Hello Everyone,
Many of you have requested information about learning disabilities (LD) with adults. The University of Tennessee, Center for Literacy Studies has led me to a link with a wonderful website about learning disabilities. Go to http://www.ldonline.org/indepth and then click on the bar on the left, "Adults with LD." On this page, you will see "Top Articles." There is an enormous amount of information at this website but I would ask you to read the second article on this page, "Assessment for Adults with LD and/or ADHD" by Kathleen Ross Kidder (1999). Please provide feedback about any and all information you found useful at this website.
Happy reading,
Hazel
Friday, March 27, 2009
Literacy Lagniappe Tip #11: Goal Setting
Hello Everyone,
I would like to provide you with some information about goal setting in this post. Goal setting and needs assessment are critical when planning lessons for your learners. The following information was gathered during a session at the NCFL Conference presented by Bevin Taylor and Dee Bart, "By Students, For Students: Practical Ideas for Classroom Curriculum."
There is individual and class goal setting. It is best to set individual goals first. Start with what your learner knows and then move to what the learner needs to know.
When considering goals, they must be SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
A few ideas about individual goal setting:
1. Use stories to begin the conversation.
(Encourage learners to think about how the story relates to their own life.)
2. Use pre-made goal forms that include opportunities to follow up (formally and informally) at a later date.
A few ideas about class goal setting:
1. Listen to your students. (Get to know your learners.)
2. Generate a list of themes and topics to cover and vote on topics.
3. Use dialog journals to capture ideas and thoughts.
For additional online resources about goal setting and needs assessments, go to:
Adult Learner Goals Toolkit, Colorado Dept. of Education
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeadult/download/pdf/GoalsToolkitR.pdf
Happy reading,
Hazel
I would like to provide you with some information about goal setting in this post. Goal setting and needs assessment are critical when planning lessons for your learners. The following information was gathered during a session at the NCFL Conference presented by Bevin Taylor and Dee Bart, "By Students, For Students: Practical Ideas for Classroom Curriculum."
There is individual and class goal setting. It is best to set individual goals first. Start with what your learner knows and then move to what the learner needs to know.
When considering goals, they must be SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
A few ideas about individual goal setting:
1. Use stories to begin the conversation.
(Encourage learners to think about how the story relates to their own life.)
2. Use pre-made goal forms that include opportunities to follow up (formally and informally) at a later date.
A few ideas about class goal setting:
1. Listen to your students. (Get to know your learners.)
2. Generate a list of themes and topics to cover and vote on topics.
3. Use dialog journals to capture ideas and thoughts.
For additional online resources about goal setting and needs assessments, go to:
Adult Learner Goals Toolkit, Colorado Dept. of Education
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeadult/download/pdf/GoalsToolkitR.pdf
Happy reading,
Hazel
Literacy Lagniappe Tip #10: Online Literacy Games
Hello Everyone,
While at the NCFL Conference earlier this month, I attended a session about parenting resources. The Reading First-Ohio Center has two online courses for parents and families. The courses are free and provide literacy games parents can play with their children at home as well as a course on how the games are played in school. The website is www.readingfirstohio.org. Click on the "Families" link on the left side. Then click "Parenting for Literacy" on the next screen and find 7 literacy games that may be played at home. Playing games is a fun, interactive way to develop and strengthen language skills and allow parents to support their learning and their child's learning at home.
Happy reading,
Hazel
While at the NCFL Conference earlier this month, I attended a session about parenting resources. The Reading First-Ohio Center has two online courses for parents and families. The courses are free and provide literacy games parents can play with their children at home as well as a course on how the games are played in school. The website is www.readingfirstohio.org. Click on the "Families" link on the left side. Then click "Parenting for Literacy" on the next screen and find 7 literacy games that may be played at home. Playing games is a fun, interactive way to develop and strengthen language skills and allow parents to support their learning and their child's learning at home.
Happy reading,
Hazel
Literacy Lagniappe Tip # 9: Tutoring Hotline for LEAP Exam
Hello Everyone,
I was reading an online newsletter, The New Orleans Agenda by Vincent Sylvain and learned about a LEAP hotline the State Department of Louisiana has created for students in preparation for the LEAP next week. Please read the information from the newsletter below about LEAP preparation. This may be extremely helpful to your adult learners with children who will be taking any of the state's standardized tests during the next few weeks.
LEAP Tutoring Hotline
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is opening its LEAP tutoring hotline to help prepare students for statewide testing that begins in April. Tutors will be available from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, March 9-31, for students who need assistance preparing for their LEAP test. The toll-free phone number for the LEAP Hotline is 1-877-453- 2721.
