October 2017
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Volume 5, Issue 10
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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.
Stephanie Mazzeo-Caputo led volunteers in a discussion of the four basic personality styles and how they influence our effectiveness as tutors in a tutor support workshop last month.
Literacy Volunteers of America Essex & Passaic Counties
90 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
[email protected] Russell Ben Ali -Recruitment & Training Coordinator [email protected] Jorge Chavez -Data Processing Coordinator [email protected] Debbie Graham -Education Coordinator [email protected] Mary O’Connor -Trainer & Tutor Support Specialist [email protected] Marisol Ramirez -Student Coordinator [email protected] |
Greetings LVA Family,
Albertine began her study of English at high school in her hometown of N’Djamena, the capital of the central African nation of Chad. But she found few opportunities to practice there and felt her skills were slowly fading. “To learn English, I need to practice,” said Albertine, who enrolled in an ESL class at the Hilton Branch of the Maplewood Memorial Library, a state funded program coordinated by the library and LVA. “But if nobody speaks with me in English, that’s a problem. But here, I don’t have a choice. This class is helpful for me. I practice a lot.” Albertine was one of dozens of students who completed classes last month at Berkeley College in Newark, and the public libraries of Maplewood, Montclair, Passaic, and Paterson. The programs and their graduates are profiled later in this newsletter. Please join us as we celebrate students who have worked hard to achieve literacy and the tutors and others who have helped them. Our Annual Awards Ceremony is likely the one chance we’ll get this year to meet all those who help make Literacy Volunteers of America, Essex & Passaic Counties, function as an organization. This year’s event will take place at the East Orange Public Library on Tuesday, October 17, from 6-8 pm. There will be light refreshments and parking is available in the library lot. Families and friends are invited; just let us know whether you plan to attend and how many guests you’ll bring. Stephanie Mazzeo-Caputo gave an informative presentation on how your personality can affect your success as a tutor during last month’s tutor support workshop. This month Dr. Erik Jacobson of Montclair State University, will offer a workshop on “Writing Prompts for the Classroom.” In the News
To view the following stories, copy and paste the highlighted website into an internet search bar.
‘Research shows Spanish speakers take longer to learn English. Why?’ NPR. https://goo.gl/2qkiWz ‘NJ adult literacy programs focus on better-educated children and stronger workforce.’ mycentraljersey.com. https://goo.gl/wMS7gg ‘Phillies say Spanish translator is clutch for the team.’ The (Allentown) Morning Call. https://goo.gl/EbDpkr ‘Google’s new headphones can translate foreign languages in real time,’ UK Finance. https://goo.gl/9kXsq7 |
For Julio, LVA Essex & Passaic Counties’ oldest ESOL student, age is no obstacle to learning. He is shown here with his daughter, LVA staffer Marisol Ramirez.
Tutor Support Workshop
Hilton Branch, Maplewood Memorial Library
-by Mary O’Connor 1688 Springfield Avenue Maplewood, NJ 07040 Mondays and Thursdays, 1:00-4:00 pm October 23, 26, 30, November 2, 6, & 9, 2017 West Orange Public Library -by Darnelle Richardson 46 Mount Pleasant Avenue West Orange, NJ 07052 Mondays, Nov 6, 13, 20, 27 and Thursday, November 30, 2017, 6:00-9:00 pm Tutor Training Workshops
“Writing Prompts for the Classroom"
with Erik Jacobson Bloomfield Public Library 90 Broad Street, 2nd Floor Boardroom Bloomfield, NJ 07003 Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 1:00-2:30 pm Teaching with Technology (Not just for Millennials) with Emily Frisch Bloomfield Public Library 2nd Floor Boardroom Thursday, November 9, 2017, 1:00-2:30 pm |
Getting to Know Us
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“At 46, this Philly woman learned to read - and then published a book.”
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Getting to Know Us
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Adult Literacy & Community Library Partnership Pilot Program
Like many immigrants, Nurya faces language barriers that affect almost every aspect of her life. But Nurya, who’d returned to school in her native Turkey to earn a college history degree, after dropping out 10 years earlier, is accustomed to overcoming barriers.
“Now that I’m in the states, I feel hopeful about learning English, because I know if you insist on succeeding in life, no obstacles are going to stop you,” said Nurya, a student in Lidya Mikhail’s ESL class at the Passaic Public Library.
Nurya’s class was offered through the Adult Literacy and Community Library Partnership, a state pilot grant program that aims to create direct partnerships between local libraries and adult literacy service providers. Together, libraries and literacy organizations provide training or language instruction that help New Jersey residents increase their Adult Basic Education and language proficiency skills in order to enhance their chances of finding employment outside of the low-skilled job market. Funds were granted to libraries throughout the state, including Maplewood, Passaic, and Paterson, which work with LVA to offer intensive ESL classes. The program is now in its second year. One round of classes in Maplewood, Passaic, and Paterson ended in September and new classes began last week.
Li Hang was already fluent in English when he enrolled in Leslie Gersho’s advanced ESL class at the Hilton Branch of the Maplewood Memorial Library. As the owner of a South Orange restaurant, he said he wanted to improve his grammar for professional reasons and found the class rewarding. “It helped me a lot,” the south China native said. “Every day I have to read a lot of statements and business papers and sometimes I have to ask people what this or that means. I don’t want to bother people all the time.”
