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fundraising goal! |
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Please take a moment to turn your interest in LDP into a financial committment that will literally change lives.
Our two challenge grants mean that the value of any new or increased donations made before December 31, 2009
will be tripled!
Your new gift or increase of $25 = $75
Your new gift or increase of $50 = $150
Your new gift or increase of $100 = $300
Help change more lives!
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| Calendar |
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December 10
LDP Board of Directors Meeting
Happy Holidays
and Happy
New Year!
January 21
LDP Board of Directors Meeting
LDP Ofice 7 PM
January 28
Tutor Training Workshop Begins
Nichols Library,
Naperville
9:45 AM - 12:45 AM
February TBA
In-service workshop
February 15
Tutor Training Workshop Begins
Helen Plum Memorial Library, Lombard
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
February 18
LDP Board of Directors Meeting
LDP Office 7 PM
February 22
Tutor Training Workshop Begins
West Chicago
Middle School
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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| OFFICE NEWS!
We welcome, Rochelle Walwer, our new program assistant.
Rochelle and her husband, John, reside in Naperville with their three elementary age children.
Rochelle brings a wealth of volunteer management experience to our office along with a strong passion to help adult learners and tutors.
As a prior tutor, she understands the opportunity that our program gives people to make changes in their lives and have hope for a brighter future. |
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Our vision: "To be recognized as a leading provider of customized English literacy skills that will literally change the lives of adult learners and impact future generations" is being fulfilled. Every day, students' lives are being changed as they accomplish their goals and achieve life skills. Together we are making a difference.
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| Greetings!
We would like to thank you for partnering with Literacy DuPage during 2009 and wish you a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
Sincerely,
Tana Tatnall, Executive Director
Lisa Thackeray, Program Director |
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Celebrating Student Achievements and Volunteer Efforts at Our Recognition and Award Luncheon
On October 17th, we held the annual recognition luncheon to honor volunteers, students and their families. Over 200 people gathered to celebrate all of the ways we are "Literally Changing Lives," as well as outstanding service and accomplishments for the previous year.
Award winners included:
Volunteers of the Year
Josephine Fowler and Jean Williams
Thelma McPherson Outstanding Student of the Year Graciela Reynosa
Community Partner of Year
United Way of the DuPage Area
But the recognition didn't stop there!
- Fifty students and their tutors were recognized for outstanding test gains!
- Sixteen students and their tutors were recognized for achieving the highest program level.
- Fifty-seven volunteers were awarded for more than five years of service and nine volunteers awarded for volunteering over 200 hours for the year.
 Thank you to the student speakers, Graciela Reynosa, Evelia Barajas, and Veronica Flores for sharing their stories of how the Literacy DuPage program has literally changed their lives. A special thank you to tutor, Mary Carhart, for her inspirational words.
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We would like to thank tutors, Josephine Fowler and Jean Williams, for literally changing the lives of adults and for their remarkable volunteer service.
 Jo has tutored 11 adults from 5 different countries. Her students have accomplished such things as obtaining a driver's license, becoming a CPA, buying a home and becoming a U.S. citizen. All of them have achieved more independence in the community and have gained a better understanding of the American culture.
Jo also volunteered for fifteen years in the Literacy DuPage office carefully recording the hours submitted by volunteers.
Jean has helped bring about change in 8 students'  lives. She has shown a special patience and perseverance by taking on basic literacy learners who experience difficult challenges in improving their reading and writing skills. Her students experienced growth and change and are better able to cope with everyday life.
Thank you Jo and Jean for selflessly investing thousands of hours to help bring about change in the lives of others. |
United Way of the DuPage Area
Community Partner of the Year
United Way Way of the DuPage Area was recognized as the Community Partner of the Year for their important financial investment in Literacy DuPage. With the help of United Way, we have been able to provide services for 50% more adults living in DuPage County. This partnership has also helped us improve our accountability procedures and create new alliances with other health and human service agencies and school districts across the county.
Thank you, United Way of the DuPage Area, for helping DuPage County residents achieve greater independence in their roles as worker, community resident and family member.
Accepting the award are Esther Hicks, UWDA Program Manager, and UWDA Board President, Jerry Broz, with LDP Board President, Rick Lochner and LDP Executive Director, Tana Tatnall.
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Tutoring Tips
Focus on Listening
Reading , writing, speaking......and what was the other one? Oh, yes, listening! In ESL lessons we teach the first three skills enthusiastically but sometimes the listening skill is neglected. Students need to be aware that listening comprehension is something that can be learned and practiced, just like other skills.
When students hear English that they don't understand, such as on TV, from co-workers and in day-to-day interactions, they can feel overwhelmed. Unlike reading and writing, where diligent application can give them a feeling of progress, and speaking which they can prepare ahead of time, listening is hard to get a grasp on.
- Include specific listening tasks in your lessons. For example provide a question for them to think about before hearing a story or passage.
- Provide some targeted listening tasks. For example picking out information from what they hear. It could be a list of words and when they hear a word from the list they raise their hand.
- Get them to practice guessing at the meaning. Students need to build some confidence that they can guess at meanings without understanding every single detail.
- Ask the students to tell what they have understood at intervals during the story and not only at the end of the story.
Hands-on English, Vol. 19, No. 3 |
Welcome New Tutors!
Downers Grove Training:
Lisa Cherry Glen Ellyn
Barbara Ciesko Downers Grove
Sandra Davidson Bloomingdale
Elliot Eggler Burr Ridge
Duncan Hughes Naperville
Christina Kowal Downers Grove
Sandra Maranowicz Downers Grove
Tim Miller Naperville
Richard A. Myers Burr Ridge
Anne Shadis Downers Grove
JoEllen Siddens Downers Grove
Yan Zhang Westmont
Glen Ellyn Training:
Betsy Bauman Roselle
Mae Clark Glen Ellyn
Richard Cornish Wheaton
Svetla Entcheva Elmhurst
Julie Grohmann Plainfield
Al Hlinak Glen Ellyn
Lee Hoekstra Lombard
Jennifer Holman Glen Ellyn
Lauren Jefferies Glen Ellyn
Patti Keeley Villa Park
June A. Keszeg Lisle
Dave Kim Schaumburg
Paula Koberstine Naperville
Debra Levy Naperville
Lara Bakker Rosol Naperville
Pamela Scott Elmhurst
Dan Shields Darien
Lucy Smith Glen Ellyn
Justin Stec Wood Dale
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Letter from the President
Change is inevitable... As we look across our organization we have much to be proud of. As we recently celebrated our successes at our October Annual meeting, it was clear we are having a positive impact on many people's lives as we carry out our Vision and Mission.
Yet with all our success, we must continuously evaluate ourselves against the ever-changing realities we face in all three facets of our Strategy - funding, tutors and adult learners. We are making adjustments to stay in sync with these changes to enable our organization to continue executing our Vision and Mission.
Last year, you read my words in the newsletter in print. This year most of you are reading them electronically. We now have a presence in Facebook and LinkedIn to reach more potential tutors and donors. And we are expanding our board of directors to enhance our community outreach within DuPage County.
It continues to be a privilege to work with all of you in these changing times. On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for all your contributions to our success. From my family to yours, have a safe and joyous holiday and much success in 2010.
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