, and English Language proficiency. It also discusses the potential implications for workforce development in the state. To view the brief please visit the CommCorp website at http://www.commcorp.org/researchandevaluation/briefs.html

Radical Math is a resource for educators interested in integrating issues of social, political, and economic justice into math curriculum and classes… RadicalMath.org has the goals of raising mathematic literacy and simultaneously developing ways to address a range of community issues. The website supports educators to teach many different types of math within the context of studying social, political, and economic justice issues. RadicalMath.org also contains teaching materials on important financial topics for youth such as owning a credit card, paying for college, and avoiding subprime lenders, as well as materials on Ethnomathematics. Visit http://www.radicalmath.org/ for more or email info@radicalmath.org



Google Scholar enables searches for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from broad areas of research. Use Google Scholar to find articles from a variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as articles available across the web.  Google Scholar orders search results by how relevant they are to your query, so the most useful references should appear at the top of the page. This relevance ranking takes into account the full text of each article as well as the article's author, the publication in which the article appeared and how often it has
been cited in scholarly literature. Google Scholar automatically analyzes and extracts citations and presents them as separate results, even if the documents they refer to are not online. This means your search results may include citations of older works and seminal articles that
appear only in books or other offline publications. http://scholar.google.com/
Living in Poverty slideshow does the math: what does it take to live at the poverty level.
http://www.nccbuscc.org/cchd/povertyusa/tour2.htm

RI Foundation online scholarship directory - searchable by city/town, intended field of study, current high school, and more. http://scholarship.rifoundation.org/
YouthBuild USA Learning Network has links to Web sites and full-text documents, and  includes a section on "Authentic Materials/Engaged Learning/Constructivism/Contextual Learning/Project-based Learning." http://www.youthbuild.org/learningnetwork/professionaldev.html

Providence Community Resource Network (PCRN) http://www.provplan.org/pcrn
Spanish language version of PCRN is up and running.  You can access the site from the PCRN home page, http://www.provplan.org/pcrn, or go to http://www.provplan.org/pcrnespa. The Web pages, online instructions, and the content of the database have all been translated.

conferences and workshops - conferences and workshops are listed chronologically and are updated with each bulletin
Rhode Island - Training/events around employment issues for people with disabilities http://www.ric.edu/uap/training.html

call for proposals: MATSOL 2007 Conference - http://www.matsol.org/ - Click on Conference 2007; conference will be held March 8-9; proposals are due on December 15.

The National Center for Family Literacy 16th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy, March 4 - 6, 2007,  Orlando, Florida.   For further information, please visit http://www.famlit.org/Conference/index.cfm 
The 2007 Learning Differences Awareness Conference: March 3, Providence Marriott, Orms Street.  Registration $40 before February 17.  Dr. Robert Brooks is the keynote speaker. Conference brochure available at  http://www.dunninstitute.org

4th Annual (Net)Working Conference on Women & Literacy March 9 – March 10, 2007  Northeastern University  Boston.
The conference theme for this year is Threads of Experience: Creative Spaces for Women's Learning.   
Keynote Speaker: Antonia Darder  Pre-Conference Seminar  The Impact of Violence on Learning: Building Connections to Deepen Understanding  March 8, 2007  9:30 – 4:30  Co-Sponsored by WE LEARN & Northeastern University School of Professional and Continuing Studies.  If you have questions or need more information, please contact:   Mev Miller  welearn@litwomen.org   401-383-4374. http://www.litwomen.org/conference.html

For seminar details, and availability visit the website 
or contact 
jenny@learningandviolence.net

Announcing a second training for Preparing for Work:  An EFF Work Readiness Curriculum
March 8 and 9, at the University of Tennessee Conference Center Knoxville, TN To register online,: http://utkcls.ra.utk.edu/register/eff_register.asp?event_id=EFF0607+++&Submit=Continue+-%3E

For more information on the training and for registration details, please refer to the attached brochure, or call Anna Bogle at (865) 974-8426. The EFF Work Readiness Curriculum aligns with the National Work Readiness Credential (NWRC) Profile which was developed in collaboration with the EFF Assessment Consortium and hundreds of front-line supervisors from businesses across the country.
The profile uses The EFF Worker Role Map and integrates the Secretary1s Commission on Achieving Basic Skills (SCANS skills) with the EFF Content Standards.  Each of the instructional modules that comprise the EFF Work Readiness Curriculum take a blended approach, focusing on specific SCANS tasks from the credential1s profile while highlighting two or three of the EFF Standards, reinforcing the acquisition and application of basic skills.  - Anna Bogle Professional Development Coordinator, Equipped for the Future 600 Henley St, Suite 312 Knoxville, TN 37996