LEAP, iLeap and GEE exams will be given April 1-3 and April 6-7 in all Louisiana public schools. In addition to the practice tests and LEAP Hotline, LDOE offer students and families several other resources, including several online programs. LDOE's PASS-Online (Practice Assessment/Strengthen Skills), allows 3rd - 12th grade students to test their knowledge of English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies through online practice tests. The questions on these practice tests are formatted similar to those on the LEAP, iLEAP, GEE and LAA 2 exams. A key feature of this tutoring resource is the instructional feedback and support that students receive when they incorrectly answer a question.
Students must register the first time they access PASS-Online resources by logging on to www.louisianapass.org or LDOE's Web site, www.louisianaschools.net. Students can obtain a password through their school or by calling 1-877-453- 2721. If students do not have access to a computer or the internet after they leave school, parents, teachers or students may choose to log on to LDOE's Web site when they have access to a computer and print a copy of one or more of the PASS on Paper tests. These are short lessons in English language arts, mathematics, science and social students for 4th, 8th, 10th and 11th grade students. This resource also includes test-taking tips.
Students in 1st through 8th grade who want to focus on their math skills may want to take advantage of Newton's Classroom, which is another online resource offered through LDOE. This interactive resource contains mathematics tutorials. Each of the lessons is designed with three levels of basic skills and concepts. This is an excellent and fun resource for parents and students. Newton's Classroom can also be accessed by logging on to www.louisianapass.org or www.louisianaschools.net.
For further assistance or for more information about testing resources, please contact the LDOE Help Center toll- free at 1-877-453-2721, or visit LDOE's Web site at www.louisianaschools.net and click on LEAP & GEE Help Center.
Happy reading,
Hazel
I was reading an online newsletter, The New Orleans Agenda by Vincent Sylvain and learned about a LEAP hotline the State Department of Louisiana has created for students in preparation for the LEAP next week. Please read the information from the newsletter below about LEAP preparation. This may be extremely helpful to your adult learners with children who will be taking any of the state's standardized tests during the next few weeks.
LEAP Tutoring Hotline
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is opening its LEAP tutoring hotline to help prepare students for statewide testing that begins in April. Tutors will be available from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, March 9-31, for students who need assistance preparing for their LEAP test. The toll-free phone number for the LEAP Hotline is 1-877-453- 2721.
LEAP, iLeap and GEE exams will be given April 1-3 and April 6-7 in all Louisiana public schools. In addition to the practice tests and LEAP Hotline, LDOE offer students and families several other resources, including several online programs. LDOE's PASS-Online (Practice Assessment/Strengthen Skills), allows 3rd - 12th grade students to test their knowledge of English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies through online practice tests. The questions on these practice tests are formatted similar to those on the LEAP, iLEAP, GEE and LAA 2 exams. A key feature of this tutoring resource is the instructional feedback and support that students receive when they incorrectly answer a question.
Students must register the first time they access PASS-Online resources by logging on to www.louisianapass.org or LDOE's Web site, www.louisianaschools.net. Students can obtain a password through their school or by calling 1-877-453- 2721. If students do not have access to a computer or the internet after they leave school, parents, teachers or students may choose to log on to LDOE's Web site when they have access to a computer and print a copy of one or more of the PASS on Paper tests. These are short lessons in English language arts, mathematics, science and social students for 4th, 8th, 10th and 11th grade students. This resource also includes test-taking tips.
Students in 1st through 8th grade who want to focus on their math skills may want to take advantage of Newton's Classroom, which is another online resource offered through LDOE. This interactive resource contains mathematics tutorials. Each of the lessons is designed with three levels of basic skills and concepts. This is an excellent and fun resource for parents and students. Newton's Classroom can also be accessed by logging on to www.louisianapass.org or www.louisianaschools.net.
For further assistance or for more information about testing resources, please contact the LDOE Help Center toll- free at 1-877-453-2721, or visit LDOE's Web site at www.louisianaschools.net and click on LEAP & GEE Help Center.
Happy reading,
Hazel
Thursday, March 5, 2009
National Center for Family Literacy Conference
Hi Everyone,
A few days after Mardi Gras, one of your Literacy AmeriCorps members (Caroline) and I traveled to Orlando, FL to attend the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) Conference. We gathered wonderful free literacy material published by NCFL and NIFL at the exhibit booth, attended several workshops and heard some wonderful authors and speakers that included Henry Winkler (A Tale of Two Tails), Greg Mortenson (NY Times bestseller, Three Cups of Tea), Peter Reynolds (The North Star), Greg Forbes Siegman (The First Thirty) and Jan Goldstein (All That Matters). During the next few weeks, please check the blog postings for information received during this conference. If you would like to learn more about the conference, go to NCFL's website: www.famlit.org and see some of the highlights.
