September 22, 2016
Ask students to visualize their future success with new ads
 
There is a new ad campaign aimed at encouraging people to get their high school equivalency diplomas. Funded by the Dollar General  Literacy Foundation,  the ads  show real adult students who have achieved this goal as they celebrate with their families and discuss their journeys. Each video ends by showing the text, "No one gets a diploma alone. You have help." How can you use these success stories to reinforce the chances of success for your students? Here are some ideas. 

  • Discuss with your students which of the videos they most identify with. Why? 
  • Have students make a list of people in their lives, past and present, who have supported or inspired them, that they would want to invite to their own celebration. 
  • Identify the main idea or motivating factor mentioned in each video. Ask students to make a pie chart of how much those same factors inspire them. 
  • Ask your students to make their own one-minute video or to write a description of a video about what is motivating them right now in their studies. 
  • Have your students prepare and conduct an interview with a partner, asking about their motivations and future success. Then have them write a news article using the interview as notes. 
Teaching Tips and Resources
19 questions a teacher should be ready to answer
Edutopia recently shared an article titled " Parents: 19 Meaningful Questions You Should Ask Your Child's Teacher."  It's a great list and is good to read if you will be touching base with your own child's teacher this fall. It is also a great listing of questions that Family Literacy staff may want to consider and be prepared to answer. Some of the questions, such as "How do you use critical thinking on a daily basis in your classroom?" could be useful for all teachers and tutors to consider.

Back-to-School packets from ReadWorks
If you are looking for a way to jump start a series of interrelated reading lessons at a particular grade level, ReadWorks'  back-to-school packets are a good place to look. Each packet contains two readings on a particular theme, each with its own question set and vocabulary list. Along with the pair of readings, there is a set of questions meant to help students draw the connections and relationships between the ideas of the two readings.

High School Equivalencey (HSE) Updates and Resources
New and updated
HiSET®
materials 
At the beginning of September, Educational Testing Service released several new or updated HiSET® resources. These include the 2017 Test at a Glance, a quick reference guide for practice tests, and scored sample writing responses. How can you use  these resources to prepare your students for the HiSET® exam

GED® test accomodations instructional video
The process by which students request accommodations for the GED® test has changed. To prepare us for this change, GED Testing Service® has made a pre-recorded training session. You can view this 16 minute instructional video on YouTube. Please note that this recording is in place of the live training sessions thathad been planned but are now cancelled. 

Half-priced GED Ready®  practice tests 
GED Testing Service® is offering a 50% discount when students take the GED Ready® practice tests between September 26th and October 31st.  Visit GED Testing Service's® website  to find the details a nd the code that will provide the discount. 
WIOA Updates
PA Workforce Development Association to host Symposium
The PWDA will host the PA Workforce Development Board Symposium on October 4-5, 2016 at the Penn Stater in State College, PA. The Luncheon Plenary Session on Tuesday will feature Ron Cowell, president of the Education Policy and Leadership Council and former chair of the House Education Committee. Visit the A tentative agenda has been released.

State and National Adult Education News
Philadelphia Workforce Development Board receives funding
The Walmart Foundation awarded funding  to ten Workforce Development Boards around the country, and Philadelphia Works is one of them. This funding, totaling $3.5 million, is intended to create ways in which "frontline workers can move faster into middle skill roles."  Perhaps this could be an opportunity for your local adult education program to reach out to create a partnership with the Philadelphia WDB. 

PAACE proposals 
If you are thinking about a topic to present at the 2017 PAACE Conference, proposals are due online by September 30. 

Grants and Scholarships
Comcast's "Internet Essentials" program aims to help 2 million Americans
Comcast and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a program intended to connect an estimated 2 million HUD-assisted, low-income families to the internet through high-speed broadband. Pennsylvania comes in at fourth in a list of states with HUD-assisted households within Comcast's service area, and Philadelphia (2) and Pittsburgh (10) rank among the top ten cities. Learn how some of your clients or students might be able to apply for internet for $9.95 per month. 

Distance Learning & Telemedicine grants through USDA
Do you have an idea for distance learning or telemedicine in your area but don't have the funding to make it happen? The Rural Development office of the US Department of Agriculture offers Distance Learning & Telemedicine grants to help rural communities connect with the wider world through telecommunications technology.  Learn how these grants can be used to purchase equipment, hire instructors, or acquire technical assistance that will further the distance learning or telemedicine capabilities of your organization.

What's New on the PA Adult Education Resource Site?
Visit  www.paadultedresources.org  for the latest PA adult education news and resources. Recent additions to the site include:

Upcoming State and National Conferences
State and National Newsletters
These are state or national organizations' newsletters that may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter. 

OCTAE Connection, US Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, & Adult Education
Features news and resources for adult basic, career and technical education 

Families Learning News of the Week, National Center for Families Learning
Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education 
September 16, 2016           September 9, 2016          September 2, 2016           

COABE Newsletter, Commission on Adult Basic Education
Features information and resources from a national organization focused on adult basic education

Rural Perspectives,  The Center for Rural Pennsylvania
Features data and research findings related to a variety of topics relevant to rural PA



This newsletter is a result of a project developed by the Communications Project which is managed by the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 through a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Education; however, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of TIU 11 or the Pennsylvania Department of Education. No official endorsement of these agencies should be inferred.