February 2024 |
Volume 12, Issue 2
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The Insider
The Insider, the monthly newsletter of LVA, Essex & Passaic Counties, will keep you in the loop on all of the organization’s upcoming events.
Thank you to Dr. Erik Jacobson for sharing his "Using Interactive Storytelling in the Classroom" workshop with us. The workshop provided practical examples that can be used for a number of classroom activities, including vocabulary development and classroom discussions.
Literacy Volunteers of America Essex & Passaic Counties90 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973) 566-6200, ext. 217 or 225 195 Gregory Avenue, 2nd Floor, Passaic, NJ 07055 (973) 470-0039 Cristhian Barcelos -Executive Director
cbarcelos@lvaep.org Jorge Chavez -Data Processing Coordinator jchavez@lvaep.org Valeria Garrido -Social Media & Newsletter Coordinator vgarrido@lvaep.org Cheryl Locastro -Tutor Support Specialist & ESOL Instructor clocastro@lvaep.org Marisol Ramirez -Student Coordinator mramirez@lvaep.org |
Greetings LVA family!
The month of February has brought us some winter weather, with snow sprinkling our streets. The magic of modern tools allows us to meet with and serve our students online and offline, making it easier on complex schedules and bad weather days. We are so grateful our tutors navigate the wonders and frustrations of technology with grace and a spirit of service to support all learners. In this month's newsletter, we wanted to share with you Miriam’s story. Originally from Guatemala, Miriam shares with us her journey as she migrated to the United States, seeking to help her family, as she witnessed the walls of her parents’ house deteriorate with no resources to fix them. Through hard work she managed to help them get a house to last into their old age and provide them with safety and warmth. We also applaud Sydnay, one of our many committed tutors who embarks on a journey with her students of mutual understanding, creating a supportive space that fosters growth in communication skills. From navigating emails to engaging with teachers, Sydnay has witnessed the practical impact of literacy on her students' daily lives. The classroom has transformed into a melting pot of stories, traditions, and cultures, breaking down barriers and nurturing newfound confidence. Did you know February is celebrated as Mother Tongue Day by the United Nations? Read on to learn about the cognitive benefits of learning more than one language. We Are Teachers compiled a list of 42 Black History Month activities for February (https://bit.ly/48yLENg). 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 more. In the News
To view the following stories, copy and paste the highlighted website into an internet search bar.
“Angeline Pompei Releases Rap Song to Teach Numbers and Simple Verbs to Adult English-Language Learners" The News & Observer. https://bit.ly/49l2rom “Arabic Students of English Like Slang and Don't Care Much for Music: Bright AI Surveys English Language Learners Worldwide” Globe Newswire. https://bit.ly/49o6y38 “Black History Month book recommendations” SJU Hawk News. https://bit.ly/48kuxPb |
Originally from the department of Quetzaltenango in Guatemala, Miriam’s journey to learning English in the United States is a story many immigrants will recognize.
Miriam’s path to the United States began in 2006. She migrated with the hope of supporting her parents in their old age. Tutor Training WorkshopsOnline Training, by TBD
Platform: Zoom (sponsored by LNJ) Wednesdays, 6 - 8 pm March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3, & 10, 2024 Online Training, by TBD Platform: Zoom (sponsored by LNJ) Wednesdays, 9:30 - 11:30 am May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12, & 19, 2024 Tutor Support Workshops"Teaching Listening and Speaking Skills,"
with Carol Cochi, Ph.D. Platform: Google Meet Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 11 am - 12:30 pm Coffee Hour with Tutorswith Cheryl Locastro
Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 3 pm (Themed online meeting) Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 3 pm (General in-person meeting) http://www.lvaep.org/workshops.html |
Getting to Know Us
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Happy Mother Language Day
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Getting to Know Us
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