Please join the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia for our One for the Books gala!

Join LCNV, celebrity chef José Andrés, award-winning author David Baldacci, top-ranked financial advisor Ric Edelman, and nonprofit leader Robert Egger in celebrating 50 years of improving our community through literacy!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012 │ 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

George Washington Masonic Memorial │101 Callahan Dr. │ Alexandria, VA 22301

The event menu is inspired by José Andrés  │ Catering provided by Fresh Start Catering   

Only 200 tickets available. Tickets are priced at $150 each and are available online. Your name will be on a list at the door; you do not have to print your receipt.

Purchase event tickets now!  

LCNV will  hold a raffle: a week at a beautiful villa, Calypso del Sol, on St. John.  Raffle tickets are $50 each.  You do not have to be present to participate.

Purchase raffle tickets today!   

Note: You will not receive an invitation via postal mail. Tickets must be purchased online at  www.lcnv.org/events/one-books or via phone at 703-237-0866.

2855 Annandale Rd., Falls Church, Va 22042│ (703)237-0866 │www.lcnv.org

Sarah is at CMNH the majority of the week and can usually be found hip deep in arts and crafts supplies in the Muse Studio.  You may have even heard Sarah’s voice while you were shopping for a pair of jeans.  Yes, you read that right!  Sarah has a lot to say so let’s jump right in and find out more!

Zach:  Sarah, how long have you worked at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire?

Sarah:  I’ve been at the museum since October – so about 11 months!

Z:  Why CMNH?

S:  I’ve always loved working with kids and when I saw that CMNH was hiring I thought it would be a great opportunity to do different activities and exploration with families each day.  I loved that each day would be a new and different experience!  The other part of that daily surprise is the fact that I get to teach each day.  Interactive teaching with the visitors is the highlight of my job.

Z:  What originally brought you to New Hampshire?

S:  I came to Dover because I was accepted in to the Masters of Fine Arts program at UNH in Durham.  My focus is Creative Writing – specifically Poetry.

Z:  Where did you complete your undergrad studies?

S:  I attended Columbia University in New York City.  My focus in undergrad was Creative Writing but I also spent much of my time at Columbia attending and participating in musical performances.  I’ve been studying voice since I was six-years old so I definitely enjoyed working with classical music and opera at Columbia.

Z:  Wow!  You may likely be our only Experience Guide with an opera background!  Tell me, what – if any – experience did you have working with families before your time here at CMNH?

S:  For many, many years, I taught at a musical theater summer camp in my hometown of Allentown, New Jersey.

This Way to Allentown!

Z:  That sounds like a lot of fun!

S:  Yes!  “Musical Theater Magical Camp” was a very enjoyable place to work!

Z:  Wow!  With a name like that it sounds even more fun!

S:  It really was a lot of fun.  Each session ran for 3 weeks and was open to children from 5-12 years old.  We would spend Week One getting to know each other, learning about theater, playing games and becoming comfortable with being on stage.  We would cast a full musical in Week Two and then teach them choreography, design and make the costumes, and create the set.  Then, after rehearsing throughout Week Three, we would put on a performance on the last day for the entire camp and all of the returning families.

Curtains up on the, “Pirates: The Musical” set, circa 2009

Z:  Did any of the children ever experience stage fright?

S:  Oh, yes!  We would often get parents who would sign their children up for our camp in an attempt to kind of bring them out of their shell.  These are the children that would be quite shy at the start of camp; often they would be the younger campers.  Which made it such a wonderful process that at the end of three weeks we’d be able to see these kids that had entered the process unsure of themselves and their abilities come out on stage and blow us away with their confidence!

Z:  I’m currently working on a production myself this summer outside of CMNH and I’m having some trouble with a few of the actors hitting their spots and remembering their lines.  Can I recruit you to come and fill them full of your trademark confidence??

S:  Well, I’m pretty busy at the museum this summer but we’ll see what I can do!

Z:  Sarah, switching gears a bit, I’d like to know if you or your family visited museums when you were growing up?

S:  We did.  We went to a ton of museums as a family.  My father is a software developer and he has worked on a number of projects and exhibits for museums.  He and his brothers did most of hardware and software for the Sony Wonder Museum in New York when it first opened.

Z:  “New York” meaning New York City?

S:  Yes!  Right on Madison Avenue!  I was able to explore the museum before they officially opened to the public while my father worked on different projects and exhibits.

Z:  How old were you?

S:  About 6 or 7.

Z:  I’m jealous.

S:  [Laughs.]  You should be!  My dad has worked with a number of museums since then and I actually got to do some voice-over work on one of his projects.

Z:  I’m somehow even more jealous now.  What was the voice work?

S:  It was an exhibit for the Children’s Museum of Houston that was also getting installed at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey.  It was a Magic School Bus weather-based exhibit.  I provided the voices for two of the children in the Magic School Bus.

All Aboard the Magic School Bus!

Z:  Wow!

S:  He also worked for the Levi’s flagship store in Union Square in San Francisco – so for a long time, I was the voice of many of their in-store kiosks.

Z:  Did you actually get to travel to San Francisco?

Sarah’s voice will help you buy your next pair of jeans!

S:  I did!  The whole family spent the summer in San Francisco.

