June 2024 |
Volume 12, Issue 6
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The Insider
The Insider, the monthly newsletter of LVA Essex & Passaic Counties, will keep you in the loop on all the organization’s upcoming events.
LVA’s Executive Director, Cristhian Barcelos, presented during May’s workshop on “LVA’s Approach to Adult Education.” This interactive workshop discussed the selected processes and steps taken to improve our students’ learning experience while maximizing our tutors time, experience, and available resources.
Literacy Volunteers of America Essex & Passaic Counties90 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973) 566-6200, ext. 217 or 225 195 Gregory Avenue, 2nd Floor, Passaic, NJ 07055 (973) 470-0039 Cristhian Barcelos -Executive Director
[email protected] Jorge Chavez -Data Processing Coordinator [email protected] Sydnay Eckerling -Education Coordinator [email protected] Valeria Garrido -Social Media & Newsletter Coordinator [email protected] Cheryl Locastro -Tutor Support Specialist & ESOL Instructor [email protected] Marisol Ramirez -Student Coordinator [email protected] |
Greetings LVA family!
As summer comes in strong, we are thrilled to bring you the latest edition of our newsletter, packed with inspiring stories, updates, and valuable resources to support our shared mission of promoting literacy and lifelong learning. We have some exciting features in this edition that we can't wait for you to explore. First, we're delighted to introduce you to Beth, a dedicated volunteer whose passion and commitment to literacy are truly inspiring. In "Getting to Know Beth," you'll learn about her journey and the incredible impact she's making in our community. Next, we share Ruthalsky's story, a testament to the transformative power of literacy. Ruthalsky's perseverance and determination have led to remarkable achievements, and we hope her story will inspire you as much as it has inspired us. We also have an insightful article from Prism Reports, titled Educators Call for Better Support for Adult Literacy Programs. This piece sheds light on the current state of adult literacy education and the urgent need for enhanced support and resources for educators and learners alike. And don’t miss learning about health literacy from a top CVS medical officer, free adult classes on job training skills in Montclair, and the first research award presented by ProLiteracy. Lastly, be sure to take advantage of upcoming professional development opportunities. Whether you're a volunteer, educator, or simply passionate about literacy, these events offer valuable skills and knowledge to help you make a greater impact. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to literacy. Together, we can make a difference, one word at a time. In the News
To view the following stories, copy and paste the highlighted website into an internet search bar.
"Top CVS medical officer ties shocking lack of ‘health literacy’ for 90 million Americans to crisis of ‘mistrust’" Fortune. https://bit.ly/3znTHR3 “Free Adult Classes At Montclair High Will Teach Job Training Skills" Patch.com. https://bit.ly/4cbbqtz “ProLiteracy Presents First Award for Adult Literacy Research” ProLiteracy. https://bit.ly/3VUGhVL |
Ruthalsky came from what he likes to call “a little island in the Caribbean” – Haiti. While he had studied some English back home and was preparing to study to become a doctor, he realized he needed to master English to be able to build a good life in the U.S.
Professional Development Opportunities"Teaching Adult Learners: Practices and Principles,"
By LINCS Platform: Online Course On-Demand https://courses.lincs.ed.gov/course/view.php?id=263 "Teacher Training Plus" By ProLiteracy Platform: Recorded Webinar Series On-Demand https://www.proliteracy.org/courses/teacher-training-plus/ Coffee Hour with Tutors
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Getting to Know Us
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Educators are trying to bring the science of reading to adult education
In Zoom class, Larissa Phillips drilled her student, who is in his sixties, on the digraph “ck.” In previous lessons, they’d already gone through several common digraphs—two-letter combinations that form one sound—like “sh,” “th,” and “ch.”
After explaining the concept, Phillips instructed the student to rehearse decoding different sounds for vowels and consonants before blending sounds, reviewing words, and then finally reading phrases. By the end, the student was reading complete sentences that used “ck” multiple times with ease like “I was too sick to check in at my job.” “I’m hungry for this,” the student said, who declined to give his name out of privacy concerns. The student said that he’d been trying to improve his reading since dropping out of school in the ninth grade. However, he said the New York City tutoring program offered through his union was catered around GED preparation, not the foundational reading skills that this student sought. It wasn’t until he found Phillips and her program, the Volunteer Literacy Project, that he started getting the reading help he needed. This older gentleman is not alone in needing help improving basic reading skills. According to the most recent study by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies in 2018, 17.6% of American adults struggle to read. Amy Pickard, an assistant professor of adult literacy education at Indiana University Bloomington, said the one in five Americans who struggle with reading “have pretty serious difficulties using print literacy in their daily lives” and “as a means of communication.” Phillips’ student wasn’t alone in his struggle to find adequate help with basic reading. Most federally funded adult education classes focus on workforce development, not basic literacy, according to Alisa Belzer, a professor of adult education at Rutgers University. For the full story please copy and paste this link on your browser: https://bit.ly/3VTGsQW Student Resources
Learning a new culture is more than studying a language. Tutoring is more than learning techniques. Our “Resources” webpage covers everything from legal matters, health care, & scholarships for immigrants, to professional development for tutors. Give us a look @: http://www.lvaep.org/students.html
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Getting to Know Us
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