Dear Discussion List Participants, 

Today, the National Institute for Literacy is moving the Focus on Basics discussion lists to a fully moderated format. Our goal is to enhance professional development for educators and practitioners through ongoing opportunities to learn, discuss, and reflect on critical literacy issues. 

There will be no significant changes in the way you receive your discussion list mail.  Each list will have a moderator who will facilitate dialogue about the latest literacy research and its applications to instructional practice; promising policies and practices -- in addition to promoting the exchange of ideas, resources, and experience.  The moderator will review messages posted to the list daily, prior to releasing it to subscribers.  Please review the Discussion List Guidelines at http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/list_guidelines.html for more information.  

As subscribers, you can continue to post to the list, the list email address is: focusonbasics at dev.nifl.gov

This Focus on Basics discussion list is moderated by Julie McKinney, with the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy.  The purpose of this list is to provide a forum for adult educators, basic skills instructors, literacy providers, technology coordinators, researchers, policy developers and any other parties who are interested in the continuous improvement of adult literacy instruction, research, and administration to discuss the quarterly publication - Focus on Basics. For more information about Focus on Basics see http://www.ncsall.net/?id=31

We encourage discussion list participants to focus your contributions to the Focus on Basics list. Your comments, suggestions, references, and ideas posted to the discussion lists continue serve as resources for enhancing the field's capacity and knowledge base.  We encourage open discourse and an exchange of information, ideas, and practices among all list subscribers.  As in the past, differences in perspectives and ideas are welcome, especially when they are voiced in the spirit of inquiry, curiosity, and mutual respect.  

Thank you for your dedication to this online community.  We look forward to sharing and learning with you.   

Sincerely, 
Tanya Shuy and Mary Jo Maralit 
National Institute for Literacy