Z:  And how old were you then?

S:  I was 12 years old and it was wonderful to be there for the whole summer.  We really got to know the city.

Z:  I have to ask – did you visit any museums?

S:  We did.  We went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  It . . . well . . .

Z:  Yes?

S:  It was actually . . . an interesting experience.

Z:  I’m going to need you to tell me more than that!

S:  Yes.  Well.  They had a number of installations that were very advanced and were . . . well, perhaps a little over my 12-year old head.

Z:  I see.  Well, Sarah, please tell us:  What is your favorite museum in the world?

S:  That’s a really tough question to answer.  I very much love the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.  I visited it constantly while at Columbia.  But . . . I’d have to say that the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ will always hold a special place in my heart.  When my father was working on the Magic School Bus exhibit, my friend and I were allowed to be at the museum before and after hours and we were given free access to all of the IMAX shows.  Most importantly, we were allowed to wear V.I.P. necklaces. [Laughs.]

Z:  I always knew you were a V.I.P.!  Sarah, what is your favorite exhibit at CMNH and why?

S:  My favorite exhibit is probably the Muse Studio.  I love the way we’ve been able to mix artistic creativity with scientific exploration.  You’ll see families and staff drawing, painting and collaging conjoined with learning how a prism works and how a lima bean plant grows.  It’s definitely the part of the museum that, as a child, you would have had difficulty getting me to leave.

Z:  Even as an adult we have a hard time getting you out of the Muse Studio!

S:  This is true.  [Laughs.]

Essential Information about Experience Guide Sarah

Favorite Color:  Green (Most shades of green, but not Turquoise!)

Favorite Animal:  Dachshund

Favorite Movie:  Contact

Favorite Type of Music:  Classical  /  Favorite Artist:  Elvis Costello

See more GOLDEN REUNION pics on LCNV’s Flickr.

* Photos courtesy of Hernan Vargas and Daniel Afzal

The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia would like to thank all of the students, volunteers, and supporters who attended LCNV’s Golden Reunion this past Sunday.  Bringing new and old friends together, the Golden Reunion honored the accomplishments of its students and volunteers. The event was truly a success, and included many highlights!

Every year LCNV holds a student essay contest. The Literacy Council received many essays in response to this year’s student essay contest topic: Celebrating Literacy: My Celebrations, Big and Small. Anxiously, LCNV announced the Student Essay Contest Winners which included: Nasr Youssef (1st Place Basic Literacy Tutoring Student Essay); Janice dos Santos (2nd Place Basic Literacy Tutoring Student Essay); Miriam Rosas (1st Place ESOL Tutoring Student Essay); Ann Choi (2nd Place ESOL Tutoring Student Essay); Huiyan Wang (1st Place Classroom Student Essay); and Elsa Ortiz (2nd Place Classroom Student Essay).  We are incredibly proud of all the winners! Many of the winners were surprised to find that LCNV proudly displayed excerpts from their essays throughout the venue. We’d like to once again, congratulate our winners!

The Council also recognized the Bev­erly M. Newport Memorial Fund and the Virginia Literacy Foundation for their exceptional support of our mission. Without the help of organizations such as these, LCNV would not be able to bring much needed services to individuals who need and want to learn how to read, write, speak, and understand English. We are truly thankful to the Bev­erly M. Newport Memorial Fund and the Virginia Literacy Foundation for their continued support.

A special event highlight included LCNV’s “Decades of Success” panel discussion. Moderated by Laurie Hayden, a teacher and tutor, the panel included: Candelario Chavez, Kerrin Epstein, Doris Gone, Maria Henriquez, Sally Jaggar, Bobby Jo Small, and Bob Stump.  Here, students, teachers, and tutors came together to discuss how LCNV has changed their lives; they commented upon the surprises and challenges they faced, as well as the lessons they learned throughout their experience at LCNV.

The Golden Reunion would not have been possible without the help of the Golden Reunion Committee and the 50^th Anniversary Planning Committee. The Literacy Council extends a big thank you to the Golden Reunion Committee: Audrey Lipps, Golden Reunion Committee Chair; Doris Addo; Rena Baker ; Fatima El Amrani; Ruth Hansen; Mary Hollingshead ; Sarah (Sally) Jaggar ; Karen Lezny ; Becca Lipps ; Juana Merlo ; Jessica Raines ; Bobby Joe Small; Anne Spear ; Robin Walker ; Ron Wise ; and Michael Wolff. LCNV extends another big thank you to the 50^th Anniversary Planning Committee: Jan Auerbach, 50th Anniversary Events Chair; Elsa Angell; Rena Baker; Avis Black; Rebekah Bundang; Mary Hollingshead; Anne Poad; and Jean Sweeney. The Council would also like to thank Delegate Mark Keam  for attending the Golden Reunion, and showing his support.

Once again, the Literacy Council thanks all of the students, volunteers, and supporters who made the Golden Reunion such a successful and memorable event!

Visit LCNV’s Flickr to see more Golden Reunion pics!

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, Va 22042
(703)237-0866 ext 112
www.LCNV.org

Please join the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia this Sunday for our

Golden Reunion 

Celebrating 50 years of promoting literacy!

