National Family Literacy Day: Nov 1

National Family Literacy Day
November 1
National Center for Family Literacy

Cultivating Readers is a parent guide to building reading skills in children ages birth to eight. The guide gives tangible tips for parents to implement and also includes a calendar of monthly language activities to stimulate learning throughout the year.
Available: November 12.
Can download or be ordered free of charge for a limited time (in English and Spanish).

Wonderopolis:
Create. Laugh. Imagine. Explore. Learn. Smile. A place where wonder and learning are nurtured through the power of discovery, creativity and imagination. Learning is happening everywhere, all the time! Learn something new, try out an idea, create a masterpiece, imagine possibilities. It’s easy. It’s fun.

Literacy . . . Info . . . News . . . Questions: Big Picture

The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia
James Redford, Director
Oct 29 @ 7pm on HBO

By conservative estimates, one in five people are dyslexic. Although very bright and often highly creative, they have a difficult time making sense of written language. I know a little about this. My son, Dylan, is dyslexic.

Like many dyslexics, Dylan is intelligent, thoughtful and intellectually curious – a “big picture” thinker. But at the age of ten, he was barely able to read and write. To say that school was difficult for him is beyond understatement. Now that he is grown and thriving, there are many things that I wish I had known about dyslexia at that time – things that would have helped me understand that his struggle in lower and middle school was not the final verdict on his academic or intellectual ability or ambition. When I was given the extraordinary opportunity to make a film about understanding dyslexia, the mission was simple: make the movie I wish my family could have seen when Dylan was functionally illiterate in 4th grade.

The film also shares some of the more practical – and occasionally humorous – tips on how to deal with dyslexia on a daily basis. Hopefully, this film will help dyslexics and their families realize that the challenges of early education will be behind them one day, and that the future can – and should – be brighter for dyslexics.

Drs. Salley and Bennett Shaywitz, co-directors of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, discuss how scientific advances illuminate the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia. Dr. Bennett Shaywitz explains how advances in functional magnetic resonance imaging has made visible what previously was a hidden disability. Dr. Sally Shaywitz explains the "Sea of Strengths" model of dyslexia which emphasizes a sea of strengths of higher critical thinking and creativity surrounding the encapsulated weakness found in children and adults who are dyslexic.

Super-achieving dyslexics revered in their fields – from Sir Richard Branson and financier Charles Schwab to politician Gavin Newsom and attorney David Boies – confirm what the children, experts and families suggest: dyslexia carries with it as many rewards as frustrations. READ MORE !

Other HBO Dates:
Nov 4 @ 1:00 pm
Nov 8 @ 10:00 am
Nov 13 @ 3:30 pm
HBO2
Oct 31 @ 4:30 pm
Nov 7 @ 8:30 pm
Nov 11 @ 6:00 am

LA Femme International Film Festival: A Passion for Literacy is Rekindled by the film Maestra!

LA Femme International Film Festival:
A Passion for Literacy is Rekindled by the film Maestra!
Hollywood Today: 10.09.2012 by Kathy Leonardo

Independent filmmaker Catherine Murphy has been on a mission. For the past six years she has been consumed with the issue of literacy. Meeting a group of Cuban women while in Havana during the 1990s opened a door to a new passion. Maestra, the film, was born out of a revelation. Compassion, strength, hope, dedication, and love were all traits that the nine women in this film had in common – which they credited in large part to participating in the Cuban Literacy Campaign of 1961.

.       .       .       .       .       .       .

Murphy is also the founder of a nonprofit organization known as The Literacy Project. “It was during the process of making this film that I started to research and learn about what a massive unsolved global problem literacy still is…including right here in the United States,” she adds. READ MORE !

Maestra will be screened at the LA Femme International Film Festival
Oct 13 @ Noon
Davidson/Valentini Theatre
1125 N McCadden Place LA 90038

Literacy Tribune: September 2012

Literacy Tribune: September 2012
The Adult Learner Network Newsletter

United Literacy, a non-profit organization, provides resources and support to adult literacy learners in the United States. Its aim is to make literacy education accessible and worthwhile for adult learners.