Happy reading,
Hazel
A few days after Mardi Gras, one of your Literacy AmeriCorps members (Caroline) and I traveled to Orlando, FL to attend the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) Conference. We gathered wonderful free literacy material published by NCFL and NIFL at the exhibit booth, attended several workshops and heard some wonderful authors and speakers that included Henry Winkler (A Tale of Two Tails), Greg Mortenson (NY Times bestseller, Three Cups of Tea), Peter Reynolds (The North Star), Greg Forbes Siegman (The First Thirty) and Jan Goldstein (All That Matters). During the next few weeks, please check the blog postings for information received during this conference. If you would like to learn more about the conference, go to NCFL's website: www.famlit.org and see some of the highlights.
Happy reading,
Hazel
Literacy Lagniappe Tip # 8: Fluency & Words Read Aloud Per Minute
Hi Everyone,
There was a question related to fluency: How many words should a learner read aloud per minute to be considered fluent? I went back and found one of the handouts Susan McShane distributed during the December training and found a fluency scale. If a learner reads more than 175 words aloud per minute, it is considered a "strength." However, if a learner is reading less than 60 words aloud per minute, the learner "needs improvement" with his/her fluency. According to the fluency scale, 115 words read aloud per minute is in the middle, between "needs improvement" and "strength" on the scale. I hope this is helpful in determining your learner's fluency strengths/needs after doing some of the timed leveled reading selections.
Happy Reading!
Hazel
There was a question related to fluency: How many words should a learner read aloud per minute to be considered fluent? I went back and found one of the handouts Susan McShane distributed during the December training and found a fluency scale. If a learner reads more than 175 words aloud per minute, it is considered a "strength." However, if a learner is reading less than 60 words aloud per minute, the learner "needs improvement" with his/her fluency. According to the fluency scale, 115 words read aloud per minute is in the middle, between "needs improvement" and "strength" on the scale. I hope this is helpful in determining your learner's fluency strengths/needs after doing some of the timed leveled reading selections.
Happy Reading!
Hazel
Reminder - Bring Susan McShane's Book to Training Tomorrow
Hello Literacy AmeriCorps Members,
We met Friday, February 13th and shared wonderful lessons with each other. Using poetry to teach reading and language skills were just a few of the many lessons/activities presented. I plan to post some additional lessons related to poetry that you may use with your learners in the next few weeks, now that Mardi Gras is over and planning is complete for our training tomorrow.
During the past few weeks, I have reviewed your comments from the evaluations written during the last LAC meeting about information you would like to receive during our March 6th training. The agenda and training Susan McShane and I created reflects most of your requests. Those that may not be addressed tomorrow may be addressed through postings on the blog. Remember to check the blog for new online resources and lesson ideas!
Tomorrow we will focus on instructional planning and provide some information about financial literacy. Chapter 9 in Susan McShane's book, Applying Research In Reading Instruction For Adults: First Steps For Teachers, is about planning reading instruction for adults. She will review the principles of effective instruction along with other important information about grouping in multi-level classes.
PLEASE remember to bring your copy of Susan McShane's book, Applying Research In Reading Instruction For Adults: First Steps For Teachers to the training tomorrow. To refresh your memory a bit, it was the book given to you during the October training with an orange cover and spiral bound.
See you tomorrow morning,
Hazel
We met Friday, February 13th and shared wonderful lessons with each other. Using poetry to teach reading and language skills were just a few of the many lessons/activities presented. I plan to post some additional lessons related to poetry that you may use with your learners in the next few weeks, now that Mardi Gras is over and planning is complete for our training tomorrow.
During the past few weeks, I have reviewed your comments from the evaluations written during the last LAC meeting about information you would like to receive during our March 6th training. The agenda and training Susan McShane and I created reflects most of your requests. Those that may not be addressed tomorrow may be addressed through postings on the blog. Remember to check the blog for new online resources and lesson ideas!
Tomorrow we will focus on instructional planning and provide some information about financial literacy. Chapter 9 in Susan McShane's book, Applying Research In Reading Instruction For Adults: First Steps For Teachers, is about planning reading instruction for adults. She will review the principles of effective instruction along with other important information about grouping in multi-level classes.
PLEASE remember to bring your copy of Susan McShane's book, Applying Research In Reading Instruction For Adults: First Steps For Teachers to the training tomorrow. To refresh your memory a bit, it was the book given to you during the October training with an orange cover and spiral bound.
See you tomorrow morning,
Hazel
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