Reconnect with old friends, students, tutors, teachers, and supporters. Hear about the impact the Council has had on the lives of both instructors and learners. Learn how the Council has evolved to support the changing needs of the community. Program begins at 4 PM and will be followed by a reception.

 SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2012  │ 4 PM to 7PM

Northern Virginia Community College │ Ernst Community Cultural Center
8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003

Complimentary Program and Reception │ Dress Casual │ Free Parking
RSVP to 703-237-0866 or info@lcnv.org

Marymount President Matthew Shank (left), Dominique Poirier (center), Staff Attorney at Just Neighbors, and LCNV Executive Director, Patti Donnelly (right),  at Marymount Reston’s Dream Act presentation. Photo courtesy of Marymount University Reston Center

Back in May, the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia co-hosted a presentation “What the Dream Act Means for Immigrant Families,” with Just Neighbors at Marymount University’s NonProfit Center in Reston, Virginia. Dominique Poirier, Just Neighbors’ immigration attorney, gave a clear and thorough presentation about the federal and Virginia state proposals for the Dream Act, and how this issue influences the real lives of immigrants in our communities and the nonprofits who serve them.

This past June, I attended an informative training on the Obama Administration’s New “Deferred Action” Policy for DREAMers, which was organized by the following institutions: Hogar Immigrant Services – Catholic Charities; Legal Aid Justice Center – Immigrant Advocacy Program; Ayuda; Just Neighbors: Immigration Legal Services; Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect (HACAN/STAR); and the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO).

This is the first of a two-part blog LCNV will present in an effort to share the nuts and bolts of U.S. policy as it relates to undocumented immigrants, and describe the potential benefits and challenges of the Deferred Action Policy as it may relate to people in and around the Literacy Council’s community.

BACKGROUND on U.S. Immigration Policy: The Facts Defining Immigrants

Legally, there is no such person as an “illegal immigrant”. People in the U.S. can only fall into one of the following 3 legal terms: “U.S. Citizen”, “Lawful Permanent Resident” (Green Card holder), or “Alien”.  Any person whose presence in the U.S. is undocumented is “unlawfully present”, or an “unlawfully present Alien”. The term “undocumented” can be considered synonymous with unlawfully present.

An “unlawfully present Alien” may have entered the U.S. legally or illegally. Those who entered legally, with a time-bound visa, and remained in the U.S. after their visas expired are considered “overstays”. Such individuals may include tourists, students, diplomats, and nannies, among others. Those who entered the U.S. without inspection are considered to have “Entry without Inspection (EWI)”. Any person who has been in the U.S. “illegally” (overstay or EWI) for over a year and then leaves will be barred from returning to the U.S. for10 years.

Sponsorship

The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act is the basic body of America’s immigration law, which prioritizes immigration and naturalization based on employable skills and family relationships with citizens or U.S. residents.

The gross majority (68%) of Green Cards issued by the U.S. are for individuals who are sponsored by a family member who is a lawful permanent resident or citizen.  Only 13% of Green Cards that are issued are employment-based sponsorship.  Less than 20% of Green Cards that are issued are for individuals who fall within unique categories, including self-sponsorship, refugees, asylees, and abused minors.

A person’s sponsorship rights are defined by their status.

U.S. Citizens can petition for their immediate relatives to receive immigrant visas. “Immediate relatives” ONLY include: parents, spouses, and unmarried children who are under the age of 21. Generally, these petitions are processed relatively quickly (within 3-4 years).  U.S. Citizens can also petition for sons and daughters who are over the age of 21, although this process often entails a much longer wait. The wait to sponsor children over the age of 21 can last 7 to 20 years, depending on their marital status and country of origin. The process to sponsor siblings can take even longer – from 12-23 years.

Lawful Permanent Residents can petition for their spouses (a 3-5 year process) or their unmarried children (an 8-11+ year process), depending on their marital status and country of origin. Green Card Holders cannot petition for their parents or siblings.

Unlawfully present Aliens do not have any sponsorship rights. Overstays are the only group of unlawfully present Aliens who might be able to stay in the U.S. legally IF they have an immediate relative sponsoring them.

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN OF UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS:

A brief history and description of the DREAM Act

Undocumented youth who grow up in America and often don’t know of a life anywhere else may graduate from high school and find themselves with no further opportunities. They cannot work or go to college, and especially since the events of 9-11, they cannot even get a driver’s license.^*

In the past, the U.S. has granted amnesty to populations of undocumented aliens. The last full amnesty was issued by President Reagan, who granted any unlawfully present alien who has been continuously present in the U.S. since 1982 the right to self-petition for immigration status. Under the Clinton administration, a partial amnesty was issued, granting unlawfully present aliens the right to apply “if they had someone to petition for them” and paid a fine. In 2001, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was first introduced and failed. Over the years, the DREAM Act has gone through various iterations, weakening and reducing the eligibility and rights for undocumented youth each time.

If the current iteration of the DREAM Act were to pass, unlawfully present individuals who meet the following qualifications may receive conditional (5 years) permanent residency. These criteria include:

-   “Good moral character”
-    Graduated from U.S. high schools
-    Arrived in the U.S. when they were a minor
-    Lived in the U.S. continuously for at least 5 years prior to the bill’s enactment

If, within that 5-year period, the qualifying individuals attend an institution of higher education or serve in the military, they may qualify for permanent residency and apply for a Green Card.

