Anthony:

The only evidence that I can see from this battle in the US is this: When
any single teaching method is mandated, 2/3 of the students will be in
trouble. Decades of the US leaping back and forth from this "solution for
everyone" to that, and every testing result, every drop-out rate indicator
shows that the "success rate" in reading remains mired in the 35% range. As
your UK teachers unions have noted, if this early grapheme recognition and
production was essential, no kids in Sweden would be able to read.

So yes, those promoting one solution or another will argue that is a lack of
experience with the "product" on the part of teachers, or a lack of "proper
implementation," but many of us have come to the conclusion that mandating
any single path to reading for human students represents the worst of
industrialized education, and that what is needed are teachers empowered to
make the best decisions for each student, combined - more controversially -
with technology support (text-to-speech systems) which increases "read to"
time for young and struggling readers when that support is not available at
home.

-- 
Ira David Socol
Michigan State University
irasocol -at- gmail -dot- com
socolira -at- msu -dot- edu
http://speedchange.blogspot.com/
http://riverfoylepress.com/


On 4/17/08, Anthony Berry <aberryesq at hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

>

>  Hi

>

> The use of phonics for the teaching of early grapheme recognition and

> production has now been mandated for children in the UK. The debate still

> rages as to whether this is the right approach. One of the problems we have

> is the lack of experience in the technique - this is made even more

> difficult if one were to think of extending its use to the adult

> language/literacy learning environment. Does anyone have any experience of

> using phonics with adult ESOL/EAL learners and, if so, with what results and

> what materials were used. To my mind, it would seem logical to utilise a

> tried and tested method.

>

> As ever - thanks for your help.

>

> >From the other side of the pond.

>

> Anthony

>

>

>  ------------------------------

> From: Tina_Luffman at yc.edu

> To: technology at nifl.gov

> Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:50:01 -0700

> Subject: [Technology 1614] Re: Using Listservs, Online Meetings, Online

> Learning Circles, Communities of Practics to encourage technological uses of

> PD

>

> Hi Gina,

>

> I like the gentle colors and the picture on your site. You also refer to

> some truly key leaders in Technology for Adult Education. I was a little

> confused at first because when I clicked on the link, the first thing I saw

> was text saying this was Marian Thatcher's blog. I am not sure if you can

> embed that so it doesn't come up first. I like the links to definitions such

> as email, usernet, and so on. Good job!

>

> Tina

> Tina Luffman

> Coordinator, Developmental Education

> Verde Valley Campus

> 928-634-6544

> tina_luffman at yc.edu

>

> -----technology-bounces at nifl.gov wrote: -----

>

> To: "The Technology and Literacy Discussion List" <technology at nifl.gov>

> From: "Lobaccaro Gina (DOC)" <Gina.Lobaccaro at state.de.us>

> Sent by: technology-bounces at nifl.gov

> Date: 04/15/2008 09:32AM

> Subject: [Technology 1613] Re: Using Listservs, Online Meetings, Online

> Learning Circles, Communities of Practics to encourage technological uses of

> PD

>

>  Tina,

>

> Thank you very much for the reply. I know where to access the NCSALL

> information.  J

>

> Here in Delaware , we get "clock hours" for PD activities that go toward

> our recertification requirements…. Perhaps, in lieu of paying us for this or

> a similar activity, we could negotiate with DOE for a "clock hour" rate for

> participation.

>

> I am so very interested in this and other ways of using Internet tools for

> PD.  It is a pleasure to hear that it went well for your program.

>

> I have started a blog for my University class, but just barely started it.

>

>

> It is at http://daacepd.blogspot.com   . You will need to sign on to

> Google Groups to comment online, but I would happily accept any gentle

> constructive criticism and/or (of course) praise.

