Saturday, February 29, 2020

Encouraging Healthy Food Choices with Traffic-Light Labels and Choice Architecture via Health Literacy Out Loud

Encouraging Healthy Food Choices with Traffic-Light Labels and Choice Architecture

Anne Thorndike MD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Much of her work focuses on individual and population-level behavioral interventions to prevent cardiometabolic disease. Through implementation research, Dr. Thorndike and her team demonstrated the effectiveness of traffic light labels, choice architecture, social norms, and financial incentives to promote healthy food choices in real-life settings, such as worksite cafeterias and supermarkets.

In this podcast, Dr. Thorndike talks with Helen Osborne about:
A hospital cafeteria healthy eating program that uses colors, labels, and placement to guide employees, patients, and visitors toward healthier food choices.

Research data showing the long-term effectiveness of this program.
Lessons learned that can be applied in many settings. These include taking into account many aspects of dietary quality, not just calories. And labeling all foods, not just those that are healthy.  LISTEN 19:03

More ways to learn:


Consumer Reports Health Ratings (HLOL #75),” a Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with John Santa MD, MPH.



Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 12
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 17-18 yrs. old (Twelfth graders)


Friday, February 28, 2020

Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment via Literacy Minnesota


Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment

The Northstar Digital Literacy Assessment defines the basic skills needed to use a computer and the internet in daily life, employment, and higher education. Online, self-guided modules assess the ability of adults to perform these tasks

Test takers can receive digital badges whenever they pass assessments, and can additionally receive certificates when they pass assessments in a proctored environment at a Northstar testing location. Once you pass Northstar, which certifies basic skills, you may choose to pursue more advanced training and certifications.

Northstar Digital Literacy tests your computer skills. You can build skills in key areas, and demonstrate your knowledge by earning certificates and badges

Prepare for your future now!

Essential Computer Skills
Basic Computer Skills
Internet Basics
Using Email
Windows 10
Mac OS

Essential Software Skills
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint

Using Technology in Daily Life
Social Media
Information Literacy
Career Search Skills
Your Digital Footprint

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 14
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 21-22 yrs. old (college level)


Thursday, February 27, 2020

National Literacy & Library Events :: March 2020

National Literacy & Library Events :: March 2020

Literacy & Library Events & Conferences


Mar. 02      Read Across America Day
Mar. 02      Nevada Reading Week
Mar. 02      Open Education Week
Mar. 04      March Forth for Literacy
Mar. 04      National Grammar Day
Mar. 05      World Book Day
Mar. 05      Beyond the Bars Conference Center for Justice Columbia Univ NY
Mar. 11      TASP Conference San Antonio TX
Mar. 13      ASCD Conference Los Angeles CA
Mar. 15      Children's Literature Festival  Univ Central Missouri
Mar. 15      National AfterSchool Conference Washington DC
Mar. 16      Freedom of Information Day
Mar. 19      Read To Me Day
Mar. 20      World Storytelling Day
Mar. 21      World Poetry Day
Mar. 23      LaundryCares Literacy Summit Chicago IL
Mar. 23+    Reading Gives You Superpowers Week
Mar. 24      Nonprofit Technology Conference Baltimore MD
Mar. 26      American Occupational Therapy Assoc Boston MA
Mar. 26      National Black Writers Conf Medgar Evers College CUNY
Mar. 27      KidLitCon 2020 Ann Arbor Library MI
Mar. 29      Head Start Conference Phoenix AZ
Mar. 29      Intl Fund Raising Conference AFP ICON 2020 Baltimore MD
Mar. 29      Value of Play Clemson Univ SC
Mar. 31      Computers in Libraries  Arlington VA
Mar. 31      TESOL Convention Denver CO



Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Literacy – Spanning North America :: Redlands CA :: San Diego Co CA :: Edmonton AB

Literacy: Spanning North America

New Literacy Program In Redlands Focuses On Families
Redlands Daily Facts: 1.18.2020 by Diane Shimota, Adult Literacy Coord; A.K. Smiley Library

Many adults enroll in the Adult Literacy Program at A.K. Smiley Public Library to improve their reading and writing so that they can read to their children, help their children with their homework, and communicate effectively with their children’s teachers.

In September 2019, the California Library Literacy Services (CLLS), recognizing that parents and caregivers are their children’s first and most important teachers, awarded the adult literacy program at Smiley library a grant to fund a family literacy program. The mission of the program is to introduce adult learners and their children to the value and pleasure of reading together and to reduce the risk of multi-generational illiteracy.

The Family Literacy Program at Smiley library helps low-literacy parents develop the skills to support their children’s education and teaches families how to create positive learning experiences. At monthly family literacy meetings, participants learn from each other and family literacy consultants Renee Kennedy and Joan Prehoda, who engage both parents and children in activities that encourage reading comprehension.  READ MORE >>

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 15
Reading Level: very difficult to read.
Reader's Age: College graduate

@SDLiteracy
560,000 Adults In San Diego County Read At 4th Grade Level Or Less
10 News: 1.23.2020 by Steve Atkinson

According to the San Diego Council on Literacy, 560,000 adults in the county read at a fourth grade level or less.

