NLA Discussion: Civics or civic participation? Same or different?

[Loren McGrail]

[Cross-posted from NIFL-ESL]

Dear Colleagues,

I am interested to know from my colleagues what they think about this civics 
education initiative. Specifically, do people see civics education the same 
or different from EFF's concept of civic participation or community action as 
we call it here at Literacy South? How will it work for programs that serve 
undocumented immigrants? or farmworkers? Is this a call to teach US history and 
government? If so, Through whose eyes? I am interested in other people's 
thoughts about these issues as we all begin to prepare project designs.
Perhaps there is even a consensus around some of these ideas that could 
support a coalition of some kind.

For those colleagues in the Southeast who see the opportunity here to
explore civic participation activities, Literacy South would like to connect 
with state staff developers or programs who might want to participate in a 
regional demonstration project along these lines. As some of you know already, 
Literacy South has already done some work in this area in our 
citizenship/civic participation project last year in North Carolina and with 
our curriculum development project around the Census 2000 this year. 
Please contact me directly at the address below if you or your state is 
interested in working with us.

I look forward to hearing these issues discussed through the listserv 
and from my southern colleagues directly. Thank you.


PS Our annotated bibiliography on citizenship/civic participation is 
now available through ERIC. 
-- 

Loren McGrail
Executive Director, Literary South
lmcgrail at mindspring.com
www.literacysouth.org