Newport Beach Library :: International Literacy Day

International Literacy Day :: Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy

Literally Speaking: September/October 2015

Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy proudly held their annual event to celebrate adult literacy and the program participants.  The International Literacy Day event invites the NMPL family of tutors, learners and volunteers to come together with members of the community to celebrate adult literacy. On September 10, 2015, a gathering of nearly 150 guests listened to heartwarming stories, inspiring speeches and enjoyed a delicious selection of food from many different countries from all over the world provided by the adult learners.

                                            Renee Hoffman Heath and Risa Hoffman for keeping their

                                            mother's legacy going by allowing us to continue the Hoffman

                                            Award for our learners. This year's winners are Maja Kuta and

                                            Carmen Caicedo who, with their tutors Tanya Gulati and Allan

                                            Segal, accomplished some amazing goals.

Advisory Board member Roman Darmer welcomed guests and spoke of the importance of literacy.  Roman introduced Newport Beach Public Library Director Tim Hetherton, who emphasized the importance of literacy and libraries.

Newport Beach Mayor Ed Selich took to the podium to present a special proclamation designating September as Literacy Awareness month.

Adult learner, Crystal Huang, shared her experience of traveling with her family from Taipei, Taiwan in search of a better education environment for her son. Her son has since attained a postgraduate degree. Crystal joined the Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy program in early 2015 and aspires to one day work at an orphanage and help others.

Literacy Coordinator Cherall Weiss then introduced Risa Hoffman and Renee Hoffman-Heath, daughters of the late Rochelle Hoffman for whom the Memorial Award was named. They spoke of their mother’s dedication and love of tutoring.  They introduced the two winners of this year’s Hoffman Award.

-Ms. Hoffman introduced volunteer tutor, Ms. Tanya Gulati, who spoke to the audience about her learner, Maja Kuta’s tremendous accomplishments. Maja graciously thanked Tanya and expressed her difficulties with dyslexia and how NMPL has helped her reach her goals. She spoke about her artistic passion and how the program has assisted her in pursuing her dreams. Maja signed a deal as an artist for a comic book, and is grateful to be given such an extraordinary opportunity.

Next, the guests were introduced to tutor Alan Segal and his learner Carmen Caicedo, who is originally from Venezuela. She entered the program at a 2nd grade reading level and through her hard work is now at a 5th grade level. NMPL has enabled her to be confident in her abilities to speak and write in English.  Carmen shared her new goal with the group: to become a nurse.

Following the speakers, Cherall Weiss closed with a reminder that illiteracy is all around us and it is thanks to the many volunteers that, day by day, people’s lives are being changed for the better.

Each attendee was presented with a copy of In Our Own Words, a collection of stories and essays written by learners in the Literacy Program. They were also given a key to remind them to help ‘unlock the potential.’

Guests enjoyed a delicious fruit and cheese arrangement donated by Bristol Farms and exciting new beverages donated by drinkNeuro.

2015 Writer To Writer Challenge

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2015 Writer To Writer Challenge

Southern California Library Literacy Network

Awards Ceremony :: March 5, 2016

Time to kick off the Writer to Writer Challenge !

The Writer to Writer Challenge is a writing contest open to all adult learners of SCLLN member programs. Adult learners read or listen to a book, then write a 500-word (or less) letter to the author, whether living or dead, to describe how the book has influenced their life. 

Encourage your learners to listen to an audio-book, or read a book, any book, with their tutor. When they find one that changed the way they think about life, encourage them to write a letter to the author of the book. The letter is just a friendly note to an author, living or dead, describing the impact the book had on their life. The letter can be short or long, but it must be under 500 words. The learners can write about a book they have read or an audio-book they have listened to.

The book read and the letter written must be in English.

Letters must be received in Carlsbad on or before Thursday December 3, 2015.

Winners are selected in 4 groups:
Emerging group :: dictate a letter to tutor or staff
Beginning group :: write a basic, simple letter independently
Intermediate group :: write a more complex letter with larger vocabulary
Advanced group :: write independently with little support from tutor or staff

Winners Announced in February 2016

Awards Ceremony on March 5, 2016

Cash Prizes for Winners

Cash Prizes & Goody Bag for Runners-Up

Certificates for all participants

Sponsor

Writer to Writer Challenge

Carrie Scott

Carlsbad City Library Learning Center

Writer to Writer Chair

TEL: 760-931-4515   FAX: 760-729-8335

Click here for Last Year’s Winners

Monterey Park Library :: Monterey Park Walk for Literacy :: October 17

Walk for Literacy

Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library

LAMP Literacy & Citizenship Program

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Barnes Park (south of Monterey Park City Hall)

7:30 am to 11:00 am | $20 per person

Come and show your support for the LAMP Literacy & Citizenship Program!  The Program has been providing vital services for the City of Monterey Park and surrounding cities for the past 31 years while adult education funding continues to dwindle.  Our goal this year is to raise enough funds to cover the costs for supplies and materials for two more classes.

