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The gift of simplicity

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“The point of communication is to be understood.”

That’s – well, it’s kinda obvious, right? What else would communication be about?!

And yet how often do we explicitly learn to craft our messages for better understanding – and even more crucially, to vary the format and even the content when necessary?

All of us appreciate not being confused. Knowing that, some of the first focused work on making communications clearer came from the legal and health fields. There’s now plainlanguage.gov, the Clear Communication Index from the CDC, and even a plain language contracts project right here in Texas. And we all appreciate their work, every time we have to read a medical or legal document or form and we actually know what it said when we get to the end.

But those of us who work in adult and family literacy know that’s not always enough.

What about when the audience is primarily people who don’t speak English as a native language? Or primarily people who find reading challenging? And what about when the audience is people who are in both groups at the same time?

One of the best gifts we can give the adult learners in our classes is the gift of simplicity. And plain language that’s adequate for native English speakers, and those who read fluently, won’t always cut it for people with greater barriers.

So how can you make plain language – even plainer? What resources are out there to help you be more conscious of both your spoken and written communication – and to truly consider adults with low literacy?

Thankfully, there are many more resources than there used to be.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) used to be one of the few places you could find ANY plain language material – and their resources are still very good! There’s also Communicate Health, including their wonderful plain language newsletter, We Heart Health Literacy.

And in recent years, the clear communication banner has been taken up by more and more literacy folks. Two of our favorites:

We also invite you to bookmark the page on Plain Language here on this website, and return to it as you have need.

But ultimately? The single best thing you can bring to your plain language journey – whether you’re just starting or you’ve been on this road for a while – is intentionality.

When we see our conscious use of plainer language as a way to break down barriers, to welcome newcomers, to put people at their ease, to make sure people have information that they need – then we’re already halfway there.

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Literacy TRANSFORMS

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So often – including right here on this website – we talk about adult and family literacy in terms of deficit.

“Adults without a high school diploma struggle to find employment.”

“The 43% of Americans who read at or below basic level are more likely to live in poverty.”

“Families where the caregivers are at or below the basic level of literacy are less likely to be able to help children with homework, and perpetuate the cycle of low literacy.”

Literacy Transforms Texas white text on yellow

“Low-literate adults are more likely to have health issues, less likely to eat nutritious food, and more likely to be incarcerated.”

All of the above are true, but none of this focuses on the possibilities. Just think of Texas – of America – of the world – if everyone was fully literate.

More people in high-paying jobs, with more money both for necessities and as disposable wealth to spend in their local communities.

Kids lifted out of poverty and families on their way to creating generational wealth and ongoing prosperity.

Higher self-esteem for millions of people, and shame around learning left behind.

Improved critical thinking and analytical skills, applied from everything to workplace problem-solving to science literacy to mortgage choices.

Expanded vocabulary and conversational skills.

Imagine living in a society where ALL your neighbors could flourish. It would be a society with less crime, greater health, more life satisfaction, more volunteerism. ALL of these things are linked to literacy and all of them are achievable.

Throughout September, we’re focusing on what’s possible when we prioritize literacy. Please join us! You can:

Further reading on this topic, and the sources of some of the info above:

Why We Should Invest in Getting More Kids to Read – And How to Do It

5 Reasons Reading is So Important for Student Success

The Importance of Adult Literacy

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  • Conference updates
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“Transforming literacy learning spaces”

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Get ready to celebrate all things LITERACY throughout September!

International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on September 8.
Adult Education and Family Literacy Week is September 18 – 24.
And in the US, we just go ahead and celebrate the whole month as National Literacy Month.

In 2022, the theme of International Literacy Day is “Transforming literacy learning spaces.”

This year’s choice of theme is an invitation to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience, and to ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all.

What are your learning spaces?

You might think first of traditional locations – schools, colleges, classrooms. But look again. You might also see – 

Your living room at home, where you read aloud to your children. Your grandma’s kitchen, where she shows you how to follow a recipe. Your father’s garden, checking seed packets to see how much sun and water each one needs. On the city bus, playing “I Spy” with signs and advertisements.

Almost anywhere can be a literacy learning space. When we see them that way, almost anything is possible.

international literacy day poster 2022
Click on the image above to download your own International Literacy Day poster from the UNESCO website.