Individuals with limited reading skills will have a hard time finding employment and suffer even more financially. That's why leaders in literacy are trying to encourage children to develop a love for reading before the age of 8, and before it's too late.

Amelia Sandoval is a prime example of how things can spiral out of control without the ability to read.

"I didn't read, not at all," says Sandoval talking about her childhood.
There were problems at home. She was never read to, and school was never a priority. Without reading comprehension, the domino effect was already in motion.

"I joined a gang, I hung out, I was on the streets," says Sandoval. "We learned to ditch the cops."

By the time she was 18, Amelia was in the state prison for women in Chowchilla, where she spent five years. Her inability to read was her shame, and a secret she kept to herself.

"Just as good as I was at stealing stuff, I was good at hiding this," says Sandoval wiping away tears. "I had to protect the secret. It was the best secret I kept from everybody."

But experts claim Amelia's path in life is one that's completely avoidable.

"60 percent of low-income children have no books at home," says Jose Cruz.
Jose Cruz is the CEO of the San Diego Council on Literacy. He's desperate to get books in the hands of children.  READ MORE >>

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 6
Reading Level: fairly easy to read.
Reader's Age: 10-11 yrs. Olds
(Fifth and Sixth graders)

@4FamilyLiteracy
‘Finally, I Made It’: Eager Readers Recognized For Literacy Achievements
Edmonton Journal: 1.24.2020 by Jeff Levine

Abigail Agyeiwaa’s desire to improve her reading has paid off.

Originally from the West African country of Ghana, the 39-year-old’s literacy education was put on hold until after she immigrated to Canada in 2008. Her initial push to learn how to read English came from wanting to improve her commute to and from work. If she had a driver’s licence, the commute would only be a few minutes but the trek took much longer since she had to take Toronto public transit.

So Agyeiwaa decided to get her driver’s licence.

“It took me two years,” she said. “I took the test nine times before I got my licence. When they told me congratulations, I was shocked. I didn’t believe it. I finally got my driver’s licence. But I needed to learn more to help my kids.”

When she and her family moved to Edmonton in 2011, Agyeiwaa turned to the Centre for Family Literacy (CFL) for help. Her hard work was recognized Friday during the Lois Hole Memorial Literacy awards breakfast at the Westin Hotel.

Agyeiwaa said she felt great to receive the award.

“I’m so excited,” the mother of three said. “It was hard for me to make it because I have a little one. Finally, I made it.”

Donna Lemieux, co-executive director at CLF, said the awards are presented to adults and families who have shown incredible commitments to learning. She said illiteracy is still an issue in Alberta.

She said around 44 per cent of Albertans from 16 to 65 don’t have the skills to fully function in society.

“That doesn’t mean they’re at all the same levels,” she said. “Some are at a level where they have difficulty reading say a children’s book. Others are right on the cusp but they have difficulty understanding and comprehending some of the things that happen at work (such as) safety manuals and those kinds of things.”  READ MORE >>

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 7
Reading Level: fairly easy to read.
Reader's Age: 11-13 yrs. Old
(Sixth and Seventh graders)


Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Census 2020 via New England Literacy Resource


Classroom Resources

This page supplements the informational resources found on the Census home page. It provides teaching materials that have been created to help adults (or children) understand the importance of the Census, how to participate in it, and the questions it raises about data accuracy and security. NELRC is developing additional lessons and sharing census-focused texts from the “Stand Up and Be Counted” issue of The Change Agent.

◼ Census Basics: What, Why, and How

The Change Agent Census Packet (PDF) of (mostly) student writings about the census, with accompanying teaching activities.
- The Change Agent instructional units
- Census Practice Forms
- Math Activities
- History of the Census

◼ ESOL Activities
ESOL lessons adapted from material developed by the Campbell Adult and Community Education program. Supplement any of these activities with practice filling out a sample paper census form.

Low beginner
High Beginner
Low Intermediate
High Intermediate
Multi-level

◼ Using Census Data



Monday, February 24, 2020

Increase the Reach of Your Articles by 94% With This Simple Habit via Freelance Writing Gigs

Increase the Reach of Your Articles by 94% With This Simple Habit
Freelance Writing Gigs: 2.03.2020 by FWJ

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This post will teach you the one simple habit you should consistently practice to increase the reach of your articles. By 94% no less! This habit is an effective technique and it’s by no means top secret. Yet many freelance writers and bloggers haven’t grasped its tremendous power to pull in visitors and lead them to read your blog post. It’s simply this: use blog visuals.

Blog visuals come in many forms, and they’re not as complicated as they sound. They’re images, videos, infographics, data-driven visuals like charts and graphs, annotated screenshots, quotes, GIFs, memes and more.

In a world where the collective attention span of people shrunk from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8.25 seconds in 2015, the struggle to lure in an audience to click on and read your articles is real. The best content, if presented only in large chunks of text, will never be as exciting as content decorated with visuals.

