e*Literacy

Volume 1, Issue 5,                                                             January 1, 2002

Welcome to e*literacy, a monthly electronic newsletter with all the latest news from the National Institute for Literacy.

CONTENTS

SPECIAL EDITION: The Year in Review
• Highlights of the Institute's 2001 Activities:
• Bridges to Practice/Learning Disabilities
• Communicating About Literacy to Policymakers in the Public
• Equipped for the Future
• LINCS
• Partnership for Reading
• Where the Institute is Going: Preview for 2002
• NEW INITIATIVE: Connecting Practice, Policy, and Research
• Bridges to Practice/Learning Disabilities
• Communicating About Literacy to Policymakers and the Public
• Equipped for the Future
• LINCS
• Partnership for Reading
• New Publications

Bridges to Practice is a set of research-based materials designed for education, social services, employment, and vocational rehabilitation providers who work with older youth and adults with learning disabilities (LD). It is the centerpiece of the Institute's work in LD, which focuses on developing a national cadre of trainers to assist literacy programs in improving services for adults with learning disabilities.

• Certifying Trainers. Through Bridges to Practice training workshops, the Institute has trained over 10,000 state leaders from the adult literacy, welfare-to-work, vocational rehabilitation, and job training systems in how to effectively assist adults with LD using research-based curriculum. In 2001, the Institute began the process of certifying 90 "master trainers" at a major LD symposium in March. To date, about 60 trainers have been certified, with about 10 already achieving "master trainer" status.
• Collaborating with New Partners. Through Bridges to Practice, the Institute launched new partnerships with the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). The Institute and the LDA are collaborating on joint professional development activities for Bridges to Practice trainers. The Institute is working with the AFB on a national training program to address the literacy needs of adults with low vision.
• Continuing Two Major LD Grants. In partnership with the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, the Institute continued funding two major LD grants: LVA-Laubach and the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council.
• More information on learning disabilities and literacy.

Co-Sponsoring a Literacy Fair on Capitol Hill. With the National Coalition for Literacy, the Institute helped organize a Literacy Fair on Capitol Hill in February. This included working with the offices of Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and George Miller (D-CA) and Senators Jim Jeffords (I-VT) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) to publicize the event to all Congressional offices.

• Hosting a Congressional Briefing for the House Reading Caucus. The Institute worked with Representatives Anne Northup's (R-KY) and Carrie Meeks's (D-FL) offices to host a Congressional briefing on the latest research on reading and how to disseminate these findings effectively. The briefing panel included Andy Hartman and Sandra Baxter of the Institute, Reid Lyon of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, and Joe Conaty of the U.S. Department of Education.
• Providing Literacy Packets to All Members of Congress: In March, the Institute distributed informational packets about literacy, including The State of Literacy in America and fact sheets on adult and family literacy to every Member of Congress.
• Collaborating with the International Literacy Network. The Institute collaborated with a network of literacy organizations in planning International Literacy Day events, and developing and disseminating new radio and television public service announcements. The Institute also provided information on adult literacy at the National Book Festival at the U.S. Capitol on International Literacy Day.
• Publishing a Letter in the New York Times. A letter by then Institute Director Andy Hartman about evidence-based reading research was published in the New York Times on April 12, 2001.

Through its Equipped for the Future (EFF) project, the Institute is playing a leading role in the creation of an outcomes-based accountability system for the adult literacy field based on the knowledge and skills adults need in order to meet their goals in the workplace, community, and family. EFF has led the literacy field in a national consensus-building process to develop and refine standards, and is enabling the literacy field to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment for the first time.

• Certifying Trainers. The Institute and its EFF National Center are working with other national literacy organizations, 20 states, and 100 state and national trainers to build an expert dissemination system of certified EFF trainers. Based on the EFF Worker Role Map, this certified training system spells out the knowledge and skills EFF facilitators need in order to progress from "novice" to "intermediate" to "certified." To date, thousands of teachers have been trained through this system.
• Developing Assessment Tools. The Institute and the EFF National Center are building a new assessment framework based on cognitive science research about the development of expertise. One hundred practitioners in five states are engaged in research supported by the Institute the Department of Education to create new classroom assessment tools.
• Using Data to Improve Instruction. Now in the second year of data collection on the EFF/NRS joint project, the Institute and the EFF National Center have collected enough data from field research partners to begin to characterize adult development relative to performance with the EFF standards. This information shows how the model of cognition and learning for adults may differ from the model for children, which has important implications for improving instruction and developing more effective instructional approaches that build on adult learner strengths.
• Adopting EFF in the States. In May, New Jersey adopted EFF as the strategic framework for adult literacy and basic skills across the state workforce development system, including the state Departments of Corrections, Education, Labor, and Human Services. Regional Workforce Investment Boards also receive training in EFF.
• Translating EFF Materials into Spanish. The Institute and the EFF National Center have made the EFF Role Maps, Skills Wheel, and Standards available in Spanish. For Spanish translations, visit: www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/eff/en_espanol.html.
• More information on Equipped for the Future

LINCS, the Institute's state-of-the-art Internet-based information and communication system, is narrowing the "digital divide" for adult literacy programs, practitioners, and students. LINCS includes more than 200 web sites, 270 discussion lists with over 15,000 subscribers, and hundreds of free email and Internet accounts for LINCS partners and programs.

