Select Conference Sessions to be Live-Streamed from Google+ and YouTube

With the 29^th annual Florida Literacy Conference just around the corner, we’d like to round off our pre-Conference blogs with a Live-streaming schedule for those of you at home. This year FLC will be live-streaming some sessions onto both FLC’s Google+ Page and its YouTube channel via Google+’s Hangout on Air feature.

Unfortunately viewers of the live-stream will only view some of the larger conference sessions, but we encourage you to check these out. They will be informative, enjoyable, and even inspirational.  If you’d like to view a session that will be live-streamed, please follow the instructions below:

1. First, create a Google+ profile or a YouTube account so that you may access FLC’s live-stream. Signing up for either is free. Please visit this link to sign up for Google+ if you already have a Google account, such as Gmail or YouTube,  or click here to create a Google account.
2. Once you sign up, be sure to add the Florida Literacy Coalition’s Google+ Page to one of your Circles or subscribe to the fliteracy YouTube channel. Adding a person or page to a Google+ Circle is the equivalent of a Facebook friend.
3. Lastly, at the time of the session which you’d like to attend virtually, visit FLC’s Google+ or YouTube and click the play button on the Hangout on Air video. You’ll begin to start viewing the event live!

2013 Florida Literacy Conference Live-Streaming Schedule

Wednesday, May 8:

• 9:30-11:00 a.m.- Opening General Session

Thursday, May 9:

• 3:15-4:30 p.m.-Exploring Social Media with FLC
• 6:30-8:30 p.m.-Florida Literacy Awards Banquet

Friday, May 10:

• 11:30a.m.-1:00p.m.-Closing General Session & Luncheon

Call for Guest Bloggers

Attention conference attendees:

Don’t just come to the 2013 Florida Literacy Conference; share your thoughts, impressions, and take-aways with your and FLC’s community! Whether you’re coming to the 2013 Florida Literacy Conference to attend sessions, exhibit products and services, or present your own, FLC is inviting guest bloggers to help contribute content before, during, and/or after the event.

You might want to consider becoming a guest blogger if:

• you enjoy writing/ are a writer
• you have previous experience blogging OR have always wanted to try it
• you like to share your thoughts with others whom share your passion for literacy
• you need to put aside that half-finished novel you’ve been working on

You might not want to consider becoming a guest blogger if:

• you’re not attending the conference
• you have cyberphobia, or the fear of computers
• you didn’t read this blog entry

By now you’re probably wondering how to go about fulfilling this desire to blog, so here’s how to get started: Simply write an email expressing your interest to blog during the Florida Literacy Conference to John Sanchez, sanchezj@floridaliteracy.org, by Monday, April 29^th. After receiving your email, you will be asked several questions about your previous experience, when you’d prefer to blog, and how often you’d prefer to contribute, etc.

We welcome any and all attendees to take advantage of this opportunity, especially because the more you collect your thoughts during the conference, the more likely you’ll be able to recollect what you learned after you’ve returned home. When you think about it that way, blogging is not only a great way to share what you’ve learned; it’s also the teach-back method at work!

Financial Literacy Track Preview: Denise Smalls- Income or Wealth?

How many of you are working for income or wealth?  What is the difference?  Income is today and wealth is tomorrow.  One of the ways to accumulate wealth is to start saving for a retirement fund.  Are you currently saving for retirement?  If so, are you saving enough to retire comfortably?

According to the Retirement Confidence Survey, only 66% of workers have saved money for retirement.  These numbers go down significantly for workers who make less than $35,000/year (24%).  A number of people live for today and handle tomorrow when it gets here.  However, these are the same individuals who do not have enough money to pay for both medical and housing expenses.  Are you depending on Social Security to help you with tomorrow?  What happens if social security changes the way it provides funds in the future?  Could this change reduce the amount of money you will need to live on tomorrow?  Let’s say that Social Security does not change and you will receive the same amount that a retiree is getting today, is that enough to live on?  Why don’t you go ask a couple of our seniors who are currently living on Social Security alone and find out how comfortable they are living?

