Rhode Island Adult Education Professional Development Center



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  The Rhode Island Adult Education Professional Development Center 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, please go to Bulletin Archives.  To receive the bulletin via email, contact LR/RI.

 
To learn more about professional development opportunities, please contact the RI AEPDC at (401) 456 -2838 or (401) 863-2839

    December 16
, 2008

    Bulletin #287

      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 the AEPDC or leave a message at (401-863-2839).
 

Janet Isserlis signature

 Janet Isserlis



  
NOTICES - – in addition to events listed here, a recently updated list of events  (including workforce development workshops, new practitioner
  orientation, standards overview - and rescheduled events) can be found at http://www.ric.edu/aepdc/calendar.php  


  ESOL share Wednesday, January 21st, 3 pm at the Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence.
 Swap Shop –
write up an activity, strategy or lesson plan you've used that's worked particularly well. 
 Include key pieces – time needed to implement, time needed to prepare, level(s) at which the activity
 works, materials needed as well. Please bring at least 8 copies to share. If you don’t have time to write
 your piece, that's fine – but please be prepared to walk us through it. 


 Standards Rollout 
 
If you've not yet participated in the introduction to RI's adult education content standards, consider spending the morning of January 23rd (from 9 to 1) with us to
 learn more about them. For more information, and/or to reserve space, please contact Jessica Ortiz (jortiz@ric.edu ) by  January 19th.
 


 A reminder to those attending the Persistence Conference on October 17th, and an open invitation to all interested others
 -  the second follow up session to the conference will be held on Friday, December 19th, at noon. (location to be announced).
 As well, if you've not completed a work plan or evaluation, please contact Jessica Ortiz (jortiz@ric.edu) for an electronic copy of these documents.


Latino Dollars for Scholars 15th Annual Awards Banquet. Providence Marriott January 8th, 6:00 pm
http://www.ladori.org


  8th Annual Adult Education Fair CCRI, Providence Campus, January 15, 9:00 AM – Noon
 This event will give students and practitioners the opportunity to learn about adult education and training programs. All students and agency staff are invited to
 attend. Please contact Yvette Kenner with number of attendees, and if you would like to staff a table.
 (Tables are on first come, first serve basis for registered agencies).  For more information, please contact: yvette@lvari.org

 College Goal Sunday: On January 25th,  The RI Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, in conjunction with the Lumina Foundation for Education,
 will be hosting College Goal Sunday at four RI locations: CCRI Lincoln, CCRI Providence, CCRI Newport, and Central Falls High School.

 The Purpose of College Goal Sunday is to assist the college-bound students and parents in our communities with the college financial aid process.  So many
 students are either intimidated or unaware of how it all works.  We are here to help.  Families will be able to receive assistance with filling out financial aid
 forms, have their questions answered, and most of all, they will leave the program with a sense of ease, accomplishment, and knowledge.  (College Goal Sunday
 focuses on assisting with the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  This form is required for any student seeking federal financial
 aid, including grants and loans, at educational institutions nationwide.)  This is a free service to citizens of Rhode Island. For information or for families to register
 on line: http://www.collegegoalri.org  or contact: Gail Walker, gwalker@risla.com or Andrea Swain, aswain@cpcri.org.

Transitions from ESOL to ABE – what do we need to know?  A group of practitioners have been discussing what we need to learn and how we can help each
other as more and more learners leave ESOL classes and move into ABE classes and programs.  How can we support learners and one another in making these
shifts?  Please come to share ideas, questions and suggestions.  We'll be meeting on January 29th, at 5 pm, at a location to be decided.  You don’t need to RSVP,
but if you could send email to janet_isserlis@brown.edu   if you plan to attend, it will help us determine where to meet. 
Location will be announced in early January. 
 

 New Practitioner Orientation (NPO) for full time practitioners will be offered on January 30th and 31st, at the Genesis Center, from 9 am to 4 pm.
 Question?  please call (401) 863-2839.  To RSVP, by January23rd, please contact Jessica Ortiz (jortiz@ric.edu).


  learning opportunities

 
 Do you need extra help looking for a job? Our free job training program allows you to participate in an internship experience, receive job placement assistance,
 and improve your basic math and writing skills. The program also has students working with computers on a daily basis to strengthen their skills in that area.
 The training is 10 weeks long and runs Monday-Friday 9am-2pm. There is no fee for this program. Classes start January 7th, so call today.
 Call Christian Vargas at 401-273-8866.
 