Resources for Literacy Month

However you want to get involved this month, there are resources to support you.

Literacy means -

For something quick and easy, print off our “Literacy means – ” graphics (below, or in our July blog post) and use them on your social media or website. If you were at the recent conference, we printed one inside the cover of your program, so you can go find that one and save yourself the printing!

Maybe you can laminate the page, or put it inside a wipe-off pouch – and then you can write in the space using a whiteboard marker, and use the image over and over for different people.

Resources & Toolkits

And there are toolkits and other resources all over the place! Use the buttons below to see what literacy partners and advocates across the country have prepared for you.

2022 aefl week toolkit from proliteracy
2022 aefl week events & resources from coabe
general advocacy toolkit from proliteracy
advocacy resources from the american library association

Use these hashtags when you post on social media this month:

#Literacy22
#AEFLWeek
#AdultEd
#AdultLiteracy
#FamLit
#FamilyLiteracy
#LiteracyTransformsTX

Have a great September!

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Make sure you’re on our mailing list so you don’t miss any news:

  • Conference updates
  • Regional symposia
  • Online training
  • Advocacy 
  • …more!

Literacy means –

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It’s still July, but we’re looking ahead to September.

Why?

September has multiple opportunities to celebrate all things literacy. It’s National Literacy Month, just for starters, and on September 8 we celebrate International Literacy Day.

And then there’s AEFL Week! Adult Education and Family Literacy Week raises public awareness about both the need for, and value of, adult education and family literacy. Its goal is to increase support for basic education programs for US adults with low literacy, numeracy, and digital skills.

Advocates across the country (that’s all of us!) can use this opportunity to shine a bright, bold spotlight on the benefits of adult education and family literacy, the obstacles to access, and the great work your local programs are doing with adults and families.

And in some great news, a lot of the preparation work has already been done for you:

Find details about actions, events, messaging, and more, on this dedicated AEFL Week page from COABE (the Coalition on Adult Basic Education).

Use this toolkit from ProLiteracy to get prepared with what you want to say and do for literacy in your local community this September.

And keep it local, too! Refresh your mind on Texas literacy facts and stats, download any of the graphics below to use on your social media, and stay tuned for more ideas and suggestions for messaging about literacy in Texas.

3 Summer, Summer, Summer-time ESL Activity Ideas

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This is a guest post from Taynim Johnson at Literacy ConneXus.

Hello from Literacy Connexus everyone! We hope that this blog post finds you happy, healthy, and ready for summer.

Summer will be here before we know it (where did the time go?!). Is your program hosting classes this summer? Looking for some fun and interactive activities for summer classes? Today, in honor of summer, I want to share a few of my favorite summer school activities for my ESL classes.

First up, scavenger hunts: With students out and about, enjoying their holidays with their families and friends, why not give them the opportunity to learn a little English at the same time with a fun scavenger hunt!

Fluent U suggests these fantastic language-themed scavenger hunts this summer. For extra fun, consider making it a photo scavenger hunt!

  • Description hunts: Rather than writing out a list of items for students to find, try writing item descriptions instead. You can write simple descriptions (e.g., This piece of metal holds papers together. = paperclip), write your clues in riddle form (e.g., Inside this box is gold for the taking, but there are no locks or keys to open it. = an egg) or do a combination. The point is that students get some reading comprehension practice when they figure out what you are describing by your clue.
  • Adjective hunts: If you want to focus on a certain part of speech, like the wonderful adjective, try giving students a simple list of descriptive words rather than nouns to be found. They will then have to find something each adjective could be describing. If you do this version, be sure to include some adjectives students might not already know to increase their vocabularies in the process. Try words such as “spherical,” “musty,” “submerged” or “rustic.”
  • Vocabulary hunts: A language-twisted scavenger hunt doesn’t have to be complicated. On your list of items to find, simply include some words that are a part of your current vocabulary unit as reinforcement for students.

Next up, field trips! Summer is a time for trips, so why not take a field trip with ESL students this summer? Take a field trip to the zoo, the botanic garden, a restaurant, or a museum and let students practice their English conversation skills, learn new vocabulary related to the place, and build relationships with you and their classmates all at the same time!

