Communicate.
Educate.
Advocate.
Legislators learn what is important to their communities by hearing from their
constituents. Letters or postcards from adult learners and adult learner advocates
about the importance of adult education in Georgia remind policy makers of their
responsibility to respond to the needs in their
communities.
As someone who can encourage both adult literacy
learners and community advocates to contact their
legislators, we invite you to join the annual legislative
letter-writing campaign sponsored by Georgia Adult
Literacy Advocates (GALA).
This instructional packet outlines GALA’s letter-writing
campaign and provides suggestions and resources for
you to help your students and/or advocacy group write
meaningful letters and postcards to elected officials. Feel
free to tailor the activities to fit your group’s specific
needs, abilities and available resources.
Good luck and thank you for all that you do
for adult education in Georgia!!
Campaign Overview
Who? Adult Literacy Learners and Adult Literacy Advocates What? Letters or postcards to Georgia Representatives and Senators
Why? To educate about Adult Literacy needs in GA
When? Beginning October 2014 Where? ABE/GED/ESL classes and communities throughout Georgia
How? Steps to getting started Next Steps
Who:
Adult Learners
Legislators want to hear from adult learners about their educational successes and needs. Adult learners – constituents who vote – help legislators see how literacy has impacted their lives. Legislators need to know what they think so they and their opinions can be represented.
Adult learners who have benefited from adult education can speak as "satisfied customers." They can speak from their own experience and educate others about the good things that adult
education can do.
Adult learners are able to share:
why they decided to join an adult education program;
their personal experiences in their program;
how adult education has helped them in their personal life;
what are they now doing as a result of attending an adult literacy program.
Adult Literacy Advocates
Board members, volunteers, adult literacy program stakeholders, civic leaders, adult education graduates, businesses and labor representatives can write meaningful letters to their legislators. They are constituents who vote. Legislators need to know what they think so they and their opinions can be represented.
Advocates are able to:
write personalized letters that explain why adult literacy services are important to them and their community;
speak from experience;
be clear that their views are their own;
What:
Letters or postcards written to Georgia Representatives and Senators
Postcards
Postcards may contain a specific message such as a class waiting list concern or a thank you for the support of adult literacy (samples on page 4) or it may contain a brief, personal message from an adult learner or advocate.
Letters
Form letters are not recommended. Form letters may alienate legislative staffs who try to read and respond to each letter.
Why should we not use form letters?
Quality counts as much as quantity - Communications that include some unique information have significantly more impact on legislators’ decision-making than do identical form messages.
Why?
Staffs doubt the legitimacy of form communications. In individualized messages, they have greater confidence that the constituent sent the letter versus the letter being sent without his or her knowledge or consent. They know that the issue motivated the author!
—Congressional Management Foundation, 2005
Quality letters are:
personalized—contains some sense of a constituent’s sentiment;
concise—keep the letter to one page and one issue;
informative—contains specific information that is easy to act on;
Postcard Samples
Waiting list: POSTCARD SAMPLE 1
Dear Representative or Senator____________,
My name is ____________________________________. I live at_______________________. I have recently visited the ________________________ program where I have been put on a ___-month waiting list to begin (choose one: English/basic literacy/GED) classes. I would like to begin classes right away. I hope you can help by providing the funds this program needs to offer classes for me and others on the waiting list.
Sincerely,
__________________________
POSTCARD SAMPLE 2:
Dear Representative or Senator____________,
My name is ______________ and I want to (choose a goal such as: learn basic literacy skills/ take English classes/ etc. – a specific goal). The classes at ______________ are full and I have been put on a waiting list. Please help me with my goal by supporting programs for Adult Basic Education.