 If you're interested in growing your skills in technology for the  purpose of teaching ESL, consider participating in Becoming a Webhead, a free, well-
 structured online training opportunity offered by TESOL's CALL interest section (computer assisted language learning). http://www.call-is.org/moodle/
 The session starts in January and is part of TESOL's Electronic Village Online. For six weeks, participants can engage with ESOL experts in collaborative,
 online discussion sessions or hands-on virtual workshops of professional and scholarly benefit. These sessions will bring together participants for a longer
 period of time than is permitted by the four-day land-based TESOL convention and will allow a fuller development of ideas and themes of the convention
 or of professional interest in general. The sessions are free and open to all interested parties. You do not need to be a TESOL member to participate.
 

 
  Certificate in Family Literacy graduate courses through flexible online learning at Penn State University 

 Spring 2009 classes run January 21, 2009, through April 22, 2009, and registration is underway. Certificate courses offered this semester include:
 ADTED 456, Introduction to Family Literacy, which probes comprehensive family literacy services as a way to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty
 and under-education.
 ADTED 459, Interactive Literacy: Parents and Children that prepares educators to understand, plan and practice interactive literacy strategies in intentional and
 strategic ways. There is an ongoing focus on effective learning strategies for all children and families, including English language learners.
 For more information visit http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/FamilyLiteracyCertificate.shtml or contact Dr. Sheila Sherow at sms20@psu.edu
 http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/StudentServices_GettingStarted.shtml


 National Priorities Project analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. 
 Numeracy, critical thinking and technology:  have a look http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home  

funding opportunities - large and less large
  Applications are now being accepted for grants from the Charles Evans Book Fund, a special program of ProLiteracy’s National Book Fund, that supplies local
 programs with adult literacy and basic education curricula and materials. The Fund, dedicated to improving the lives of people who are homeless, was established
 with a generous grant from the Charles Evans Foundation in honor of the late Charles Evans.  Non-profit organizations that provide adult literacy or basic
 education services for people who are homeless are eligible to apply for a Charles Evans Book Fund grant from ProLiteracy. Grants typically range between
 $3,000 and $8,000, but may be smaller or larger depending on the needs of the applicant organization. Grants are in the form of vouchers for teaching materials
 and products from ProLiteracy’s publishing division, New Readers Press.  In addition to literacy instructional and reading materials, New Readers Press also
 produces many materials to help individuals with life skills such as applying for a job, parenting, obtaining a driver’s license, and others. 
Applications are now being accepted by mail and must be postmarked no later than January 23, 2009 to be considered. For grant guidelines,
 applications, and additional information: http://ww.proliteracy.org 


National Program Improvement Grant Opportunity
  Learn effective and innovative ways to tell your community and your funders about your program's effectiveness with the help of ProLiteracy and your peers!
 Apply to join Year Three of the Dollar General/ProLiteracy  Performance Accountability (DGPA) Initiative As a one-year participating program, your program gets:
 Ideas tested by your literacy peers; a stipend to help offset travel and reporting requirements; two places at one of six regional trainings, "Communicating Success to
 Stakeholders," scheduled for February and March 2009; Access to practical resources and support through the DGPA wiki and online discussion list and
 the opportunity to test and evaluate new strategies  Applications available November 2008  For information e-mail Marie Cora, DGPA Project Manager at
 mcora@proliteracy.org This project is made possible through the generous support of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation

 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 opportunities are generally sent as they arrive via email; if you would like to receive this bulletin, and those updates by email please
  contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu.

