Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition


 
 

The mission of the Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition is to promote literacy awareness
and to support and encourage literacy efforts in the community.


 

Community

The Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition invites you to a FREE, community-wide

Literacy Networking Breakfast

"More:  Health Literacy Matters"

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

7:30 - 9:30 AM

at the Vigo County Public Library 

Light and healthy continental fare, panel presentations and
discussion of nutrition and exercise as health literacy basics.

RSVP by March 25, 2010
(812) 232-1113, ext. 2284
or email sjakaitis@vigo.lib.in.us.


Facilitator:

Sue Gosse, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services, Indiana State University
 
Panelists:
 
Kathleen Stienstra, MD, Medical Director, Union Hospital Maternal Health Clinic; part time faculty for the Union Hospital Family Medicine Residency; family physician, Maple Center's Inegrative Care Center
 
Rao Ivaturi, PhD, CNS, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Indiana State University; Certified Nutrition Specialist, Providence Medical Group
 
Rayetta Minton, BS, MBA-c, Director, Center of Fitness and Performance, Union Hospital


Health Literacy websites:
Databases for Health Information
http://www.vigo.lib.in.us/databases#health  
The Vigo County Public Library's nine databases, including MEDLINE.

Nutrition and Exercise
 
Too much Sugar can Cause Wrinkles
This article talks about 5 steps that can help you to eat right and keep you skin looking its best.
 
“SuperFoods-Cranberries: A Delicious Fruit Provides a Multitude of Health Benefits”
Cranberries have proven their mettle in fighting urinary tract infections (UTIs).They are currently under investigation for a wide array of other potential benefits as well, including fighting peptic ulcers, and inhibiting the dental plaque that can lead to tooth decay.
 
“CoQ10 and Cancer Treatment”
More recent studies have not only documented clinical improvements, but also have identified probable mechanisms by which CoQ10 may help slow tumor growth.
 
Vitamin D Deficiency In Infants And Nursing Mothers Carries Long-term Disease Risks
 
Diabetes Diet and Nutrition
Tips to Controlling, Preventing, and Healing Diabetes
 
“Autumn’s Bounty Part I –Fruit”
The Maple Center’s October newsletter has an interesting article in it written by Lana Taylor, MS.RD
which discusses the healthy properties and benefits of Fall Fruits

Immunization
Information for Healthcare Professionals
http://www.vacineinformation.org
Information from the Immunization Action Coalition for the public and health professionals. It includes comprehensive information about  specific diseases and the vaccines that prevents them. Each page includes a Q & A section, photos and/or video footage, true stories of individuals who have suffered or died from the disease, descriptions of public policies, and references to other resources.

http://www.cdc.gov/
The Center for Disease Control's online source for credible health information. Their mission is to collaborate to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health – through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats.

http://www.immunize.org
Immunization Action Coalition's Vaccination Information for Healthcare Professionals.

Communication
Improving Service for Patients with Communication Barriers
www.healthliteracysd.org is stocked with information that helps healthcare providers and literacy organizations gather information to improve services for patients whose healthcare is affected by communication barriers.  The website features readability tools, training resources, curriculum information for low-literate populations, and literacy resources.
 
New Readers as Health Literacy Advocates & Resources
New Readers advocate in Iowa for better health information.
 
Ask Me 3
Ask Me 3 is a patient education program designed to promote communication between health care providers and patients in order to improve health outcomes.
 
Health Literacy Website – Listen, Explain, Save Lives
One interesting story on why communication is important between doctors and patients.
 
Health Literacy
Helen Osborne, M.Ed., OTR/L, is the founder and president of Health Literacy Consulting based in Natick, Massachusetts. She is also the founding director of Health Literacy Month – a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of understandable health information.


Understanding Health Information
 
“Health Literacy – Fact Sheet: Health Literacy Basics”
Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
 
“Making Your Healthcare Facility Literacy-Friendly”
The guide and the review tools found within it offer an approach for analyzing literacy-related barriers to healthcare access and navigation.
 
“A Prescription to End Confusion”
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is an independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public.
 
