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2009 Calendar

A list of local, state, and national professional development events of interest to adult & family literacy practitioners in Texas. If you know of other professional development opportunities or important dates of interest to Texas practitioners, please submit them to our Calendar Committee for consideration. For more information join one of our email discussion groups so you will always hear about the latest training opportunities. Click on "Discussion Lists" to read about these discussion lists and how to join.

November 20, 2009: Mathematics for Life Workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Uvalde. The workshop will be held at the student center on the campus of Southwest Texas Junior College, conference rooms 1, 2, and 3, 2401 Garner Field Road, Uvalde. Trainers will be Ms. Denise Johnson and Mr. Manuel Navarro. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755. South Registration Form.

November 20, 2009: Cross-cultural Communication Enhancement for Students from Different Cultural Backgrounds workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Uvalde. The workshop will be held at the student center on the campus of Southwest Texas Junior College, conference rooms 1, 2, and 3, 2401 Garner Field Road, Uvalde. Trainer will be Ms. Karen Couey. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755. South Registration Form.

November 20-21, 2009: Far West Regional Training - Effective Instruction for All Adult Education Students including those with Special Learning Needs, Session 3 of 4: The content, techniques and strategies taught during this four-part training, conducted by Stacey Milberger, will provide teachers in the Far West Region with effective instructional methods for all adult education students, including those with special learning needs. This session will be held on Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Socorro ISD - District Service Center in Training Room A, 12440 Rojas, El Paso, TX. This is the third of four (4) sessions (remaining session: 1/29-30). Attendees must participate in all four sessions to be eligible for the training stipend. Please email farwestg@farwestgreat.org if you have any questions or call (915) 937-1725.

November 20 & 21, 2009: Effective Instruction for all Adult Education Students including those with Special Learning Needs, Session II of IV will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Navarro College, One Stop Student Center Room 108, 3200 West 7th Avenue, Corsicana 75110. This is training II of IV. Session III will be held Jan 22 & 23, 2010, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Session IV: March 5 & 6, 2010, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. You MUST have attended Session I to attend the remaining sessions. The multi-session training will assist adult educators understand the needs of adult learners, including those who have learning disabilities and other special learning needs. Participants learn to identify effective instructional practices with all learners, recognize possible learning disabilities, and apply accommodations to assist adult learners with special learning needs to maximize their potential in reaching their goals. For additional information, please contact Mario Mokarzel at mm64@txstate.edu or 1-877-798-5522.

November 20, 2009: South Central GREAT Center Advisory Committee Meeting will be held at Education Service Center-20 , 1314 Hines, Building 3, Room 200, San Antonio 78208 from 10:00 am - Noon.

November 20, 2009: Northside ISD Distance Learning session will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 pm at Northside Learning Center, Bandera Road, San Antonio. Additional session and Registration is available through iLearning. If you encounter difficulties registering on line, please contact Central Registration by e-mail registration@esc20.net or by calling (210) 370-5671

November 20, 2009: Northside ISD Distance Learning session will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Northside Learning Center, Bandera Road, San Antonio. Additional session and Registration is available through iLearning. If you encounter difficulties registering on line, please contact Central Registration by e-mail registration@esc20.net or by calling (210) 370-5671

November 21, 2009: Celebrating Writing will be held from 8:30-11:30 at Education Service Center Region 20 Conference Center, 1314 Hines Ave., San Antonio 78208. (210) 370-5200. Additional session and Registration is available through iLearning. If you encounter difficulties registering on line, please contact Central Registration by e-mail registration@esc20.net or by calling (210) 370-5671

November 21, 2009: Cross-Cultural Communication Enhancement Part 2 will be held from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Tuttle Branch Library, 702 Kress St., Houston, 77020. Presenter is Martin Loa. This training is a continuation of Cross Cultural Communication Enhancement Part 1 which is a prerequisite to this course. In this course, participants have opportunities to practice communication skills that include active listening and conflict resolution. Participants will receive a copy of "Making It Work," a workbook on conflict and communication for adult literacy learners. It will be included in the training and can be used in the ABE or ESL classroom. Please use these numbers to register: CABEA 6800253, registration number 28668, and section number CY 687. THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELLED. For more information, please email CoastalCF@lonestar.edu.

November 21, 2009: Multi-level Instruction and Development of Teaching Strategies training will be held from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm at Arlington ISD Professional Development Center located at 1111 W. Arbrook Blvd., Arlington 76015. Trainer is Ronnie Porter. For more information, please contact Maggie Sohel at 682.867.7271 or by e-mail at msohel@aisd.net.

November 24, 2009: Overcoming the Challenges: Basic Communication Skills for Beginning ESL Learners will be held from 8 a.m. until noon at Brownsville ISD Adult Continuing Education, 708 Palm Blvd., Brownsville. The trainers will be Ms. Alex Baez and Ms. Carol Speigl. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755. South Registration Form.