Sincerely,
__________________________
Current Students Thanking Legislatures for Making Their Education Possible: Dear Representative or Senator____________,
My name is _____________________. I have been taking classes at _______________. I want to thank you for helping to make the classes possible. (I have learned how to choose one: read/write/ etc.) better. I hope that you will continue supporting Adult Basic Education. Sincerely,
__________________________
Reaching Goals (or recent program graduates) Dear Representative or Senator____________,
My name is _______________________. I went to ______________ so that I could (choose
one: get my GED diploma/learn English/learn to use the computers/ etc.). On _________(date) I
reached my goal. I want to thank you for supporting Adult Basic Education. Sincerely,
Adult Learner Letter Samples 3986 Highway 34W XXXXXX, Georgia XXXXX September 10, 2014 The Honorable XXXXXXXX P.O. Box XXX XXXXXX, Georgia XXXXX Dear Representative/Senator __________
In 1970, I entered the workforce going from one small sewing factory to another. In 1977, I was hired at a very large chemical plant at entry level. As a single parent, I bought a car, home, and even managed to save some money for retirement. At the end of my third child’s high school graduation, I was permanently laid off after sixteen years. I had managed to acquire jobs over the years only to continually be laid off.
I came to the Adult Education program to update my skills to get back into the workforce and keep a positive attitude. Due to the fact that I have been in manufacturing, jobs have changed, and I need to change with them. Coming to the Adult Education program allows me to get the basics of education which is essential to today’s workforce. Please consider those like me and others who are out of step with technology and the educational system.
Please continue to fund and support the Adult Education in Georgia. I am not looking for a handout, but a hand up. I thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and look forward to continuing my education to make this world a better place. God Bless America!
Sincerely,
XXXXXX XXXXXXX Adult Education Student
The following 2 adult learner letter samples were gathered into a packet of letters and hand delivered to a legislator on a scheduled visit:
Advocate Letter Sample
Letter for newly elected legislators: September 10, 2014
Dear Representative or Senator____________,
On behalf of the Board, students, and staff here at the Center, my congratulations on your
election to the (Georgia House/Georgia Senate). I look forward to working with you to continue to provide adult literacy services throughout XXXXXX County.
First, please feel free to come by the center at any time to visit classes, learn more about our programming and witness our students in action. Our mission is to help adults become better prepared for success in life as productive people in the workplace, successful family members and engaged citizens.
While I think the center is well known and appreciated, the scope of what we do is often not so well known.
Last year we provided adult literacy services to 1,187 individuals who (provide additional details as desired).
We provided classes in (name class locations). Classes offered are either adult basic education or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
Last school year we had ESOL students from 49 different countries. This past June 232 individuals received their GED diploma.
To grow our economy, enhance the skills of our workforce and provide the opportunity for financial self-sufficiency to those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder, adult education is crucial. I am hopeful that adult literacy will be one of your priorities as you assume your new role.
Best wishes,
XXX XXXXX Executive Director
Enclosures: Fall 2014 Brochure
Why
:Legislators learn what is important to their communities by hearing from their
constituents.
Georgia Adult Literacy Advocates are issuing a call to action for
more involvement in Georgia’s Adult Basic Education
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF LOW LITERACY Low literacy skills costs businesses $57 billion annually.1
43% of people with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty; 17% receive food stamps, and 70% have no job or only a part time job.” 2
Adult literacy programs return $33 to the economy for every $1 invested in them.3
HEALTHCARE IMPLICATIONS OF LOW LITERACY
Individuals with low literacy skills incur medical expenses up to 4 times greater than other patients.4
The cost of low health literacy to the U.S. economy is between $106 billion and $238 billion per year.5
INCARCERATION LINKS TO LOW LITERACY
Nearly 50% of those who are incarcerated do not have a high school or GED diploma.6
In 2003, the percentage of the adult prison population without a high school or GED
diploma was almost twice that of other adults.7 IN GEORGIA...
18% of adults have below basic literacy skills.
Approximately 1 million adults (17%) have less than a high school education. 75% of prison inmates do not have a high school diploma.
19% of adults live in families with combined incomes less than twice the poverty level. More than 200,000 adults over 18 speak little or no English.
1 Harvey, David C., “Answering President Obama’s Call for Education”,The Huffington Post, March 26, 2009; citing U.S. 2 National Institute for Literacy, FACT SHEET: Adult and Family Literacy, April 2000.
