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Volume 8, Issue 1

SPRING 2008

The Arkansas Adult

Learning Resource

Center provides equal

access to all programs

and activities.

Brandi O’Donnell is a recent GED graduate of the Howard County Cam-

pus Adult Education program. She was raised in Saratoga, Arkansas, in

Howard County by her grandparents, James and Doris Gray. Brandi was

born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a degenerative muscle dis-

ease that affects skeletal muscles. She was diagnosed at around ten

months old because she did not crawl. She did learn to walk, however,

but required the use of a walker. Unfortunately, she was forced into a

wheelchair at age five, due to frequent falls.

Prior to entering the GED program, Brandi was a

public school student with the Nashville Public

School system. However, she was able to com-

plete only the third grade at school. At that time,

the school provided books for home study, but it

was difficult for Brandi to learn at home without

the presence of a certified teacher. She did not

get the same instruction or opportunity to ask

questions as other students. Overcoming this

obstacle, she still qualified for the Gifted and Tal-

ented program in the public schools. Brandi’s

grandmother, Doris, was very instrumental in

teaching her at home. Her favorite subjects are

reading, language arts, and social studies.

Toward the end of her school career, Brandi was told that she did not

have enough credits to graduate. She stayed in public schools a little

longer so that she could attend the prom. She was then tested through

Nashville Public School’s Achievement Center Alternative Education pro-

gram and was referred to the Howard County Campus GED program be-

cause she had passed all areas of the Tests of Adult Basic Education

(TABE). After enrolling in the GED program, she worked with instructor

Dawn Humphry to secure the necessary physical accommodations for

testing. Because of her disease, she would not be able to sit through a

lengthy testing session. She can sit comfortably for only about an hour at

a time. This special testing situation required permission from the Arkan-

sas GED Testing Service. Ms. Janice Hanlon from the state office came

to the Howard County Campus to look over the facility and approve a

special testing room.

Ms. Hanlon reviewed the requested accommodations, as this was the

first case of its kind. Accommodations were approved, and Ms. Christine

Vertiz, Chief GED Examiner at Cossatot Community College University of

Arkansas (CCCUA), and Ms. Linda Young of the Howard County Cam-

pus Testing Center assisted with scheduling Brandi’s testing and accom-

modations.

GED Spotlight

Provided by D awn Humphry

Arkansas Adult Learning

Resource Center

3905 Cooperative Way,

Suite D

Little Rock, AR 72209

Phone: 800-832-6242

501-907-2490

FAX: 501-907-2492

http://www.aalrc.org

Continued on page 8

Brandi O’Donnell

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Adult Learning Network

AALRC Staff

Director

Marsha Taylor

___________________

Administrative

Assistant

Wanda Johnson

Professional

Development

Coordinator

Nancy Loftis

Media

Coordinator

Klaus Neu

Secretary

Toccara Pearson

Information

Technology

Specialist

Rob Pollan

Disabilities

Project

Manager

Patti White

NOTICE:

When a workshop has a waiting

list, participants may not send sub-

stitutes from their center to attend

in their place. Registrations are

held for participants and not for

centers.

If you are unable to attend a work-

shop for which you have regis-

tered, please go online to ESC

Web and cancel your registration.

Participants are often placed on

waiting lists because workshops fill

up quickly. After you cancel, ESC

Web will send an email to the first

person in line on the waiting list.

Calendar

All events are at the AALRC unless otherwise noted.

http://www.escweb.net/ar_esc/

Please remember that the AALRC is

now using ESC Web for all work-

shop/training registrations. Tips, tricks,

and hints may be found on the AALRC

web site at:

http://www.aalrc.org/profdev/ESCWeb.

doc

.

If you are still having trouble, you can

always call the AALRC at 1-800-832-

6242 or 1-501-907-2490.

Workshops:

April 2 – Leadership Academy

April 3-4 – Literacy Strategies – Days 5-6

April 9 – GED New Examiners’ Workshop

April 17-18 – Administrators’ Meeting –

Pulaski Technical College – North Little Rock

April 24-25 – Literacy Strategies – Days 7-8

April 29 – Movie Maker – Session ID # 68226

April 30 – Web Design – Session ID # 68233

Meetings - held at AALRC unless otherwise noted:

April 7 – Funding Formula Meeting – Administrators – Little Rock Adult

Education Center

April 8 – Arkansas Youth Development Council (AYDC)

April 11 – WAGE Council Meeting

April 16 – AACAE Committee

May 6 – AYDC

National Conference:

April 27 – May 1 – COABE -Commission on Adult Basic Education

Conference in St. Louis, MO

Local programs funded

with state or federal

adult education funds

must adhere to Arkan-

sas Department of Fi-

nance and Administra-

tion guidelines when

requesting travel reim-

bursement.