• Conducting Technology Training. Over 20,000 literacy practitioners have been trained in using LINCS in their classroom instruction, with 4,800 trained in 2001. To date, the Institute has sponsored over 850 technology training workshops nationwide, including 169 workshops in 2001.
• Launching America's Literacy Directory. In partnership with Verizon and the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education, the Institute launched America's Literacy Directory (ALD), a new website that features an online searchable database of over 4,000 adult, family, and children's literacy providers in all 50 states and territories. The information is available online at www.literacydirectory.org or by calling the National Literacy Hotline at 1-800-228-8813. The ALD has received over 250,000 hits since its September launch.
• Leveraging Resources from the Private Sector. Through LINCS, the Institute has leveraged over $7 million in new resources for adult literacy from the private sector, including the following: support for America's Literacy Directory from Verizon, a top-of-the-line Sun Microsystems web server and technical support for the Western LINCS Hub, content and technical support from CNN San Francisco, and support for computer labs at conferences from Dell Computers, Cisco, Access & Technologies.
• Providing Specialized Curriculum and Materials Online. In 2001, a new Assessment Special Collection (http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/) was added and the ESL Special Collection was completely revised. There were over 20,000,000 hits on LINCS in 2001.
Collaborating in the States. LINCS Regional Technology Centers (RTC) have developed partnership agreements with state education agencies to strengthen collaboration. These include partnerships with Even Start programs, community colleges, and state professional associations.
• Visit LINCS.

The Partnership for Reading is making evidence-based reading research readily accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public by building on existing networks to create a comprehensive national dissemination system. Using electronic media, the web, and print materials, the Partnership - which is a collaboration between the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the U.S. Department of Education, and the Institute - will put state-of-the-art information on research-based reading approaches within the reach of teachers, administrators, parents, and caregivers.

• Investing in New Adult Literacy Research. The Institute and other partners recently published a Request for Applications (RFA) on funding for research that will develop new knowledge on critical factors that influence instruction on and the development of literacy competencies in adults and young children. This will include identifying or designing the most effective program structures and models of service delivery. This new $3.3 million investment in literacy research is funded by the Institute, NICHD, the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the U.S. Department of Education. Click here for more information.
• Convening Researchers Around a National Research Agenda for Adult and Family Literacy. In August, the Institute, the NICHD, and the U.S. Department of Education convened an expert panel to consider the current state of knowledge about effective ways of improving the literacy skills of adults with reading difficulties and how family literacy services can best provide parents with the knowledge and skills they need to support their children's literacy development.
• Providing Practitioners with the Latest Research Findings. The Partnership arranged for reading researchers and expert practitioners to present at major conferences and provided copies of the National Reading Panel report for distribution.
• Building New Partnerships. The Partnership conducted initial outreach activities on literacy that resulted in 22 national organizations signing on as "working partners" for this initiative.
• More information on the Partnership for Reading.

• Connecting Practice, Policy, and Research. In partnership with the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium (NAEPDC), the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), and others, the Institute is collaborating on a new initiative to improve the connections between both research and practice and research and policy. This will include new materials and activities that "translate" research findings for practitioners and policymakers. All stakeholders - including state staff development professionals, providers of ABE services, state policymakers, national organizations, and the research community - will be invited to assist in the development of this initiative.

• Creating an Evaluation Model for LD. The Institute will produce a national model for the evaluation of programs' work with adults with learning disabilities for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families.
• Certifying More LD Training Experts. The Institute will expand its efforts to certify more leaders from the adult literacy, welfare-to-work, vocational rehabilitation, and job training systems in how to effectively assist adults with learning disabilities using the research-based Bridges to Practice model. In 2002, over 100 new trainers will complete the first level of training, 50 current trainers will move to the Intermediate Trainer level, and 20 new Master Trainers will be certified. Twenty adults with learning disabilities will receive leadership training and will join the Bridges to Practice training team in their states.

• Publishing a New State of Literacy in the States Report. The Institute will publish a new report that provides information about adult literacy needs and how they are being met in all 50 states.
• Launching State Policy Resources WebPages. The Institute will upgrade its online policy resources to include links to state legislative and policymaker web sites. It will also link to state plans for adult education and family literacy.
• Collaborating with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to Promote Literacy. In collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Center for Workforce Preparation and Verizon, the Institute is helping produce a booklet on improving workplace literacy that will encourage local chamber members to offer basic skills training to their employees.
• Creating New Fact Sheets on Literacy. The Institute will publish a completely revised and updated set of Fact Sheets from its literacy public awareness campaign, including overviews of English for Speakers of Other Languages, Family Literacy, and Workforce Literacy. Draft versions are online.

