I am so sorry to hear that our profession might lose NCSALL.  For years, 
the ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education and 
NCSALL publications have been the places where I start any search for 
information about adult education and adult learning.  ERIC has already 
been eliminated, and now we learn that NCSALL faces the same.  Barb, is 
it possible that the publications will be archived in a searchable form?

Like others, I frequently pass out copies of Focus on Basics at 
workshops and meetings.  FOB is the basis for workshops I deliver on a 
variety of topics.  Hoping to encourage people to explore the NCSALL 
site and learn something of the many resources there, I have built links 
to FOB articles into an online course for local program directors.  Just 
last week, while directing people to the site during a workshop on 
grant-writing, I heard one of the participants say that he remembered 
the site because of the online course.  Hurray!

Being a fan of the publication, I was pleased when I was able to serve 
on the editorial board last year.  Being able to work with distant 
colleagues as we read and learned from submitted articles was 
professional development itself, and it was a pleasure to work with 
Barb.  I can't imagine professional development in our field in a future 
without Focus on Basics.

Connie Spencer-Ackerman
Adult Education Academy
Morehead State University
Morehead Kentucky

 

Barbara Garner wrote:


>The funding for NCSALL ends at the end of the year. After that, the US DOE won't be funding a research center that focuses on adult basic education.

>We have been trying to raise funds to keep "Focus on Basics" going, but have not secured anything yet. We're still trying, but can not say with any assurance that we will be able to publish past 8C.

>Barb Garner

>Editor, "Focus on Basic"

>

>From: Missy Slaathaug <mslaathaug at midco.net>

>Date: Thu Apr 13 08:57:09 CDT 2006

>To: 'The Focus on Basics Discussion List' <focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 226]  might be the last issue?

>

>I feel like I missed something - why might this be the last issue of

>FOB?  It is an excellent publication, which many of us use in many

>different ways.  I would hate to see it disappear. 

>

>Missy Slaathaug

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov

>[mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Barbara Garner

>Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 7:13 AM

>To: Sylvia Provenski; focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>Subject: Re: [FocusOnBasics 222]  Editorial board

>

>Since FOB is funded by the US Gov (Institute of Education Sciences), I

>should first fill the FOB 8C board with US practitioners. If there are

>open slots and no other US volunteers, I see no reason not to have

>Canadians as well.

> 

>Given that much of the work will be done in the summer, when people's

>schedules are crazy, we'll have a more board members than usual. That

>way we'll always have a critical mass available. 

>

>I'll announce the board the week of April 24, so if you haven't

>contacted me yet, there's still time. 

>Barb Garner

>Editor, FOB

>

>From: Sylvia Provenski <sylviap at westman.wave.ca>

>Date: Wed Apr 12 19:55:05 CDT 2006

>To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 222]  Editorial board

>

>Are you interested in any Canadian editors for your board?

>Sylvia P.

>

> 

>-----Original Message-----

>From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov

>[mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov]

>On Behalf Of focusonbasics-request at nifl.gov

>Sent: April 12, 2006 11:00 AM

>To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>Subject: FocusOnBasics Digest, Vol 7, Issue 7

>

>Send FocusOnBasics mailing list submissions to

>	focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>

>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit

>	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/focusonbasics

>or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to

>	focusonbasics-request at nifl.gov

>

>You can reach the person managing the list at

>	focusonbasics-owner at nifl.gov

>

>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific

>than "Re: Contents of FocusOnBasics digest..."

>

>

>Today's Topics:

>

>   1. [FocusOnBasics 209]  Using FOB / Editorial Board (Barbara Garner)

>   2. [FocusOnBasics 210] Re: Discussion Starts Today: FOB

>      Evaluation	Results (Nancy McKeand)

>   3. [FocusOnBasics 211]  Using FOB (Missy Slaathaug)

>   4. [FocusOnBasics 212] Re: Using FOB (Barbara Garner)

>   5. [FocusOnBasics 213] Re: Discussion Starts Today: FOB Evaluati

>      on	Results (dharting)

>   6. [FocusOnBasics 214] Re: Using FOB (Sarah Beaman-Jones)

>   7. [FocusOnBasics 215]  FOB Evaluation (Colletti, Cyndy)

>   8. [FocusOnBasics 216] Re: Using FOB (Barbara Garner)

>   9. Re: [FocusOnBasics 215] ?FOB Evaluation (Barbara Garner)

>  10. [FocusOnBasics 218] Re: Using FOB / Editorial Board

>      (Varshna Narumanchi-Jackson)

>

>

>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>Message: 1

>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 11:35:09 -0500 (CDT)

>From: Barbara Garner <b.garner4 at verizon.net>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 209]  Using FOB / Editorial Board

>To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>Message-ID:

>	<33154974.99691144773309098.JavaMail.root at vms073.mailsrvcs.net>

>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

>

>Not a lot of folks (none...) jumping in to the discussion about the

>evaluation of "Focus on Basics..."