TRAVEL

Reimburse-

ment

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Adult Learning Network

Citizenship Update

During this transition year between the current and new naturalization test, it is essential that

teachers plan and prepare to change their methods and materials for the new test. Teachers can

check the USCIS Web site,

http://www.uscis.gov

, frequently for announcements, information, and

materials. In addition, teachers can find out more in the following ways:

Current Test Information (

http://www.uscis.gov/civicsflashcards

)

This page has all of the materials for the current test including the printable flashcards, Quick Civ-

ics Lessons, and the current history/government questions.

New Test Information (

http://www.uscis.gov/newtest

)

This page has an informational brochure and FAQs about the new test, the new history/

government questions, and the new reading and writing vocabulary lists.

A Guide to Naturalization (

http://www.uscis.gov/natzguide

)

This is the best resource on the naturalization process from USCIS. It is a good place for teachers

new to citizenship education to get started.

Citizenship News (

http://www.citizenshipnews.us

)

This Web site has information about citizenship education as well as links to newspaper articles

about the new test and other immigration matters. Educators can view the updates at this site or

sign up to get them by e-mail.

Time Line for New Test

Applicants who apply BEFORE Oct 1, 2008, and have their interviews BEFORE Oct 1, 2008,

take the current test.

Applicants who apply BEFORE Oct 1, 2008, but have their interviews AFTER Oct 1, 2008, can

choose which test they want to take.

Applicants who apply AFTER Oct 1, 2008, will take the new test.

Applicants who have their interviews scheduled AFTER Oct 1, 2009, will take the new test re-

gardless of when they applied (This provision affects mainly people who get held up in the

name-check process.)

Health Literacy

Health literacy is often defined as the ability to read, understand, and act upon health-related infor-

mation. Improving health literacy may improve the health status and quality of life of America's

adults, especially among adults with marginal literacy skills. The National Institute for Literacy

(NIFL), through its LINCS Regional Resource Centers, is convening adult literacy and health pro-

fessionals to share information about the research on health literacy and resources for implement-

ing health literacy programming.

The goals are to:

increase awareness and understanding of the commonalities between adult education and

health literacy/patient safety;

present the latest health literacy research, evidence-based curriculum, and programs to im-

prove the health status and safety of low-moderate literate adults;

Continued on page 8

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Adult Learning Network

News from the Disabilities Project Manager

Teaching for the “Real World"

The Phi Delta Kappan journal recently published an article by

David Fink and Chris Stock about teaching math as it relates

to the real world. Their suggested websites target grades 9-

12; however, many of these sites would be helpful for GED

students who have learning disabilities and benefit from (1)

linking curricula to real-life experiences, (2) multisensory in-

struction, and (3) applications that target critical thinking and

other metacognitive skills. Many of the sites include additional

subject areas like language skills, social studies, and science,

and can be used to augment existing GED curricula or as mul-

tisensory, independent practice exercises.

The Futures Channel at

http://www.thefutureschannle.com

has an extensive collection of videos

that connect learning to the real world, especially regarding math, science and technology, and

problem solving. For example,

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets/dvrl/drumming/

index.php

teaches basic operations involving fractions and time with the percussion rhythms of

Ndugu Chancler. The 3-minute video is complemented by a music/math lesson about fractions

and ratios, available as a printable .pdf document on the website.

Social studies, math, and language activities are found at

http://pbskids.org/democracy/educators

,

which is part of the Democracy Project on PBS. Each lesson includes a short lesson summary,

learning objectives, materials list, procedure, assessment tools, and follow-up lesson ideas.

For lessons about using math in the home, try

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/

mathhome.html

for activities involving fractions, percentages, probability, and geometry. The fo-

cus is on the elementary level, but the use of real items for application would be very helpful for

ABE and literacy students who need the tactile-kinesthetic approach to basic math concepts.

Dyslexia, Reading Comprehension, and Metacognition

Adult students with dyslexia have difficulty with both reading comprehension and metacognition;

i.e., learning how to learn. For this population, reading remediation is possible, but not easy.

Reading skills should be taught directly and explicitly in combination with guided reading strate-

gies and follow-up dialogue to insure the concurrent strengthening of metacognitive skills. The

basic guideline for this instructional method includes the following procedures.