Health Literacy – for health and well being
Reflections on the importance of health literacy awareness and how it impacts nearly 50% of the US population. This blog is maintained by Angela Arner, BA and CHIS awarded by the Medical Library Association.
 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
 
National Institutes of Health
Founded in 1887, the National Institutes of Health today is one of the world's foremost medical research centers, and the Federal focal point for medical research in the United States. The NIH, comprising 27 separate Institutes and Centers, is one of eight health agencies of the Public Health Service which, in turn, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
 
Health Literacy Network
Health Literacy Network (HLN) provides doctors and health care providers with a community based program to help develop materials for persons with low literacy skills and Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Visit their “links” page to find even more


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The Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition held two successful family literacy events on Saturday, September 26th, as part of the annual "Family Learning Day Downtown." Read the parents' and children's comments on our blog (available via the menu bar or by clicking on the mini window view above)!
  • Multicultural Story Time with guest readers, Kendall Rhodes and Khrista Beliles, both ISU Education Majors and Reading Coaches for the Sycamore Readers. Free books were distributed to every family in attendance, thanks to Altrusa International of Terre Haute. 
  • "Put Your Nose in a Book," a two hour literacy awareness campaign, had record attendance with 542 participants reading a book as part of the day's fun activities. A free red sponge nose was awarded to all the children to encourage them to put their noses in a book everyday.

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Members

2008-2009 Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition Members:

14th & Chestnut Community Center "Reading Horizons"

Altrusa International of Terre Haute

Clinton Public Library

Department of Work Force Development (DWD)

Guerin Outreach Ministries, Inc.

Indiana State University, Early Childhood Education Center

Ivy Tech, Elementary Education

Linking Education to Adults, Adolescents, & Preschoolers (LEEAP), Clay County

Parke Adult Tutoring Service

Parke-Vermillion Education & Training Interlocal

Partners Advancing Literacy Skills (PALS)

Ryves Youth Center at Etling Hall

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Learning Resource Center

Senior Education Ministries

Sycamore Readers, Elementary, Early, & Special Education (EESE), College of Education, Indiana State University

Vigo County Early Head Start, Healthy Beginnings, Hamilton Center

Vigo County Public Library

Vigo County Public Library English as a Second Language Program,
accredited affiliate of ProLiteracy America

Vigo County School Corporation/Adult Basic Education (ABE)/GED/ESL

West Central IN-Area Health Ed Center, Landsbaum Center for Health Education


For more information or to become a member, call Susan Jakaitis, Coalition Contact Person, Treasurer and Coordinator of Special Events at (812) 232-1113, ext. 284, or by email, at sjakaitis@vigo.lib.in.us.

 

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Meeting Dates & Events

2010 Meeting Dates

Meetings take place at the Vigo County Public Library:

  • January 20, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Bring an hors d'oeuvre to share! (New members will be voted in.)
  • March 17, 4 - 5 PM
  • May 19, GED Graduation  (Attendance at the GED graduation replaces the scheduled meeting)
  • September 15, 4 - 5 PM
  • November 17, 4 - 5 PM

2010 Events

  • Wednesday, March 31 - Literacy Networking BreakfastSubject to be announced.
  • Thursday, April 22 - Literacy Awareness & Volunteer Recognition Event, "Dessert & a Good Book."
  • Wednesday, May 19 - GED Graduation, Woodrow Wilson Middle School (This event takes the place of the May meeting.)
  • Saturday, September 25 - Family Learning Day Downtown
  • Thursday, October 28 – Literacy Networking Breakfast (Subject to be announced).

2009 Events
  • Tuesday, March 31 - Literacy Networking Breakfast, "Literacy and the Economy." 
  • Thursday, April 23 - Literacy Awareness & Volunteer Recognition Event, "Dessert & a Good Book."
  • Wednesday, May 20 - GED Graduation, Woodrow Wilson Middle School (This event takes the place of the May meeting.)
  • Saturday, September 26 - Family Learning Day Downtown
  • Thursday, October 29 – Literacy Networking Breakfast on "Health Literacy."

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Special Events

The Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition coordinates, funds and provides additional support to the following annual literacy events in the community:

The Literacy Awareness & Volunteer Recognition Event is hosted by the Coalition and coordinated by the Vigo County Public Library to raise literacy awareness in the community and to recognize volunteers in literacy programs in Vigo, Parke and Vermillion counties. Last year’s event, “Dessert and a Good Book” offered a buffet of gourmet desserts and a free book to all attendees. This event is free to all active literacy volunteers and at a nominal cost to all others.

