Fostering Confidence in Conversation 

Marilyn Bellis, Literacy NJ Burlington County Programs

Target Audience: ESOL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers

Second language learners often encounter language barriers that prevent them from achieving professional and personal goals. This includes self-advocacy communication skills (e.g., Can you repeat that?), communicating effectively during a college or job interview, requesting to leave early from work, and participating meaningfully in a parent-teacher conference. Learn how to design lessons to address these skills in a way that simplifies the process and aligns with best practices in ESL education.

Beyond the Basics: Resources and Tips for Teaching Online

Kyle Stich, Heartland Alliance

Target Audience: Basic Literacy and ESOL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers

Want free texts suitable for adult learners? Want to be able to share material with learners without a subscription, or to be able to assign online homework for free? This training will provide volunteers with access to free online materials along with basic guidance on best practices for their use. The speaker will review a wide array of free online resources for both literacy students and English Language Learners. The presentation will also demonstrate how to utilize the free texts and activities offered by these vetted websites. Finally, the workshop will assess each site's strengths and weaknesses and illustrate how to identify which online resource meets the needs of your diverse learners.

Naturalization Information Session   

Kelly Ayayla, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 

Target Audience: ESOL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers, Staff/Program Administrators, Adult Learners

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will conduct an interactive Naturalization Information Session. This comprehensive session will encompass an overview of Naturalization eligibility and filing requirements, the interview, testing, documentary requirements, in addition to a look at key USCIS customer service web tools and where individuals can seek legal immigration assistance as needed. Ample time for Q&A will be provided! 

USA Learns: FREE Online Courses for ESL and Citizenship

Alisa Takeuchi, USA Learns

Target Audience:  ESL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers, Staff/Program Administrators/Board Members, Adult Learners

This session presents an innovative web-based instructional resource that helps English language learners integrate into their communities using interactive language learning opportunities. Attendees will learn to tailor and use this FREE resource to support their learners’ language learning, citizenship, and digital literacy goals. The Citizenship course includes hundreds of multimedia elements that teach the English skills and information needed for learners to pass ALL parts of the naturalization interview. This session will demonstrate best practices for participants to use right away with students. From helping to create accounts, classrooms, and management reports, the presenter will give step by step instructions on how the teacher can teach students to navigate the courses. 

Let's Start at the Very Beginning: Instruction for Literacy Level Adult Learners

Andrea Echelberger, Robbinsdale Adult Academic Program

Target Audience:  ESOL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers

Do you work with an adult learner or a class of learners who are just beginning to read and write? Tutoring literacy level adult ESL learners has unique rewards and challenges. There are very few textbooks aimed at this level, and it can be difficult to break down their learning goals into smaller, achievable steps. This session will cover suggested goals, processes, and activities for helping an adult ESL learner get successfully started on the road to literacy, including instruction in alphabetics and phonics for new readers and writers.

Effective Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension

Ann Marie Barter, Catholic Extension

Target Audience:  Basic Literacy Tutors, Teachers & Trainers

This session features evidence-based practices for teaching pre-reading, during reading and post-reading strategies with a focus on the importance of contextualized learning, vocabulary building and building background knowledge. Participants will leave with practical, easy-to-use activities along with recommended resources to increase learners’ understanding of what they read. Please note this content is designed for practitioners working with native English speakers at the low and intermediate levels. 

Keys to Fundraising Success: Building Blocks for a Thriving Development Department

Cassie Jaeger, Women in Development New Jersey | Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, & Southern, New Jersey

Erica DeKranes, Women in Development New Jersey | Vision Springs 

Cary Esperanza Dawson , Women in Development New Jersey | United Way of Northern NJ/United For ALICE 

Target Audience: Staff, Program Administrators, Board Members

Join Women in Development New Jersey for Keys to Fundraising Success: Building Blocks for a Thriving Development Department! In this dynamic session, we'll delve into essential strategies for establishing a strong foundation in your development department. From crafting a development calendar to working with individual donors, this workshop will equip you with the tools and insights needed to thrive in the competitive world of fundraising. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your skills and take your organization's fundraising to new heights! 

