Learning Matters Blog and VAL Updates

“Don’t underestimate the value of prior experience” (5/13/2020) - Chris is a striver. He was in high school when his girlfriend got pregnant. He had a summer job as an assistant manager at a convenience store. Chris decided to continue working, forfeiting his senior year of high school. He didn’t want to be a burden to anyone. Chris embraced parenting and is an involved dad. When at his child’s pediatric appointment, he mentioned he wanted to get a better job and the nurse suggested he apply for a position at her husband’s place of employment. Soon after, Chris began a long-term career working for a small automotive parts delivery…

“VAL is open to us immigrants with unconditional help. I really appreciate that.” (5/5/2020) - Meet Jolana, an English Language Learning Student from Slovakia My story began many years ago. I came to the USA for the first time to see my brothers and I had no idea I would be anchored here for long. Simply, a teacher from Slovakia wanted to know the country of her favorite heroes from U.S. History and novels, such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, General George Patton, General Ulysses Grant, and Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer. I was looking forward to learning the art and culture of ordinary people overseas. New York struck me with a fast pulse. Many…

Giving Tuesday Now: 5/5/20 (4/28/2020) - Tuesday, May 5th is designated as #GivingTuesdayNow. The intention is to lend support to nonprofits in this disquieting time of the COVID-19 Pandemic. With so many Vermonters having lost their jobs, Vermont Adult Learning has seen an uptick in requests for services. We've been nimble as an agency, shifting services to the virtual realm to maintain continuity with existing students while accepting new ones. We are using cell phones, iPads, chrome books and laptops to facilitate instruction, training and academic advising. We're getting technology into the hands of students who need it. Students are progressing towards their goals. Participants are…

Ensuring that all are counted (4/23/2020) - VAL ELL Students Complete Census Ambassador Training and are Featured in World Education Webinar As Governor Scott’s stay-at-home order was announced in mid-March and Vermont Adult Learning centers around the state had to close their doors, Fiona Cook had been making plans to teach her higher-level ELL students in Brattleboro about the upcoming census. At around the same time, The Change Agent, a theme-based newspaper published twice yearly by the New England Literacy Resource Center, with articles written by student authors, had just released its latest issue--“Stand Up and Be Counted”--about the census. The Change Agent’s website also offered a…

English Language Classes in a Pandemic Era (4/15/2020) - Submitted by Leigh Smith, ESOL Teacher at VT Adult Learning's St. Albans Office Imagine coming to a country and culture where you didn’t know anyone and, suddenly, everyone you wanted to speak with disappeared inside. Suddenly, you’re responsible for overseeing your kids’ online schoolwork during a global pandemic. You also had to learn the local protocol for physical distancing and whether to wear a mask or not. Imagine what that would be like if you did not know the language to navigate these skills. Imagine what fear or pain is like, with no language facility to express your feelings during…

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Learning Matters Blog and VAL Updates