GED Testing Service is building Content Coordinating Teams to assist us in the review of new test items being developed for the 2012 Series GED Tests.
  This is an opportunity for specialists in the content areas assessed on the GED test battery to have a real and lasting impact on the items that will ultimately
 appear on the new tests.  We will be putting six content area teams together (one each for the five GED Test content areas--language arts-reading, language
 arts-writing, mathematics, science, and social studies--plus a sixth team for the Canadian Social Studies GED Test), and hope to have the teams in place by
 January 30, 2009. Teams will begin meeting, either in person or virtually (via WebEx), beginning in the first quarter of 2009. details and application form:    http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/about/GEDTS_Contractor_Opp.htm.   (You can also navigate to this link by going to our web site,
  http://www.gedtest.org/  > About GED Testing > Opportunities with GED Testing Service > Content Coordinating Team Consultant.) 
For more information: Martin D. Kehe, Director of Test Development, GED® Testing Service, American Council on Education, One Dupont Circle, NW Ste 250,
 Washington, DC  20036  (202)939.9701 martin_kehe@ace.nche.edu


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
 online: LessonWriter.com is a free website where teachers can copy, paste and submit any text (an article, essay, story, etc.) and create comprehensive, standards
 -based lesson plans and student materials in minutes.

 LessonWriter is a simple, fast and free way to use authentic, high-interest content to motivate students while delivering the explicit language instruction that ELL's
 need in both English and content-area classes. There are advanced features that can differentiate instruction for multilevel classes and class tracking features that will
 automatically scaffold lessons.  
 http://www.lessonwriter.com



 from Jobs for the Future:
 An Agenda for the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress: Ten Ways the Federal Government can restore economic vitality and increase competitiveness
 through education and skill development http://www.jff.org/Documents/AdvicetoObama.pdf

- and –

 Education Sector also offers more education ideas for the next president, including recommendations on revamping the federal role in education human capital
 and revising NCLB to provide more high-quality public school options to the students who need them the most.
 Revamping the Federal Role in Education Human Capital by Co-director Andrew J. Rotherham
 http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=727538
 In Need of Improvement: Revising NCLB’s School Choice Provision http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=727885.
 For more information about Education Sector and our work, please visit http://www.educationsector.org
 


 from the National Institute for Literacy: Adults wanting to learn or improve their English skills can log on to a new free Online English Portal called
 USALearns.
 The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education, through its Division of Adult Education and Literacy, oversaw the design of
 USALearns. Launch of the site completes a goal set by President Bush in his August 10, 2007 announcement of initiatives to address border security and
 immigration challenges in the United States - a plan to have the U.S.Department of Education develop and launch a free, web-based portal to help immigrants
 learn English, expand their opportunities, and make effective contributions to American society." http://www.USALearns.org;
 fact sheet at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/USALearnsFactSheet08.pdf.
 

 a manual of family numeracy activities, ready to use in early literacy programs, day care centres, primary grades and Adult Basic
 Education/Literacy programs. Patterns, recipes, and hand-outs all included (109 pages). Download your free copy:  
 http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/familymath/cover.htm
 Math for the whole person: Spirit, heart, body and mind are all connected in the activities in this book. When we balance the spirit, heart, body and mind, math
 becomes part of our whole lives, not a beast or a barrier.
 Activities for the whole family: Things to do in the kitchen and on a walk, rhymes, games, and things to make, all to promote math thinking and learning.
 For more information:  Kate.Nonesuch@viu.ca.  
 Funded by The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada 
 

 Bananagrams – a word game, maybe useful for new readers, old readers. 
 (full disclosure:  a friend of a friend sold me one set and gave another to the PDC for further exploration. We gain nothing from any sales of the game.)
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananagrams
 


 from Thursday notes,  December 11, 2008
 
 OVAE Invites states and national organizations to contribute content standards in reading, math and English language acquisition to its Adult Education
 Content Standards Warehouse. http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/, a web site designed to help states develop and align content standards as well as plan for curriculum
 and professional development to implement standards-based education. The warehouse provides access to content standards from states and two national organizations, a guide
 for establishing state adult education standards and other national and international standards, and technical assistance materials.
 To contribute new or updated standards, contact Ronna Spacone. Ronna.spacone@ed.gov
 Rhode Island's content standards, at present, are online at http://www.ric.edu/aepdc/priority_aecs.php
 