• Moving Forward with the Assessment Framework. The Institute and EFF National Center will complete enough of the Assessment Framework that programs and states will be able to begin using EFF Standards to measure and report performance on the National Reporting System. The Institute and EFF Center will expand its training for both teachers and programs in how to use embedded assessment techniques to strengthen teaching in adult learning programs.
• Collaborating with the National Urban League. The Institute will partner with the National Urban League on a project to enhance the quality and consistency of the Urban League's basic skills programs. A new training curriculum, developed to integrate EFF with the National Urban League's quality assurance framework, will be the basis for a new LINCS Special Collection on Program Management and Improvement.

• Creating an Interactive Adult Reading Web Site. In conjunction with NCSALL and the Partnership for Reading, LINCS will unveil an interactive web site for educators who teach reading to adult students in family literacy and adult education programs. It will provide information about reading instruction, including descriptions of specific instructional practices and the clinically-established rationales for them. An interactive feature will suggest which practices are appropriate for individual students based on information entered by the instructor.
• Adding New Special Collections. LINCS' Special Collections will be expanded in 2002. First, the Learning Disabilities Special Collection will be revised to better reflect the Bridges to Practice model. Second, the Ohio Literacy Resource Center and the Center for the Study of Adult Literacy are collaborating on a new Women and Literacy Special Collection. Third, a new Program Management and Improvement Special Collection will be created. (See Collaborating with the National Urban League above for details.)

• Creating a New Partnership for Reading Web Site. The Institute is creating a new website for the Partnership for Reading. It will provide current information on reading, including synopses of reading research, and will provide real-time access to lectures, training sessions, and real-world examples of instructional activities that illustrate research findings.
• Supporting Reading Instruction Academies. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Institute will support four national reading instruction academies that will provide in-depth information on scientifically based reading research and application to classroom practice for teachers.

All publications are accessible online at the addresses provided. Those with an ED Pubs number may be ordered by calling 1-800-228-8813. Print copies may be ordered online at the ED Pubs website.

A National Plan for Research and Development in Adult Education and Literacy. This 16-page document sets forth a national agenda for research and development in adult learning and literacy. The plan includes recommendations for the dissemination of results and the development of a research-to-practice model, and concludes by emphasizing the challenge of ensuring that research contributes to positive change.
Available in print (ED Pubs # EX0136P) and online.

EFF HOT Topics. (Vol. 1, No. 1, Spring 2001) Each issue of this new publication focuses on a topic of interest to teachers, highlighting examples of actual practice and offering strategies and tools for using the EFF Framework in the classroom. This 11-page premier issue focuses on the goal-setting process.
Available in print (ED Pubs # EX0138W) and online in Adobe PDF format.

EFF Voice. (Volume 2, Number 1). This issue focuses on current research and development efforts to construct an assessment framework for the EFF Content Standards that will link to the National Reporting System. The five states participating in this research and development effort are also highlighted.
Available in print (ED Pubs # EX0132W) and online in Adobe PDF format.

Policy Updates.
Available online in the Policy and Legislation Special Collection.

Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read. This booklet summarizes for teachers the latest research on how to successfully teach children to read. It describes the findings of the National Reading Panel Report and provides analysis in five areas of reading instruction: phonemic awareness; phonics; fluency; vocabulary; and text comprehension.
Available in print (ED Pubs # EXR0007B) and online in Adobe PDF format.

Put Reading First: Helping Your Child Learn to Read. This brochure, designed for parents of young children, describes the kinds of early literacy activities that should take place at school and at home to help children learn to read successfully. It is based on the findings of the National Reading Panel.
Available in print (ED Pubs # EXR0006H) and online in Adobe PDF format.

Results That Matter: An Approach to Program Quality Using Equipped for the Future. This publication is designed to help state agencies and local programs better understand EFF implementation and its outcomes for students, teachers, and programs.
Available online in Adobe PDF format.

Special Policy Update: English Literacy and Civics Education for Adult Learners. This 24-page report describes the English language learner population today, reviews the current status of the Department of Education's English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/CE) initiative, and highlights promising practices of the EL/CE demonstration projects.
Available in print (ED Pubs # EX 0150P) and online in Adobe PDF format.

E*literacy is published monthly by the National Institute for Literacy. The National Institute for Literacy is an independent federal organization leading the national effort toward a fully literate nation in the 21st century. The Institute's mission is to improve the national adult literacy system by building capacity and improving quality through strategic public-private partnerships at the state, regional, and national level.

Editor: Alice Johnson (ajohnson@nifl.gov)

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