Student Nominations

Reading Connections is preparing for our annual awards ceremony which will be held in July. Reading Connections will recognize students who have made progress in their literacy skills or have met other personal goals. If you feel that your student should receive special recognition, please contact Rhiannon Kelly at rkelly@readingconnections.org or 230-2223.

Monthly Tutoring Reports

If you are an active tutor, please remember to turn in your Monthly Tutoring Report, which is due on the 5^th of each month.  If you have done so already, thank you!  You can submit these hours by email, mail, fax, or phone.  Call the office if you have questions about reporting your tutoring hours.

Reassessments

Reading Connections staff is reassessing students now through the end of June. A staff member will contact you regarding your student's results and give you new study materials and a checklist of skills your student needs at his or her level to continue growing in reading skills. If you have any questions about this process, feel free to contact the Reading Connections office in your town.

 

Glenwood Tutor Training

Glenwood Library is hosting training specifically for ESOL tutors. It will be held on Monday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 25 from 6-9 p.m. at the Glenwood Branch Library in Greensboro. Part One will be on Monday evening, and Part Two will be on Wednesday evening. Space is limited so please call 297-5000 to sign up.

 

Online ESOL Tutor Training

ESL Fast Track Teacher Training Project

In response to the critical need for more trained Adult ESL teachers in community colleges, faith-based groups, and community-based organizations throughout North Carolina and across the nation, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is developing and piloting an online ESL Instructor Fast Track Certificate Training Series (ESL Fast Track).

Description
The goal of the project is to produce a low-cost, five-part, 15-hour online course for novice and/or prospective adult literacy instructors on the fundamentals of Adult ESL literacy instruction.  The course modules focus on the following topic areas:
1. Core Issues in Adult ESL
2. Acquiring a Second Language in Adulthood
3. Classroom Practices & Methods
4. Classroom Observation and Reflection
5. Lesson Design

Participant Criteria
For the pilot, we are seeking the participation of adult educators from community colleges and community-based organizations with limited or no formal ESL training.  Before beginning the online course, participants will be asked to fill out a background questionnaire and take one
standardized assessment. Once they enroll in the course and log on, they will be expected to complete all assignments and submit periodic evaluations of course content and overall effectiveness. A certificate of completion will be issued to all participants who fulfill these requirements.  

Dates
The online training series will be piloted from June 16-July 25, 2008.

Contact
For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact:
Dixon Yard at 704-330-4683 or dixon.yard@cpcc.edu

Notes from Tutor Reflection

Thanks to the tutors who attended the tutor reflection meeting last month. We enjoyed hearing about your experiences tutoring and appreciated your willingness to share struggles and successes. From the group who tutored native speaking adult literacy student, the tutors wanted to learn more about building reading comprehension strategies. Reading Connections staff hopes to offer an in-service training focused on this topic in early fall. In the meantime, there are free online courses offered through the Thinkfinity website on building reading comprehension. Go to http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/tln/courses and enroll in one of these three courses:

•  A Way With Words: Strategies for Strengthening Adult Learners' Vocabularies
•  Before, During and After -- A Reading Comprehension Technique
•  Building Comprehension: Strategies for Adolescent and Adult Readers

Tutors who work with ESOL students were especially concerned with how to teach grammar and idioms. Helpful websites for these topics include:

Grammar

English Grammar Reference and Exercises: Overviews of English grammar, including exercises
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar

Lists and Definitions of Idioms: Alphabetized list of idioms, definitions, and example sentences.
http://www.eslcafe.com/idioms/

Grammar Printable Handouts: handouts on a variety of grammar subjects
http://www.usingenglish.com/handouts/

ESL Gold Grammar Resources: Grammar lessons divided by level http://www.eslgold.com/grammar.html

Additionally, volunteers were interested in learning more about immigration services for ESOL students. Reading Connections is planning to have a special workshop presented by an immigration counselor in the fall. You can also visit these immigration websites for information:

http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship
http://www.uscis.gov/naturalization

We hold two tutor reflection meetings each year as a chance for you to meet with other volunteers, to ask questions, and to share your experiences. We hope that many more tutors will attend the next one in September.

Math Resource

A great new resource is available for tutors teaching GED or math in general at www.worlded.org . Look for the new issue of Focus on Basics with the theme of Numeracy.

Summer Tutor Trainings

Reading Connections has a tutor trainings scheduled for June and August. Visit our calendar at http://www.readingconnections.org/reading-connections-calendar.asp for the dates, times, and locations.

Office Closed for Holiday

The Reading Connections Offices will be closed on Friday, July 4 th in recognition of Independence Day.

 

We are always interested in your feedback. Do you have questions or concerns? Please contact the office. Sincerely, Reading Connections Staff

Greensboro Office
122 N. Elm St., Ste. 520
Greensboro, NC 27401
info@readingconnections.org
Phone: (336)230-2223
Fax: (336) 230-2203

High Point Office
919 Phillips Ave, Suite 107
High Point, NC 27262
info@readingconnections.org or cdixon@readingconnections.org
Phone (336) 882-4141 or 404-3474
Fax (336) 882-4142

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