The Literacy Networking Breakfasts are invitational programs hosted by the Coalition and coordinated by the Vigo County Public Library. Each is designed with a specific literacy topic. A panel of experts in the field presents information and an open forum follows. The literacy themes were as listed:

2003: 

“Literacy Networking for our Community” (April 10)

 “Building Community Prosperity Through Literacy.” (October 30)

 2004:

“Literacy & Economic Development: Dollars & Sense Issues” (May 6)

“Health Literacy: An Overview” (October 28)

2008:

“Building a Learning Community: Networking for Youth” (October 30)


2009:

March 31 - "Literacy & the Economy"

October 29 - "Health Literacy"

The GED Graduation is a ceremony sponsored by the Vigo County School Corporation for adults who have successfully passed the GED exam. The Coalition and its individual members support this event.

In 2009, the GED graduation will be held on May 20 at Woodrow Wilson Middle School.

Family Learning Day Downtown; Coalition Story Time and Literacy Promotion is an annual event when the Coalition hosts a family literacy story time with a celebrity reader and the “Put Your Nose in a Book” literacy awareness campaign (adopted by the state of Indiana in 2003 & 2004). Free books and sponge noses are distributed to participants in these events.

In 2009, these Coalition events will be held on Sept. 26, from 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon in the Vigo County Public Library as a part of the day-long activities.

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Literacy Links

  • The National Institute for Literacy
    NIFL was created in 1991 to provide national leadership and assistance toward the goal of a fully literate America. NIFL coordinates literacy efforts across Federal agencies (Education, Labor and HHS), promotes public policy for literacy, produces and disseminates literacy information, and supports state and local literacy programs.

     
  • The National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) founded through a major grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), was established in 1990 to provide national leadership in research and development in the field of adult literacy. NCAL was established with co-funding by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services (HHS). The Center seeks to improve the quality of adult literacy programs and services on a nationwide basis by means of applied research and development and dissemination of the results.

     
  • ProLiteracy America
    ProLiteracy America, the largest adult literacy organization in the United States, was established on October 1, 2002, with the merger of Laubach Literacy and Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. ProLiteracy America's 1,200 affiliates are represented in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

     

  • Indiana LINCS
    Indiana LINCS is a member of Midwest LINCS, funded in part through grant support from the National Institute for Literacy. Midwest LINCS is one of five regional technology hubs that strives to connect all literacy resources within the nation to practitioners and students who can use them. Indiana LINCS is managed by the Adult Education Professional Development Project.

     
  • Eric Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education
    A national education information network that is part of the National Library of Education, U.S. Department of Education, this clearinghouse provides comprehensive information on adult and continuing education, career education, and vocational and technical education including employment and training.

     
  • PBS LiteracyLink
    Funded by a five year $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the Star School Project, Literacy Link is creating an integrated instructional system of video and online computer technology that will help adult students advance their GED and workplace skills. LiteracyLink also seeks to improve the quality of instruction provided to adult students by offering professional development resources and training to literacy educators.

     
  • Cyberstep
    Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Cyberstep is a partnership of four literacy service innovators addressing the challenge of creating and distributing multimedia learning materials for the hardest-to-serve ABE and ESL adult learners. Cyberstep's resources for instructors include: tools for creating multimedia learning activities, a beginning ESL course using video series, and a literacy course based on TV news stories.

     
  • National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL)
    NCFL is a nonprofit organization supporting family literacy services for families across the U.S. through programming, training, research, advocacy, and dissemination. Training opportunities offered by NCFL include: comprehensive quality family literacy services, implementing a family literacy program, building services and programs, technical assistance and specialized trainings.

     
  • U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE)
    OVAE supports programs, including professional development activities, that help young people and adults obtain the knowledge and skills they need for successful careers and productive lives. OVAE oversees programs, grants, and events in the following areas: adult education and vocational education; school-to-work; high school reform; community colleges; correctional education; community technology centers; empowerment zones and enterprise communities; and teacher development activities.

     
  • ISTEP Information

     
  • GED Quick Guide for the Classroom
    From Northwest LINCS, a service of the National Institute for Literacy, the links on this page have been gathered to allow the instructor and student to access valid GED resources immediately for use in the classroom. All links provide either download for classroom use or student interactivity with an activity that relates to GED skills.

     
  • Ask Me 3
    National experts address the direct and indirect consequences of low health literacy and set the stage for a new national patient education program designed to promote clear communication between health care providers and patients.
     
  • Reading Rockets
    Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project that looks at how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help.