Even early studies by the Nielsen Norman Group, a global UX research and consulting firm, found that the average user reads only 20% of the text on a web post, then leaves if the content isn’t interesting enough. But add visuals and the desire to read increases to 80%. Other significant findings show that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text and the likelihood of people buying a product increases by 85% after watching a video about it.  READ MORE >>

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 9
Reading Level: standard / average.
Reader's Age: 13-15 yrs. Old
(Eighth and Ninth graders)


Sunday, February 23, 2020

Literacy – Spanning the US :: New Bern NC :: Grand Rapids MI:: Midland TX :: Salisbury NC


Literacy: Spanning the US

52 Faces of Community: Mary Traina
The Dispatch: 1.20.2020 by Holly Desrosier

Beneath her soft-spoken and tranquil exterior, Mary Traina is a highly capable and motivated leader. Throughout three successful careers and multiple volunteer duties, two prominent traits have stood out: Her ability to calmly teach and train people and her willingness to accept new challenge.

Mary retired in 2017 and moved to New Bern that May. She and her partner fell in love with the Ghent neighborhood, so they built a house and settled right in with their two rescue cats and dog. Mary’s partner came across the Craven Literacy Council and thought it would be a great fit because of Mary’s background in teaching and training.

Mary took the tutor training class and originally expected to be helping local citizens obtain their GED, but she soon discovered a greater need for teaching English as a second language. She began teaching four Burmese refugees, ranging from 40 to 50 years old. She admitted that it was a bit intimidating at first because three of the ladies had no education in their home country and two were refugees for over 10 years. She had to approach it as if she were a kindergarten teacher.

“It’s been very rewarding and also eye-opening to the issues that the refugees face on a daily basis—not just with reading and writing, but all types of literacy,” said Mary. “How to put gas in your car properly, how to talk to your child’s teacher or doctor, health literacy, workplace literacy—there’s just so many. I can’t imagine being in their position and making it through life every day.”

The end goal is to help the refugees prepare for and pass their citizenship test. However, they must learn to speak and read English first, and that is where Mary comes in. She helps them learn basic words, numbers and how to tell time—all things, Mary noted, that most people take for granted.  WATCH 00:50

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 10
Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 14-15 yrs. Old
(Ninth to Tenth graders)

Employment Expertise: Increasing Access To Opportunity Through Literacy
Holland Sentinel: 1.20.2020 by West Michigan Works

According to research, about 50% of immigrants that come to the U.S. each year have low literacy levels, limiting their access to career and educational opportunities.

That is why the Literacy Center of West Michigan is partnering with West Michigan Works to offer free English language and literacy workshops at the workforce agency’s Franklin service center in Kent County.

“The workshops were created as a way to support new Americans who use West Michigan Works services,” explained Chad Patton, M. Ed., Director of the Literacy Center of West Michigan.

“The programming for the class is at-need and at-will, so learners can come to the class whenever they are available and learn according to their goals.”

The workshops are open to the public and has a flexible curriculum. Recently, the Literacy Center added a section that covers English language for driving and understanding maps.  READ MORE >>

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 10
Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 14-15 yrs. Old
(Ninth to Tenth graders)

Helping Hands: The Permian Basin Adult Literacy Center
CBS 7: 1.20.2020 by Shelby Landgraf

English language classes at the Permian Basin Adult Literacy Center are unlocking new opportunities and tearing down communication barriers.

"It's a wonderful place here," Janeth Aguilar said with a smile.

She is a current PBALC student, studying most nights after her family is fast asleep.

"In the night, I'm studying for two or one hours per day," Aguilar explained. "It's difficult, but I can do it!"

Reading a bedtime story to her children in English is one of the many things Janeth can now do. On top of that, she just earned her U.S. Citizenship, passing the required English language exam and civics test.

"I feel happy, I'm tired, but I feel so happy," Aguilar explained.

Aguilar credits much of her success to a year's worth of Permian Basin Adult Literacy Center small group classes and particularly the volunteer teachers.  WATCH 03:01

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 7
Reading Level: standard / average.
Reader's Age: 11-13 yrs. Old
(Sixth and Seventh graders)

@RCLiteracy
Literacy Council Moves On Without United Way Funding
Salisbury Post: 1.22.2020 by Maggie Blackwell

After being a longtime recipient, The Rowan Literacy Council this year didn’t receive United Way funding and is organizing a new fundraiser so it can continue serving the community. 

The council had been a United Way recipient since 1990.

“Our mission of eradicating illiteracy in Rowan County did not align with the 2019 campaign’s priorities of substance abuse, mental health, healthy lifestyles and basic needs,” said Executive Director K. C. Scott. “We are very appreciative of United Way’s past support and hope there’s an opportunity for partnership in the future.”

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The council has logged over 40,000 hours of volunteer tutoring. And many tutors have served over 10 years, with some serving as long as 30 years. The agency provides free training, materials and ongoing support for both students and tutors.

The council has proven to be an inspiration to other counties, with several others calling in the previous year and asking how to get a literacy program started.

A Rowan County needs assessment identified illiteracy as a key component in poverty. More than 18% of Rowan County residents live below the poverty line. And just under 13,000 residents of the county don’t speak English.  READ MORE >>

Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade Level: 10
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 14-15 yrs. Old
(Ninth to Tenth graders)