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2024 Literacy Texas Annual Conference

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The Literacy Texas Annual Conference is THE event for educators, nonprofit administrators, and organizations working with literacy in Texas. Learn about the latest research in the literacy field. Rub shoulders with experts and connect with like-minded people. Most importantly, leave with the tools, relationships, and inspiration you need to continue making a difference.

SAVE THE DATE for the 2024 Literacy Texas Annual Conference:

Monday, July 29 – Arrival, check-in, exhibitor set-up, VIP Reception & Exhibitor Grand Opening
Tuesday, July 30 – Conference Day 1
Wednesday, July 31 – Conference Day 2

The theme of the 2024 conference is pending, and our hashtag will be #LitTX24.

Find everything you need to know about Literacy Texas annual conferences here.

Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media for all the news and updates:

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Coffee With Literacy Texas

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We’re trying something new!

Want to ask a question? Need some help or want some new ideas for your literacy program? Got some feedback or have a request for a What Leaders Need session or for the conference? Drop by this virtual session and chat with Steve Banta, Literacy Texas Executive Director, and Kathryn Bauchelle, Communications and Training Specialist.

Join us online on Wednesday, April 12, any time between 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm. We’re looking forward to sharing a cup of (virtual) coffee with you and seeing where the conversation takes us!

 

Introduction to I2O + NEW Employability Soft Skills module

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Thanks so much for coming! This event is now over.

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It’s a new year, and thanks to sponsorship from TCALL, the Intake to Outcomes (I2O) online instructor training platform is available to Texas Literacy nonprofits for another year. Read more about I2O here.

Join us for one or both parts of this special two-part introductory session:

Introduction to I2O + NEW Employability Soft Skills module

This online session will be held on Tuesday, January 17, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.
10:00 am – 10:30 am – General introduction to the I2O online training platform.
10:30 am – 11:00 am – Specific focus on the brand new module, “Employability Soft Skills.”

Register for this session by emailing Kathryn Bauchelle: [email protected]

Special thanks to:

Literacy New York

TCALL

The Texas Workforce Commission

See the whole calendar of Literacy Texas training sessions.

Watch this space, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media:

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POSTPONED: What Leaders Need – Fundraising Basics

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THIS TRAINING SESSION HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

A NEW DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

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The “What Leaders Need” training series for new and emerging Texas literacy leaders is proud to present:

Basics of Fundraising: Practical Ideas for Small Programs

What we’ll cover:

  • Basics of fundraising for small shops
  • Stewardship, relationship-building, and other donor development
  • Authentic marketing through stories and more
  • Tips for grant-writing, reporting, and funding appeals

This training session is offered free of charge to nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy, and registration will be capped at 25, to prioritize an interactive session. Plan to have your Zoom camera on throughout the session and be ready to take part in a lively discussion! The session will be recorded, but the recording will only be shared with attendees.

And – one lucky attendee will win one hour of consulting time with presenters Vicki Clark and Chela Sanchez, of Vicki Clark Coaching & Consulting.

The session provides 3 hours of professional development. Certificates will be awarded to attendees who request them after the session, via the post-event survey.

About the Presenter: Vicki Clark

Vicki Clark is an optimist. She loves people and shows up in the world as a learner and a servant leader.

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Vicki has devoted the past 30 years of her career to building capacity of organizations and individuals; inspiring community and business leaders to take action. She is known for her work in the specialty areas of leadership development, inclusion and diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism assessment, training and facilitation, board development, strategic planning, volunteer resource development and effective communication. Her work spans dozens of corporate clients, nonprofits and government organizations.

She sits on numerous boards, including the National Diaper Bank, and is a regular trainer at community and leadership organizations such as United Way and the Association of Junior Leagues International. Her work as a consultant (at Vicki Clark Consulting), coach, trainer and speaker have given her infinite opportunities to learn from and share with people from all walks of life.

Vicki meets people where they are, never gives up, and believes in the power of prayer. Even at her age and with all that she has experienced, she continues to be A WORK IN PROGRESS.

Read more about the “What Leaders Need” training series.

Watch this space, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media to get all the details as they’re confirmed:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

2023 Laredo Literacy Symposium

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The 2023 Laredo Literacy Symposium is co-presented by Laredo College and Literacy Texas.