Saving for retirement is a good first step but you have to do more.  You have to determine how much money you will need to save before you can retire. More than 50% of workers, according to the Retirement Confidence Survey, do not know how much money they will need to have to retire.  It is equally important to know if you are on the right track with your retirement goals.  How will you pay for medical expenses?  How will you pay for housing and food expenses?  Do you want to travel or visit your potential grandchildren?  Do you want to spend time playing golf, tennis or bingo?  Do you want to volunteer or work part time?  There are so many decisions that have to be made and while you can’t foresee the future you can definitely plan for it.

There are numerous calculators on the Internet that can help you make a determination on how much money is needed for retirement.  One such calculator is from CNN Money http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/retirementneed/retirementneed_plain.html and AARP also has a good retirement calculator http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/retirement_calculator/

For more information on retirement and other money management questions, feel free to come to the Money $ense classes where we speak about the above issues as well as how to build and/or fix credit, how to get a free credit report, how to create a spending plan and what are the advantages of using a financial institution.  The class schedule is located at http://www.goodwillcfl.org/services.php.  Go to the bottom of the page for financial programs and select Money $ense class schedule.

Are you working for income or wealth?  Why don’t you use the income you are making to achieve the wealth you want?  How do you accomplish this goal, come to the Money $ense class to find out.

Employee Benefit Research Institute. (2013). Preparing for Retirement in America.  2013 RCS Fact Sheet #3.  Retrieved from http://www.ebri.org/files/Final-FS.RCS-13.FS_3.Saving.FINAL.pdf

2013 Adult Learner Day

The Florida Literacy Coalition is pleased to invite adult education students in Florida to participate in this year’s Adult Learner Day on May 8, 2013 from 8:30- 5:00 pm.

Adult Learner Day is a unique initiative brings together approximately 70-90 adult learners from adult literacy programs throughout Florida. Students are invited to attend 5-6 special Adult Learner Day workshops providing information about a variety of life skill oriented topics. Adult learners are involved in planning and coordinating this event. The day always includes presentations by adult learners for their fellow students and adult educators.

This event is free for students and promises to include a few surprises along the way.

Here is a tentative schedule for workshops-

Adult Learner Experience: Why we stayed and what you can do with your students
Join members from the Adult Learner Committee in this interactive workshop as they discuss why they stayed with their literacy programs. This workshop will provide insight on how practitioners can increase student retention and recruitment. Be prepared to participate in this informative conversation!

Managing your money and planning for the future
Does the term finance scare you? Jaclyn Boland and FLC AmeriCorps* VISTA’s will help you get a better understanding of managing your money and creating a budget. After participating in this workshop, you will walk away with tools that will help you plan for your future.

Basic computer skills and the new GED Test
From the basics to the necessities, learn how to use a computer in ways that will help you succeed. This workshop will start with how to turn on a computer and end with copy and paste, and keyboarding.

Libraries open the door to learning
Learn how you can use the library and find information that will help you in your learning process. You will learn how to find information on things like citizenship and health literacy. All learners are welcome to this presentation.

Reading Strategies and Family Literacy
Reading to your child is a remarkable moment. This workshop will teach you reading strategies that will help you read a book to your child. Leave this workshop with a book to take home and practice tonight!

Sneak Peek at the Financial Literacy Track!

It’s surprising, sometimes frightening even, how little we really know about personal finance and money management, since most of us know close to nothing about sound practices beyond the basics.  In fact, most of what we do know is information that our friends and families have given us or that we have learned through our own research. Rarely does it come from any sort of formal education. When we consider how we can all benefit a bit more from a few lessons on financial literacy, it becomes clear just how important financial literacy is vital to an adult learners stability and progress.

The 29^th Annual Florida Literacy Conference will hold over 60 sessions within 14 distinct tracks, including a first of its kind financial literacy track! For those interested in learning more about personal finance and sound money management, here’s a look at what the track has to offer so that you can set your conference schedule proactively.

