Articles
Thursday 29 July 2010 at 09:19 am
OVAE announced last week that, after a national competition, it awarded a three-year contract to DTI Associates in which it is investing more than $2.2 million in a new state-of-the-art National Adult English Language Learning Professional Development Network, also known as English Language Learning University (ELL University). The investment will identify, enhance, and create training resources to help teachers deliver quality English language instruction to adults. ELL University will provide teachers with access to a team of expert faculty, a quarterly online course catalogue, academic departments to enhance their professional growth and practical resources aligned to individual needs of instructors of adult English Language Learners. ELL University will offer faculty office hours, learning clubs, course registration and catalogues and campus life activities that simulate a university experience. For more details, check the OVAE website, under adult education and literacy, during the next few weeks.
Monday 26 July 2010 at 11:12 am
In 2009, more than 788,000 adults worldwide took some portion of the five GED content area tests and nearly 473,000 adults passed the GED Tests.
We would also like to highlight a few new features compared with previous annual statistical reports:
- Condensed narrative text focusing on jurisdictional data and statistics
- Definitions of additional terms
- Statistics on first-time test-takers, completers, and passers in Table 3, using a revised definition and additional target population percentages
- Standardized age groupings (instead of single years) to include ages 16-18 and 19-24
- Simplified Figure 6 showing GED passers by region
- Standardized scales in several figures and maps.
The new report is posted on GED AccessPoint in the Common tab of the Document Library, under Research and then Statistical Reports. Since some of you cannot receive attachments, we wanted to post it on GED AccessPoint so that you could download it at your convenience. This complimentary PDF will become available for download at http://www.GEDtest.org at its release on Friday, July 23.
Monday 26 July 2010 at 08:58 am
Presenter: Caren Van Slyke, adult educator with 30 years of experience and author of the GED ScoreboostTM series, published by New Readers Press, which includes Critical Thinking-Graphic Skills for Social Studies and Science.
Register ONLINE for this upcoming NAASLN Internet-Based Seminar www.naasln.org/webinars.htm
August 24, 2010 4:00 - 5:00 ET
Building Graphic Literacy Skills to Pass the GED® Tests
Session Description: Graphic literacy skills are essential for passing the GED Tests. About 50% of the questions on the Math, Social Studies, and Science Tests are based on graphics or on graphics and text combined. In this webinar, we'll discuss graphics-based classroom activities for both Pre-GED and GED students. We'll also preview published materials designed for student success with GED graphics.
Presenter: Caren Van Slyke has 30 years' experience as an adult educator - teacher, tutor, writer, editor, and teacher trainer. Her focus has been passing the GED Tests - developing instructional materials and training hundreds of teachers around the country. Beginning as a GED classroom teacher in Chicago in the late 1970's, she has worked on GED preparation materials for a number of publishers. Her GED ScoreboostTM series, published by New Readers Press, includes: Critical Thinking - Graphic Skills for Social Studies and Science.
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NAASLN Webinars- Internet-Based Seminars
Participate right at your desk with
your own computer, headset or telephone
At your fingertips - High Impact - Low Cost*
Register ONLINE - Go to www.naasln.org/webinars.htm
Fee per session: $40.00 Non-Members
$20.00 Members **
Fee per video of this session and other archived sessions:
$40.00 Non-Members
$20.00 Members **
**NAASLN Members: To get this discounted fee of $20.00 when you register online, use your Members Only Code. If you don't have your code, contact us at NAASLN@kocmemberservices.com and we will send it to you.
Go to www.naasln.org/webinars.htm more information about the on-going NAASLN Webinar Series and registration. If you have any questions, you can email us at info@naasln.org or leave a message at 888-5NAASLN (888-562-2756)
Friday 25 June 2010 at 2:31 pm
EL/Civics Online is a unique professional development opportunity for ESL instructors and volunteers who wish to incorporate EL/Civics content into their adult ESL classrooms.
In addition to these online courses, teachers can access two tutorials, Lesson Planning and Adapting Materials, and for those wanting to further their expertise, a Master Teacher course. This program is free of charge and will help you improve your students’ understanding of both English and EL/Civics.
