Time

Room

Workshop

12:15

215 A/B

Survival English for Refugees

Sharon Muldoon, M.Ed., Bethany Christian Services

Refugees face numerous challenges, not least among them a language barrier that impacts their ability to secure a job and achieve a high quality of life. This presentation will be about teaching vocation-focused survival English as a Second Language (ESL) listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills to adult refugees who have had little to no formal education. The essential question we will ask is: How do ESL providers teach adult students survival English and literacy to prepare them for the workplace? Replicable models we will use include communicative activities, songs, use of listening/ speaking/ reading/ writing in every lesson, vocabulary building and writing prompts, and TPR.

12:15

215 C

Engaging their Brains for Reading

Amy Barto & Heidi Turchan, BS, CALP, Specialized Language Development Center

Reading is not a natural act for the brain. It is a concise, timed process involving many areas of the brain. In order to be an effective, efficient reader, this process needs to be automatic. Research indicates that incorporating a multisensory approach into any learning environment helps ensure success for students by accessing their preferred modality. In this workshop, we will share ideas and inexpensive materials to use in your classroom or at home to support reading and language processing.

12:15

215 D

Tools for Digital Literacy

Kindy Segovia, OTR, Kent Intermediate School District

Computers, the Internet, and other technologies are more important than ever in all parts of our life, from work to current events, community involvement to social situations. With this explosion of technology, there is a growing range of tools which can be used in literacy education to support struggling readers of all ages.  In this workshop, you will learn about a variety of solutions, including audio and video supports, websites and software, and mobile and stand-alone devices. Our computers, iPads, and tablet devices have ever-evolving supports we will explore, along with some unique, free-standing options. We will discussthe advantages and disadvantages of these tools, as well as costs and ideas for implementation. You may want to come to this session with your own computer or mobile device and follow along; however, this is not essential.  You will leave with a variety of links and ideas to explore later.

12:15

215 E

Literacy: After the Bell

Renee Borg, MA & Tom Bobo, BA, Heart of West Michigan United Way

The after school hours of 3pm-6pm can be a driving factor in the life of a child, whether positive or negative.  This presentation will demonstrate and highlight literacy specific strategies incorporated during the after school hours with the purpose of supporting academic achievement.  Topics of discussion will include Best Practices in After School Literacy, Future Opportunities, and Current Work, which will highlight Heart of West Michigan United Way’s Schools of Hope after school programming.

12:15

215 F

Your Ticket to Good Jobs: National Career Readiness Certificate

Vera Grishkina & Jane DeGroot, Literacy Center of West Michigan; Bonnie Mroczek, BS, Butterball Farms; Kristin Ekkens, MA, National Career Readiness Certificate Advocates

The Literacy Center of West Michigan provides opportunity for adults to prepare for the WorkKeys assessments in three basic skill areas: Reading for Information, Locating Information, and Applied Math. Our panel will discuss how the certificate is being utilized by employers, educators, and communities to prepare for jobs that require higher levels of foundational skills. How can individuals target their levels of the NCRC to their career of choice? We will share general information about the NCRC, such as where and how WorkKeys may be taken and how individuals can improve their skills in order to improve their scores. The panel is comprised of two members of the Literacy Center staff, an H.R. representative from a local food manufacturing company, and a national advocate for the certificate. Each panelist brings her own expertise to the presentation to demonstrate the value of the NCRC to both employers and individuals in the community as a tool for better economic development of the region.

12:15

215 G/H

Partnerships for Literacy Tutoring and Family Outreach

Karen Aupperlee, Kathie Lewis, & Kim Strayhorn, M. Ed, Northview Public Schools;

Julia Reynolds, Aquinas College

How can we create opportunities which foster strong literacy partnerships within the community and with parents?  This presentation will share how Northview Public Schools and Aquinas College blur the lines between K-12 schools and college to make it a “win-win” for everyone. Come hear how a literacy partnership happens with college students, elementary students, and families. The goals and the realities of tutoring students and reaching out to parents and families have gone beyond our hopes for partnership possibilities. We will also discuss the district’s annual Super Summer Success Reading program for students in grades K-11, including opportunities to “shop” for books, receive free books in the mail, and find new books at the Northview Mobile Library. Our goal is for all students to practice and enjoy reading while building their reading skills and strategies during the summer months.

12:15

201

GYRO: Get Your Read On

Sophia Brewer, MA, Grand Rapids Public Library

What are some ways to incorporate variety and fun into your reading life? Reading can be enjoyable, informative, and extremely rewarding and through this workshop attendees will learn some of the many ways to make reading interesting and meaningful. The participants of this workshop will learn about the benefits of reading and some ways to infuse variety and fun into reading or literacy plans. We will cover things like positive reinforcement, reading together, reading aloud, theme reading, and books vs. electronic mediums. Participants will also learn about upcoming and ongoing programs and services at the Grand Rapids Public Library and other library systems and their benefits, including summer reading programs, pre-reading classes, e-books, book clubs and book discussions, online tools (Novelist, GoodReads), and databases. We will share ideas as well as explore other fun ways to enhance reading year-round so that you (and the readers in your life) can GYRO ... “GET YOUR READ ON.”

12:15

203

Fundraising for Community Initiatives

Angela Morris, Kent Intermediate School District

Do you have a great idea to improve the community but have no idea how to find funding? This workshop will walk you through the basics of fundraising including grant writing, other types of fundraising, and issues of sustainability. We will also take a look at trends in fundraising.