Last but not least, summer flashcards. Okay, so maybe you can’t get your entire class out on a field trip. You can have plenty of fun right in your classroom. A fun TPR activity suggested by KoreaBridge.net is summer flashcards.

Create flashcards or write down summer vocabulary on pieces of paper. Have four students each hold up a flashcard at the front of the class, flash and then hide their card.  The teacher calls out one of the words and the students have to remember where the word is and line up in front of the student holding that flashcard. In a second round, it’s fun to add an additional challenge and get the students holding the flashcards to change places, and then repeat the activity with the whole class

Korea Bridge

You can extend this activity by having students create sentences with the vocabulary words or using their newly learned summer vocab to have discussions about their summers.

We hope these activities help you create those summer lesson plans!

5 Things You Might Be Missing About Awards

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Let’s face it, there are a lot of awards out there. From Student of the Year to Volunteer of the Month to Community Rockstar to who knows what else, we get offered a lot of places to nominate the folks in our programs (including the Literacy Texas Annual Awards, which open every spring and are presented every year at the annual conference in the summer). It can be… a lot.

And it’s just possible that you see these awards go by, and you think something like, “One day we should nominate someone for that… but who has the time?” You wouldn’t be alone.

But it’s also possible that you’re missing some of the reasons you really should be nominating volunteers and students for awards – and not just the Literacy Texas ones! I’m here to make the case for nominating everyone you can for every award possible. Here’s why:

trophies

5. They might win

OK, this one you’re probably not missing. In fact, it’s likely the first thing most people think of when it comes to awards: What’s the prize? Is it “worth it”? Could the agency win money?

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of that. Some awards DO come with money, or books, or another prize, and others come with recognition for your agency.

And winning is nice. Letting someone know they’ve won can be even nicer. And there are people who have lived their whole life and, in their own words, “never won anything”. YOUR nomination could be the first time they get publicly recognized. YOU could make that happen. Just imagine.

All of that is pretty compelling, but there are four more reasons, and I’d argue they just get more important from here.

4. You get to celebrate people you think are amazing

Hopefully you’re doing this sometimes anyway, awards or not. But there’s a saying about “not saving things to say over a coffin lid” and it’s good advice.

We sometimes think people know how we feel about them, and MAYBE they do, but pulling together an award nomination for a volunteer or student at your agency can uncover stories and sayings and other facts about them that you never knew before – and is always an excuse for a celebration (maybe even cupcakes!). Because despite everything going on right now – there is always something to celebrate. 

3. You get to TELL people that you think they're amazing

One of the things I genuinely liked the most, when I was working as a program director at a volunteer-based adult literacy organization, was telling volunteers and students that we wanted to nominate them for an award. See point #5 above – many said that was the first time that had ever happened. And that was always touching. 

But it just got better from there. Because as part of the nomination process, we would spend 10 minutes at the end of a staff meeting, just brainstorming as a team about what we all knew about these wonderful people. We’d gather the best of what we came up with together, complete the nomination, and submit it.

And then we’d go one step further – we’d take a few more minutes and put the nomination content together in a simple document, add our logo and any photos we had of that person in action at our agency, print it off, and give it to the nominee.

Y’all. That was ALWAYS moving. Sometimes there were tears. And usually, the person would say something like, “I never knew y’all thought all of this about me!” They had something to take home and read over again (and again!), words of praise and joy. They KNEW, without a shadow of a doubt, how much we appreciated and admired them. Volunteers knew we saw everything they did for the students, and how priceless that was to us. Students knew that we witnessed their efforts and were there alongside them cheering them on as they took steps toward the next success.

That felt like winning every time, regardless of whether our nominee actually got chosen for that award or not.

2. You model appreciation to others on your team

Remember how I said we used to brainstorm our nomination content at staff meetings, as a group? That wasn’t by accident. Of course it was a practical way to gather a lot of information in a short amount of time, so I recommend it for that reason alone. But it makes celebration, and articulating positive thoughts and compliments, a natural and accepted part of work.