Friday 25 June 2010 at 10:26 am
The Media Library of Teaching Skills (MLoTS)
http://mlots.org has just added two new GED prep and pre-GED class numeracy videos, Numeracy: Positive and Negative Numbers and Numeracy: Jeopardy Game for Numeracy Reinforcement. They were recorded at a young adult GED prep program in Boston, JFYNetWorks. You will find the link to these videos near the bottom of the front page.
MLoTS is free, can be used by individual adult education teachers who want a "video window" into other teachers' classrooms and for more formal (face-to-face and online or blended) professional development. It includes adult education classroom and tutoring videos in reading, writing, numeracy, English language learning (ESOL/ESL) adult secondary education, and family literacy. It includes links to many more videos, including tutoring, ESOL, and integrating technology in the adult education classroom, made by others. MLoTS is designed for adult educators, includes standards-based lessons and can be used for short, teacher group inquiry discussions. For example, adult education professional developers have used the MLoTS videos to organize weekly 30-minute professional development discussions at lunch.
I hope you find these adult education classroom videos useful in your own professional development and in organizing PD for others. Please forward this email to your colleagues. The MLoTS staff is available to make -- or help you make -- teacher professional videos in your state.
David J. Rosen, President
Media Library of Teaching Skills
djrosen@mlots.org
Thursday 24 June 2010 at 09:19 am
"Many in the K-12 field and the field of Adult Literacy Education have been closely following the development of the Common Core Standards. It is expected that these standards will have a dramatic effect on WHAT is taught, WHEN, and HOW in all education fields."
You may want to check out what the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) released as the Common Core State Standards for grades K-12 June 2nd. ( You may also want to look at the Draft of skills for adults at the top of the page, etc.)
http://skillsfor21stcentury.wordpress.com/
Wednesday 23 June 2010 at 1:55 pm
Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Institute,
The Institute will be closing its operations on September 30, 2010. The staff is working closely with the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) to have a smooth transition of services for the adult education and literacy community. We want to keep you advised of some dates and activities which are important for your planning. Please make a note of the changes in our operations.
NIFL Office Location After August 13
The current NIFL office location will close on August 13.
Staff will be located at the following address From August 13, 2010 until September 30, 2010. (Please also use this address for Federal Express deliveries but not mail):
US Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) 550 12th Street, SW Potomac Center Plaza, 11th floor Washington, DC 20202-7240
NIFL Mailing Address After August 13
Use this address for mail From August 13 to September 30
National Institute for Literacy c/o Susan Boorse U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) 400 Maryland Ave, SW Washington DC 20202-7240
NIFL Website
A new site will open with a LINCS banner on September 27, 2010 with the information and functions on the current NIFL site.
The NIFL website will not be updated between August 13 to September 27, 2010 in order to prepare for a transition to a new URL.
Those accessing the old URL will be automatically re-directed to the new site after September 27, 2010.
The current website content and functions will be available under the LINCS banner through a new URL after September 27, 2010.
The new URL will be announced on the NIFL website prior to the Institute closure.
NIFL Publications
The last date to order any hard copy NIFL publications is July 1, 2010. They will not be available after that date. Please contact EDPubs at 1-800-228-8813 (TDD/TTY1-877-576-7734) or e-mail edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov for hard copies of the Institute's publications before July 1.
All NIFL publications will be available for download in pdf format from the website after the Institute closure. This includes resources in the Collections. They will continue to be available in pdf format.
NIFL Discussion Lists
All discussion lists will continue after the Institute closes and will be accessed through the new LINCS URL when the site goes live September 27, 2010.
NIFL Staff E-mail and Phone Contacts
Current NIFL e-mail addresses are the best way to reach NIFL staff between August 13 and September 30, 2010.
NIFL staff will not be available after the Institute closes on September 30, 2010.
Use OVAE’s main phone number (202.245.7720) for any NIFL related issue or question after September 30, 2010.
NIFL’s hotline number 1.800.228.8813 and e-mail will continue to operate without any change until September 30, 2010.
We will continue to update you as we prepare more for the closure of the Institute. Thank you for your continuing support during this transition and your interest in the NIFL services and products. Please share this information with others who may find it useful.