 Is the U.S. Losing Its Edge in Postsecondary Education?
The rest of the world may be bypassing the United States http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-12-03-college-preparation_N.htm when it comes to postsecondary education, according to a new report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, http://www.highereducation.org/ a non-profit California-based group. The report, Measuring Up 2008, http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/index.php raises concerns about persistent U.S. disparities in access and completion for low-income students and underrepresented minorities. These fast-growing populations will dominate a U.S. workforce that must compete in a global economy as better educated workers retire. The report says data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, comprising the world's most developed countries, show that between 2003 and 2006, the U.S. slipped from fifth to seventh in the percentage of adults ages 18–24  enrolled in college, and from seventh to 10th in the percentage of adults 25–34 holding an associate degree or higher. The report also offers state-by-state report cards on six key measures of educational performance: preparation for college, participation, affordability, completion, benefits and learning. http://measuringup2008.highereducation.org/index.php
 
The Florida Literacy Coalition has posted a new health literacy curriculum and corresponding student resource book, which integrates health literacy and English language learning (ELL). Staying Healthy: An English Learner's Guide to Health Care and Healthy Living focuses on increasing health literacy among ELL students. The curriculum encourages them to make healthy choices about nutrition and engage in preventive health care. The materials, funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Education's Division of Workforce Education, http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/ are written at the 4th through 5th grade levels and correlate both to CASAS competencies and Florida Adult ESOL Course Standards. 
http://www.floridaliteracy.org/literacy_resources__teacher_tutor__health_literacy.html
 

from Gail Spangenberg, Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
The National Commission on Adult Literacy, in Reach Higher, America, calls for an expenditure (in 2008 dollars), for the new adult education and workforce skills system it recommends, of $20 billion in public funding. It also calls for an unspecified amount in private sector funding, creation of a new national trust to help support development of this system which would be supported by both public and private funds, and use of technology on an unprecedented scale to help achieve increased enrollments and bring down per-student program costs.  The Center for Labor Management Studies at Northeastern recently calculated the affects of inflation by 2020 on the $20 billion figure and for private sector funding. The results are presented in a short paper prepared for CAAL as part of its follow-up work on behalf of the Commission. The paper is posted for interested parties at the CAAL website, http://www.caalusa.org  (Publications page, item NC-CAAL3), along with other recent analyses for CAAL/the Commission.


 RI DLT's Rhode Island Red job search feature is now drawing job postings from ALL local jobs boards (except Monster.com).
 To access this resource visit RI RED http://www.dlt.ri.gov/rired/ -- under quick menu click job search; choose location search criteria, provide job title or other
 criteria. Source codes are listed at the bottom of the page


 Guidance documents from the UK's Skills for Lifehttp://excellence.qia.org.uk/page.aspx?o=Guidance 
 – contextualizing work for those with clearly identified learning difficulties (defined as): physical and sensory impairments – for example those with mobility difficulties or hearing or visual impairments; unseen
 disabilities such as health conditions, mental health  difficulties and dyslexia; those whose disrupted learning experiences (for example those in offender establishments) and difficulties with learning have led them
 to work at a significantly lower level than the majority of  their peers.

 
  numeracy resources: The Problem Solver, Massachusetts math newsletter, online at http://www.sabes.org/resources/publications/problemsolver/index.htm
 Massachusetts also produces a math newsletter that focuses on research: the SABES Math Bulletin.
 You can access copies of that publication at: http://sabes.org/resources/publications/mathbulletin/index.htm

  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



  Lots to do at the library Providence Public Library's calendar of events: http://www.provlib.org/calendar.asp
 


  Educating the Public and Elected Officials about Adult Education: Report on Adult  Education Advocacy Efforts in New England by the New
 England Literacy Resource Center at World Education

 This report takes stock of the program, policy and legislative context for adult education in each of the six New England states.  It discusses local and
 statewide advocacy strategies by adult educators.  The findings show that adult education advocacy efforts in New England are multi-faceted, and growing in
 sophistication and reach.  The report discusses the principal challenges and related promising strategies revealed through interviews with leading adult education
 advocates in New England.  They are grouped into four areas:
 1) Visibility;
 2) Framing the Message;
 3) Student Involvement; and 4) Increasing and Sustaining Advocacy Efforts.
 Available for downloading (as a PDF file): http://www.nelrc.org/expertise/civic.html#educating
 (For a word doc version,  please contact janet_isserlis@brown.edu)

 Seven habits and more: a recent online discussion about reading and ESOL (and English speaking) learners, led to a number of resources being shared, including Heide Spruck Wrigley's
 Seven Habits of Successful Readers, http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/7Habits.pdf.
 To follow the entire conversation, go to http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/2008/date.html and follow the conversation thread that begins on May 12th (you’ll need to scroll down the page).