Main Story: Presidential Election is Around the Corner
The people of the United States will once again go to the polls to elect a president on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

Establishing Healthy Eating Habits: Julia Pusztai, Guest Writer
In past issues, we have talked about exercise and the need to maintain a healthy weight. So what is the next step to improve your health?

Camping – A Great Outdoor Pastime: Armando Martinez, Guest Writer
California allows for a number of great outdoor summer pastimes, but your choice depends on what you consider recreational fun.

My Collection: Tungaa Khasbaator, Guest Writer
I came here to the U.S.A. six years ago. I like it here. It is nice and different to me.

Member Spotlight: Shadena Lutin
is a student in the STEP UP program at the American River College in Sacramento, California.

Technology Watch: Nexus 7 Tablet
Have you heard the latest buzz? Google finally release its own tablet

The Literacy Tribune is looking for adult learner writers.
Are you an adult learner ?
Do you want to write ?
Do you want to publish your writing ?

You can write about:
Your road to literacy
Your literacy organization
Literacy resources you like
You can write book reviews, poetry, short stories
You can write articles about health, finance, or technology
You can write just about anything !

In Focus Martin Sheen on Community Literacy Programs

In Focus Martin Sheen on Community Literacy Programs
InFocus: 9.10.2012: by kelly broox

In the information age, being able to digest the written word is more critical than ever to success in society. For millions of Americans, the task of reading and comprehending material is difficult. The TV program In Focus Martin Sheen is exploring how groups around the country are helping people learn essential reading skills.

In the United States, about one in five adults have the highest level of reading comprehension— that is 20 percent. On the other end of the spectrum is about 14 percent of Americans who have serious difficulty reading according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy.

In Focus PBS is working to highlight community groups around the country that are trying to reduce this alarming statistic.

One novel approach that is showing results in adult education classrooms and community centers around the country is to teach reading through application. By using the types of reading materials that people encounter in their lives, teachers can help adult students improve their skill and understand the necessity of reading. READ MORE !

Resources for Community Literacy Programs
Southern California Library Literacy Network @ Southern California and California
American Literacy Directory @ National - International – Statistics

Literacy Tribune: January 2011

Literacy Tribune: January 2011
The Adult Learner Network Newsletter

United Literacy, a non-profit organization, provides resources and support to adult literacy learners in the United States. Its aim is to make literacy education accessible and worthwhile for adult learners.

Main Story:
Which Came First: Reading or Writing? by Bud Pues
What does the word “read” really mean?

A History Lesson: Franklin D. Roosevelt by Alison Werner
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often known simply as FDR, was born in Hyde Park, New York, on January 30, 1882, to a wealthy family.

Member Spotlight: Taking That First Step: Milton Whitley
Admitting you need help with anything is hard. Asking for help can be even harder. But making the decision to ask for help can change one’s life, as many adult learners have discovered.

Technology Watch: Dropbox by Daniel Pedroza
Ever wonder what would happen if your computer was stolen or damaged? How would you recover your files? Dropbox is a great option for protecting your computer files.

The Literacy Tribune is looking for adult learner writers.
Are you an adult learner ?
Do you want to write ?
Do you want to publish your writing ?

You can write about:
Your road to literacy
Your literacy organization
Literacy resources you like
You can write book reviews, poetry, short stories
You can write articles about health, finance, or technology

You can write just about anything !

Declaration for the Right to Literacy

Declaration for the Right to Literacy
September 22 – 3:15pm

The Scroll will be presented to the co-chairs of the newly-formed House Adult Literacy Caucus, Congressman Dan Maffei and Congressman Phil Roe on the steps of the Capitol. This bipartisan caucus aims to bring attention to the critical need for literacy services for the estimated 32 million adults in the country who have below-basic reading skills.

. . . from Margaret Doughty, Literacy Powerline

Invite your representatives to this historic event on September 22nd. See the sample invitation below:

Dear __________,

On behalf of more than 30,000 signatories, we invite you to join a delegation of adult literacy advocates and adult learners. On the steps of the Capitol, we will present the Declaration for the Right to Literacy scroll to the co-chairs of the newly-formed House Literacy Caucus, Congressman Dan Maffei and Congressman Phil Roe, on Wednesday, September 22nd, at 3:15pm.