Commonwealth Workforce Coalition: 4th Annual Sharing Skills~Building Connections Conference

March 14th, DCU Center, Worcester, MA
This year's conference focuses on working effectively with the dual customers of the public workforce development system—employers and program participants. New workshops and a post-conference reception have been added. Register by February 14th for the early-bird special. 
For more information: http://cwc.cedac.org/

Facing Race: A National Conference March 22-24, City University of New York
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=288732541&url_num=4&url=http://www.arc.org/content/view/487/111/
EARLY REGISTRATION CLOSES THIS FRIDAY FEB. 23.     The Future of Racial Justice  Winona LaDuke, Juan Gonzales, Angela Glover Blackwell and our own Rinku Sen will be on hand to debate the pressing issues confronting communities of color.  From rebuilding in the Gulf to the fight for affirmative action, these experts will take up the questions you want answered. And today, you decide! 
What are those critical issues?  What questions should the panel take up?    Go to the FACING RACE site and answer the poll http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=288732541&url_num=6&url=http://www.arc.org/content/view/487/111/ to tell us what you think (find it in the sidebar): OR
Visit our blog RaceWire.org http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=288732541&url_num=7&url=http://www.racewire.org  and let us know what you want to hear in this important plenary session.  And while you're there, read up on our latest news commentary.
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=288732541&url_num=16&url=http://www.arc.org/content/view/490/111/

The Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) and the Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education invite you to submit a proposal for presentation at the 2007 COABE National Conference to be held in Philadelphia March 25-28, 2007. 

ANN Teaching and Learning Principles: A Map for Implementing Effective Math Instruction for Adult Learners - The Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) will hold a full day Math Institute as part of the COABE Pre Conference on March 25. The Institute will address four strands (Number, Geometry, Data, and Algebra) for all adult learner levels. Attendees will participate in group learning activities which will increase understanding of concepts and emphasize the importance of an activity based curriculum. Individuals can register through the COABE07 website for the one-day Pre-Conference Session. - Esther Leonelli Moderator, ANN Numeracy list

Creating Balance in an Unjust World Conference on Math Education and Social Justice Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY, April 27 - April 29 http://www.radicalmath.org/conference 

We are looking for people to register as a participant, volunteer for planning or at the conference, table as an organization or vendor, donate financially or in-kind.  Registration - sliding scale $25-125 and free for session facilitators  
To present/facilitate a session download the application at http://www.radicalmath.org/conference        

Conference Overview:  Join educators, parents, students, activists, and community members from around the country to explore the connections between math education and social justice.  We invite you to share your thoughts, lesson plans, questions and be a facilitator for a workshop, interest group, or presentation. Facilitators may also choose to present on topics related to math and social justice i.e. equity in education, literacy and social justice, etc. Sessions need not be entirely polished presentations as we hope to share ideas in order to build together.
Goals of the conference: Bring together educators, researchers, parents, activists, and students to collectively discuss social justice and math education;  Foster new and innovative partnerships and collaborations; Create a space to share resources, lesson plans, best practices, and other classroom materials; Develop structures for ongoing discussion and working groups about math and social justice; Organize a
national voice in the ongoing debate over math education reform; Plan actions, advocacy, future meetings, etc.
Session Formats - Workshops, Interest Group Gatherings, or Presentations. 
All sessions will be one hour and 30 minutes in length. Workshops are interactive sessions intended for 15-40 participants that may utilize a variety of formats including small group work, open discussion, and break-out sessions.  Interest Group Gatherings are informal sessions
bringing together 15-40 participants with similar interests for more casual conversations to engage in network building, and collective thinking around common issues, and do not require the facilitator to present information. They are brain-storming sessions where the facilitator helps guide a discussion around a common interest.  Presentations are lecture style sessions that may have one speaker or a panel of speakers. 