3 Silent Crisis” as Adult Learners and Literacy Programs Devastated by Funding Cuts, ProLiteracy press release, citing David C. Harvey, ProLiteracy President and CEO. February 11, 2009
4 National Coalition for Literacy, Fact Sheet: Health Literacy
5 Vernon J., Trujillo A., Rosenbaum S.et al., Low Health Literacy: Implications for National Health Policy. Oct 2007. www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/chsrp/ downloads/LowHealthLiteracy Report10_4_07.pdf. 6 National Institute for Literacy, FACT SHEET: Corrections Education, January 2001.
7 Greenberg, E., Dunleavy, E., and Kutner,M. (2007). Literacy Behind Bars: Results From the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy Prison Survey (NCES 2007-473).U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
When:
Beginning in October 2014
Advocate early in the legislative process. This impacts decisions when they are beginning to take shape and informs newly elected representatives. However, cards and letters can be written at any time during the year and will assure legislators this is a matter of great and long term importance.
Keep track of correspondence sent in order to evaluate if this a worthwhile endeavor to be continued. Keep count or a log on correspondence sent (sample below).
Teacher Log Sheet
Location:________ Teacher: _________________ Class:_______________
Date Representative XXXXXXXXX Senator XXXXXX
Totals:
Please forward copy of log to Billie Izard at
[email protected]
or FAX
404-679-1630 so that our efforts and results may be shared statewide
Where:
Adult literacy/ESL classes and communities throughout Georgia.
How:
To make this happen you will need to:
Assist adult learners by:
Providing the guidance and support needed; Introducing the idea of writing a letter or postcard;
Answering questions and providing encouragement/support as the student decides what format (letter/postcard) he/she will be most comfortable;
Providing the name and address of legislators the student will be writing;
As needed, answering questions and providing encouragement/support through the letter/postcard writing process;
Determining how the correspondence will be sent (i.e., will it be sent individually and will you provide assistance with the postage? Or will the correspondence be gathered and delivered during a schedule visit with the legislator?)
Assist Adult Literacy Advocates by:
Presenting the idea of the correspondence;
Providing a sample if needed to get the ideas flowing;
Providing data or statistics that would make for informed correspondence.
Next Steps:
Additional avenues of correspondence:
Public officials at the local level: the mayor, county commissioners, city council, school board, workforce development board;
National level: the President, Congressional representatives, officials in the education, labor, and other departments;
Private funders: foundations that give money to nonprofit organizations, individuals who make donations to good causes, community service groups, professional organizations (lawyers or accountants associations);
Lesson: ____ Intermediate/Low Advanced ESL ______ Unit: ___ Time Frame: 6-8 hours
Anticipatory Set (Lead In):
10 minute task. Ask students to write down on paper answers to the following question written on the board. In an open discussion, review the student response.
Why are Adult Education (English –as-a- Second Language) classes important in your community?
Standard (s) Goal):
C.1.2. Write detailed, formal business letters (e.g. letters of recommendations or to an elected official).
Purpose of Instruction (Objective):
The learner will be able to enhance written communication as well as develop advocacy skills.
Materials Needed:
Sample business letters, internet photos of legislators, sample letter written to a legislator, websites, computers
Instruction, Explanation, & Lecture:
Review meaning and purpose of advocacy.
Research the internet for biographies of legislators from the local community.
Read and discuss internet articles. Define unfamiliar words in the dictionary.
Discuss what factors influence legislators’ support for adult education.
Choose two local legislators to write letters of support to.
Explain and demonstrate each part of an advocacy letter.
Instruct students to draft one sample letter to a legislator thanking them for their current and continued support of Adult Education in Georgia.
Edit the letter. Check format for spelling, punctuation, and clear flow of ideas).
Write the final draft of letters
Modeling:
Over a period of four class sessions, the instructor will review each part of an advocacy letter. Using the overhead projector, the instructor will identify and demonstrate how each part of the advocacy letter should look on paper once it is completed.
Check for Understanding:
The instructor will orally check for understanding by randomly asking students questions like:
Why is advocacy important for the success of Adult Education programs?
If you were a legislator in your community, what factors would you consider when making decision to support Adult Education programs?
