2006 Tech Savvy Eastern Regional Winner

Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI)
Providence, Rhode Island

At the Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI), technology is not an "add-on," but is an essential component of the literacy program.

RIFLI provides learner-centered literacy services to English language learner (ELL) families that are facing social, economic and educational challenges because of limited English skills. The Initiative has actively incorporated information communication technology (ICT) into its literacy services. This was key to the program's being named the 2006 Eastern Regional Winner of the Verizon Tech Savvy Award.

 "We believe that many barriers such as schedules, comfort level, transportation challenges, etc., can be overcome with the well-placed use of technology," said Karisa Tashjian, RIFLI literacy program coordinator.

RIFLI grew out of requests for English as a Second Language (ESL) services the Providence Public Library began receiving in the 1980s from immigrant families. The library responded by implementing an intergenerational family literacy program and now has 17 programs at 13 library branches and community centers in four library systems.

RIFLI uses technology to draw learners into the programs, engage them and motivate them to continue their learning journeys. Technology use and instruction are closely linked to the ESL curriculum to help students reach their educational and professional goals. Students have hands-on, meaningful experiences as they learn practical applications of technology.

Students participate in authentic tasks online, such as applying for jobs, finding driving directions and searching the library's online catalog. They create brochures and spreadsheets connected to potential business ventures (like starting a home daycare business), take digital photos and insert them into PowerPoint presentations that document experiences outside the classroom (such as a field trip to a museum), and write about their daily lives in class blogs. One student created a flyer to advertise a small restaurant he opened.

Learning while having fun is the watchword of RIFLI. Students recently practiced forwarding attachments with their e-mail by writing a round-robin story. After receiving the e-mail, each student added a sentence to the story and then forwarded it to another learner until everyone had added a sentence and the story was complete.

In addition, RIFLI is piloting Learner Web, a free, web-based application that offers self-study opportunities for adults seeking to "improve their basic skills, prepare for the GED, go to college, or work toward other learning goals." Learners log on to the website, complete a short survey (asking adults to identify goals, including parenting goals), and complete a short assessment. They are then linked to interactive online learning resources.

RIFLI also works with parents on how to best advocate for and be involved in their children's education. A recent technology-based activity sent parents on a web quest to learn about their children's school, which helped parents identify a reliable source of information about the school. Parents also learned how to e-mail their children's teachers, providing an additional way of supporting classroom learning in the home.

"We want our learners to be able to take full advantage of the Library's technology resources," said Tashjian. "We introduce and encourage the use of the public access computers and free Internet access available at each of our library branches. Learners are introduced to using e-mail in classes and encouraged to practice by using e-mail to connect with their families in their home countries."

The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative grew out of learners' needs. Its continued growth is a result of successfully meeting these needs. Using technology as a learning tool to develop learners' skills and strengthen families provides the basis for instruction in RIFLI.