Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id OAA06711; Sun, 30 Apr 2000 14:23:38 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 14:23:38 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <s90c40b2.079@jsi.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Andy Nash" <andy_nash@jsi.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:986] ESL and EFF X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 5.2 Status: RO Content-Length: 2282 Lines: 39 Susan's experience with Thai monks, and whether they need to be taught in English, is a great focus for this ESL conversation. I believe that EFF is about expanding the definition of our work to include English plus other skills that will enable adults to achieve their purposes. If it helps to discuss the meaning and use of those skills (conflict resolution, advocacy, research, etc.) in native languages, then I wouldn't want to deprive adults of this support because it's an English class. In fact, I think that the deepened understanding will enhance their ability to use English successfully and with confidence. When I was teaching English to Spanish-speakers, we would talk about when it was appropriate to use which language in class, and the students made choices about whether it was more important to discuss a particular topic in their native language or to have a more limited conversation in English. They also knew that I saw it as my responsibility to help them transfer their understandings across languages (through related English practice activities), just the way we help them transfer their abilities across roles. I also tried to provide authentic opportunities for communicating with native English speakers, so that we didn't have to keep policing ourselves to use it with each other. There's a project I'm involved in right now (not as the teacher), where a class of Latina women has gotten very interested in the issue of housing discrimination, which they've been discussing in Spanish. They've gotten their English practice, though, by developing a bilingual community survey that they've taken around their neighborhood to research people's experiences of discrimination. Their next step is to make a bilingual video to use for community education. I think we can find many EFF skill and common activity connections here, including all of the communication skills in two languages. The situation is very different, I know, in classes where many native languages are represented. But I see this as part of the system reform work (and an area of needed research) - what would it mean for program design, professional development, etc. if we wanted to make all of the EFF skills available to ESL students, as needed? Andy Nash NELRC/World Education
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