Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference to be held in the RMI in 2010 - Check out the PIBBA International Website!

Image source: http://www.rmiembassyus.org/

The 29^th Annual International Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) Conference will be held in Majuro in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, June 23 – 25, 2010! For more information, visit the PIBBA International website at http://pibbainternational.blogspot.com

The mission of PIBBA is to promote bilingual-bicultural activities in the Pacific islands areas of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, American Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia through the development of policies, dissemination of information, involvement of the community, and encouragement of quality education programs.

Snapshots from the 28^th Annual International PIBBA Conference: “Invigorating Languages and Cultures of the Pacific”

Pictured above: Proclamation signing for the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference at the Governor's Conference Room. L-R front row seated: Carmen Weaver, Rosa Salas Palomo, Lt. Governor Mike Cruz, Governor Felix Camacho, and Dr. Jose Q. Cruz. Back row L-R: Teresita Flores, Maria Cruz, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Carol Cepeda, Marife Fernandez, Mye Ganan-Flores, Risa Salas Miguel, Zander Refilong, Joseph Mafnas, and Antonia Salas.

Pictured above: The 30th Guam Legislature presented a legislative resolution commending the celebration of the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference on June 22, 2009 at the Guam Marriott Resort and Spa. Pictured above L-R: Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President and first PIBBA President; Masa-Aki Emesiochl, first PIBBA President-Elect; Juanita Manibusan, PIBBA Conference Co-Chair & 2008-2009 President of PIBBA Guam Chapter; Rosa Salas Palomo, PIBBA Conference Co-Chair & 2008-2009 PIBBA International President-Elect; Senator Tina Muna-Barnes; Frances Sablan, CNMI head delegation; Dr. Marilyn Salas, 2008-2009 PIBBA International Secretary; Alister Tolenoa, Kosrae head delegation; and Shelten Neth, 2008-2009 PIBBA International President.

Pictured above L-R: Zander Refilong, PIBBA steering committee member; Lt. Governor Bill Tosie of Kosrae; PIBBA President Shelten Neth; and Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, PIBBA steering committee member.

Pictured above L-R: Teresita Flores, PIBBA steering committee member; Joe Mafnas, PIBBA steering committee member; Frances Sablan, PIBBA secretary; Alister Tolenoa, Kosrae delegation; and Carmen Weaver, PIBBA steering committee member.

Pictured above: Steering committee members of the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) are hard at work during the 28th Annual International PIBBA Conference held June 22-25, 2009 at the University of Guam, Guam Marriott Resort, and Merlyn Cook School in Malesso.

IRA Newsletter Goes Digital!

IRA Newsletter Goes Green!

As the Guam Chapter of the International Reading Association (IRA) continues its mission to promote literacy, it has made a commitment to effectively use technology, so that it can expand the ways it shares knowledge by reaching out to as many people as possible. By doing this, it can impact thousands of people globally, with a touch of a button all while reducing printing costs and our carbon footprint by consuming less paper.

This “Going Green” mindset is a necessary change for the Guam Chapter of the IRA as we search for ways we can live in a more environmentally friendly manner. By doing this, it will also save postage, energy, and natural resources! As it takes steps towards “Going Green” it is moving forward on “Going Digital!”

To do this, it has reactivated its website using a blog format, so that various IRA events can be archived for years to come! You can visit the IRA’s new website at http://iraguam.blogspot.com/. Here you’ll find the latest Guam IRA news throughout the year and more, so be sure to visit the site!

Website for Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA)

Check out the following website for the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association (PIBBA) whose mission is to promote cultural and language activities by disseminating information, involving communities, and encouraging quality education programs through the western Pacific: http://pibbainternational.blogspot.com


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UOG Alumni Websites

Check out the following UOG Alumni websites to keep abreast of alumni/UOG events. If you're not an alumni member yet, you can download the membership forms from the websites. Enjoy!


UOG Alumni Association - http://uogalumniassociation.blogspot.com/

SOE Alumni Association - http://soealumniassociation.blogspot.com/

Palau Alumni Association - http://www.uog.edu/dynamicdata/AlumniPalauAlumniAssociation.aspx?siteid=3&p=531

Family Literacy Websites

Family Literacy programs provide a way to teach families to read and write so that they can help their children at home. Family literacy embraces the intergenerational links which can interrupt the cycle of illiteracy. Teaching the parents and grandparents to increase their academic skills allows them to be a child’s first teacher.

The years from birth to 10 are a crucial age span, when a firm foundation is laid for healthy development and lifelong learning. At three, most children are self-confident and trusting, intellectually inquisitive, able to use language to communicate, able to use their increasing physical activity agility to play and explore, able to relate well to others, and able to empathize with others.

Enjoy the following family literacy websites to gather various ideas/activities to strengthen family literacy!


Reading is Fundamental
http://www.rif.org/parents


Family Literacy Special Collection
http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/FamilyLit/parent_links.html


Partnership for Reading’s “A Child Becomes A Reader”
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/pfr.html


Family Literacy Resource Notebook: http://literacy.kent.edu/Oasis/famlitnotebook/


Family Literacy Foundation: www.read2kids.org


National Center for Family Literacy: www.famlit.org


International Reading Association: www.reading.org


American Library Association: www.ala.org


Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy:
www.barbarabushfoundation.com


Early Childhood Education
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/ECI/publications.html#ECD


United States Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml?src=pn

Teaching Diverse Learners

Educators are teaching more diverse populations in their classrooms. With the diversity that exists today, it is necessary for them to employ effective teaching strategies that empower students. Here's one of my PowerPoint slides which covers a glimpse of meeting the needs of diverse learners:

Digital Storybook Defined

A colleague of mine asked me to define a digital storybook. Based upon my experience with empowering students to create their very own storybooks, here's the definition I came up with:















Good luck as you empower your students to effectively integrate technology in the classroom!