Grawilda, a student from Dominican Republic, hopes to spend more time studying English now that her youngest child is enrolled in school. She also seeks to grow her small business, preparing and selling healthy meals, from four to 20 weekly clients. “Three months ago, I decided to give one of my passions a try,” said Grawilda, a student in Jalaire Craver’s class at the Southside Branch of the Paterson Public Library. “Eating healthy is something we do at home, and I really enjoy making the meals.”
“Now that I’m in the states, I feel hopeful about learning English, because I know if you insist on succeeding in life, no obstacles are going to stop you,” said Nurya, a student in Lidya Mikhail’s ESL class at the Passaic Public Library.
Nurya’s class was offered through the Adult Literacy and Community Library Partnership, a state pilot grant program that aims to create direct partnerships between local libraries and adult literacy service providers. Together, libraries and literacy organizations provide training or language instruction that help New Jersey residents increase their Adult Basic Education and language proficiency skills in order to enhance their chances of finding employment outside of the low-skilled job market. Funds were granted to libraries throughout the state, including Maplewood, Passaic, and Paterson, which work with LVA to offer intensive ESL classes. The program is now in its second year. One round of classes in Maplewood, Passaic, and Paterson ended in September and new classes began last week.
Li Hang was already fluent in English when he enrolled in Leslie Gersho’s advanced ESL class at the Hilton Branch of the Maplewood Memorial Library. As the owner of a South Orange restaurant, he said he wanted to improve his grammar for professional reasons and found the class rewarding. “It helped me a lot,” the south China native said. “Every day I have to read a lot of statements and business papers and sometimes I have to ask people what this or that means. I don’t want to bother people all the time.”
Grawilda, a student from Dominican Republic, hopes to spend more time studying English now that her youngest child is enrolled in school. She also seeks to grow her small business, preparing and selling healthy meals, from four to 20 weekly clients. “Three months ago, I decided to give one of my passions a try,” said Grawilda, a student in Jalaire Craver’s class at the Southside Branch of the Paterson Public Library. “Eating healthy is something we do at home, and I really enjoy making the meals.”
Sussex Educational Foundation, Berkeley College, & LVA Essex and Passaic Counties
Adult Education Program
Dozens of students completed ESOL classes last month at Berkeley College in Newark, in a joint program run by the school, the Sussex Educational Foundation, and Literacy Volunteers of America, Essex & Passaic Counties. Adults attended classes for 10 weeks offered at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
They include the former manager of a design magazine in Ecuador, a Peruvian native who started a taxi business, and a sales associate from Senegal who earned a degree in international trade. Here are a few snapshots of Berkeley students provided by their instructors:
Jorge is the eldest of seven brothers raised in a small town in Colombia. He left home at age 16, seeking a job in the fashion industry in Bogota, the nation’s capital, and, over time, worked many jobs in the fashion design field. In Ecuador he landed a position as manager of a design magazine, a job he held until an earthquake led to the magazine’s closure. “Jorge came to class every day eager to learn so that he can get a job in the fashion industry,” said his teacher, Maureen Cooper.
Roxana moved to the U.S. from Peru at age 18 but, during her years as a housekeeper, a factory worker, a stay-at-home-mom, and, recently, as the co-owner of a taxi company, managed to get by without becoming fluent in English. “Now that her children are older, Roxana has the chance to go after her dreams,” said her instructor, Roxanne Peterson. “The first step for her was to learn English.”
Nydeye came to the states from Senegal about a year ago. She began taking ESL classes earlier this year in order to better understand English speakers and obtain employment, said her teacher, Darnelle Richardson. She found work as a sales associate at a major Manhattan department store in late August. “As a sales associate, she interacts with shoppers all day long, and has no problem understanding them,” Darnelle said. “In class Nydeye portrayed good leadership skills. When the class is given team assignments, she always takes charge and works harmoniously with her team members.”
They include the former manager of a design magazine in Ecuador, a Peruvian native who started a taxi business, and a sales associate from Senegal who earned a degree in international trade. Here are a few snapshots of Berkeley students provided by their instructors:
Jorge is the eldest of seven brothers raised in a small town in Colombia. He left home at age 16, seeking a job in the fashion industry in Bogota, the nation’s capital, and, over time, worked many jobs in the fashion design field. In Ecuador he landed a position as manager of a design magazine, a job he held until an earthquake led to the magazine’s closure. “Jorge came to class every day eager to learn so that he can get a job in the fashion industry,” said his teacher, Maureen Cooper.
Roxana moved to the U.S. from Peru at age 18 but, during her years as a housekeeper, a factory worker, a stay-at-home-mom, and, recently, as the co-owner of a taxi company, managed to get by without becoming fluent in English. “Now that her children are older, Roxana has the chance to go after her dreams,” said her instructor, Roxanne Peterson. “The first step for her was to learn English.”
Nydeye came to the states from Senegal about a year ago. She began taking ESL classes earlier this year in order to better understand English speakers and obtain employment, said her teacher, Darnelle Richardson. She found work as a sales associate at a major Manhattan department store in late August. “As a sales associate, she interacts with shoppers all day long, and has no problem understanding them,” Darnelle said. “In class Nydeye portrayed good leadership skills. When the class is given team assignments, she always takes charge and works harmoniously with her team members.”