This scroll began its journey across the United States 13 months ago, following the Right to Literacy Convention in Buffalo, New York. It highlights literacy as a means to individual self- sufficiency and community economic prosperity and calls upon our government to support initiatives that promote basic literacy skills for all Americans.

This coming Wednesday, we will call upon Congress and the Obama Administration to establish a National Task Force on Literacy, Numeracy, and Lifelong Learning. The National Task Force will create a comprehensive National Literacy Plan to raise literacy levels for adults and children.

We hope you will join us for this exciting and historic event. If you will be able to join us, please contact [put your contact information here].

Sincerely,
(Your Name)

Not Sure Who to Contact = Click Here !

Find elected officials, including the president, members of Congress, governors, state legislators, and more.

. . . related links of interest:

Declaration for the Right to LiteracyLiteracy Powerline: June 17, 2009

Right to Literacy Convention delegates from across the country determined and voted on the first United States Declaration for the Right to Literacy. The Right to Literacy Convention was part of the National Community Literacy Conference in Buffalo, New York on June 13, 2009.

Literacy leaders, using the model of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, convened from across the nation. The need was clear; tens of millions of adults and children do not have the skills needed to succeed in life. Literacy is the number one tool to change that plight. The right to literacy must be a national priority.

The resolutions support 5 Pillars of Literacy:
1. Building the Community
2. Strengthening the Family
3. Ensuring People’s Self-Determination
4. Improving the Workforce
5. Transforming the Literacy System

Literacy Tribune: July 2010

Literacy Tribune: July 2010
The Adult Learner Network Newsletter

United Literacy, a non-profit organization, provides resources and support to adult literacy learners in the United States. Its aim is to make literacy education accessible and worthwhile for adult learners.

Main Story: The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
For decades, hundreds of oil wells have been drilled into the ground in the Gulf of Mexico.

Member Spotlight: Milton Whitley

In July 2007, at the age of fifty-two, Milton Whitley began working with a basic literacy tutor at the Literacy Council of Montgomery County (LCMC) in Maryland.

Organization Spotlight: Washington County SOAR
will celebrate its first anniversary this August

A History Lesson: Woodrow Wilson

Technology Watch: Apple's iPad
by Daniel Pedroza, Writer and Learner
One of the hottest pieces of technology today is Apple’s iPad

The Literacy Tribune is looking for adult learner writers.
Are you an adult learner ?
Do you want to write ?
Do you want to publish your writing ?

You can write about:
Your road to literacy
Your literacy organization
Literacy resources you like
You can write book reviews, poetry, short stories
You can write articles about health, finance, or technology

You can write just about anything !

2010 Reading Institute: Reading Comprehension, Early Learning

Reading Institute: Reading Comprehension, Early Learning
2010 Reading Institute: July 19 - 21
Anaheim, California
Ed.Gov Blog: May 11, 2010 by pkickbush

The Institute is part of ED’s strategy to support educators in providing high-quality literacy instruction and to assist state and local policymakers in developing effective, comprehensive pre-kindergarten to third grade literacy programs.

The focus of this year’s Institute is reading comprehension. And this year, for the first time, ED is partnering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to offer a separate Early Learning and Development Strand at the Institute.

The Early Learning Strand will offer sessions on developmentally appropriate practices in language and literacy for children from birth to third grade, and on planning and building comprehensive early learning systems and infrastructure.

There is no registration fee for the Reading Institute and Early Learning Strand, and all federally funded grantees, educators, state and local decision makers, and other stakeholders in early learning are invited to attend. Registration is permitted through July 5, 2010.

CLICK HERE for registration, a draft agenda for the early learning strand, information on pre-conference webinars, and more.

Library Advocacy Day Video Contest

Library Advocacy Day Video Contest

The American Library Association held a video contest for Library Advocacy Day. Videos were created and uploaded to Vimeo and tagged "library advocacy day."