Contact: Taeko Onishi ktaeko@gmail.com (646)259-5602

coming in May: How Community Colleges Contribute to Equity in Education and the Workforce (ETS-sponsored) May 21- May 22, 2007 Princeton, New Jersey
Community colleges enroll almost half of the undergraduate students in America’s colleges and universities, and they are the postsecondary institutions of choice for a higher proportion of minority, immigrant, low-income, and first-generation students. For these students, the colleges serve as portals for entry to the workplace or to baccalaureate degree programs. Because community colleges are open admissions institutions that serve students who are highly diverse in age, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, they tend to be flexible and prepared to support students at all levels to succeed. As with all colleges and universities, students arrive with varied experiences and learning styles; many of them have either struggled in high school or have logged many years out of school before enrolling in a community college.

The symposium will focus on research devoted to addressing the challenges and opportunities offered by community colleges. Scholars and practitioners will discuss the latest data, analyses, and innovative ideas for policies and practices for community colleges as they seek to close achievement gaps. Among the topics planned for the conference are:  Historical Perspectives on Community Colleges and Achievement Gaps, Enrollments and Attendance Patterns at Community Colleges, Closing Gaps in Mathematics, Literacy, English as a Second Language, How Do Two-Year Minority-Serving Institutions Fare in Closing Gaps? Community Colleges Preparing Students for the Workforce, Barriers to Transfer and Retention, Placement, Remediation Approaches,  Defending the Community College Equity Agenda Participants may include community college leaders, faculty, administrators, researchers from various institutions, the general public, and representatives of community college organizations. 
To learn more:
http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=1c10a7f45d410110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=19e5be3a864f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD


other events and conferences http://www.nifl.gov/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar_world.cgi

TESOL worldwide calendar of events http://www.tesol.org/isaffil/calendar/index.html



from previous bulletins: REMINDERS, RESOURCES
SABES Resource Lists Available.  From Carey Reid [full message here]:
As you might know, Massachusetts now has a rigorous, stand-alone ABE teacher's license.  SABES, the System for Adult Basic Education Support, is a state-wide staff development system funded by MassDOE. 
Ö[S]months ago I asked if NLA subscribers were interested in helping SABES build resource lists, by standard, in support of teachers seeking the new license here in Massachusetts.  Many of you helped out, thank you, and we've also worked with small groups of people locally to build these 29 lists, now with over 150 resources--books, articles, websites, and videos.  The lists are now available on SABES's  license support website at http://www.sabes.org/license.  You can get quickly to the lists by clicking on the "new resources added" link under What's New, or at any time by using the resources link on the bottom of every webpage.  When you arrive at the chart listing the 29 standards, click on any standard to go to the resource list we've compiled for it.   The lists are annotated; with the annotations, teachers who wish to improve their knowledge and skills in respect to a particular standard can be more assured they're getting the resource they want or need.  If the resource can be viewed or downloaded on the Net, we've provided a link. 

Additionally, we want to improve these lists, so please email me if you'd like to suggest additions or changes.  BTW, the full list of resources is also collected in a ProCite bibliography file, so if you use that software and would like to have your own "instant" database, let me know and I'll email you the file. As stated earlier, SABES is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education.  To avoid confusion, the website is not an official DOE site but rather one of SABES's means of supporting license-seeking teachers in our state.  Links to Massachusetts DOE webpages, however, are provided on the site.



breathe - everyday yoga at your desk. http://www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/everyday_yoga.html


what do you think? LR/RI has had an online survey on its site forever.  Previously, those who may have come across the survey were asked to copy and paste it into an email message, or to print it and complete it.  Thanks to the brilliant technical support and inservice learning provided by Brown University, the survey can now be completed on line.  I'd be grateful if you could please take the time to complete it.  While occasional word comes back about the work LR/RI has done, this survey attempts to be somewhat more systematic in considering the work that's done and the work that needs to be accomplished.  Please complete the survey at http://www.brown.edu/lrri - scroll down and click on the link to the survey.  If you lack web access and wish to complete the survey, please contact LR/RI to receive one via snail mail or fax.

  • please submit 

  • Please contact LR/RI if you have information, questions or announcements to share with adult educators in Rhode Island. Bulletins go out at least twice a month; more frequently when there's more to share. To submit information for the next bulletin, please contact LR/RI by phone (401-863-2839), mail (PO Box 1974, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912) or email

    back to LR/RI home