College attainment plays a significant role in providing economic mobility and combating poverty. Community College Opportunity Grants, which provide eligible individuals free tuition and required fees to attend community college, are now being offered by the State of New Jersey. In addition, the state’s community colleges have committed to VISION 2028, a statewide strategic framework to increase the number of New Jerseyans who have earned a post-secondary credential or degree so that the state can meet its ambitious goal of 65% post-secondary attainment by the year 2025 (“65 by 25”). However, with nearly 40% of the state’s residents considered low-income or “working poor,” attending college or completing a degree can be difficult. This webinar will address some of the challenges, opportunities, and solutions to helping adults complete a degree program which can, in turn, lead to economic mobility.

Presenters: Renee Koubiadis, Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey and 
                     Jake Farbman, New Jersey Council of Community Colleges
Time: 3:00-4:00 ET
Registration: Community College Opportunity Grants

Recordings of this an all other Mini-Conference Webinars
​can be found on the NJALL Youtube Channel

All webinars in the NJALL Virtual Mini-Conference are free!

Explore a new, free, online guide to blended learning published by New Readers Press; as well as resources from the World Education Ed Tech Center. We will also hear from from the LINCS Integrating Technology group. These resources will help instructors and learners as they move into online learning classes and tutorials during the pandemic.

Instructors: David Rosen (Newsome Associates) and Jen Vanek (Worlld Ed)
Time: May 14, 3:00-4:15 ET
Registration: Blended and Distanced Learning

​​All webinars in the NJALL Virtual Mini-Conference are free!

Dive in for a closer look at the definition of Digital Literacy and its importance for our programs and students. We will discover how programs and students can take advantage of national developments in digital literacy and access, including recent OCTAE FAQs. We will explore helpful resources, websites, and tools that will help build digital skills, enhance instruction, and increase our connection with our learners during these unprecedented times.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
· Define digital literacy and describe why it is important.
· Describe digital literacy challenges faced by our programs and our learners.
· Describe and evaluate national initiatives, resources, and tools to enhance digital literacy programming and services
· Select a resource or tool to implement with your learners, and draft a plan for next step steps

Instructor: Mary Gaston, LINCS
​Time: May 12, 3:00-4:15 ET
​Registration: Reboot Your Digital Strategy

​All webinars in the NJALL Virtual Mini-Conference are free!

This training will begin with a discussion of some of the factors that affect the development of English vocabulary for English language learners (ELL) including: English speaking and listening ability; native language literacy; and the amount of English language reading learners engage in. In addition, the relevance of the Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills/Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency distinction for ELL vocabulary instruction will be covered.
Instructor: Susan Finn Miller, LINCS
Time: May 7, 3:00-4:00 ET
Registration: Vocabulary Instruction for ELLs

All webinars in the NJALL Virtual Mini-Conference are free!

​Although the NJALL Annual Conference has been cancelled, the Adult Learner Writing Contest is still taking place. 
 
We are in the process of reviewing all of the submissions and we should be able to announce the winners sometime in April.
 
We will still send awards out and produce a magazine. Due to circumstances, the magazine will initially be distributed in PDF format, rather than printed. Once it is possible to safely create and distribute a paper version of the magazine we will make those available.

NJALL is pleased to announce that its 2020 Conference: Problem Posing, Problem Solving will be held on May 15, 2020, at Brookdale Community College. Registration is now open! The agenda features a plenary presentation led by Cynthia Bell, Numeracy and Workforce Specialist from the Literacy Assistance Center in New York, twenty-one different workshops, and time for networking with colleagues and meeting with vendors. The registration fee covers lunch and coffee.

Workshops include:
Formative Assessments for Literacy Instruction
Learning Math Through Problem Posing and Collaboration
Vocabulary For ESOL
ELL's Who are Emergent Readers
Teaching Listening Skills
Google Bootcamp
Digital Literacy and Problem Solving
Accessing Web Resources
Students in Their Own Words
Adult Education and Anti-Poverty Advocacy
Immigration Policy Update

Adult Learner Writing Contest:
Selected winners will read from their work and
discuss how to support students as writers.

Registration:
​Registration for this conference is limited to 250 people.
We cannot accept any on-site registrations.

​Learners can submit their work to the NJALL Learner Writing Contest until February 28, 2020. This year, cash prizes will be awarded in five categories - fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry and photography. Several winners will be invited to read their work and receive their awards at the annual NJALL conference on May 15. Winners' and other selected submissions will be published in a free magazine that will be available in the summer of 2020.

​Guidelines:
​* All adult learners are eligible, including students in adult literacy programs, those in adult high schools or equivalency programs, those in developmental education programs, those enrolled in English language classes and students studying for citizenship.
* Learners can submit one piece per category, except for poetry.  Learners can submit up to five poems for consideration.  Learners can send in submissions for multiple categories.
* All submissions must be original and represent the work of the learner - not the work of their teacher or tutor.  Teachers/tutors may help with spelling and grammar, but it should be limited in nature.  We are using the honor system with regards to this.
* English language learners can get help with translation, but the work should remain their own.
* There are no page or word limits.

​Submitting:
* Submissions need to be received by February 28, 2020 at njallmail@gmail.com
* The email should identify the category of the submission.
* Submissions should include the learner's name and contact information and the name of the program or school they attend. The submission should also include a two or three sentence self-description of the learner.  If the learner wishes to remain anonymous or use a pen-name, this information should be provided when the work is submitted.
* By entering the contest, the learner agrees to have their piece published in the magazine if it is selected.
* All those submitting work will be notified of the decisions by March 16, 2020.
* Please send any questions to njallmail@gmail.com.

​Reviewers are also needed!
If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, please send an email to njallmail@gmail.com
 
We are particularly interested in having learners serve on the review committee. 

The New Jersey Association for Lifelong Learning (NJALL) is holding its sixth annual adult learner writing contest.  Submissions due February 14. This year we will award cash prizes in five categories - fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry and photography.  Several winners will be invited to read their work and receive their awards at the annual NJALL conference on May 15th, 2020.  All of the winners and selected other submissions will be published in a free magazine that will be available from our website in the summer of 2020. Winners and their teachers/tutors will receive printed copies of the magazine. Click below for information on how to submit an entry.