Sincerely, Daniel Miller, Acting Director
Monday 21 June 2010 at 3:43 pm
WASHINGTON – The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) will present the
2010 NCL Literacy Leadership Awards at a reception in Washington, DC on Wednesday, September 15, 2010. The awards recognize individuals and/or organizations that have made extraordinary national contributions to improving literacy and raising awareness of the adult literacy and English language learning needs in the United States.
NCL will recognize the following outstanding individuals and organizations:
- Senator Thomas Harkin (IA), and his staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee have been instrumental in supporting adult education at the federal level as well as representing the needs of America’s working families.
- Representative John Yarmuth (KY), a tireless advocate for literacy since his election in 2007, supporting family literacy programs, championing Even Start programs for the most vulnerable families in poverty, and introducing the 2009 Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation (LEARN) Act.
- English Under the Arches led by Betsy McKay, Director of Bilingual Leadership Development for McDonald’s USA LLC, an award-winning program for developing English language and literacy skills for its bilingual managers and manager trainees.
- Kentucky Education Television (KET), Kentucky’s public broadcasting network since 1968, a leading producer of adult basic skills and workplace education programming. LiteracyLink’s Workplace Essential Skills and GED Connection series, both produced by KET, and made available to 87% of American households through public broadcasting.
- Archie Willard, long time student advocate and leader who has nurtured the development of adult learner leaders, through his early support and leadership of VALUE, the national student organization.
Thursday 17 June 2010 at 09:52 am
Higher Education for Development (HED), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S Department of Education, has announced four winners of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) – U.S. Community College Small Grants Initiative competition. The awards range from $100,000 to $150,000 each for 18-month partnerships between U.S. community colleges and community and technical colleges in the BMENA region.
The four winning partnerships are:
- Red Rocks Community College/Al-Huson University College/Al-Balqa Applied University (Jordan): Expanding Jordan’s Green Collar Workforce: An International Partnership to Establish an Associate Degree Program in Solar Energy Technology;
- Highline Community College/Mataria Technical College (Egypt): Leveraging Community College Workforce Development Expertise: Creating Educational Pathways to High Skills Employment at Mataria Technical College;
- Gateway Technical College/Ecole Superieure de Technologie Oujda (Morocco): Automotive Diagnostics Training Partnership; and
- Eastern Iowa Community College District/Muscatine Community College/Al Quds College (Jordan): Economic Empowerment through Entrepreneurship.
Monday 14 June 2010 at 08:44 am
Guidance and Career Counselors’ Toolkit: Advising High School Students with Disabilities on Postsecondary Options is a toolkit intended to help guidance and career counselors to better assist high school students with disabilities to transition into postsecondary education and employment. Adults with learning disabilities and their supporters will also find the information and resources valuable in planning for entering postsecondary education and for career preparation.
One Step Forward Initiative - Guide to Adult Education for Work: Transforming Adult Education to Build a Skilled Workforce is a guide (based on background and research from the One Step Forward Initiative) that informs practitioners, policymakers, and employers about strategies and practices that transform their adult education programs into effective programs that transition low-skilled adults to work and postsecondary programs.
The authors approach, “adult education for work,” describes how a career pathways system could be structured by focusing on program quality elements in seven areas: Program Design, Curriculum and Instruction, Assessment and Credentialing, High-Quality Teaching, Support and Follow-Up Services that Encourage Access and Retention, Connections to the Business Community, and Monitoring and Accountability Systems. Also included in the Guide are benchmarks of promising practices and a self-assessment tool that program administrators can use to evaluate their program and plan strategically for needed change.
Some Consequences of Writing Assessment is an article that reviews research on ways that writing assessments in the United States have affected the way writing is taught. The author focuses on writing assessments given at the end of high school, but the points she makes are applicable to the adult literacy classroom. Tests may be high stakes for teachers and administrators but not for students. High stakes writing tests may be multiple choice, essay, or a combination of the two. High stakes writing tests usually have an impact, or “backwash” on writing curriculum and instruction. The kind of “backwash” depends on the kind of assessment.