Dyslexia Awareness Month – October

Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dyslexia Awareness Month – October

#SayDyslexia

Visit SCLLN’s Games – Exercises – Links

Learning Disabilities

Check SCLLN’s Dyslexia List on Twitter

Organizations

   California

Dyslexia Training Institute, San Diego

Los Angeles Branch of IDA

Northern California Branch of IDA

San Diego Branch of IDA

Southern California Tri-Counties Branch of IDA

L D Association of California

     Central Coast/Santa Clara Valley

     Los Angeles LDA

     Northern California/East Bay

     Orange County LDA

     Pomona Valley/Inland

   National

American Dyslexia Association

AVKO Dyslexia Research Foundation

Dyslexia Foundation

International Dyslexia Association

Learning Disabilities Association of America

L D Online

National Center for Learning Disabilities

National Institute for Learning Development

Learning Disabilities: Assistive Technology

Abilility Hub: info on adaptive equipment and alternative methods

ABLEDATA: products classified by function or special features

AccessSTEM: Alliance for Students w/ Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Closing the Gap: changing lives with assistive technology

Dyslexia HELP at the University of Michigan: Software & Assistive Technology

Intl Center for Disability Resources on the Internet: Resources Related to Dyslexia

Tools for Life: GA Assistive Technology Act Program

UW: Access Technology Center

UW: Assistive Technology used by DO-IT Scholars

Apps

There’s A Special App For That: for students with special needs

Redlands Library :: A.K. Smiley Public Library receives grant for Adult Literacy Program

A.K. Smiley Public Library receives grant for Adult Literacy Program

Redlands Daily Facts: 10.02.2015

The California State Library has awarded A.K. Smiley Public Library $52,000 to fund staffing for the Redlands Adult Literacy Program for the fiscal year that began July 1.

The California State Library welcomed A.K. Smiley Public Library into the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Services Program (CLLS), which includes 102 library jurisdictions throughout the state.

A.K. Smiley Public Library was one of five libraries that were accepted into CLLS this year.

State Librarian Greg Lucas said Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers increased funding for literacy because they recognized the “enormous payoff in human capital that comes from investing in helping a person improve their reading skills.”

The annual $52,000 grant to A.K. Smiley Public Library will continue through June 2018, when the annual allotment may be adjusted based on the state’s literacy services funding formula.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant,” said Don McCue, director of the A.K. Smiley Public Library.

“It’s the result of diligent efforts by our literacy tutors and volunteers, particularly Trudy Waldron and Katherine Gifford, as well as the investment the Redlands City Council made in the program last year by funding the hiring of part-time adult literacy coordinator Dottie Podolak. Without that position, we would not have been eligible to apply for the grant,” McCue said.  READ MORE !

Azusa Library :: Latinos Overcome the Barrier of Illiteracy

Latinos vencen la barrera del analfabetismo

Existen decenas de programas en el condado de LA para Inmigrantes que no leen o escriben bien en español

Latinos overcome the barrier of illiteracy

There are dozens of programs in LA County for immigrants who do not read or write in Spanish

La Opinion: 8.20.2015 by Marvelia Alpizar

Miguel Gomez had to choose between going to school as a child, or stay home to help his mother and grandparents in farm work.

"When I came here [US] did not even write my name," said the Mexican, 49, who failed to finish or the second grade.  "To sign the checks, put the finger thumbprint," recalls Gómez, until his wife taught him to write his name.

Pastor Francisca, an immigrant who dominates over the Quiche language of Mayan origin still used in various departments of western Guatemala, had to ask for help to understand the ads in Spanish and not end up lost somewhere in Los Angeles.

Both immigrants are part of a large number of adults who live in Los Angeles County that have the challenge of living in a country without being able to read and write in Spanish.

Most of them come to this country, they are dedicated to work and have no time to study or know about the places where they can receive classes.

According to the American Community Survey the years 2009-11, there in California 573.866 Spanish-speaking adults who do not read or write in any language.

However, a year and a half Gomez came to Azusa Library, where he has learned to read through the program Leamos the Centro Latino for Literacy. He is currently on the second level of literacy.

"I want to keep learning.  To all my friends, at work, I say 'now no one can stop me. "Viera how nice it feels when I go down the street and I can read street names or signs!' 'Said Gomez, who works in a packing of vitamins.  To carry out their work, using his memory to learn the names of labels.  READ MORE !

California Book Festivals & Events :: October 2015

California Book Festivals & Events :: October 2015
Books, Comics, Poetry, Storytelling, Writing and More !

Oct. 2+ Filipino American International Book Festival, San Francisco

Oct. 3   AUTHORS IN THE OC, Anaheim

Oct. 4   Orange County Children’s Book Festival, Orange Coast College

Oct. 9+ LitQuake SF
Oct. 10  Poet Laureate and Author Luis J. Rodriguez, East LA Library 2p
Oct. 12  WeHo Reads: Emma Donoghue w/ David L. Ulin, W Hollywood Council 7p

Oct. 15+ Humboldt County Children's Author Festival

Oct. 17 Lit Crawl SF

Oct. 18 Great Valley Bookfest, Manteca

Oct. 21 Lit Crawl LA

Oct. 30+ Stan Lee's Comikaze, LA Convention Center

Los Angeles Literary Events Calendar @ PW

Los Angeles Literary Calendar @ LALITSCENE

California Book Festivals

Book Reporter – Book Festivals

US Book Festivals