The symposium has the theme: “Literacy on the Border: Strengthening Our Community”, and will be held on:

Thursday, June 15, 9 am to 3 pm

at Laredo College, Kazen Student Center.

Check-in for registered participants will open at 8:30 am and both breakfast and a working lunch will be provided.

This symposium is offered free of charge to educators, volunteer tutors, ESL teachers, and other library and nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy.

Registration is open now on the Literacy Texas registration portal

See the schedule outline below; detailed descriptions of the workshops can be found here.

Schedule

CHECK-IN, BREAKFAST, WELCOME: 8:30 am – 9:00 am

Session 1: 9:00 am – 10:30 am (90 min)

Digital Literacy: Tools and Resources – Presenter: Dr. Denise Guckert

Session 2: 10:45 am – 12:15 pm (90 min)

Financial Literacy: Dollars and Sense – Presenter: Dr. Denise Guckert

Standards: Backward Design and Lesson Planning (Part 1) – Presenter: Dr. Ida Acuna Garza

WORKING LUNCH 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm (90 min)

Dysgraphia: Tips and Tricks for Intervention – Presenter: Ms. Leticia Rios Spillane

Session 3: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (60 min)

We the People: Civics Education – Mr. Eduardo J. Martinez and Mr. Jesus J. Garcia

Standards: Backward Design and Lesson Planning (Part 2) – Presenter: Dr. Ida Acuna Garza

FAREWELL

Read more about the sessions here.

Schedule will be kept as current as possible but is subject to change; check back here for updates

PD Certificates

Someone who attends the full symposium will receive 5.5 hours of PD credit.
Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event.

Complete the survey after the training is finished to give your details and get your certificate. Surveys will be sent via email in the days following the symposium.

Kazen Student Center, Laredo College: Directions & Parking

Click here for maps, directions, and parking information.

Special thanks to:

Laredo College

The Texas Center for Advancement of Literacy & Learning (TCALL)

The Texas Workforce Commission

Read more about the annual regional literacy symposia here.

Watch this space, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media to get all the details as they’re confirmed:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Coffee With Literacy Texas

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Thanks for coming! This event is now over.

Meant to come and missed out? Look for other sessions coming up in the calendar!

—–

We’re trying something new!

Want to ask a question? Need some help or want some new ideas for your literacy program? Got some feedback or have a request for a What Leaders Need session or for the conference? Drop by this virtual session and chat with Steve Banta, Literacy Texas Executive Director, and Kathryn Bauchelle, Communications and Training Specialist.

Join us online on Thursday, January 12, any time between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. We’re looking forward to sharing a cup of (virtual) coffee with you and seeing where the conversation takes us!

 

What Leaders Need – Telling Your Story

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Thank you so much for coming! This event is now over.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2023

The “What Leaders Need” training series for new and emerging Texas literacy leaders is proud to present:

Keeping it Real: Telling Your Story

What we’ll cover:

  • The importance of storytelling for nonprofits
  • Practical ways to use stories to make literacy personal to your supporters
  • Ethical and respectful ways to share personal stories and photos of people in your programs
  • How to use and reuse stories – in newsletters, on social media, in blog posts, in grant applications, and more

This online session will be held on Wednesday, January 25, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Online check-in will open at 8:20 am.

This training session is offered free of charge to nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy.
The session provides 4 hours of professional development. Certificates will be awarded to attendees who request them after the session, via the post-event survey.

About the Presenter: Vicki Clark

Vicki Clark is an optimist. She loves people and shows up in the world as a learner and a servant leader.

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, Vicki has devoted the past 30 years of her career to building capacity of organizations and individuals; inspiring community and business leaders to take action. She is known for her work in the specialty areas of leadership development, inclusion and diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism assessment, training and facilitation, board development, strategic planning, volunteer resource development and effective communication. Her work spans dozens of corporate clients, nonprofits and government organizations.

She sits on numerous boards, including the National Diaper Bank, and is a regular trainer at community and leadership organizations such as United Way and the Association of Junior Leagues International. Her work as a consultant (at Vicki Clark Consulting), coach, trainer and speaker have given her infinite opportunities to learn from and share with people from all walks of life.

Vicki meets people where they are, never gives up, and believes in the power of prayer. Even at her age and with all that she has experienced, she continues to be A WORK IN PROGRESS.

Read more about the “What Leaders Need” training series.