The more we did it, the easier it became. Staff started to keep an eye out for fun stories that could be included in some nomination some day. One even kept a list. And it became more natural for all of us to voice that appreciation to volunteers and students throughout the week, and make positivity a daily element of our working lives.

1. You stop and feel appreciation yourself

Don’t underestimate the power of this. I don’t know you, but you’re reading this, so you probably work in adult literacy in Texas. So I know you’re tired; in fact, you were probably exhausted BEFORE the pandemic, and now – well, there probably aren’t words to describe how overworked and stressed you’ve been. And when you’re constantly exhausted and anxious, it’s very easy to fall into the habit of seeing everything with a deficit mindset – how are we going to pay for – to manage – to do – to finish – ? That’s very normal.

Being conscious of stopping, thinking, gathering positive thoughts and stories from others, writing them into a short but coherent whole, and then handing the whole beautiful account to the person you appreciate so much is all good for your body, mind, and spirit.

So – start a list of awards you can nominate folks for. You’ll have local opportunities, as well as statewide and even national awards. Take that little extra time to sit with the team and talk about what makes people wonderful. Write it up into a simple nomination. Give it to the person with a smile. So many people will be glad you did.

Nominations for the Literacy Texas Annual Awards are open now, and winners will be recognized in August. You can find out more, and submit your nominations, here.

Literacy for Joy

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This coming Saturday (February 26, 2022), close to 100 authors, educators, volunteers, and others dedicated to literacy and learning will gather for the first regional symposium of the year – the South Texas Literacy Symposium. 

South Texas usually kicks off our calendar of symposiums, and this year there’s extra delight and anticipation, since the event is back to being in person, and literacy folks from Edinburg, the RGV, and nearby will see each other – some for the first time in a while.

There’s always some added zing to the South Texas symposium, too, because it’s part of FESTIBA – the UTRGV Festival of International Books and Arts. The theme of Festiba in 2022? Inspiring Creativity & Innovation Through Arts and Literacy.

Stop for a moment there. Look at those words in italics. Read them over again. 

Inspiring Creativity & Innovation Through Arts and Literacy.

Literacy is many things. It’s the passport to a better life, through further education and a good job. It’s a way to traverse life with confidence and understanding. For some, it’s a pathway to a brighter future beyond incarceration.

But let’s never forget that literacy is also for joy. It’s for inspiration. It’s for creativity. It’s for innovation. It’s for art.

When we sit alongside adult students and their families as they learn, we’re helping bring joy into their lives. Because whatever else it’s for, literacy makes possible a richness in life that can’t be replaced. And not only is that important – it might actually be one of the most important things.

Interested in joining us at the South Texas Literacy Symposium? Registration closes at the end of the day on February 23. Reading this later and missed out? See our full calendar of 2022 symposiums here and maybe catch another later in the year!

Celebrating Black History Month in the ESL Classroom

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Guest blog post by Taynim Johnson – ESL Associate and Editor, Literacy ConneXus

It’s February 4th, and here in the wonderful US of A that means that it’s Black History Month. This means it’s the perfect time to add a little history to our lessons. In addition to being an extremely important part of US history that every American should be educated on, African American history is also important for our students to know about.

African American history gives students insight into the history of our country, helps them learn about the people who helped shape their new home, and is also an important part of the civics and naturalization test that many of our students have their sights set on passing.

But we don’t teach history classes; we teach English. So, how do we work Black History Month into our ESL classes?

Check out these great sites and pick an activity to suit your fancy!

Learn English by the British Council has a great activity for Black History Month. It includes a preparation task with vocabulary, readings over the origins of Black History Month in the US and in the UK, events in current Black history, Black history year round, two activities, and a discussion.

We Are Teachers compiled a list of 42 Black History Month activities for February (and Beyond). Their activity list includes gems such as: Virtually visiting the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York; learning about the first black president in the United States: Barack Obama; watching videos about Black history; and listening to podcasts about Black history. 

CAELA, or the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, has also compiled a great list of ESL Activities for African-American History Month. They’ve even separated their activities into beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Their activities include tasks such as bingo, pair dictation, and poetry discussions. 

ELCivics.com has a great list of activities with famous African Americans in history where students can learn about the historical figures, take a civics quiz for comprehension gauging, and complete short tasks like crossword puzzles.