Current estimates suggest that undocumented alien minors make up about 11% of the unlawfully present aliens in the U.S. Of that total, only 2.1% are estimated to qualify for the conditional permanent residency status. Yet, this meager bill continues to fail in Congress.

Meanwhile, a “pro-immigrant” bill that has recently passed expands medicaid coverage to resident pregnant women (because their children will be U.S.-born citizens). More recently, on June 15^th, 2012, in the midst of U.S.’ record high deportation rate, the Obama administration announced that the President would use his executive authority to grant “Deferred Action” status to the class of young adults and minors who would have likely benefitted from the DREAM Act. While this status is not a path to citizenship or permanent residency, it may provide a temporary respite from fear of deportation and education and work opportunities. The next post will elaborate on the details of this Deferred Action Policy.

In spite of these recent steps to improve the situation for undocumented youth in America, a long road lies ahead of our achieving a real DREAM Act!

What can you do to promote the DREAM Act in your neighborhood?

Get involved with local advocacy efforts, like the recent march in Maryland, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants, and Dreamactivist Virginia. It is particularly important to reach those members of Virginia’s Senate who are not already in support of the DREAM Act. Get the message to your representatives that it’s time for DREAMers to have the opportunity of citizenship in the country they already consider their own, despite missing a piece of paper.

^*A 1982 Supreme Court Ruling (Plyler v. Doe) decided that children of undocumented aliens can attend public K-12 school, there is no federal law that either prohibits or promises post-secondary education for these children. However, two federal laws make it essentially impossible for undocumented youth to attend post-secondary education. These are the Higher Education Act of 1965, which requires applicants for federal financial aid be legal U.S. residents, and the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which states that an unlawfully present alien is not eligible for state residency and is therefore not eligible for any post-secondary education benefit. Eleven states, including Maryland, have gotten around the IIRIRA by redefining “residency” and legalizing in-state tuition for undocumented youth.

Ruba Afzal, Director of Volunteers
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, Va 22042
(703)237-0866 ext 112
www.LCNV.org

Don’t forget to join LCNV’s staff, students, and volunteers at the Golden Reunion this August 26, 2012.

Check out LCNV’s new website: www.lcnv.org.  

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, Va 22042
(703)237-0866 ext 112
www.LCNV.org

In the spring, the Philip L. Graham Fund generously awarded the Literacy Council with a grant to redesign its old website, as well as to upgrade its 15-year-old phone system .  After nearly six months of working with Balance Interactive, a website development firm, LCNV is happy to announce it launched its new website on July 25, 2012. The new task-based website is user-friendly and easy for any staff member to manage. While promoting LCNV’s mission, this platform aims to raise public support and awareness. In addition, the website will be a resource for the public — a place where current and potential students can find information, and volunteers and Board members have access to resources and educational tools.

The Literacy Council would like to extend a huge thank you to the Philip L. Graham Fund for their continued support. The new website is fabulous and we hope you agree. Please visit www.lcnv.org and let us know what you think at info@lcnv.org.

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, Va 22042
(703)237-0866 ext 112
www.LCNV.org

The LCNV Board of Directors transitioned in new officers at the July Board meeting, thanking Mary Ann Nocerino for her six years of excellent leadership and service…Read on.

TUTORS CORNER
It is always wonderful to receive phone calls or quarterly reports from tutors, announcing that their students have achieved learning goals.  It is especially celebratory when that goal is the special one of obtaining US citizenship.  The first half of 2012 has provided the Literacy Council with many such celebratory moments. We’re happy to report that over a dozen tutoring students passed the citizenship exam and/or were sworn in as citizens during this period.  Each naturalized student undoubtedly came away from the ceremony with his or her own memories of the most meaningful part…Read on to see how citizenship impacts students and their tutors.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT: Philip L. Graham Fund
LCNV’s website is its core communication platform with its students, volunteers, donors, and corporate and community partners. This past fall, the Literacy Council decided to redesign its six-year-old website, aiming to improve communications, and reach even more potential students and supporters… Read more

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
“This year I will double the amount that I give to the Literacy Council because of the Neighborhood Assistance Program Tax Credits!” pledged John Odenwelder, Vice President of LCNV’s Board of Directors and Chair of its Fund Development Committee. Learn how you can take advantage of this Virginia State Tax Credit. 

GET CONNECTED
LCNV’s Golden Reunion – August 26, 2012
Reconnect with old friends, students, tutors, teachers, and supporters. Hear about the impact the Council has had on the lives of both instructors and learners. Learn how the Council has evolved to support the changing needs of the community. Find out more…

Race for a Cause – October 14, 2012 
LCNV is partnering with Acumen Solutions for their 4th Annual Race for a Cause™ 8K and 1Mile Fun Run race in Arlington, Virginia. LCNV is one of 10 charities benefiting from the race, and it’s up to the runner or walker to pick which charity their donation will benefit. Find out more… 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
LCNV’s programs would not be possible without the help of dedicated volunteers. Please consider helping adults learn to read, write, speak, and understand English. If tutoring or teaching is not for you, we offer many diverse volunteer opportunities.  Learn about Volunteer Opportunities.