Sessions include:

• Financial Aid for the Nontraditional Student
  Did you know the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship can be awarded to GED students? This session covers avenues for funding higher education through federal, state, institutional, and local resources.
• Money $ense
  How do you make sense out of money?  One of the ways is to look at your behavior, habits and past to determine why you use money in a certain way. This workshop explains how to educate your clients to understand and change their behavior.
• Financial Literacy Resources for Adult Education
  There are many free resources for providing financial literacy in the Adult Education classroom. Receive sample brochures, website information  and the latest research/statistics for financial literacy.
• Making Money Work for You
  This brief intro to financial literacy and consumer education is designed for teachers and tutors of ESOL and ABE students.  (Participants can also access this module via Florida TechNet’s “Moodle” trainings.)
• Opening Doors to Home Ownership
  In this interactive session, we will share the Opening Doors to Home Ownership website designed for high school and adult learners.  The focus of this commercial-free website is to develop financial literacy through topics such as credit, budgeting, preparing for home ownership, and understanding mortgages.

Trying to imagine how adult learners manage financially, or rather how they don’t, can explain why learning even the most basic money management skills can greatly benefit the lives of our adult learners. Attend this track and bring back skills and practices your students that will immediately have an impact on their lives!

10th Annual Literacy Leadership Institute

Attention directors, program managers, and board members!

The 10^th annual Literacy Leadership Institute will take place at the Hilton Altamonte Springs. This is an exciting professional development opportunity designed for directors, program managers, and board members of non-profit and library based adult and family literacy organizations.The Leadership Institute will feature of variety of expert speakers from around Florida. The topics addressed include:

• The New GED Test Series
• Fund Development
• Learning Disabilities
• Board Development
• Volunteer Recruitment and Retention
• Social Media

On top of all these wonderful presenters, attendees can get up to $350 in travel expenses reimbursed (restrictions apply)! Don’t miss your chance to attend this training. Sign up by March 1 in order to guarantee your spot.

When: March 21-22, 2013

Where: Hilton Altamonte Springs. Make your reservations online by March 1 to take advantage of the $99 group rate!

More information on the Leadership Institute and the registration form can be found here. If you have any questions please contact Jessica Ward, Education & Training Coordinator, at (407) 246 – 7110 ext. 203 or wardj@floridaliteracy.org.

This training opportunity is made possible by Florida’s Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center and funded through a grant from the Florida Department of Education, Division of Career and Adult Education.

We look forward to seeing you in March!

Conference Registration Special!

Buy 10 Get 1 FREE!

Attention Florida Literacy Conference Registrants, we have a green light special for conference registrations!  Buy 10, get 1 free!

Yes!  It is true!  If you plan on sending ten (10) or more people from your organization to the Florida Literacy Conference, you will get one registration free!  Registrations must be sent together.  So, have one person collect all eleven (11) registrations, write a check for ten (10)!  Or, collect all twenty-two (22) registrations, and write a check for twenty (20)!

If you’re a real super saver, then don’t forget, early bird registration ends March 8!

For more information about the conference, go to http://www.floridaliteracy.org/floridaliteracyconference.html

Keep an eye out for the Conference brochure in your mail! If you did not get one and would like one, please email conference@floridaliteracy.org.

Registration is open for the 2013 Conference!

Registration is now open for the 2013 Conference!  Until March 8^th, you can register for the reduced rate of $235!  If you are an FLC member, you can get a greater discount by paying just $210 for the conference!  If you are not a member yet, you can sign up to be a member right on the conference registration form.

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Registration to the conference includes:

1.  Admission to amazing and inspiring general sessions,
2. Your choice of informative sessions within 13 tracks,
3. The opening reception filled with delicious hor dourves,
4. A yummy continental breakfast on Thursday, a tasty closing luncheon Friday and daily refreshments,
5. A chance  to meet with fellow literacy advocates though social and networking events,
6. Admission to the resource filled literacy product exhibition, and
7. A snazzy conference tote bag, program and resource materials

Registration is easy!  Just follow this link to registration, and it will take right to the registration form.  You can pay online through PayPal (no PayPal account needed!) or you can send us a check or PO.