Guided Practice:
The instructor will have students write a sample draft letter of support using the steps demonstrated during the discussion and practice session.
Independent Performance:
Students will edit sample letter to check spelling, punctuation and clear flow of ideas. The instructor and volunteer will walk around the room to assess each student’s progress to ensure students are on task.
Evaluation of Student Understanding:
The instructor will have each student check letter format. Then, the students will read the final draft of their letter to the rest of the class.
Reflection, Closure, & Connection:
The instructor will collect and review the final draft of each letters. Final revisions will be made and students will mail the letters to their local legislator.
The instructor will have the each student share how they will utilize the knowledge learned from the advocacy letter writing campaign for future use.
Adaptations (For Students with Learning Disabilities):
n/a
Possible Connections to Other Subjects:
Reading- Students will build fluency in reading, while improving comprehension, critical thinking skills and building vocabulary skills.
GED Level Advocacy Letter Writing Lesson Plan
Week 1- Vocabulary
Advocacy Objective: Students will enhance their vocabulary by learning terms related to advocacy.
GED Objective: Students will enhance their vocabulary skills, which can
be applied to the Extended Response section of the GED exam.
Questions students will be able to answer by the end of Week 1 are the following:
1. What is advocacy?
2. Why is advocacy important?
Vocabulary Terms:
Advocacy/Advocate Lobbying Educate Legislature Representative Senator PolicymakersActivity Details:
Write/discuss the definition for vocabulary terms.
Group Discussion- Educate vs. Advocacy vs. Lobbying
Small Group- Break into small groups (3-4 people per group) and discuss issues and concerns that you may have or that are important to you.
o Each group will identify topics that they would be willing to be an advocate for.
Skill Assessment:
Write a paragraph describing the similarities and differences between advocacy and lobbying.
GED Advocacy Letter Writing Lesson Plan
Week 2- Outline Letter/Essay
Advocacy Objective: Students will learn how to outline an essay in letter form. GED Objective: Students will enhance their essay outlining skills, which
can be applied to the Extended Response section of the GED exam. Advocacy letter topic: Why adult education is important in Georgia.
Activity Details:
Teach the structural organization to writing a letter/essay.
Small Group- Break into small groups (3-4 people per group) and discuss the advocacy letter topic.
o The group will select a note taker and speaker/presenter
o Each group will identify at least 3 reasons “Why adult education is important in Georgia”
o Each person in the group will write an outline to the letter.
Each selected speaker/presenter within the groups will state aloud their group’s thoughts as the instructor writes them on the board.
Skill Assessment:
Each person will turn in their completed outline for the advocacy letter topic. (See outline example that follows.)
(Outline example for advocacy letter topic)
Date
(Your full name) (Your mailing address) The Honorable (Full Name) Capitol address here
Atlanta, GA
Dear Representative/Senator (Full Name),
First paragraph: Introduction. Introduce yourself and why you are writing.
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2: Body of the letter. Why is adult education important in Georgia? Give examples and use description. Tell a story or stories! (Feel free to write more than one paragraph.)
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Last Paragraph: Conclusion. Repeat your main point. Thank them for their time and support of adult education. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Sincerely, (Signed Name) (Printed Name)
Advocacy Letter Writing Lesson Plan
Week 3- Write, Proofread, & Revise Letter/Essay
Advocacy Objective: Students will learn how to write an essay, proofread, and revise.
GED Objective: Students will enhance their essay writing, proofreading, and editing skills, which can be applied to the Extended Response section of the GED exam.
Advocacy letter topic: Why adult education is important in Georgia.
Activity Details:
Part 1:
Refresh student’s memory on organization to writing a letter/essay from the outline.
Instruct on the 3 sections of a(n) letter/essay (Introduction, Body, Conclusion).
Instruct on purpose of proofreading, and instruct on specific areas that may have errors (grammar, sentence structure, paragraph organization, spelling, punctuation, etc.).
Part 2:
September 26th: Student representative will present all student essays to Senator during the “Read for your life” Literacy Walk at Galleria Mall (Centerville, GA).
Skill Assessment:
