[NIFL-FOBASICS:272] What are we doing?

From: Tina McGlynn (tttt@erols.com)
Date: Thu Jul 27 2000 - 11:01:32 EDT


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From: "Tina McGlynn" <tttt@erols.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:272] What are we doing?
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What are we doing?  Are we doing it well?

I am looking for a forum for discussing issues related to identifying =
and documenting results/outcomes produced by volunteer tutors in adult =
literacy agencies across the country.  I am especially interested in =
WHAT is being accomplished....then I will go back and observe HOW it is =
being accomplished.

In this age of accountablility, agencies like ours are increasingly =
responsible, as they should be, for clearly demonstrating results from =
their efforts.  It is critical that we stop being warm and fuzzy when we =
report this sort of thing.  But we also need help in developing systems =
for evaluating what we are doing.  Can lay volunteers teach reading and =
writing?  Are lay volunteers teaching reading and writing?  If they are =
not teaching reading and writing are they teaching something else (like =
applied literacy skills)? What are the successful ones doing?  How do we =
know that they are successful?  What kind of professional staff support =
is needed in volunteer literacy agencies to direct the efforts of these =
volunteers?  What data collection devices are being used to track what =
is being accomplished?

I anxiously await the assessment framework that is currently being =
developed for EFF. (Due for publication in Oct, 2001).  Hopefully these =
assessment tools will be designed to meet the specific needs of adults =
instead of using a variety of pre-existing tools that are designed to =
measure grade levels for children.

I understand that the vast list of questions generated here is =
overwhelming.  But at the same time, I hope that it will stimulate =
discussion at the grass roots level.  I know that we are all wallowing =
in this every day and it would be such a treat to wallow with =
others...to share our ideas and perhaps come up with some real research =
proposals that might begin to answer some of our questions.

Please respond!
=20
Tina McGlynn, Training Director
The READ Center
1605 Monument Avenue
Richmond, VA 23220
804/353-1587
tttt@erols.com (Preferred)
readcnt@aol.com (not always accessible)

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>What are we doing?&nbsp; Are we doing =
it=20
well?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am looking for a forum for discussing =
issues=20
related to identifying and documenting results/outcomes produced by =
volunteer=20
tutors in adult literacy agencies across the country.&nbsp; I am =
especially=20
interested in WHAT is being accomplished....then I will go back and =
observe HOW=20
it is being accomplished.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In this age of accountablility, =
agencies like ours=20
are increasingly responsible, as they should be, for clearly =
demonstrating=20
results from their efforts.&nbsp; It is critical that we stop being warm =
and=20
fuzzy when we report this sort of thing.&nbsp; But we also need help in=20
developing systems for evaluating what we are doing.&nbsp; Can lay =
volunteers=20
teach reading and writing?&nbsp; Are lay volunteers teaching reading and =

writing?&nbsp; If they are not teaching reading and writing are they =
teaching=20
something else (like applied literacy skills)? What are the successful =
ones=20
doing?&nbsp; How do we know that they are successful?&nbsp; What kind of =

professional staff support is needed in volunteer literacy agencies to =
direct=20
the efforts of these volunteers?&nbsp; What data collection devices are =
being=20
used to track what is being accomplished?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I anxiously await the assessment =
framework that is=20
currently being developed for EFF. (Due for publication in Oct, =
2001).&nbsp;=20
Hopefully these assessment tools will be designed to meet the specific =
needs of=20
adults instead of using a variety of pre-existing tools that are =
designed to=20
measure grade levels for children.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I understand that the vast list of =
questions=20
generated&nbsp;here is overwhelming.&nbsp; But at the same time, I hope =
that it=20
will stimulate discussion at the grass roots level.&nbsp; I know that we =
are all=20
wallowing in this every day and it would be such a treat to wallow with=20
others...to share our ideas and perhaps come up with some real research=20
proposals&nbsp;that might begin to answer some of our =
questions.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Please respond!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Tina McGlynn, Training Director<BR>The =
READ=20
Center<BR>1605 Monument Avenue<BR>Richmond, VA =
23220<BR>804/353-1587<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:tttt@erols.com">tttt@erols.com</A> (Preferred)<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:readcnt@aol.com">readcnt@aol.com</A> (not always=20
accessible)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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