First, the student must have frequent opportunities to read out loud in a private, one-on-one set-

ting with the instructor. Some adult education programs may have a difficult time making that

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Adult Learning Network

AALRC

Advisory

Committee

Dubs Byers,

Chair,

Pine Bluff

Emily Barrier,

Little Rock

Harriet Branch,

Monticello

Sharon Ellis,

Secretary,

Fort Smith

Jennifer Hurst,

Pine Bluff

Lloyd Huskey,

Little Rock

Steven Lilly,

Lonoke

Charlotte

Robertson,

Little Rock

Trece Shepherd

Williams,

Helena

Billy Upson,

Texarkana

Nancy

Whitmire,

Vice-Chair,

Batesville

logistical arrangement, but the bottom line is that without that first and most

basic step to reading remediation, the student will likely not see much, if

any, progress. Some programs enlist volunteers from community organiza-

tions to act as tutors; others arrange for students to take turns getting a

few minutes of one-on-one instruction while others work on independent

practice, drill, and repetition.

Begin by talking to the student about what the reading topic is and what

questions the student should think about while they read. What do they al-

ready know about this topic. What do they expect to learn. What does this

topic have to do with the stu-

dent’s own life. If the reading

passage is from a textbook, are

there questions following the pas-

sage. If so, be sure the student

reads the questions prior to read-

ing the passage. Ask the student

what reading strategies they plan

to use while reading, such as

paraphrasing, mapping, visualiza-

tion, etc. What tools might they

need. Would a dictionary, the-

saurus, or straight edge be helpful.

During the private, one-on-one instructional period, teachers are available

for guided reading strategies; e.g., asking pertinent comprehension ques-

tions as the student reads out loud. This should include asking the student

to paraphrase as they read. Some students will benefit from visualization

or actually drawing a picture of what they are reading as they read, while

others greatly increase their reading comprehension by mapping key words

and concepts as a graphic organizer. (The “Inspiration" software would be

a good reading aid for these students.) Instructors can also help the stu-

dent choose effective strategies for decoding and identifying new vocabu-

lary as they read, and linking those new words to previously known events

or items in the student’s own life. Students with more severe dyslexia may

have to read each sentence three times: once to decode the sentence,

and twice more for fluency and comprehension.

Follow the reading with a dialogue for self-evaluation. What strategies and

tools worked well or did not work well, and why. Does the student have

News from the Disabilities Project Manager

Continued from page 4

Continued on page 6

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Adult Learning Network

Adult Education

Advisory Council

Ben Aldama, Chair

Rogers

Steve Clayton, Vice-

Chair, Jonesboro

Jim Allen,

Fayetteville

Patricia Bates,

El Dorado

Sherry Brown,

Ozark

Diane Cary,

Magnolia

Ralph Edds,

Hot Springs

Eddye Kay Hansen

Stuttgart

Denise Hester

Blytheville

Lloyd Huskey,

North Little Rock

Steven Lilly,

Lonoke

Sandra Miller,

Melbourne

Jolla Robinson,

Little Rock

Diane Shores,

Helena

Flora Simon,

Dumas

Kathy Spigarelli,

Fayetteville

Marsha Taylor,

Little Rock

News from the Disabilities Project Manager

A Must-See Video

Inside the Hidden World of Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactiv-

ity Disorder

Every student with learning disabilities and/

or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(AD/HD) should watch the free video avail-

able at

http://www.headstrongnation.org/

documentary

. Created by people who have

dyslexia and AD/HD, the film “provides an

overview of dyslexia and attention deficit

disorder while exploring the brave lives of

diverse individuals persevering in a world

not designed with them in mind." It is uplifting, motivational, educational,

and historical, but the most important aspect of this film is the hope it gives

to people with these disabilities.

any unanswered questions regarding the topic.

The student should share their evaluation re-

flections orally and then in writing so they have

a clear record of what strategies they should

continue to use and what strategies are unnec-

essary or confusing. If the student can express

their thoughts more coherently by speaking

rather than writing, they may want to tape re-

cord their “metacognition journal" or (even bet-

ter) use a speech-to-text software program

such as Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Using this type of structured, evaluative approach to reading remediation

for adult students with dyslexia will produce a number of desired results.

Not only will their reading comprehension and fluency improve over time,

but even more importantly, the student will increase their awareness of

how they learn best. Effective reading strategies and tools can be applied

during subsequent reading tasks – not because someone told them to read

that way, but because they themselves determined the efficacy of employ-

ing those strategies and tools. The acquisition of this metacognition forms

a strong foundation for both self-advocacy and subsequent basic skills

remediation in all content areas.

