Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id e8P52L925616; Mon, 25 Sep 2000 01:02:22 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 01:02:22 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <000001c026ad$5bfbcc00$5849b23f@hppav> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Mary Ann Corley" <macorley1@earthlink.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:17] Welcome and Introduction X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 Status: O Content-Length: 3334 Lines: 61 Hello to all subscribers to this list: Welcome to a new discussion list! Thanks to those who have already introduced themselves. I extend an invitation to those who have not yet introduced themselves to tell us about yourselves and your particular interests in the topics of poverty, racism, and literacy. By way of introduction, my name is Mary Ann Corley. I have worked in the field of adult literacy for more than 30 years, first as ABE/GED/ESL teacher, then as local program administrator, as Maryland State GED Administrator, and more recently, as Director of the National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center (National ALLD Center) in Washington DC, and as founding Director of the Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy at Loyola University New Orleans. I have recently established a National Center for Literacy and Social Justice (NCLSJ), located in New Orleans. The mission of the NCLSJ is to build capacity among literacy practitioners to provide services that are responsive to adults with a history of educational low achievement, including those who live with the effects of intergenerational poverty, institutionalized racism, learning disabilities, and language and cultural acquisition problems. To that end, the NCLSJ develops and conducts professional development sessions for literacy providers on these topics. Dale Lipschultz of the American Library Association in Chicago is co-moderating the list with me. Jaleh Behroozi has graciously agreed to have the NIFL host this list for us. We have long wanted to get this discussion list started because we believe that, in sharing our experiences, we can all learn from one another and, ultimately, we can make our programs more responsive to the needs of our learners. When we teach and learn from the adults in our programs, most of us soon gain a deep respect for the individuals who struggle to balance literacy instruction with their home and work lives. And perhaps we come to recognize that adults who live with the effects of poverty and racism, just as those who live with learning disabilities, do not always have equal access that the mainstream culture in this country has to its social, economic, and political institutions. How does this unequal access affect learning? We are aware of the high drop-out rate nationwide in adult literacy programs. Could a reason for this high drop-out rate be cultural dissonance between the well-intentioned and caring teacher or tutor, who often represents the dominant culture, and the learner(s)? Are there cultural misunderstandings that affect the teaching/learning process? What instructional methods are most effective in reaching and teaching persons who live in poverty or with the effects of racism? What changes might we make in our programs to be more responsive to all learners? Let's hear from you. You are invited to share your teaching experiences and your insights into the issues of poverty and/or racism and how these are related to literacy levels. You are encouraged to share resources that you have found to be useful on these topics. (Thank you, Nancy Sledd, for sharing info on the JCPR website.) I look forward to hearing from you and to engaging in some thought-provoking discussions on these issues. Mary Ann Corley macorley1@earthlink.net
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