My vision in my work with VOC this year is to explore the intersection of adult literacy and community development. Through research, I hope to learn more about the connection between research and practice in writing for adult learners; through working with a community based organization I hope to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the impact and challenges of working in a literacy program and how this translates into overall goals of improving livelihoods and building a stronger community. Throughout the semester, I have realized more potential for realizing my goals in my work and I have worked on different components of my vision.
Asset mapping is one of the highlights form this semester. Bergdall (2003) defines asset-based development as a mobilization of skills, resources and commitment of the residents along with others grounded in the area to strengthen the economic and social well-being of the entire community. As I revised my personal asset map, I reflected on this definition of asset-based development and made the connections of how I can leverage the resources that I have towards my economic and social well-being. Throughout the semester, I have been intrigued by the connection between my personal asset map and the organizational asset map. While the organization can utilize both internal and external resources, a thorough understanding of individual assets in the organization is critical towards strengthening the functioning of the organization. My understanding of the networks, skills and interests that I bring to the table is critical for the organization because this enables me to use those skills to leverage resources as a catalyst at the organizational level. About two years ago I took a class on individua...
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...g with Prof. Binder. Writing this final piece has allowed me to synthesize my experiences but I found it harder to reflect and make deep connections during the semester. I would like to explore and make a plan for a continuous, challenging, connected and contextualized reflection process as Collier and Williams suggest. I am determined to develop a more disciplined reflection process for my work in communities as a learner and as an individual.
Works Cited
Bergdall, T. (2003). Reflections on the Catalytic Role of an Outsider in Asset based Community Development (ABCD)
Collier, P.J and Williams, D.R. Reflection in Action; The learning-doing relationship. Chapter 6.
Illich, I. (1968) To Hell with Good Intentions. Conference on InterAmerican Student Projects (CIASP) Address.
Reitenauer et al. Building and Maintaining Community Partnerships. Chapter 2.
English Language Learners (ELL) require thoughtful and careful instruction for both reading and writing education. Both of these skills are necessary for a bright future and to be a functioning citizen in Canada. Those that do not possess considerable literacy levels will be effectively 'locked out' from so much knowledge, information and ideas that are part of the culture of society (Christie 1990, 20). Having a low level of literacy usually means acquiring an unskilled job. The relationship between literacy levels and poverty is something that should not be ignored (Gibbons, 2002). Developing literacy skills in ELLs is a daunting task and especially with students that have not developed those skills in their first language originally. Through the Curriculum Cycle and proper scaffolding of writing strategies, this paper will provide a lesson plan that will help develop an ELL's writing skills. It will include many different tools that will help students gain an understanding and confidence of the narrative writing form.
Mellix, Barbara. ?From Outside, In.? Writing Lives: Exploring Literacy and Community. New York: St. Martin?s, 1996. 75-84.
Whenever I started at Jones Junior College, I did not know how literacy is still important that made me want to learn more. Since enrolled in college, I want to further my literacy. I want to help Hispanic children that do not have the requirements in early reading and writing. While improving my skills in literacy, I would like to work for the laurel Hispanic community. Teaching families English reading and writing, so parents and children would change their views on literacy. I also know that by improving my skills in literacy at Jones Junior College will help me through my job to become a dental
Over the course of the 21st century, there has been a steady decline in the rate of high school graduates. With such an important factor to the success of adolescents, school administrations have begun to take notice of such unacceptable findings. In this process they have attempted to understand the needs of our youth and the methods that give them the opportunity to become better readers, writers and overall students. To these young individuals, these years of development are pivotal to there success as adults. Educators must work together with the student to understand their individual forms of learning, not every student is the same and must be given the opportunity to learn no matter what the circumstance might be.
Camangian, Patrick. "Adolescent Literacy Policy; Making People Our Policy: Grounding Literacy in Lives." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (2011): 458-460.
Lightfoot, E., McCleary, J., & Lum, T. (2014). Asset mapping as a research tool for community-based participatory research in social work. Social Work Research, 38(1), 59-64. doi:10.1093/swr/svu001
This essay will explore the authors meaning of reflection, how various reflective styles can benefit the practitioners within their settings, and how important reflection is within Early Years Practice. According to Appleby (2010, p.10), reflection is a generic term which describes various behaviours involving feelings, and thinking about thoughts and experiences, in order to examine issues and develop, new understandings and insights. Reflection within practice allows the practitioner to develop a sense of awareness around their daily activities, and helps them to evaluate how they could evolve these activities further, if the given opportunity was to arise again. Similarly, keeping a reflective journal
student. In the following journal, we see the benefit of reflective practice and what it achieves
Learning by critical reflection creates new understandings by making conscious the social, political, professional, economic, and ethical assumptions constraining or supporting one’s action in a specific context (Ecclestone 1996; Mackintosh 1998). Critical reflection’s appeal as an adult learning strategy lies in the claim of intellectual growth and improvement in one’s ability to see the need for and effect personal and system change. Reflection can be a learning tool for directing and informing practice, choosing among alternatives in a practice setting, or transforming and reconstructing the social environment (Williamson 1997). Can critical reflection be taught in a classroom? Does the new knowledge created foster change? This Myths and Realities investigates the extent to which critical reflection can be taught to adult learners.
Reflection is a key element of the human learning process. It can be used to justify aspects of practice and legitimise the knowledge gained from it, as opposed to traditional forms of learning.
As it mentioned above this reflective essay is based on the main theory on Reflection, which is the Honey and Mumford’s learning styles that was developed from Kolb’s work. This is based on four stages of specific styles of learning:
A- CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES - Rights based approach: Aims and objectives: is tack the actions and mack the plan to establish the the community development skills and achive goles • involvement • responsibility • Non discrimination • Transparency • Human dignity • Self decisions • Rule of low 2-strength based approach: Aims and objectives: • Involving community members in making decisions about the issues that affect their lives implies changes in the balance of power • Includes all parts of the community • Recognises the length of time needed to achieve change • A learning process holistic process B- ASSET BASED COMMUNITY (ABCD): Foucasting on community Q2-Explain
Most schools systems have a Literacy Assessment that is given at the beginning of the year. The types of Literacy Assessments include: Map Testing; Star Reading; and PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening). However, “Universal literacy screenings such as DIBELS Next and AIMSweb are often characterized as fluency assessments because they measure both accuracy and efficiency in completing tasks,” (Munger, n.d.). While these assessments assist core-content teachers in determining where a student stands in the fluency of reading, teachers in other non-core content areas, such as Business Education might not be privy to test score results.
A comprehensive approach to literacy instruction is when reading and writing are integrated. This happens by connecting reading, writing, comprehension, and good children’s literature. A comprehensive approach to literacy should focus on the many different aspects of reading and writing in order to improve literacy instruction. This includes teachers supporting a comprehensive literacy instructional program by providing developmentally appropriate activities for children. Comprehensive literacy approaches incorporate meaning based skills for children by providing them with the environment needed for literacy experiences. This includes having a print rich classroom where children are exposed to charts, schedules, play related print, and
Reflection within early year’s settings and schools allows for the practitioner to think about the work that is being completed either whilst doing it or after it has occurred, the reflection allows for seeing how the work has gone or whether it needs to be changed for future practice. Schön is a key writer about reflection and illustrates the differences between reflection in action, reflection on action and reflection whilst completing the task. The above critical skills help all practitioners to develop understanding as they hugely impact on others lives, if this skill is not engaged in then practice could be effected (Leeson, 2004).