"Lithia Park" Courtesy of Nancy Calcagno, 
Photo Fanatics 4-H Club

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

Dear Volunteers and Friends,

Thanks to the efforts of our Board Members and generous donations from our sponsors, our fundraising raffle succeeded in providing sufficient funds to keep the Literacy Council operating for another year.  I was especially pleased to learn that some raffle ticket buyers asked us to give their tickets to our students.  That was very kind, indeed.

On October 19, the Literacy Council was represented by yours truly at the second annual Learn-A-Palooza literacy fair conducted at the Medford library.  Over 200 people attended the event to learn about the many literacy services in the area.  Several visitors took our brochures and already two have signed up to be volunteers for the council.

As always, we are looking for more students to keep our tutors busy.  So if you know anyone who needs help with reading and writing, preparing for the GED exam, or improving their job skills with computer training, please tell them about us.  We depend primarily on word-of-mouth advertising, so we would appreciate your words to those who would benefit from our program.

Also, we are currently seeking more volunteers who are willing to share their knowledge with our students.  If you would like to become a volunteer with the Literacy Council, please contact us at (541) 531-0166 for more information.

Enjoy the blooming flora and keep your allergy medications handy.  Before you know it, we will be talking about how hot it is.

Bob Burger
Chairman

INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING

We offer individualized tutoring for Basic Reading, GED, ESL, Workforce Development Classes, and Citizenship.

Our Workforce Development class offers training in Microsoft Office and Résumé Building.

If you know of anyone who might benefit from our program, please let them know about our services.  The Literacy Council serves all of Jackson County.

Literacy Council of Jackson County
P.O. Box 615
Medford, OR 97501
(541) 531-0166

Website: http://roguelrc.org/litjack
E-mail: literacy@juno.com

COUNCIL INFORMATION

LITERACY COUNCIL OF JACKSON COUNTY
BOARD MEMBERS

   Chair --------------------------------------------- Bob Burger
   Placement --------------------------------------- Liz Koester
    Treasurer ---------------------------------- Nancy Calcagno
   Newsletter Editor ------------------------Nancy Calcagno

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

You may have noticed we didn't send out a fall or winter newsletter.  It wasn't due to lack of news, as we had a very successful Raffle Fundraiser in September, and are currently placing new students into the program.

During early fall of last year, I encountered a decent blow to my head in an accident and have been in recovery.  I'm doing much better, and hopefully any residual effects will not show up in this newsletter.

Thank you for your patience and support.  It is with your support that we can continue to serve Southern Oregon and make a difference in our community.

We are currently in need of more volunteers, so if you are interested please call us for an application or visit our website.

Nancy Calcagno
Editor

WORD GAMES

Find the incorrect word in each section..

Learning can be fun!

MORE WORD GAMES

Choose the correct Plural form

Word games can be used as a tool for learning. Not only are they fun to play, but they can help the student with spelling, grammar, and reading.

They can also serve as an ice-breaker between the student and tutor, as well as keeping the student's interest on the subject.

RAFFLE FUNDRAISER

We would like to thank the sponsors who contributed prizes for our Raffle Fundraiser.  It is with your their help that we have been able to continue our program to assist adults in need of basic skills.

With sincere thanks to:

• Lake of the Woods Resort
• Bybee’s Historic Inn
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival
• Craterian Theater
• Earth Friendly Kids
• Olive Garden
• Wild River Pizza
• Ray’s Food Place

Congratulations to all of our winners, and thank you to all who supported our raffle and donated to the Literacy Council of Jackson County.

TIPS FOR READING TUTORS

Be positive.
Praise goes a long way with learners who struggle in reading.  Provide positive feedback when correct responses are made ("Great! The word is Sequoia.").

Be attentive.
Stop learners immediately after an error.  Show them what to do and provide them an opportunity to do it correctly ("That word is 'trouble.'  What word is this?").  Try not to use the word "no."

Be precise.
Provide clear and direct instructions ("Say this word" rather than "Would you say it?").

Be mindful of mistakes made during the session.
Record learner performance.  Review anything that learners miss.  Remember, learners "should say it like they know it."

Be diligent.
Work from the beginning to the end of the tutoring session.

Be innovative.
Keep tutoring sessions lively and dynamic.

Be focused.
Try to ignore minor misbehavior.  Only recognize good behavior.

Be patient.
Show learners that you care about them through your commitment and encouragement.

Be on time.
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the tutoring session begins.  Make sure plans for the session and materials are ready so the session may begin as soon as the student arrives.

Be committed.
Once you have begun to tutor a student, remain with that student throughout the year.

Be results-oriented.
Gather learner performance data on a daily basis, and chart the data (using graphs, stars, etc.) to allow a visual display of improvements made in the program.

Borrowed from U.S. Dept. of Education

FACEBOOK

Are you constantly bombarded with Farmville requests?  How about Candy Crush Saga or Criminal Case?  These are games on Facebook that many people like to play.

If you know of anyone who is struggling with their spelling and vocabulary, a fun challenge would be to play Scrabble or Words with Friends.  I’ve watched students excel in spelling and vocabulary after playing these games.

Another fun challenge after you play each word, is to write a sentence using that word in proper context.  Then you will also be able to add new words to your vocabulary, as well as improve your spelling skills.

So next time you have someone requesting to play a game, challenge them back with a word game.  Not only is it entertaining, but educational, too.