Watch this space, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media to get all the details as they’re confirmed:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

An intriguing balance of abilities

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October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dyslexia is a learning difference, one that specifically affects language processing. 

Dyslexia is many things, and among them, it’s an intriguing balance of abilities.

“The advantage of dyslexia is that my brain puts information in my head in a different way.”
Whoopi Goldberg
Actor

Some basic facts about dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that affects reading and spelling ability, along with literacy skills development. It’s a different way of dealing with language in the brain. The most common form of dyslexia interrupts a student’s ability to split words into their component sounds, which makes sounding out words and spelling extremely challenging.

People are born with dyslexia, and it runs in families. It’s estimated that between 15 and 20% of Americans have some form of dyslexia, but the majority of people who have it don’t know that they do.

There’s more to dyslexia than getting words mixed up or out of order – and some people with dyslexia never even display this symptom. Since dyslexia affects how the brain processes language, someone might:

  • Memorize words but be unable to sound them out
  • Substitute words in sentences for other words that make sense
  • Have difficulty with handwriting
  • Show confusion with directions (left and right, before and after, over and under – this is where the reversal of “b” and “d” might show up, a symptom of dyslexia many people know)
  • Find recall difficult, especially for names and words
“If anyone ever puts you down for having dyslexia, don’t believe them. Being dyslexic can actually be a big advantage, and it has certainly helped me.”
Richard Branson
CEO, Virgin

Some distinct advantages

While dyslexia – especially when undiagnosed – can definitely cause people a lot of frustration and problems, there are some distinct advantages to the condition. People with dyslexia often have:

  • Heightened levels of creativity
  • Higher levels of intelligence
  • Greater artistic and mechanical abilities
  • Outside-the-box thinking
  • Ability to see the big picture and connect ideas
“I didn’t succeed despite my dyslexia, but because of it. It wasn’t my deficit, but my advantage. Although there are neurological trade-offs that require that I work creatively [and] smarter in reading, writing and speaking, I would never wish to be any other way than my awesome self. I love being me, regardless of the early challenges I faced.”
Scott Sonnon
Professional Athlete

Preparing for success

Perhaps most importantly – dyslexia needs specific interventions. The earlier a person is diagnosed with dyslexia and given personal help, the better, but it’s never too late.

Effective instruction for people with dyslexia is:

  • Personal to their specific needs, including in pace
  • Delivered one-on-one or in very small groups
  • Repetitive, to allow lots of practice and error correction
  • Positive and encouraging 
“Dyslexia is not a pigeonhole to say you can’t do anything. It is an opportunity and a possibility to learn differently. You have magical brains, they just process differently. Don’t feel like you should be held back by it.”
Princess Beatrice
UK royal family

Sources and further reading

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2023 East Texas Literacy Symposium

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Thank you so much for coming! This event is now over.

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The 2023 East Texas Literacy Symposium is co-presented by the East Texas Literacy Council and Literacy Texas.

The symposium has the theme “Growing Adult Education for the Future” and will be held on

Saturday, March 4, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

in the Longview University Center at UT Tyler – 3201 N Eastman Rd, Longview, TX 75605.

Check-in for registered participants will open at 8:00 am and both breakfast and a working lunch will be provided.

This symposium is offered free of charge to educators, volunteer tutors, ESL teachers, and other library and nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy.

See the schedule outline below; find detailed descriptions of the workshops here.

Schedule

SYMPOSIUM OPENS: 8:00 am – 8:50 am
Check-in, breakfast, visit exhibitor tables

Greetings, welcome, and introductions
Natasha Duncan, Executive Director, East Texas Literacy Council
Steve Banta, Executive Director, Literacy Texas

Session 1: 8:50 am – 10:20 am (90 min)

Digital Literacy: Google Applied Digital Skills

Aligning Instructions to Assessment

Language Learning Activities for ESL Classes Focused on Community & Culture

Session 2: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm (90 min)

Developing Strong and Lasting Partnerships

Student Success Made Simple: SOAR

Beyond Knowledge Checks: Creating Significant Learning for Adults

WORKING LUNCH: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Motivational Speaker: City Councilwoman Kristen Ishihara

Session 3: 1:10 pm – 2:40 pm (90 min)

ESL Teaching Strategies

Step By Step: How to Introduce New Tech Tools

Student Success Made Simple: SOAR
Repeat session

SYMPOSIUM CLOSES: 2:40pm – 3:00 pm
Evaluation, wrap-up, door prizes (must be present to win!)