>

> Thanks and Happy Tax Day,

>

> Gina

>

>

>

> *Sussex Correctional Institution *

> *Prison Education Program *

> *PO Box 500 *

> *Georgetown, DE 19947 *

> *302-856-5282 x 6204 *

>

> *gina.lobaccaro at state.de.us * <gina.lobaccaro at state.de.us>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>  ------------------------------

>

> *From: *technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov] *On

> Behalf Of *Tina_Luffman at yc.edu

> *Sent: *Monday, April 14, 2008 3:06 PM

> *To: *The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

> *Subject: *[Technology 1612] Re: Using Listservs, Online Meetings, Online

> Learning Circles, Communities of Practics to encourage technological uses of

> PD

>

>

>

>

> Hi Gina,

>

> Last fall I created a Blackboard course in which I uploaded much of the

> NCSALL Study Circle Guide: Adult Student Persistence by John Comings et al..

> Both full and part-time instructors read the articles and commented in the

> discussion group asynchronously. We did offer to pay part time teachers a

> minimal 2 hours for each of the three study circle lessons in which they

> participated, but that was not necessary. Our staff gained valuable insight

> into new ways to address student needs and to make our orientations more

> student friendly.

>

> Tina

>

> Tina Luffman

> Coordinator, Developmental Education

> Verde Valley Campus

> 928-634-6544

> tina_luffman at yc.edu

>

>   *"Lobaccaro Gina (DOC)" <Gina.Lobaccaro at state.de.us> *

> Sent by: technology-bounces at nifl.gov

>

> 04/14/2008 11:49 AM

>

> Please respond to

> The Technology and Literacy Discussion List <technology at nifl.gov>

>

>

>    To

>

> <technology at nifl.gov>

>

> cc

>

>

>

> Subject

>

> [Technology 1611]  Using Listservs, Online Meetings,        Online

> Learning Circles,        Communities of Practics to encourage technological

> uses of PD

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> I am cross posting a message that I previously sent to the NIFL

> Professional Development List.  I will include some of the responses I

> received at the end my question.  Thanks to those who have responded and I

> will appreciate any and all future suggestions and responses.

>

>

> I am investigating the use of technological tools to build and enhance

> teacher professional development during these days of financial cutbacks.

> It is my understanding that the State of Delaware has left no money in the

> budget for professional development during this year of such a shortage of

> funds.

>

> As it happens, I have just returned to work on my EdD (Educational

> Doctorate) at the University of Delaware , so I hope to offer my expertise

> and work on projects that will give teachers in Delaware opportunities to

> create their own opportunities for professional development.

> I am writing this to this listserv to solicit ideas and suggestions for

> how other states and professional groups have taken on the development of

> professional development opportunities without a great deal of funding

> provided by the states or the federal government.

>

> I will be creating a bog, for the project for the class I am taking this

> semester - Cognition & Technology, to document and provide  sounding board

> for Delaware adult educator and other adult educators who have used

> technology to enhance the effectiveness of low cost/high quality

> professional development opportunities for teachers.

>

> I am an adult educator and an correctional educator. I am the media &

> technology specialist for the Prison Education program that is administrated

> by the Delaware Department of Education, but I do not expect this

> conversation to be limited to Adult Education professional development.

> But, I will take suggestions that I might use to strengthen the

> opportunities for adult educators' professional development in Delaware .

>  The Adult Education Professional Development organization for Delaware is

> DAACE.

>

> I look forward to a lively conversation on this topic.

>

> Sincerely

>

> Gina Lobaccaro

>

> *Sussex **Correctional Institution *

> *Prison Education Program *

> *PO Box 500 *

> *Georgetown **, DE 19947 *

> *302-856-5282 x 6204 *

>

> *gina.lobaccaro at state.de.us * <gina.lobaccaro at state.de.us>

>

>

> *From David Rosen: *

> Hello Gina and others,

>

> Sometimes crisis offers opportunity. Here's where you could start:

>

> Since you know a lot about technology already, and since two of the

> areas that teachers in Delaware probably need to improve on is

> integrating technology in their classrooms, and using online learning

> for their own professional development, I recommend you look at

> Adulted online 's Technology Integration Self assessment (TISA)

> [ http://adultedonline.org

> <https://owa.state.de.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://adultedonline.org>]

> Go to Tech Savvy -- select "Teachers start

> here" link. . This (free because it was developed with funds provided

> by the U.S. Department of Education] online process is a self-

> assessment and much more. It is an online professional development

> process.