     
  • Science & Literacy Drug Education Partnership
    Materials on drug abuse, having a healthy baby--and coming soon-minority health issues, all for low-level readers are available free from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). After practitioners pointed out the dearth of material to prepare folks for the GED science section, AAAS scouted resources and developed several sets of materials for struggling readers that would allow them to get a handle on some aspects of science.

     
  • The American Jury: Bulwark of Democracy
    This site is designed to help students, teachers, & citizens understand the American jury system & its role in American legal, social, & political life. It features lessons, information, & resources developed by the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago with high school teachers & in cooperation with national experts & scholars on the jury system.

     
  • Community Partnerships for Adult Learning
    he site focuses on the important role that communities play in the education and training of adult citizens. It brings together select research, how-to suggestions and web sites in the areas of creating partnerships and other topics that are central to adult education, such as curriculum and instruction, workforce development, professional development, technology and program assessment. Free instructional modules in "Workplace Essentials Skills" (a pre-GED program) are available.

     
  • Adult Learning Activities: The California Distance Learning Project
    This is a California adult education initiative designed to develop an infrastructure to support distance learning, including exploring ways to use the Internet for direct instruction. This is a free site intended to build reading and life skills.
     
  • Ready At Five Partnership
    Ready At Five is a statewide, public/private nonprofit firmly committed to increasing the number of children entering school ready to succeed.
     
  • Models for Student Web-Based Research from techLEARNING
    Literacy organizations would like students to conduct efficient research on the Web, but having them go to Google or Yahoo! or any of the other major search engines frequently involves a time-consuming narrowing-down process and can yield mixed results. Sorting out these results can be beyond the capabilities of students as well as new-to-technology tutors. Organizations can use an established construct to structure students' research experience and maximize success. This site offers a few of the models available such as Hot Lists, Scavenger Hunts, and WebQuests.
     
  • Math Goodies
    Math Goodies is a free math help site featuring interactive lessons, homework help, worksheets and forums!
     
  • Project Ideal
    Project IDEAL is a consortium of states working to develop effective distance education programs for adult learners. The Project IDEAL Support Center at the University of Michigan helps consortium states by developing training materials and web-based tools.
     

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English as a Second Language (ESL) Links

    • Dave's ESL Cafe
      This is a user-friendly website that has many interesting ideas such as an Idea Page, an Idiom Page and Chat Central. It also provides an excellent Web Guide.
       
    • LiteracyLink
      Although not strictly an ESL site, this site does have a nice selection of topics that may be useful to ESL tutors. It does have an ESL Section with many great links to other web resources.
       
    • ESL Home Page
      The English as a Second Language site is a starting point for ESL learners who want to learn English through the Web. This site links to many good and often free ESL sites.
       
    • Adult Education ESL Teachers Guide
      This manual is intended to be a survival guide for new teachers who have had little or no previous training in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). The manual contains a set of beginning lessons and intermediate level lessons. These lessons are accompanied by detailed instructions which will help to orient and train teachers in using the basic techniques for teaching ESL.
       
    • Cyberstep
      Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Cyberstep is a partnership of four literacy service innovators addressing the challenge of creating and distributing multimedia learning materials for the hardest-to-serve ABE and ESL adult learners. Cyberstep's resources for instructors include: tools for creating multimedia learning activities, a beginning ESL course using video series, and a literacy course based on TV news stories.
       
    • Purdue's Online Writing Lab
      Free lesson plans online, English grammar, web boards, free job-finder service, games and activities, teaching tips and articles on teaching from Purdue.
       
    • Self-Study Quizzes for ESL Students
      Lots of interactive quizzes for easy, medium and difficult levels, covering grammar, homonyms, vocabulary, and more. There is a special section on holidays, reading, writing, general knowledge, and Trivia.
       
    • English Tests & Quizzes
      Interactive quizzes on grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and crossword puzzles.  Available levels range from beginners to advanced.
       

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Contact Us

Janet Rose, Coalition President
WCI-AHEC, Landsbaum Center
1433 N. 6 1/2 St.
Terre Haute, IN 47807
(812) 237-4365
Janet.Rose@indstate.edu

Susan Jakaitis, Contact person, Treasurer and Coordinator of Special Events
Vigo County Public Library
Terre Haute, IN  47807 
(812) 232-1113, ext. 2284
sjakaitis@vigo.lib.in.us.


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Site hosted courtesy of Vigo County Public Library