DOWNLOAD the PDF – Literacy Lines Summer 2012 Issue

DOWNLOAD the PDF - The Student Special

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, Va 22042
(703)237-0866 ext 112
www.LCNV.org

I can’t believe today is my last day of my service year here at the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia. Overall, I have had much success and feel I have gained much from this experience. I have gained confidence in myself as a teacher and pride in the work I have done. I would really once again like to thank EVERYONE at the Literacy Council for being wonderful people and doing good work. I feel lucky to have been able to work with this organization for a year. As I move forward in my life, or rather South to Richmond, I can take with me all my new skills and experiences and the knowledge that I have spent one year of my life devoted to helping others. Teaching adult ESOL was such a rewarding experience. I can only hope that I find something equally as rewarding in the future. or maybe I’ll just come back some day.

Setara Habib
Americorps Instructor
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, Va 22042
(703)237-0866 ext 112
www.LCNV.org

I am grateful to AmeriCorps and the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia for my exciting and rewarding year as an ESL teacher.  I have nothing but admiration and respect for the dedication and hard work of both the Literacy Council’s staff, volunteers, and students.  I have grown as an educator and as a member of my community through the work I’ve done here.

At the class graduations this summer I told my students that they were my family.  Specifically they were all my parents, only 40 years removed.  They came to America for the same reasons, the same aspirations – something better for themselves and for their children.  My parents were able to own their own house, their own small business, and put two children through college.  And I told them this not to brag about my parents’ successes but to confirm theirs.   All those great Frank Capra American dreams are possible.  I am proud of every one of my students.  I only hope they continue to gain knowledge and confidence as they continue to better themselves.

But if they are my parents then I am their son.  And in that I have to reflect on the question of whether I have been a good one.  I can only say that AmeriCorps has been a reaffirmation that I’m trying.  I want to help others.  I want to do good and take advantage of all the gifts I’ve been given so that I can give back to others.  To that end, when I take my leave of LCNV I will be going back to law school to become a better advocate (in some fashion) of this community.

Everyone at the Literacy Council has been both dedicated and kind.  Although I will not be able to teach in the coming year I have every intention of helping LCNV in its mission.  I sincerely thank the Literacy Council for helping me be a better person.

Raymond K. Chow
Americorps Member
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Chuch, Virginia 22042
(703)237-0866 ext. 118
www.lcnv.org

The upcoming year holds many changes for me as well as my students. I will be moving to Turkey to complete a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. I will be teaching English at Usak University and I am grateful that my AmeriCorps year has prepared me well to take on this task. I will be taking with me a great appreciation for patience in teachers as I myself will begin learning a new language in Turkish. This year has also helped me determine my focus for graduate school, which I plan to pursue upon my return from my Fulbright. I plan on attending a graduate program in International Studies with a concentration in International Development. After hearing my students’ stories about their home countries, and learning about the various economic and social problems that exist, I now want to study ways to alleviate those problems.

I hope the new group of AmeriCorps will have an equally transformative year of service and that they will continue to have a profound impact on our students. I plan on returning after my year in Turkey to volunteer with the ESOL classes again – I’m sure my students will hold me to it. Hopefully I will be able to volunteer teach at Lincolnia next summer and into the school year so I can continue to play a role in the betterment of our students’ lives.

Catherine K. Ludwig
AmeriCorps ESL Instructor
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 237-0866 x 117
www.lcnv.org

The term Dyslexia literally means word blindness and it was coined by a German ophthalmologist in the late 19^th century.  Today it is generally accepted to refer to a severe impairment in the ability to read, which is generally thought to be due to neurological factors.  Nobody ever knows for certain what causes a person’s difficulty reading and writing, and regardless, reading difficulties are not intractable roadblocks to learning.  Treating difficulties empirically can make a big difference and it is essential that a student’s educational history (i.e. no education in a native language) be considered and kept in the forefront of a tutor’s mind.  Still, many tutors are surprised and frustrated by the types of errors their students make while learning to read and write.  Students may confuse similar-looking letters such as b and d, p and q or u and n.  Students may transpose sequences of letters, reading ‘was’ instead of ‘saw’.  It may seem as if a student is incapable of remembering ‘easy’ sight words such as ‘the’, ‘here’, or ‘of’.  Vowel sounds may seem particularly elusive to the adult learner.  All of these may, in fact, be symptoms of a specific learning disability.  Then again, all of these are almost always behaviors typical of new readers.

A new learner, which characterizes all LCNV students, will make errors and learning to read is no small task.  Below are a few common errors that new readers and writers make, and some tips that can help tutors address them.