>

>The evaluation documented the many ways folks use the publication. Which

>issue did you use most recently. How, and why?

>

>Barb Garner

>Editor, FOB

>

>(PS, thanks to those who have come forth for the next editorial board.

>I'm

>still taking names and will get back to everyone at the end of the week.

>Oklahoma, Michigan, Delaware, you've been underrepresented...Is there

>anyone

>on the list who from those states interested in joining the editorial

>board?)

>

>

>------------------------------

>

>Message: 2

>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:14:49 -0500

>From: "Nancy McKeand" <nancy.mckeand at gmail.com>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 210] Re: Discussion Starts Today: FOB

>	Evaluation	Results

>To: "The Focus on Basics Discussion List" <focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Message-ID:

>	<2e8319bb0604111114s7836569ax1591dda4cfdeeee0 at mail.gmail.com>

>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

>I'm glad you asked about the illustrations, Barb, because I really liked

>them.  The Lab School drawing on the cover of 8A is quite clever!  I

>like,

>too, how Mary included some of the actual vocabulary that was discussed

>in

>the articles in the drawings.

>

>I think that the artwork is a real nice touch.  It makes FOB seem more

>accessible, more inviting.

>

>Nancy McKeand

>-------------- next part --------------

>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...

>URL:

>http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/focusonbasics/attachments/20060411/e1654da

>4/at

>tachment-0001.html

>

>------------------------------

>

>Message: 3

>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 14:32:47 -0500

>From: "Missy Slaathaug" <mslaathaug at midco.net>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 211]  Using FOB

>To: <b.garner4 at verizon.net>,	"'The Focus on Basics Discussion List'"

>	<focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Message-ID: <000901c65d9e$b6c2e640$060ac90a at explorit3>

>Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

>

>I like this publication very much.  I read all the issues and find them

>useful and informative.  The last article I used actively was Robin

>Schwarz' article on the struggling ESL learner.  We asked our new

>teachers to read it prior to their New Teacher Training.  It was a great

>article that generated a lot of discussion and hopefully raised the

>level of awareness of these potential learner problems.  Keep up the

>good work.  

>

>Missy Slaathaug

>ESL Technical Resource

>South Dakota

>mslaathaug at midco.net

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov

>[mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Barbara Garner

>Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 11:35 AM

>To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 209] Using FOB / Editorial Board

>

>Not a lot of folks (none...) jumping in to the discussion about the

>evaluation of "Focus on Basics..."

>

>The evaluation documented the many ways folks use the publication. Which

>issue did you use most recently. How, and why?

>

>Barb Garner

>Editor, FOB

>

>(PS, thanks to those who have come forth for the next editorial board.

>I'm still taking names and will get back to everyone at the end of the

>week. Oklahoma, Michigan, Delaware, you've been underrepresented...Is

>there anyone on the list who from those states interested in joining the

>editorial board?)

>----------------------------------------------------

>National Institute for Literacy

>Focus on Basics mailing list

>FocusOnBasics at nifl.gov

>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/focusonbasics

>

>

>

>------------------------------

>

>Message: 4

>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 14:50:47 -0500 (CDT)

>From: Barbara Garner <b.garner4 at verizon.net>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 212] Re: Using FOB

>To: Missy Slaathaug <mslaathaug at midco.net>, b.garner4 at verizon.net,

>	'The Focus on Basics Discussion List' <focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Message-ID:

>	<7414113.232101144785047308.JavaMail.root at vms063.mailsrvcs.net>

>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

>

>Thanks, Missy,,,

>That struggling ESOL learner article really struck a chord. 

>

>When you've been working in a field---any field---for awhile, it's easy

>to

>forget how much you actually have learned and apply on a day-to-day

>basis.

>Robin's article seems to have reminded us that new staff, or experienced

>staff working with new types of learners, need information that may have

>become second nature to some.

>

>What other articles to folks use with new teachers, and why?

>Barb

>

>From: Missy Slaathaug <mslaathaug at midco.net>

>Date: Tue Apr 11 14:32:47 CDT 2006

>To: b.garner4 at verizon.net, 

>	'The Focus on Basics Discussion List' <focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Subject: Using FOB

>

>I like this publication very much.  I read all the issues and find them

>useful and informative.  The last article I used actively was Robin

>Schwarz' article on the struggling ESL learner.  We asked our new

>teachers to read it prior to their New Teacher Training.  It was a great

>article that generated a lot of discussion and hopefully raised the

>level of awareness of these potential learner problems.  Keep up the

>good work.  