 UK National Curricula for ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy, with associated material and  support for teachers, including the competencies for each skill at each level. 
 As well, a significant number of resources for working with people with  a range of disabilities.  (See, for example): http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/access/workwith/principles/
 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_esol/
 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/
 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_numeracy/


 Workplace Essential Skills and  GED Connection series Now Available Through VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

 The adult learning series Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection are available online through the Rhode Island PBS video streaming portal.  In 25 half-hour segments, the Workplace Essential Skills series
 presents refreshers in fundamental reading, writing, and math skills as they relate to getting, keeping, or advancing in a job. Lessons also cover job applications, resume writing, and job interviews. An orientation
 segment touches upon the use of the different components included in this series. Lessons are written at a pre-GED level, and can help prepare adults for the GED tests. Four workbooks accompany the series.
 In 39 half-hour programs, the GED Connection helps learners prepare for the GED exam. Episodes cover subjects and skills related to work, community, and home life. Practice tests help learners know what to
 expect, see which skills they need to strengthen, and build confidence.
 
 Access to Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection series through RI PBS video streaming is free. Users access VOD through an account and passcode, available by email request to
 Education@ RIpbs.org or by calling Education Services at 401-222-3636 x 211. Video streaming, also known as video on demand (VOD), allows users the convenience of watching lessons at any time
 from an Internet-connected computer. VOD is also flexible, allowing users to watch several episodes in one sitting, or repeat lessons as often as desired.

 Both the Workplace Essential Skills and the GED Connection series are also broadcast on RI PBS LEARN, digital 36.2 and Verizon 787. The Workplace Essential Skills broadcasts Fridays at
 12:30 PM and the GED Connection series broadcasts Mondays, Tuesdays, and Sundays at 12:30 PM.  For Workplace Essential Skills and the GED Connection broadcast dates 
 please visit: http://www.pbs.org/tvschedules/
For information about RIPBS Education Services please visit out web pages at http://www.ripbs.org/Education/
- Dr. María D. Velásquez de Tondreau Education Director Rhode Island PBS 50 Park Lane Providence, RI 02907 Phone: (401) 222-3636, ext. 211 Fax: (401) 222-3407 Education@RIpbs.org


 National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy,
 dedicated to conducting research and development projects to improve literacy, numeracy, language and related skills and knowledge. On this site you will find information on all our activities, including:

 Research and development projects <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/projects.asp

 Creative routes to specialist teacher qualifications <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/creativeroutes>

 The Voices on the Page storybank is now live! Read all of the 640 stories here <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/voicesonthepage.asp

 Research reports and reviews <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=329

 Latest e- newsletter <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=671

 News and events <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/news.asp>

 While the work originates in the U.K., much of it has usefulness and validity for work in this country.
 


google literacy site: http://www.google.com/literacy/

outstanding resource: http://www.youthliteracy.ca/ - Youth Literacy work in Canada

Shannon Gavin, a senior graduating from Brown this year, has developed a new website, as her capstone project in Middle East Studies,  called Arab Perceptions of the United States:
Video Interviews from Amman, Jordan and Damascus, Syria.You can view them, and supporting text at  http://arabperceptions.wordpress.com


  The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) - The  U.S. Civics and Citizenship Online: Resource Center for Instructors is available online at:
 http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=b36e663784bcd010VgnVCM100000d1f1d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=b36e663784bcd010VgnVCM100000d1f1d6a1RCRD


  The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), Assisting Refugees with Disabilities Program : Resource Guide for Serving Refugees with Disabilities
  available at http://www.refugees.org/DisabilityGuide

  The guide, written for refugee case managers and those serving refugees with disabilities, includes 139 pages of information about resources for serving adults and children with disabilities,
  housing for refugees with disabilities, assistive technology, medical resources, citizenship and disability, benefits for refugees with disabilities and more. 
  If you have any questions or technical assistance needs, please contact Xuan Nguyen, Director of USCRI Health and Human Services at xnguyen@uscridc.org or at 202-347-3507 ext 3056.
 