• Keep Errors in Perspective – When students make any word reading errors, note them but try not to worry about them more than necessary.  Reading accurately is important but if a word reading error doesn’t interfere with a student’s comprehension then a student may be making some self-correction internally already.
• Comprehension Check-Up – We can’t always count on a student’s errors not to interfere with comprehension so it is important to be sure that they understand that they have made an error and to be sure that they can paraphrase or summarize the main points of what they have read.
• Mnemonics – If a student is having trouble discriminating (visually or auditory) between specific letters and/or sounds, teach some memory tricks such as writing the word ‘bed’ to discriminate between b and d, teaching keywords to help recall the correct sounds, or using pictures to cue the correct sound.
• Discrimination Activities – Create a stack of index cards with the two sounds that are difficult for your student to distinguish, such as short e and i.  Spend the first five minutes of the lesson reading the words aloud to your student and sorting them into piles.
• Teach Syllables – Blending individual sounds in words is difficult for almost every beginning reader.  Students need to know individual sounds of words but some people chunk different pieces of information together differently, and for some learners separating words into individual sounds is too many pieces of information to hold in memory at once.  Numerous studies demonstrate that people with reading difficulties have weaker phonemic awareness and phonemic memory than people without reading difficulties.  This means they don’t automatically see or hear similarities and differences between words and sounds so these need to be taught directly; the smaller the unit, the harder it is to discriminate and remember.  Giving a larger chunk or a regularly used analogy can be very helpful.  Be prepared to teach things slowly and be sure to incorporate plenty of practice – a weaker phonemic memory means it is harder for a person with reading difficulties to store phonemic (sound) information so they will need continued, intensive practice.
• Context – Teach your learner to use context while reading.  Adult learners have many coping skills and context can be a lifeline for such a new reader.  Many new and struggling readers come to see reading as a performance and forget that the goal of reading is understanding text, which requires active engagement with text.  Have your student repeat the word they misread and ask, “Does that make sense?”  Give your student a second chance to reread. It is also helpful if you can record the reader and have him/her listen to his/her own reading.  Students need to learn to monitor their own understanding by continuously asking, “Does that make sense?”
• Appropriate Reading Level – Any time you notice students making many errors, be sure that the level is appropriate.  If a student is struggling with something, you will often notice that skills you thought were secure are now falling apart in application. This is because the learner is attending to too many things at once.  Try the following: shorten the passage length; give the learner a chance to preview the material before reading; or be sure you are reminding the learner of only one or two things to focus on while they read instead of trying to correct all aspects of reading at once.  If none of these suggestions work, simply find easier material.

The Literacy Council trains volunteers to work with beginning readers and writers.  We define a beginning reader as someone reading below a fifth grade level, or someone who is unable to read and understand an English newspaper independently.  When a student with such limited literacy skills is faced with the task of learning to read, confusion is part of the landscape.  Nobody expects tutors to be reading specialists and the initial training provided to all new tutors should only be considered a jumping off point.  If you are struggling to meet your student’s learning needs, do not suffer in silence – reach out to Placement Advisors, staff, and fellow volunteers.  Each learner presents unique challenges and strengths, and an outside observer can provide surprising insight, advice, and peace of mind.

Molly Chilton
Basic Literacy Tutoring Specialist
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 237-0866 x 104
basiclit@lcnv.org
www.lcnv.org

The first semester, my fellow AmeriCorps members and I hit the ground running. I had to learn to teach through trial and error. Quickly, I discovered that teaching is not an easy task. Often, there are so many available resources that you can feel like you are drowning in textbooks, websites, and advice. Plus, actually being responsible for someone else’s learning felt incredibly overwhelming. Part of me expected teaching to come naturally, but I found myself spending substantial amounts of time lesson planning and feeling incredibly nervous before each class.

Teaching is an art AND science; skill and practice are required if you want to hone your craft. As time went on, I became more comfortable with it.  I took advantage of trainings, sifted through resources and articles, and practiced five times a week in front of my own class. Eventually, lesson planning and teaching became easier.  I also stopped stressing about being responsible for someone’s education and focused on enjoying my time with my students; as the saying goes “showing up is half the battle.” Students are ecstatic that someone is willing to take time out of her day to show up to class with a smile on her face and talk to them. I really enjoyed conversing with my students, even though it was extremely difficult at times given their limited language skills. While working with my students to accomplish their goals,  I learned about their lives and cultures, and this was incredibly rewarding – more rewarding than words can express.

Jessica Raines
AmeriCorps Member
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 237-0866 x 104
www.lcnv.org

This is the second time the Literacy Council has received such a generous donation from BeanTree. Many thanks are due the BeanTree families who provided the books and a special thanks to Jennifer Bower, the owner of BeanTree, as well as Tracy Gilliam for coordinating the donation.

Founded in 2003, BeanTree Learning is a privately owned and operated Creative Campus for Children developed by Jennifer Bower.

Carisa Coburn Pineda
Family Learning Specialist
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 237-0866
www.lcnv.org

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia Golden Reunion is just days away.

Audrey Lipps, Golden Reunion Committee Chair

Golden Reunion Volunteers: Doris Addo; Rena Baker ; Fatima El Amrani; Ruth Hansen; Mary Hollingshead ; Sarah (Sally) Jaggar ; Karen Lezny ; Becca Lipps ; Juana Merlo ; Jessica Raines ; Bobby Joe Small; Anne Spear ; Robin Walker ; Ron Wise ; and Michael Wolff

Jan Auerbach, 50th Anniversary Events Chair

50th Anniversary Planning Committee: Elsa Angell; Rena Baker; Avis Black; Rebekah Bundang; Mary Hollingshead; Anne Poad; and Jean Sweeney.