ALA Day on the Hill is June 29: 11 am @ Upper Senate Park, Wash DC.

Winners were announced June 1, 2010.

First: Imagine from Joyce Valenza
Second: Baldwinsville Public Library from Julia E. Schult
Honorable Mention: Questions of the Heart from Rachael Harrington

You can also watch other entries @ Vimeo

California Ranks 46th in Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency

California Ranks 46th in Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency: Roughly 3 in 4 are failing to read at grade level

Early Warning!
Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters:
A KIDS COUNT Special Report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation May 18, 2010

A new report released today highlights the need to increase the number of children reading at grade level by the end of third grade, a critical academic milestone that can predict whether or not children graduate from high school.

According to the KIDS COUNT Special Report, Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters, from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, children’s reading proficiency is central to their school success, life-long earning potential and ability to contribute to the nation’s economy and its security.

California ranks 46th in the nation in fourth grade reading proficiency, with roughly three out of four fourth-graders (76 percent) failing to read at grade level. The state’s high school dropout rate is approaching 20 percent overall, with rates ranging from eight percent for Asian students, 12 percent for white students, 24 percent for Latino students and 33 percent for African American students. In California, this translates into 98,000 students per class who fail to graduate.

With 6.3 million public K-12 students, California has the largest and most diverse student population in the nation; for example, roughly 40 percent of the state’s kindergartners are designated English learners. The state’s ability to provide every child a high-quality education has impacts for children, the state and the nation. Children’s reading proficiency is central to their school success and their earning potential. It is estimated that each high school dropout costs society $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes and productivity. Moreover, California’s economic vitality, dependent on a skilled and educated workforce, is facing a projected shortfall of one million college graduates by 2025.

Literacy . . . Info . . . News . . . Questions - Value of Volunteer Time: 2009

Value of Volunteer Time: 2009

The 2008 estimated dollar value of volunteer time in California: $23.29 (updated figures for each state will be released in the spring of 2010).

$20.85 per hour for the U.S. according to Independent Sector.

Independent Sector has charts for:
1) Dollar Value of a Volunteer Hour: 1980 – 2009
2) Dollar Value of a Volunteer Hour, by State: 2008
~ Note that 2008 is the latest year for which state numbers are available.
~ There is a lag of almost one year in the government's release of state level data.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, about 61.8 million Americans, or 26.4 percent of the adult population, gave 8 billion hours of volunteer service worth $162 billion in 2008 (the 2009 numbers will be released on June 15).

Volunteer to Tutor @ Your Local Library:
SCLLN, BALIT, Northern California Literacy Coalition or CLLS

Share a Story – Shape a Future 2010

Share a Story – Shape a Future 2010
March 8 - 12
It Takes a Village

Share a Story - Shape a Future is a blog event for literacy. Throughout the week, blogging librarians, teachers, parents, authors, illustrators and people passionate about literacy will offer ideas on ways to promote reading and books. You won't find statistics, academic analysis, or judgments that tell you why you should read. Instead, we are using the power of the Worldwide web to share ideas about ways to engage kids as readers.

Day 1 - The Many Faces of Reading
Host: Terry Doherty @ Scrub-a-Dub-Tub

Topics of the day will encompass the relationship aspect of helping children learn to read: parent-child and teacher-parent partnerships, literacy outreach; and libraries, to name a few.

Day 2 - Literacy My Way/Literacy Your Way
Host: Susan Stephenson @ Book Chook

Creative literacy in all its forms (writing, art, computers) will be the topic of the day.

Day 3 - Just the Facts: The Nonfiction Book Hook
Host: Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone

This is the day for exploring the different genres of nonfiction (biography and memoir, science, nature, math, etc), as well as the use (or not) of historical fiction.

Day 4 - Reading Through the Ages: Old Faves & New Classics
Host: Donalyn Miller @ Book Whisperer

Topics include "boy books" and "girl books," as well as newer titles that fit with some classics we loved as kids.