Of course, there are many other activities one could do. How do you incorporate Black History month into your ESL classes?

As always, blessings and happy teaching!

Originally posted on the Literacy ConneXus blog, February 4, 2022; reposted here with permission.

Don’t forget the families!

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Every year, a week is set aside for special focus on adult education. We celebrate the excellent work that continues around the nation – even in the second year of a global pandemic – and the successes that are possible due to all that work. And those successes are many! 

In many states, including Texas, adult education is linked firmly to employment: The Texas Workforce Commission funds Adult Education & Literacy programs across the state, with the goal of helping adults get the skills they need to be successful in the workplace, earn a high school equivalency, or enter college or career training.

Because of that link between education and the workforce, many of the success we’ll be celebrating during this week focus on the workplace. And why not? After all, adults who increase their literacy earn higher pay, get promoted more often, and have better job security. Furthermore, they report raised confidence and self-esteem, and are more likely to develop leadership skills. All of this results in more teamwork, quicker adoption of new technologies, and an overall higher degree of productivity.

All these things are excellent. They’re worth celebrating, right? Yes, absolutely.

But there’s another half to this week we’re celebrating. It’s not just Adult Education Week, it’s also Family Literacy Week. And in our eagerness to celebrate education success, sometimes families can be overlooked. Let’s not forget the families!

All the education and workplace success in the world loses momentum quickly if the next generation is lagging in school or not developing a love of reading and of learning. Teachers do an amazing job, but they can only do so much – the single biggest indicator of a child’s literacy level is the literacy level of their primary caregiver, usually their mom, sometimes dad, and sometimes a grandparent or other adult carer. 

For those caregivers to invest quality time in their kids and their families, they need not only skills, they also need resources; they need books; they need ideas – and they need time (time when they’re not exhausted). Time to be creative, to be curious, and to simply have fun with reading and with learning.

So this Adult Education and Family Literacy Week (September 19 – September 25, 2021), let’s make sure not to forget the families. And in our advocacy and messaging this week, let’s highlight the value to our society in helping caregivers prioritize reading and learning with their kids.

Happy AEFL Week!

father and son reading

Can we stay in touch? There’s so much to do. And our efforts will be richer and more effective if you’re part of them.

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Sources for information in blog post:

Literacy, Employment and Youth with Learning Disabilities: Aligning Workforce Development Policies and Programs, National Institute for Literacy, 2010

Adult Literacy Facts, ProLiteracy

National Literacy Month 2021

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Literacy Month 2021

Literacy transforms Texas.

How often have you seen “the literacy problem” framed in terms of doom and gloom? Lost wages, lost opportunities, lost tax dollars, lost hope. It’s true that low literacy damages lives and potential in countless ways. But why not look at it through a different lens?

Helping an adult increase their literacy, even modestly, can have a positive ripple effect through their life, the lives of their children and family members, and on out into society. An adult who can read fluently and well is more confident. They’re more likely to understand forms, paperwork, and medication labels. They’re able to get a job more easily, move up in that job, and need less financial aid. 

An adult in a parenting role – whether a parent, a grandparent, or another adult important in a child’s life – who can speak English fluently and read well is more likely to be involved in that child’s education. They can read the notes sent home from school and participate confidently at parent-teacher nights. They make reading aloud a regular practice and children grow up with a love for books, curious minds, and valuing education.

And raising literacy scores is a dynamic cash injection for the economy. By some counts, the impact could be as much as $2 trillion every single year.

So, during September – National Literacy Month – let’s celebrate the power of literacy. It can transform lives, whole communities, and this nation. And then let’s continue our work.

Opportunities for you to make a difference this month:

And of course literacy work never stops – even after September ends, there are ways to stay involved:

Literacy transforms Texas. And you’re part of that transformation. Thank you for your efforts!

Can we stay in touch? There’s so much to do. And our efforts will be richer and more effective if you’re part of them.

Sign up for our newsletter here.

Add your voice to our socials on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Sources for information in blog post:

Low Literacy Levels Among U.S. Adults Could Be Costing The Economy $2.2 Trillion A Year, Forbes, September 9, 2020

Fast Facts on Adult Literacy, National Center for Education Statistics

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