Come to the LCNV’s Golden Reunion and join us in honoring students, volunteers, and our exceptional partners. This is one event you won’t want to miss! Event Details follow:

GOLDEN REUNION

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012  │ 4 PM to 7PM

Northern Virginia Community College │ Ernst Community Cultural Center
8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003

Complimentary Program and Reception │ Dress Casual │ Free Parking

RSVP to 703-237-0866 or info@lcnv.org

The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia is hosting its Golden Reunion this Sunday!

This year, LCNV is proud to recognize the Bev­erly M. Newport Memorial Fund and the Virginia Literacy Foundation.  Read on to learn how these organizations have impacted LCNV and furthered our mission.

The Beverly M. Newport Memorial Fund has played a critical role in the development and success of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia. The organization first made a generous gift in 1999, which estab­lished the Family Learning Program; this gift was then matched by the Freddie Mac Foundation. This launched what is today one of LCNV’s most sought after adult English language classes for parents of school aged children. The Student Scholarship and Advancement Fund, a restricted account to support exclusively those learners who cannot afford classroom, tutoring or book fees, was made possible by the support of the Beverly M. Newport Memo­rial Fund, as well as personal contributions from Bill Newport. Operating like a university financial aid fund, this fund provides about 37% of adults financial assistance to LCNV’s programs.

It is evidenced in its history that the Virginia Literacy Foun­dation believes in partnerships and collaboration. It has long been a partner with the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia for over fif­teen years, contributing more than $100,000 to support literacy and language education. In addition, the Foundation provides ongoing support in program improvement, technology and professional de­velopment through special grants, training workshops, and the an­nual Virginia Literacy Leadership Conference. The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia is an active participant in all of their programs.

Come to the LCNV’s Golden Reunion and join us in honoring students, volunteers, and our exceptional partners. Event Details follow:

GOLDEN REUNION

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012  │ 4 PM to 7PM

Northern Virginia Community College │ Ernst Community Cultural Center
8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003

Complimentary Program and Reception │ Dress Casual │ Free Parking

RSVP to 703-237-0866 or info@lcnv.org

Jeannie McPherson Patterson Baliles can be recognized for many contributions, but for anyone associated with adult education and literacy, Jeannie is our hero. Jeannie’s major effort when she became Virginia’s First Lady in 1986 was fighting illiteracy in the Commonwealth, and she has been fighting for adult education every since. Her real passion is for the community-based literacy organizations, like the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, because of their efforts to reach and teach those adults at the lowest literacy levels, but she also believes strongly in partnerships and collaborations. She established the Virginia Literacy Foundation in 1986, an organization that provides financial and technical support to literacy organizations throughout Virginia, working collaboratively with Virginia’s Office of Adult Education. This effective partnership has strengthened adult education services and promoted a continuum of adult education model from very basic literacy and language education to GED success. Jeannie continues to serve as the organization’s Chair of the Board, and is initiating new projects in Family Literacy, Workplace Skills Development, and Technology in Education. As the field of adult education and literacy has grown and changed, so has the support and training of the Virginia Literacy Foundation under the visionary leadership of Jeannie Baliles. We are so grateful to have her at the helm.

Jeannie Baliles was born in North Carolina and raised near Baltimore. She took her undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Washington College and Wesleyan University. She started her professional career as a history teacher and taught until she became a mother. She has two grown children, Laura and Jonathan.

LCNV will also hold a panel discussion with current and former teachers, tutors, and students. Come and reconnect with old friends and hear about the impact the Council has had on the lives of both instructors and learners. Learn how the Council has evolved to support the changing needs of the community. Event details follow:

GOLDEN REUNION

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012  │ 4 PM to 7PM

Northern Virginia Community College │ Ernst Community Cultural Center
8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003

Complimentary Program and Reception │ Dress Casual │ Free Parking

RSVP to 703-237-0866 or info@lcnv.org

Please join the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia for our

Golden Reunion 

Celebrating 50 years of promoting literacy!

Reconnect with old friends, students, tutors, teachers, and supporters. Hear about the impact the Council has had on the lives of both instructors and learners. Learn how the Council has evolved to support the changing needs of the community. Program begins at 4 PM and will be followed by a reception.

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012  │ 4 PM to 7PM

Northern Virginia Community College – Ernst Community Cultural Center
8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003

Complimentary Program and Reception │ Dress Casual │ Free Parking

RSVP to 703-237-0866 or info@lcnv.org

My colleague, C3 Gallery Specialist Jessica Nelson, is dedicating her master’s thesis research capturing such experiences.  Last week, Jessica forwarded me a link to her more-than-excellent blog Art is for Families.  The blog documents her Art Education master’s thesis project, for which Jessica is embarking on a series of wonder-full museum adventures with her six-year-old daughter, Julia.  Jessica’s research focuses on family learning in museums: specifically, how museum-produced self-guided materials help families have meaningful experiences with artworks.  She is also interested in inter-generational collaborative research and art-making as a vehicle for storytelling.

Together, Jessica and Julia will visit six museums in the metroplex, making use of available self-guided materials, and documenting their journeys in a variety of media. The two are equal collaborators: Julia and Jessica make art together, collect stories, take separate photos of their experiences, and throughout, have a dialogue about their process.