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


  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

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

 NAASLN's Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference -  Access to the Workforce for Adult & Adolescent Learners with AD/HD and Asperger’s Syndrome
 February 22–23 
 This regional conference will draw adult education practitioners, transition specialists, community college faculty, workforce counselors, disability advocates,
 and others from New York to Virginia.  The self-contained conference site and tight format lends itself to ample time for small-group discussions of how these
 breakthrough strategies apply to the evolving economy; issues affecting the new workforce; transition to postsecondary education and the workforce; advocacy
 issues and techniques; webinars; leadership options; and more.  The conference will feature three plenary sessions:  ADD and Entrepreneurism...A Curriculum that Works! 
 presented by Richard Cooper, Ph.D., Learning Specialist  Asperger’s Syndrome, Part I: The Adult Education Class  presented by Bevan Gibson, M.S. Sp. Ed., Director
 Southern Illinois Professional Development Center   Asperger’s Syndrome, Part II: Transitioning to Postsecondary Education presented by Melissa Arnott-Cox, Ed.D., L.P.C.,
 C.A.C., Director Academic Success Center, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ  Registration is limited to 70 overnight registrants and 80 day-only registrants.
 Full registration of $250 covers a day-and-a-half of sessions, overnight accommodations, all meals, and 24-hour access to a hospitality suite. 
 Day-only registration of $135 covers one day of sessions and two meals.
 For full session information, site description, accommodations, driving directions, or to register online, visit NAASLN at
 http://www.naasln.org/Regional_2009_conference.htm




 
March 6-7, 2009 -  URI, Providence Campus:   WeLearn - 6th Annual (Net)Working Gathering & Conference on Women & Literacy

 http://www.litwomen.org/conference.html -
more online  – deadline – December 6th.
 


 Test Development Workshop - CETE/OSU March 9-11 , 2009 (7:30 AM to 4:30 PM)
 Developing valid, reliable assessments (tests) of job specific knowledge and skills is critical to effective defensible practice in workforce development and human
 resources.
 Occupational knowledge and skill assessments are used for many personnel- and education-related functions, including:
 Workforce development and Career Technical Education accountability (Perkins IV), Personnel selection and placement, Training needs assessment or diagnosis,
 and  Individual certification and licensure.
 A carefully-designed systematic approach to test construction maximizes return on investment and contributes to candidate satisfaction and motivation. 
 Poorly designed assessments may yield erroneous and damaging results, leading to employee or candidate dissatisfaction, ineffective credentialing decisions and
 possible exposure to litigation.
 To learn more: http://www.cete.org/AssessmentSP/images/March2009Brochure.pdf (pdf). and/or contact Kathy Summerfield at 614-688-4000 or
 summerfield.1@osu.edu.  The Center on Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University, 1900 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH 43210
 http://www.cete.org   (If we receive insufficient registrations for the  workshop, it may be rescheduled)



 Sharing Skills – Building Connections, March 11, in Worcester - Commonwealth Workforce Coalition’s 6th annual conference.  Registration materials will be
 online after January 7th:
 http://cwc.cedac.org/



  MATSOL Annual Conference :  May 7-8, 2009 at the Sheraton Four Points in Leominster, MA. 
 The 2009 conference theme is Multiple Literacies: Launching English Language Learners into a New Era.  There will be a K-12 strand on both days and an Adult,
 Workplace and Higher Education strand on Friday, May 8.  Our keynote speakers will be Stephen Krashen and Jim Cummins. 


 COABE Conference 2009, Louisville, KY April 17-22
 Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE), Kentucky Association of Adult & Continuing Education, and Kentucky Adult Education Council on Postsecondary Education
 are pleased to announce a Call for Proposals for the 2009 COABE national conference. . The goal of the Annual
 COABE National Conference is to provide best practices and program guidance to adult basic education professionals.
 http://www.coabeconference.org/

 For more information, contact: Lorena Lasky, COABE 2009 Concurrent Sessions Chairperson, Jefferson County Adult & Continuing Education
 Lorena.Lasky@kentuckianaworks.org  502-574-4123
 



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



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

 street yoga - Through the teaching of free yoga, meditation and wellness classes we seek to help homeless youth increase their physical, emotional and spiritual strength, stamina
 and flexibility so they can better meet their own core needs. We work closely with those service providers striving to help homeless youth secure safe housing, nutritious food,
 accessible health care, employment, clean clothing, educational choices and human dignity.



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