Member, Early Bird – March 8, 2012	$210
Non-Member, Early Bird – March 8, 2012	$235
Member – Before April 26, 2012	$235
Non-Member – Before April 26, 2012	$260
On-Site – After April 26th, 2012	$275

Do you have more questions about the conference?  Go to the Conference webpage!

Della Palacios: Ah-Ha Moments

I registered for the Florida Literacy Conference on a whim.  My rationale went something like this, “Adult and Family Literacy certainly applies to SensAbleLearning, LLC, I’ll go.”   It was a very good whim  I followed.

Souns® is a hands-on phonemic awareness program inspired by the Montessori Method.   Letter sounds are taught before letter names.  It’s a simple switch with brilliant results.  Brenda Erickson, founder of Counterpane Montessori and creator of  Souns® , designed it for ages  0-3, but I have used it as intervention with children in high school and Brenda has used Souns® with adult refugees.  (I learned  Souns®  for my two children, then ages 3 and 4, now 4 and 5. They learned to read so naturally using  Souns®, I had the thought, “So many kids need this.”  And SensAble Learning, LLC was born.

At the conference, I had my first experience using Souns® with an adult learner.  He inquisitively looked at the Souns® symbols (letters) and I explained quickly how the program worked the first time he happened by.  I realized quickly that his curiosity was more than piqued as he touched the letters and said the sounds with me.  I wondered if he could read, but I did not ask.

He left to attend a workshop but he soon returned and apologized for having to leave.  I asked if he would like to sit and work with me for a bit using Souns®.  He said yes.  We went through each letter sound, just as the program suggests.  Most of the sounds he learned very quickly.  I have the tracking sheet we used. He did not recognize many of the letter sounds initially, but we practiced and he learned.  Next, I began building words with him using Souns® symbols and the objects I have ready in my box of three letter words.  With each new word he built, a smile stretched from ear to ear displaying his delight in what I can only assume is a new understanding of this mysterious language code.  I wish I had more time with this young man.

I loved every ah-ha moment that came across the faces of trained professionals, tutors and scholars  as they “got” how teaching sounds first before letter names removes much of the confusion not needed for a beginning reader.  But, the ah-ha that will remain in my heart is the one I saw in the smile of the curious young man.

Della Palacios

Founder and Owner of SensAble Learning, LLC

I am a traditionally trained teacher who chose to put my career and doctoral work on hold to stay at home and raise children.  Last year, I met Brenda Erickson, founder of Counterpane Montessori and the creator of Souns® .  The trajectory of my life has changed as we have joined hands to make sure kids will read, and read well.   I tell her she will be the bridge from Montessori to mainstream.  She tells me,  Souns® will be the bridge from Montessori to mainstream.

2012 Conference Recap + Session Handouts!

The 2012 might have been our best conference yet! Record attendance, inspiring keynotes, resourceful exhibitors, interesting session choices, a beautiful location and of course, wonderful attendees.

Some top moments included Mawi…everything, adult learners reading their essays from the 2012 Essay book, State Literacy Awards Winners and watching part of Sarah Entine’s film, Read Me Differently.

We also had a lovely photographer, Ashleigh Marie, who took several wonderful photos of the event. They’ll be uploaded to our Flickr account very soon, but in the mean time, check out this sneak peek on our facebook!

There were several great presentations! Here are handouts from a few who have already sent me them. This list will be updated as more presenters email me their handouts. So if you presented at this past conference, share  your wealth of information with other literacy enthusiasts!

PBS-So much more than Sesame Street!
Gail Taylor, WEDU
PBS Fact Sheet
PBS KIDS Online Anytime
American Graduate
PBS Teacher Resources – Florida PBS Learning Media

Social Media: Marketing Made Easy
Annie Schmidt, Florida Literacy Coalition
Social Media Handout
Social Media Presentation