November 24, 2009:  It’s About Time: Managing the Adult Education Classroom Effectively will be held from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Brownsville ISD Adult Continuing Education, 708 Palm Blvd., Brownsville. The trainers will be Ms. Alex Baez and Ms. Carol Speigl. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755. South Registration Form.

December 2009

December 1, 2009: Far West GREAT Center Advisory Committee Meeting will be held from 10:00 am - noon. The location is yet to be determined.

December 4, 2009: BEST Plus Refresher workshop will be held from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. in Laredo. The workshop will be held in the Eloy Garcia Building at Laredo Community College, West End Washington in Laredo. The trainer will be Ms. Yvette Ortiz. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755.

December 4, 2009: Special Learning Needs will be held from 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm at Forth Worth ISD-North Texas Consortium 1066 West Magnolia, Fort Worth 76104. Trainer will be Jan Whisonant. For more information, please contact Patty Covert at 817.852.1000, ext. 243 or by e-mail at Patricia.Covert@fwisd.org.

December 4, 2009: Content Standards Training Follow-Up will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m at 201 W. University Blvd., Odessa. Trainer is Gordon Peterson. Please contact John Tucker for further information 432-335-6381 or jtucker@odessa.edu.

December 4, 2009: TABE Training will be held from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm at the Fort Worth Opportunity Center located at 6901 Fitzhugh, Fort Worth 76119. Trainer will be Jan Whisonant. For more information, please contact Cesar Diaz at 817.515.4325 or by e-mail at cesar.diaz@tccd.edu.

December 4 - 5, 2009: Effective Instruction for All Adult Education Students Including Those with Special Learning Needs #2 will be held at Southwest Texas Junior College, Matthews Student Union Building, conference rooms 1, 2 and 3, 2401 Garner Field Road, Uvalde. The trainers will be Ms. Alex Baez and Ms. Carol Speigl. Participation for this institute is by invitation. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755.

December 4 & 5, 2009: Multi-Regional ESOL Academy: Scenario-Based Instruction will be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on both days at the Harris County Department of Education, 626 Lindale Blvd., Houston, 77022. Participants must plan to attend both days. Nationally known researchers Dr. Heide Spruck Wrigley and Jim Powrie will facilitate this Academy. This Academy demonstrates how everyday problem-solving scenarios can be used to integrate language development and critical thinking. Teachers will receive a series of scenarios related to life skills, family literacy, EL Civics, and work and will get support in creating their own mini-scenarios; gain increased knowledge about second language acquisition theory and its application to practice; and learn new strategies and activities to try in their classroom. Teachers in the Coastal Region may apply for a stipend to participate in a Master Teacher project as part of the Academy. These teachers will have the opportunity to practice strategies in their classrooms and participate in Learning Circles facilitated by a mentor. For information about applying for the Master Teacher Project, please contact Tina Washco at tina.washco@lonestar.edu or 281-290-5259. Please use these numbers to register: CABEA: 6800134, registration number: 26668, and section number CY: 677. You must register to attend. Coastal Registration form For more information, please email CoastalCF@lonestar.edu.

December 4-5, 2009: ESL Multi-Level Academy - Session 1: Training will be facilitated by Sara Worthington. This academy is designed to boost the instructional power of those teaching in multilevel ESL settings. Participants will explore activities and strategies which allow students to improve their language skills according to their current levels, not where they "should be.” We’ll discuss activities and strategies for listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar as well as how to structure class activities to maximize instruction in the multilevel classroom. Participants will create a resource book that can be used immediately in their current teaching position. These sessions will be held on Friday (4:30-7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.). The location will be announced at a later date. This is the first of three sessions (remaining sessions: 1/22-23, 4/23-24). Follow-up session is scheduled for May 14, 2010. Attendees must participate in all three sessions and the follow-up to be eligible for the training stipend. Academy is limited to 20 participants. Please email farwestg@farwestgreat.org if you have any questions or call (915) 937-1725. Register Online now!

December 5, 2009: ABE/ASE Academy (Session II of IV) will be held virtually from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. This academy began with an initial 1 1/2 day face-to-face session on October 9 & 10, 2009. Ms. Barbara Baird is the facilitator. This Academy is ideal for teachers new to the ABE/ASE classroom as well as experienced teachers who are interested in becoming Master Teachers. ABE/ASE teachers will learn adult learning theory along with brain-based instructional strategies and how to apply them in the classroom. Classroom strategies will cover reading and writing, and teachers will have the opportunity to practice strategies in their classrooms between sessions. You must have attended Session I to attend this session. Session III and IV will be held virtually on January 30, 2010, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and March 27, 2010, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Teachers must attend ALL sessions! Please read the online flyer.. For additional information, please contact Mario Mokarzel at mm64@txstate.edu or 1-877-798-5522.