Day 5 - Reading for the Next Generation
Host: Jen @ Jen Robinson's Book Page
Join us as we talk about how to approach reading when your interests and your child's don't match. It may be that you don't like to read but your child does, how to raise the reader you're not, and dealing with the "pressure" of feeling forced to read.

Reading is Fundamental is donating two full sets of its Multicultural book collection for our It Takes a Village giveaways! There are 50 books in each set.
The Giveaway is tied to the Writing on Reading initiative, and here is how it will work.
1. Select one of the Writing on Reading questions.
2. Put together your thoughts and post them on your blog.
3. Come back to the daily Writing on Reading post and add your link to Inlinkz box AND add a comment with the name of the school or public library you would like to see receive the books.

Each day, RIF staff will be reading your posts and will select their favorite posts. See Complete Rules

Read for the Record - Jumpstart

Read for the Record - Jumpstart

Jumpstart's annual "Read for the Record" contest.
Vote for your favorite of this year’s 4 classic books:

Blueberries for Sal
Make Way for Ducklings
Peter's Chair
The Snowy Day

Voting closes on February 28.

The winner will be announced on March 2 via text message and will become the centerpiece of Jumpstart’s 5th annual record-breaking campaign !

Learn more about the book choices @ Jumpstart !

Each time you vote, the Pearson Foundation, Read for the Record's sponsor and founding partner, will donate $1* to Jumpstart to support our yearlong efforts to connect college students and community volunteers with preschool children in low-income communities, helping to prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. (*up to $200,000)

Los Angeles Co Library - L.A. County facing growing poverty, erosion of middle class, United Way report says

L.A. County facing growing poverty, erosion of middle class, United Way report says
LA Times Blog – LA Now: February 9, 2010 by Ching-Ching Ni

Los Angeles County faces a poverty crisis and an erosion of the middle class that could worsen under the current economic downturn, according to a report by the United Way.

The county's poverty rate is now higher than the rest of the nation's, according to the report, which surveyed the county's economic situation in 2009. More than 1.47 million people, or 15% of the county's population, live on an income of $22,000 a year for a family of four, the report says. The national average is 13%.

The full report will be available Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles' website.

Nearly four in 10 people in L.A. County suffer from extreme poverty, the report says; those people live on less than $5,400 a year for a single person or about $11,000 for a family of four.

The jobless rate had soared to 12.3% by early 2009, wiping out all job growth from the previous decade, the report states. Wages remained stagnant and did not keep up with housing costs.

The middle class also felt the pinch, the report says. Only 1% of salaried workers saw significant income growth, while the average worker’s pay fell nearly $2 an hour.

The United Way survey also said the ranks of the working poor swelled in 2009. Defined as families of four making less than $44,000 a year, that group in Los Angeles County is now 7.5% greater than the national average. READ MORE !

Tale of Two Cities has Statistics for: Education, Employment & Income, Homelessness & Housing and Health.

Literacy . . . Info . . . News . . . Questions

Our State, Our Schools:
California Students Take it Back!California Prison Moratorium Project Blog: February 8, 2010 Originally printed in the Fresno Undercurrent

Once upon a time California held the model public education system in the country, seeing educating youth and workers, regardless of income, as a crucial investment. In the 1980s a drastic priority shift occurred, redirecting funds from education to other, less beneficial industries such as the prison industrial complex.

Since 1980 California State University has lost $650 million in state general funding support and student fees have increased 1,188%, from $231 a year to today’s $2,976 . This past year alone fees have been raised 32% and the coming year is looking at another fee hike.

Teachers are getting laid off, classes have been cut, mandatory furloughs for nearly 47,000 employees reduce class time, and enrollment caps kept out 35,000 incoming freshman for the 2010 spring semester and the winter semester is looking about the same. The University of California system and community colleges have all had similar funding problems.

Governor Schwarzenegger’s most recent budget plan includes another $2.4 billion in cuts from education while the state is eagerly moving forward on a $12 billion prison expansion project. READ MORE !