>

>Missy Slaathaug

>ESL Technical Resource

>South Dakota

>mslaathaug at midco.net

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov

>[mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Barbara Garner

>Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 11:35 AM

>To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 209] Using FOB / Editorial Board

>

>Not a lot of folks (none...) jumping in to the discussion about the

>evaluation of "Focus on Basics..."

>

>The evaluation documented the many ways folks use the publication. Which

>issue did you use most recently. How, and why?

>

>Barb Garner

>Editor, FOB

>

>(PS, thanks to those who have come forth for the next editorial board.

>I'm still taking names and will get back to everyone at the end of the

>week. Oklahoma, Michigan, Delaware, you've been underrepresented...Is

>there anyone on the list who from those states interested in joining the

>editorial board?)

>----------------------------------------------------

>National Institute for Literacy

>Focus on Basics mailing list

>FocusOnBasics at nifl.gov

>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/focusonbasics

>

>

>

>------------------------------

>

>Message: 5

>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 15:47:13 -0400

>From: dharting <dharting at proliteracy.org>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 213] Re: Discussion Starts Today: FOB Evaluati

>	on	Results

>To: 'The Focus on Basics Discussion List' <focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Message-ID: <24C87A21440F3A4B94ED4594298D45F304B89A at hardy>

>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

>Hi Barb:

> 

>I like the illustrations, too. I particularly liked the one from

>September

>2003 that showed authentic materials like invoices and soup cans flying

>in

>the window. Or were they flying out the window??

> 

>I also liked the way you used portions of the cover illustration inside

>the

>publication to send visual cues that the inside article was related to

>the

>cover story.

> 

>You're right: it's always a creative challenge to illustrate an abstract

>concept in a concrete manner. The recently released NAAL is a good

>example.

>We're blessed to have a talented and creative graphic artist on our

>staff

>who helps us with these kinds of challenges.

> 

>Our survey research from the summer of 2005 revealed a high level of

>respect

>for your publication among literacy field workers, esp. program

>managers.

>Congratulations!

> 

>Don Harting

>ProLiteracy America

>Syracuse, New York

> 

>-----Original Message-----

>From: Nancy McKeand [mailto:nancy.mckeand at gmail.com]

>Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:15 PM

>To: The Focus on Basics Discussion List

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 210] Re: Discussion Starts Today: FOB Evaluation

>Results

>

>

>

>I'm glad you asked about the illustrations, Barb, because I really liked

>them.  The Lab School drawing on the cover of 8A is quite clever!  I

>like,

>too, how Mary included some of the actual vocabulary that was discussed

>in

>the articles in the drawings.    

>

>I think that the artwork is a real nice touch.  It makes FOB seem more

>accessible, more inviting.  

>

>Nancy McKeand

>

>

>

>

>-------------- next part --------------

>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...

>URL:

>http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/focusonbasics/attachments/20060411/c88ff35

>1/at

>tachment-0001.html

>

>------------------------------

>

>Message: 6

>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 15:51:39 -0500

>From: Sarah Beaman-Jones <sbeaman at webster.edu>

>Subject: [FocusOnBasics 214] Re: Using FOB

>To: b.garner4 at verizon.net,	The Focus on Basics Discussion List

>	<focusonbasics at nifl.gov>

>Message-ID: <a06210201c061c6acc309@[10.10.138.248]>

>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

>This summer I will be leading a workshop for 

>experienced adult educators.  They have four 

>hours of activities assigned before the workshop. 

>As part of the reading assignment, they can 

>select one of four articles:

>To find the articles, go to 

>http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=167 and select 

>either

>

>What Silent Reading Tests alone Can't Tell you

>or

>There's Reading?..And Then There's Reading

>

>These articles are about reading in general.  If 

>you want to read more specifically on first level 

>readers, go to 

>http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=147 and select 

>either

>

>Techniques for Teaching Beginning-Level Reading to Adults

>			or

>Reading for Pleasure

>

>BTW, there is no reason you can't read all four 

>or even the entire issue if you get involved.

>

>As you read the article, code the test in the following manner:

>

>=   I agree

>X  I thought differently

>+   New information

>!    WOW

>?   I don't get it

>*   I know this is important

>

>[INSERT system "Interactive Notational System for 

>Effective Reading and Thinking" from Vaughn & 

>Estes, 1986]

>

>

>After completing the reading, please complete a 

>short reflection piece.  In one or two 

>paragraphs, describe the main ideas of the 

>article your read and your reaction to  them.

>In one or two paragraphs, describe your experience using the INSERT

>system.

>

>  

>


-- 
Connie Spencer-Ackerman
Adult Education Academy
Morehead State University
150 University Boulevard, Box 968
Morehead, KY 40351
ph:  606-783-9377   fax:  606-783-9111

The reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.

Robert J. McKain

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/focusonbasics/attachments/20060413/6d230838/attachment.html