>

> After taking the self assessment, a teacher (or group of teachers at

> a program, or all the teachers across a state) creates a professional

> development plan with a few objectives for the year. The teacher then

> is guided to (free or inexpensive) online learning resources to meet

> the specific objective(s). It's new, simple, elegant, and many

> teachers, program administrators and states are using it. The

> learning curve for teachers is not steep.

>

> There is another reason to use this. It's a good model for other

> kinds of professional development. The same process could be used for

> other kinds of professional development. The process is not limited

> to only online learning. Teachers can still take advantage of face-to-

> face PD (if there is any, and if their schedules allow them to take

> advantage of it) but it opens new opportunities to the majority of

> adult ed teachers , those who work part-time and have other full-time

> and part-time jobs and who can only learn online. Incidentally a

> similar online learning process is used by new State Directors of

> Adult Education and their staff, so some are quite familiar with how

> an online PD model works from their own experience.

>

> Full disclosure: I helped to build the TISA so I am not impartial

> about it, but check it out and talk with others who have used it.

> Maybe some people on this list have used it. If so, what do you

> think?  Do you like it? Is it helpful? What are its strengths? If

> there were more funds available to support it, how could it be improved?

> *

> *http://adultedonline.org/

> <https://owa.state.de.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://adultedonline.org/>

> Go to Tech Savvy -- select "Teachers start here" link.

>

> David J. Rosen *

> *djrosen at comcast.net

> ******************************************* *

> *From Martin Senger *

>

> Pax et bonum Gina! (peace & goodness)

>

> I am an adult ESL teacher from Erie , Pa. I am also one of the co-chairs

> for the ESL Division of the Pa. Assoc. for Adult Continuing Education

> (PAACE).

>

> Several teachers from around the state have created a blog for adult ESL

> teachers from Pa. to interact and communicate on a state-wide basis. We only

> created it at the beginning of February, so we are still working out many

> bugs, including the best way to add to the blog.

>

> We are also looking for ways to share files (lesson plans, handouts, etc)

> over the web. One suggestion is that our local PDC (Prof. Dev. Ctr.), part

> of the Pa. Dept of Ed. might act as a clearing house for some of these

> things. If you have a counterpart to our PDCs, you might want to try them.

>

> I would be interested in what you find out with this query.

>

> Ciao!

>

> Martin E. Senger

>

> Adult ESL Teacher

>

> GECAC / The R. Benjamin Wiley Learning Center

>

> Erie , Pa

>

> *******************

>

> *From Andy Tyskiewicz *

>

> Proliteracy offerings may help – they are on line; also US Dept. of

> Education has new on line products for adult educators with OVAE

> ************************

>

> *From **Cristina Costa *

>

> Hi Gina,

>

> I know the feeling. In previous institutions where I worked before there

> was no budget at all for PD. However, it didn't stop me. I paid for my own

> Masters'. However, the greatest achievements and the more efficient learning

> was not acquired and developed through the official accomplishment of this

> degree, but through the active and ongoing engagement with an international

> CoP – The webheads in Action. I have learned so much from these people, and

> I think I have also been able to give something back. It is this continuous

> learning exchange that keeps me motivated and also keeps my learning spark

> going.

>

> Yesterday I also joined another group in NING on Professional Development

> 2.0 http://newlearning.ning.com/m

> <https://owa.state.de.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://newlearning.ning.com/m>which

> you might also find useful.

>

> I hope to meet you there too.

>

> Best,

>

> Cris

>

> Cristina Costa

> http://www.knowmansland.com

> <https://owa.state.de.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.knowmansland.com/>

> ………………………………………………….

> Learning Technologies Development Officer

> Research and Graduate College

> <https://owa.state.de.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.rgc.salford.ac.uk/>

> University of Salford

> <https://owa.state.de.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.salford.ac.uk/>

>

> Tel: +44 (0)161 295 6751

>

> Skype ID: navysternchen

>

>

>

> *P **Please, consider your environmental responsibility. **Before printing

> this e-mail ask yourself: "Do I need a hard copy?" *

>

>   ----------------------------------------------------

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>

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