Continued from page 5

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Adult Learning Network

Tech

Talk

Note: To link to any web address (URL) in this newsletter, go the AALRC's home page at

http://aalrc.org

, look up this newsletter, and then just click on the appropriate link.

Computer Lab Tip:

Shut down all your computers automatically. The program is called Shut Off, it’s free and can be

downloaded from

http://www.download.com

. Once at download.com, click in the search box

and type in “shut off" (without the quotes), then download and install the program. No more walk-

ing from computer to computer to shut them all down at the end of the day. The computer will

warn you that it is about to shut down and tell you to close your work; it also gives you the option

to cancel the shut down so you can continue to work. You can type in your own shut down mes-

sage and set the time of shut down.

It can shutdown or restart your computer, disconnect your current dial-up connection, and lock

your workstation. It provides fast access to these operations through a system tray icon.

There is also a fully customizable Web interface that lets you initiate operations remotely from

any computer with a Web browser installed. The Web interface includes wireless application pro-

tocol (WAP) support, so you can even control your computer from mobile phones.

This program is a great time and energy saver, it’s free, plus it is very small and skimps on mem-

ory usage. Install it on your office and home computer too.

Requirements: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP, sorry no Vista

Intelligent Shutdown is an alternative that is a bit more robust and even has a reminder func-

tion, can also be downloaded from download.com.

Quick Shut Down Tip – On the keyboard in Windows XP you could hit the (Windows key)

then U , U to quickly shutdown your computer without using the mouse. They changed it in

Vista; hit the key, then the right arrow key three times and then enter to select shut down.

Cell Phone Tip – Need to look up a phone number but don’t want to pay outrageous fees to your

cell phone carrier for 411. Try out these two free services and then save them in your contacts

of your phone to keep them handy. They both use voice recognition technology and are simple

to use. They can also send you the number in a text message so you can write it down later.

Goog 411 – 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) Free service from Google to look up a business

number. If your phone has Internet it can even send you a map of the location. Check out this

link for more information and a quick video:

http://www.google.com/goog411

Free 411 – 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-373-3411) Free service with a quick advertisement. You

have to listen to a quick ad but this one will let you look up business, residential, and government

numbers.

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Adult Learning Network

GED Spotlight

Ms. Vertiz came to the Nashville campus to administer the tests. It took several months for Brandi

to complete all five areas of the GED test, but she passed all areas with very good scores. Ms.

Vertiz states, “She was a pleasure to work with and an inspiration to everyone. Her dedication and

determination are amazing. I am proud to have gotten the chance to know her."

Brandi says that her biggest challenge is living with her disability. Many tasks that most people

take for granted take much effort for Brandi to complete. Brandi’s hobbies are arts and crafts,

scrapbooking, bowling, and shopping. Brandi is planning to enter college in the spring of 2009 at

CCCUA. She plans to pursue a degree in psychology and enter the field of counseling. She says

that counseling has helped her personally, and she wants to help others in the same way she has

been helped.

Her GED instructor, Dawn Humphry, says, “Brandi’s perseverance is phenomenal. Our program is

privileged to have been a part of her success. We wish her the very best in her future endeavors."

Continued from page 1

The fifth annual Arkansas Literary Festival April 4-6 in Little Rock was the last event

for Arkansas Literacy Councils, Inc. - but, thanks to the Central Arkansas Library Sys-

tem, the festival will continue as what has become one of the state's major cultural

events.

In January, the ALC Board of Directors made the difficult but necessary decision to release the

festival as of July 1. Once the decision was made, the board then turned its attention to finding a

respected organization to "adopt" the festival so it can continue and be enjoyed for years to come

- not only by Arkansans - but also the authors and other guests who visit and praise the state for

its beauty and hospitality.

During a press conference March 27, ALC announced that the Central Arkansas Library System

Board of Directors has accepted its invitation to take over the festival.

Since the January decision, the ALC Board of Directors and staff has been working with CALS on

a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the transfer of all rights and responsibilities associ-

ated with the event. At its meeting in February, the CALS board approved the memorandum.

Both ALC and CALS will proceed with the transfer beginning at the end of the 2008 event.

A press conference will be held following the festival to announce more details of the transition

and the festival's exciting future.

share effective programs, partnerships, and resources to address health literacy concerns of

low-moderate literate adults; and

devise strategies for effective collaboration with healthcare organizations/providers and adult

education providers.

Florida and Virginia have currently health literacy programs. You can find their curriculum at the

following addresses:

http://abeflorida.org/healthandliteracy.html

and

http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/publications/healthlit/

Health Literacy

Continued from page 3

Arkansas Literary Festival Update