December 5, 2009: Culture and Learning in the ESOL Classroom, Session I of II will be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, in the Arrowhead Room, Navarro College, 3200 West 7th Avenue, Corsicana 75110. This workshop is a 2-part session totaling 9 hours of Professional Development for adult ESOL instructors. This workshop will look at goals of cultural instruction as well as how culture is often learned. There will be hands on activities for teachers to do as they share with each other their own cultural experiences and values, discussing how these are similar to or different from those that their adult learners may hold, and develop strategies to both recognize similarities and bridge differences. The facilitator will be Linda Muñoz. For additional information, please contact Mario Mokarzel at mm64@txstate.edu or 1-877-798-5522. Please register to attend Central registration form. Session II of II TBA.

December 5, 2009: BEST Plus workshop for new users will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Laredo. The workshop will be held in the Eloy Garcia Building at Laredo Community College, West End Washington in Laredo. The trainer will be Ms. Yvette Ortiz. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755.

December 5, 2009: Distance Learning 101 workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Laredo. The workshop will be held at Laredo Community College in the Eloy Garcia Building, West End Washington in Laredo. The trainer will be Ms. Tiffany Johnson. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755.

December 5, 2009: Special Learning Needs will be held from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm at Forth Worth ISD-North Texas Consortium 1066 West Magnolia, Fort Worth 76104. Trainer will be Jan Whisonant. For more information, please contact Patty Covert at 817.852.1000, ext. 243 or by e-mail at Patricia.Covert@fwisd.org.

December 8, 2009: Central GREAT Region Quarterly Advisory Committee Meeting will take place from 10 am to 12 noon at the Texas State University Round Rock Higher Education Center, 1555 University Blvd, Round Rock 78665, Room 454. For agenda items please contact Stan Ashlock at sa07@txstate.edu and for logistical questions Mario Mokarzel at mm64@txstate.edu Both can be reached at 877-798-5522.

December 10, 2009:  FDIC “Money Smart” Tutor Training will be hosted by Gateway to American Opportunities (GAO), a regional literacy initiative in Jacksonville, Texas. The training will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is sponsored by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Location is the Jacksonville College Library at 105 B J Albritton. Pre-registration is required to reserve a space at the Dec 10 training. The first ten individuals that pre-register will receive the “Money Smart” in English, Spanish & Young Adult version CD. Registration forms are available on line. For more information on the “Money Smart” adult education curriculum, see http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/. For additional workshop opportunities, call (903) 589-6900 or email literacyatwork2004@yahoo.com.

December 11, 2009: ESOL Reading Institute: Research-based Strategies for ESOL Reading, Session II of III will be held from 9 AM to 4 PM at Austin Community College-Highland Business Center, 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, TX 78751, Room 301.0. This session is available only to participants who registered for and attended the ESOL Reading Institute: Researched-based Strategies for ESOL Reading Session I of III held on October 9, 2009. Session III will be held February 13, 2010. For additional information, please contact Mario Mokarzel at mm64@txstate.edu or 1-877-798-5522.

December 11, 2009: TABE 9/10 will be held from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at 4305 N. McColl Rd. in McAllen. The trainer will be Ms. Yvette Ortiz. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755. South Registration Form.

December 12, 2009: TABE 9/10 will be held from 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at 4305 N. McColl Rd. in McAllen. The trainer will be Ms. Yvette Ortiz. For more information, please contact Mr. Barry Johnson at kublj001@tamuk.edu or (361) 593-2755. South Registration Form.

December 12, 2009: ESOL Workforce Academy, Session II of III, will be held from 9 AM to 4 PM at Austin Community College-Highland Business Center, 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, 78751, Room 103.2. This session is available only to participants who registered for and attended the ESOL Workforce Academy, Session I of III on October 10, 2009. Session III will be held February 20, 2010. For additional information, please contact Mario Mokarzel at mm64@txstate.edu or 1-877-798-5522.

December 12, 2009: New Teacher Academy, Session 2 of 4 will be held from 8:30 - 3:30 p.m. at El Paso Community College, El Paso. Remaining sessions will be held February 6, & April 10, 2010. Attendees must participate in all four sessions to be eligible for the training stipend. This academy is targeted to new teachers in the Adult Education field. The facilitator will provide resources to lesson plans, classroom activities and brainstorming sessions that will assist the attendees in exploring new methods to address classroom needs. A mentoring component is included in the academy that will connect an experienced teacher with a novice. As part of the mentoring component, the mentee shall evaluate his/her teaching methods and explore new delivery based on the information presented in the academy's sessions. Please email farwestg@farwestgreat.org if you have any questions or call (915) 937-1725.

December 12, 2009: BEST Plus Trainingwill be held from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm at the Fort Worth Opportunity Center located at 6901 Fitzhugh, Fort Worth 76119. Trainer will be Aida Martinez. For more information, please contact Cesar Diaz at 817.515.4325 or by e-mail at cesar.diaz@tccd.edu.

December 15, 2009: Distance Learning 101 will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m at 1601 24th Street, Lubbock. Trainer is Renata Russo. Please contact Holly Lee for further information 806-281-5859 or Hollylee@esc17.net You must register to attend. West Registration Form