FAREWELL

PD Certificates

Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event.
Complete the survey we’ll send you via email after the training is finished to give your details and get your certificate.

Longview University Center: Directions & Parking

Click here for map, directions, and parking information.

Downloads:

Download a flyer to display at your location or send to others who may be interested in attending.

Special thanks to:

East Texas Literacy Council

The Texas Center for Advancement of Literacy & Learning (TCALL)

The Texas Workforce Commission

Read more about the annual regional literacy symposia here.

Watch this space, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media to get all the details as they’re confirmed:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

2023 South Texas Literacy Symposium

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Thank you so much for coming! This event is now over.

The 2023 South Texas Literacy Symposium is co-presented by the South Texas Literacy Coalition and Literacy Texas.

The symposium will be held on

Saturday, February 25, 8:45 am to 4:00 pm

on the UTRGV Campus, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg TX 78539.

The symposium is part of the annual UTRGV Festiba celebration and has the theme “Transforming our world through arts and literacy.”

Check-in for registered participants will open at 8:00 am and both breakfast and a working lunch will be provided.

This symposium is offered free of charge to educators, volunteer tutors, ESL teachers, and other library and nonprofit professionals who work in the fields of adult and family literacy.

See the schedule outline below; find detailed descriptions of the workshops here.

Schedule

SYMPOSIUM OPENS: 8:00 am – 8:45 am
Check-in, breakfast, visit exhibitor and author tables

Greetings, welcome, and introductions: 8:45 am – 9:30 am
Dr. Dahlia Guerra, Founder/Director of FESTIBA, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Dr. Jeffrey Ward, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Kendra de la Garza, President, South Texas Literacy Coalition
Steve Banta, Executive Director, Literacy Texas

Panel Discussion: 9:30 am – 10:15 am (45 min)
Connecting the Dots in Adult Literacy: The Role of Authors and Teachers of Literacy and the Arts
Guiding Question: How do we help communities understand that literacy and the arts have a major impact on life-long learning and on the future progress of every citizen.
Panelists: Katelyn Renteria, Moderator & Panelist, Local Author
Dr. Jeffrey Ward, Dean, College of Fine Arts
Daniel García Ordaz, TEDx Speaker and 2023 McAllen Poet Laureate
Letty Leija, Director, Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library

Concurrent Session 1: 10:30 am – 11:30 am (60 min)

Online & Mobile Learning: Creating Classroom Publications Using Common Apps & Sites

Grant Writing – You’ve Got This!

Family Literacy Activates: Promoting School Success

BREAK: 11:30am – 12:00 pm
Visit exhibitor and author tables

WORKING LUNCH & NETWORKING SESSIONS: 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm (Ballroom)
Networking  – “Trending Issues in Literacy”

Concurrent Session 2: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm (60 min)

Cultural Competence, Challenges, and Social Support Factors Linked to Poor Literacy in the RGV

Getting Your Volunteers Started to Meet Your Program Goals

Career Planning for Youth: Consider Where the Jobs Are

Concurrent Session 3: 2:40 pm – 3:40 pm (60 min)

Connecting the Dots: Using Creative Writing to Teach Literacy Skills

Motivating and Recognizing Volunteers

Families Rock Together: Engaging in Your Child’s Academic Achievement Without a Helicopter!

SYMPOSIUM CLOSES: 3:40pm – 4:00 pm
Evaluation, wrap-up, door prizes (must be present to win!)

FAREWELL

Schedule will be kept as current as possible but is subject to change; check back here for updates

PD Certificates

Certificates of completion will be awarded after the event.
Complete the survey we send you via email after the symposium is finished to give your details and get your certificate.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: Directions & Parking

Click here for maps, directions, and parking information

Downloads:

Download a PDF copy of the 2023 program

Download a flyer to display at your location or send to others who may be interested in attending

Special thanks to:

South Texas Literacy Coalition

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, College of Fine Arts

The Texas Center for Advancement of Literacy & Learning (TCALL)

The Texas Workforce Commission

Read more about the annual regional literacy symposia here.

Watch this space, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media to get all the details as they’re confirmed:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

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