So far, Julia and Jessica have visited the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art—taking advantage of the Modern’s self-guided sketchbook, Ten Pages and the Carter’s Postcard Tour.  Below are just a few of many pictures of their visits and resulting projects:

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Julia twirled through my office last week, just in time for me to take the adorable mother-daughter photo above for this post.  Julia, we cannot wait to see more of your art and read (and read and read) more of your stories about museums.  Jessica, what an amazing project!  We look forward to learning from your research.

To have a self-guided family adventure at the DMA, ask for one of our four bite-sized Self-Guided tours at the Visitor Services desk, or print them at home.  And for more family-focused art-making and art-exploring ideas, visit We Art Family! The DMA Family Blog.

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach

He’s a physicist and, admittedly, probably excited by my new-found interest in lights and mirrors. It’s something i’ve been looking at a lot recently after being introduced to the Reggio Emilia approach to education. (Thanks Jill JillyBeans Daycare)

Anyway… I’ve been wanting to explore the use of a light table. I found instructions from many people who’d made their own, but often using supplies we don’t have going spare around the home.

I like to make things from the materials available to me. Helps me justify my educational hobby

So my sci.guy built me one this evening, just like that!

And here goes a pictorial!

He used a paella plate. It has special value to us but is a little rusty so wasn’t being used.

Then he put led lights inside and stuck them down.

Next he found a piece of round safely glass I used as a table top for an exhibition I had. (Actually the glass was found first, hence the round paella dish!)

Then he cut a circle of parchment/baking paper and stuck it to the glass.

Then he clamped the glass to the dish and voila.

He rigged it to a 9v battery with a switch and hey presto we have ourselves a light table. And a round funky looking one too!

I can’t wait to explore this with the girls!

So, anyone who knows me knows I don’t care what kind of mess the kids make in pursuit of art. Which is why people bring their kids to my house for messy stuff!

I’ve always exposed my own kids to a variety of sensory experiences from when they were babies. As I study more of the Montessori method I realise the importance of sensory activities for the developing child.

Research has confirmed the importance. Earlier this year, EduGuide, a nonprofit whose mission is to boost student achievement released this.

“Recent child development research suggests sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, which helps the brain develop. These experiences are basically food for the brain. They lead to more complex learning tasks, so that children are able to do more complex learning,”

So I now feel even more justified in letting the kids get messy!

Not everyone wants paint and glitter and sand and clay all over their berber carpets, so here’s some ideas about sensory activities to enjoy with your kids that are little less messy (or at least easier to clean up!) I’ll post more ideas later, but today…

1) Let your kids play outside.

I don’t mean take their toys outside. I mean get them outside and get dirty.

-First of all, let your kids take off their shoes and feel the grass under their feet. That offers a wealth of sensory input.

-Plant some things. Let your children feel the earth. Grow some vegetables or fruit. Rhubarb is a fantastic fruit to grow as it’s easy to take care of and yummy! Growing and cooking and then eating rhubarb covers lots of the senses! Grow nice smelling flowers to stimulate smell while they play.

-Maybe have a sand box. This is wonderful sensory play and an outside box is less messy Let them add water and make things. To clean sand off their feet before coming indoors – have a paintbrush outside. A great way to brush off! If you get the cheap wood handled ones they can even paint them first!

-An outside ‘kitchen’ space is also great! I LOVE the idea of a mud-pie kitchen, but it doesn’t have to be muddy just a place to make things with flowers and grass and stones is a great experience.

For those with older kids, we are thinking about making a ‘Potion lab’ outside. Along the lines of Harry Potter. Even my tween is excited about this. I see lots of spells in our future! With older kids you can use old glass jars for them to store things in, but to avoid glass in the garden cut the bottom off plastic bottles or use yogurt cartons for your potion jars! We’ll be making ours soon, so watch this space for a step-by-step guide!

Tomorrow I’ll come inside and offer suggestions on activities you can do together in the Kitchen.

A. and a friend decided they wanted to paint a picture of the lilac bush that hangs over the deck.

I brought all the paints and canvases outside. Then A. asked if she could paint the rocks she saw lying there. Of course I said yes, making a mental note to buy some more! I thought she might paint a rock friend or something. What she actually did was lay them out in a pattern of branches, like the lilac tree, and then painted on the picture she saw. Love it!

It just reminded me to never suggest, just let them explore.

The girls love all the T’s with slogans and sayings. I particularly love the one with stick men that says ” You might be my BFF but if zombies chase us I’m totally tripping you”!

Anyway…

I thought a while ago that it would be fun to start making our own t-shirts with sayings the girls like. Just to be different!

I designed E. volleyball ones like ‘Little Miss Bump” and iDig.

I think Alice’s next one will just say “Got any grapes?’ (That will only be funny to those whose children have filled the house with those incessant youtube videos)

Here’s some I made for a cruise earlier this year, where there was a pirate themed night.

Daddy’s (he’s a scientist)

E’s

and mine

They’re very easy to make with a printer and special t-shirt iron-on sheets. Another fun family project!

So, I thought, let’s make our own to give to their friends.

I have to admit, this was last years Christmas idea! We only took 4 or 5 pictures, so we didn’t complete the project, but I thought I’d share and maybe inspire someone else to give it a try!

Here’s the idea…