Journey to Success with Evidence-based Reading Instruction

Greg Stultz, ProLiteracy New Readers Press

Target Audience: Basic Literacy and ESOL Tutors, Teachers, & Trainers

In this session, Greg will demonstrate how evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI) can increase engagement, support increased differentiation, and yield higher reading achievement for your adult learners. Using the lesson template and examples from Journey to Success, a 9-level series that helps adult learners build reading, writing, vocabulary, and comprehension skills with contextualized nonfiction and fiction passages, Greg will call out important instructional strategies that align with CCR Standards and satisfy WIOA guidelines. Attendees will have the opportunity to receive a free Journey to Success student book. 

Understanding Refugee Student Needs: Challenges and Approaches in English Language Instruction

Wendy Jager, Interfaith RISE (Refugee and Immigrant Services and Empowerment)

General Audience

This workshop will focus on refugee arrivals in New Jersey over the past few years and the challenges in teaching this population.  We will cover immigration terminology and categories and the broad range of refugee learners here in New Jersey.  Particular attention will be given to the challenges refugee learners face in acquiring English as well as the unique strengths and skills they bring to the classroom setting.  In particular we will discuss tutoring objectives, materials and special considerations when teaching this population.

Student Roundtable: Guide to NJ Attractions

Neha Shah, Literacy NJ Gloucester

Smita Tilak, Literacy NJ Burlington

Target Audience: Adult Learners

This workshop is intended for students and is appropriate for various levels and areas of interest. Students will work together to create a Guide to New Jersey Attractions, using ideas students contribute from their own parts of New Jersey, including things like best local attractions, best pizza, best places for kids, best shopping, best summer activities, etc. Students will brainstorm and contribute ideas to the group project with the end goal of creating a valuable resource for students. 

Where Do I Start? Planning the First Month of Lessons with a Beginner ESOL Student

Steven Reid, Literacy Volunteers Charlottesville/Albemarle

Target Audience: ESOL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers

For a new tutor or teacher, getting started with a low-level English language learner can seem overwhelming. Many worry about what to do in the first few weeks of lessons when the students speak almost no English. This workshop will cover what your very first lesson should look like, as well as how to build on that to make your first month of lessons a success for you and your student(s).

Reading & Storytelling with Digital Resources

Tamar Samuel-Siegel, Literacy NJ 

Target Audience: Basic Literacy and ESOL Tutors, Teachers & Trainers

In this workshop, you will play the role of a student discovering a new text. We will intertwine traditional reading comprehension practices with digital tools to engage in pre-reading, active-reading, and reading reflection activities. After experiencing a mini-lesson as a student, you will  have the opportunity to explore the digital tools used to enhance reading comprehension and will be able to reflect on them from an instructional lens. We will focus on technologies that will be most accessible to diversely digitally literate student bodies. 

A Student Panel: Challenges for New Americans

Facilitators: Jhanna Even and Julia Ibragimova, Literacy NJ 

Student panel: Hilda Cuesta (Ecuador), Jhoan Perez (Venezuela), Miguel Borrelli (Venezuela), Andrea Serrano Granados (Costa Rica), and Dalia Pievskaya (Russia)

General Audience

A panel of students will share their experience as immigrants in the US, including what challenges they have faced and what surprises they have encountered,  They will share what they like most about living here and what they miss most about their home countries. Come hear students' stories and learn directly from them what it is like to be a New American.  

45th Anniversary Keynote Speaker

Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson is a product of the Trenton public school system and has obtained advance degrees from Trenton State College/The College of New Jersey and earned a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. Her career as a Social Worker coupled with a commitment to public service led her to the elected position of East Ward Councilwoman, where she became the 1st African American female to serve in that position. and Council Vice-President where she legislated laws for the City of Trenton. Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson proudly served 7½ years on City Council before being elected to fill the vacant New Jersey Assembly seat in the 15th Legislative District. Ms. Reynolds-Jackson is currently serving her 4th term in the New Jersey Assembly and has ascended to Senior Leadership where she serves as Constituent Outreach Chair, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Schools, and Vice-Chairwoman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. She is a member of the Assembly Budget Committee, the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee, and the Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment. Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson is a former literacy volunteer.

Awards Presentation

Join us to recognize our 2024 Student, Tutor, and Program Excellence Award recipients.