Invest in communities not cages... It’s the only solution

New Website Boosts Healthcare Communication

New Website Boosts Healthcare Communication
Health Literacy San Diego
January 2010

A new website to help address health literacy challenges faced by patients and healthcare programs has been launched - a joint project of the Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) and the San Diego Council on Literacy. The website content will help improve patient healthcare by arming providers and literacy service programs with information and other resources that will close communication gaps.

"Health literacy" is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000).

Jose Cruz, CEO for the San Diego Council on Literacy, says, "Too often, the literacy abilities, language, or culture of patients clashes with the literature, language, and culture of the healthcare service provider."

Stocked with information that helps healthcare providers and literacy organizations gather information to improve services for patients whose healthcare is affected by communication barriers. The website features readability tools, training resources, curriculum information for low-literate populations, and literacy resources.

Newsletters:
Health Literacy in General
Health Literacy Curriculum
Training for Health Care Professionals
Health Literacy Website

Literacy Tribune: January 2010

Literacy Tribune: January 2010

United Literacy, a non-profit organization, provides resources and support to adult literacy learners in the United States. Its aim is to make literacy education accessible and worthwhile for adult learners.

Main Story: 7 Keys to Spelling by Sylvester Pues
~Correct spelling uses a combination of techniques.

Member Spotlight: Johana Trevino by Alison Werner
~her nightmare started in 2nd grade when she was supposed to start learning to read.

Organization Spotlight: ProLiteracy by Alison Werner
~the world’s largest organization of adult basic education and literacy programs.

A History Lesson: Theodore Roosevelt by Alison Werner
~born Oct 1858 into a wealthy family living in New York City.

Technology Watch: Google Chrome by Daniel Pedroza, Writer & Learner
~a web browser is likely the most used program on any computer.

Daniel Pedroza will present a workshop on the Literacy Tribune @ the
Southern California Library Literacy NetworkAnnual Tutor / Learner Conference
February 27 @ the Buena Park Holiday Inn

The Literacy Tribune is looking for adult learner writers.
Are you an adult learner ?
Do you want to write ?
Do you want to publish your writing ?

You can write about:
Your road to literacy
Your literacy organization
Literacy resources you like
You can write book reviews, poetry, short stories
You can write articles about health, finance, or technology

You can write just about anything !

Katherine Paterson Named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Katherine Paterson Named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
SLJ: January 4, 2010 By SLJ Staff

Katherine Paterson, both a two-time Newbery medalist and National Book Award-winner, replaces Jon Scieszka as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, a two-year position created to raise national awareness of the importance of lifelong literacy and education.

“It is, I don’t have to say, an honor and a thrill," says Paterson. "I cannot fill Jon’s shoes, but I can follow in his footsteps, seeking to alert our nation to the importance and delight to be found in literature for young people.”

Paterson, who has chosen “Read for Your Life” as the theme for her platform, was selected by a committee that represents those in the book community based on her contributions to young people’s literature and her ability to relate to children.

Katherine Paterson is the new Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

“Katherine Paterson represents the finest in literature for young people,” says Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, who announces her appointment in Washington, DC, Tuesday morning. “Her renown is national as well as international, and she will most ably fulfill the role of a national ambassador who speaks to the importance of reading and literacy in the lives of America’s youth.” READ MORE !

International Literacy Study scheduled for 2011 by PIAAC, OECD, US Department of Ed and NCES

International Literacy Study
scheduled for 2011 by PIAAC, OECD, US Department of Ed and NCES.

DoED is accepting public comments before Feb 26, 2010.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION –
Requests Comments about PIAAC
Federal Register: December 28, 2009 - V74, #247

Title: Programme For The International Assessment Of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) 2010 Field Test and 2011/2012 Main Study Data Collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before February 26, 2010.

Abstract: NCES seeks OMB approval to survey adults (16-65 years old) for the field-test administration of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) in 2011. PIAAC is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor.

PIAAC is expected to be on a 10-year cycle.
In 2011, 28 countries, including 23 OECD-member countries, plan to participate.

The U.S. PIAAC field test data collection will occur between August and November 2010. The main study will occur between September 2011 and March 2012. NCES will seek approval for the full-scale instruments in the fall of 2010.

Visit literacyspace for more information.