Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g0PIFTn18904; Fri, 25 Jan 2002 13:15:29 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 13:15:29 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <20020125181340.69894.qmail@web10807.mail.yahoo.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: Emily McDonald <emilychad@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1988] Re: EFF and GED classrooms X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-100383761-1011982420=:69863" Status: O Content-Length: 11935 Lines: 102 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hello, I teach a GED prep orientation class. The class is a two day orientation and registration. We pre test them, complete all of the forms, and enroll them into the appropriate class. These are the basic requirements that I must meet on a weekly basis. In my experience,I have found that just fulfilling the basics isn't enough. As well as pre testing, filling out forms, etc., I introduce goal setting to my learners and ask them to take a few minutes on the first day to write about their goals and why they decided to come back to school. As a group, I ask them to share some of what they decided to write about with the class. Asking them to write about their goals is really just the first step to helping them get there and helping them see all of the connections between their life and education. I also think that it is important for them to write about their goals so that we can relate what their learning and why they are learning it to thier life. I've seen so many learners get stuck in the detail of their workbooks, or not understanding how to do certain math problems. Sometimes they get so stuck in the details that they become frustrated - they can't see the forest for the trees.Sometimes they don't take the time to really stop and think about the whole picture - the details are important but how are the details going to help me achieve what I want and need to achieve. When they begin the goal setting process, by writing about their goals, almost every response that I get connects to the EFF role maps and purposes. This is an easy way into the framework that makes sense to learners. They find it relevant and see how it relates to their needs and want. They also see how the framework can help them align GED to their life. I explain to them why I like them to write about their goals and why it is important that their teachers know about their goals, why they decided to come back to school, and how they will use what they learn in their lives. The next step that our literacy program already does is to help them to develop a plan based on their goal, once they are assigned to a class. The framework also gives them credit for what they already do and builds on it. The teacher would then introduce the role maps and standards wheel and ask them to identify the standards and activities that they want to achieve. Another tool/technique that I use is the Five Why's. When a learner says that they want to get their GED, I ask them Why. The theory of the Five Why's is that if you ask the learner why, five times, they will give you a specific reason/answer in this case for getting their GED.Again, their answers connect to the role maps and purposes. Emily McDonald Knox County, TN Adult Education AndresMuro@aol.com wrote: Milly Kuth wrote: "With the "new" GED, the emphasis will be on adult life skills." Really? the new GED that you saw must be different from the one that I saw. To me, the new GED looks a lot like the old one, but requires students to have higher level of academic skills and additional knowledge of trivial facts. Regarding adult life skills, most of my students have excellent such skills, yet nobody credits them for this. They are mothers, workers, grandmothers, cooks, home care takers, healthcare providers, bureaucrats and students. Many of them do all this with a lot less money than we have, with limited language skills, some, while being abused by spouses, etc. Begining this year, instead of bringing more speakers from the shelter for battered women, the local health clinic, and focus on real needs, I am going to have to make sure that they can perform more trivial math problems and memorize more facts. If we gave credit for adult life skills, my students would have Ph.Ds and would be giving classes. Andres In a message dated Thu, 24 Jan 2002 5:44:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, KUTHFAM@aol.com writes: > In a message dated 1/24/2002 11:52:42 AM Eastern Standard Time, MWPotts2001@aol.com writes: > > > > > > OK, now I can approach this student with the EFF Worker Role Map, especially > > the Broad Area of ResponsibilityPlan and Direct Personal and Professional > > Growth, more specifically, the Key Activity-Pursue work activities that > > provide personal satisfaction and meaning. I can lead into a look at the > > Skills Wheel where we can look at the Decision-making SkillPlan. We can look > > > > > > I'd look at interpersonal skills as way to get and keep a job. Do your students work together? help each other? > > > > > > Will he need to learn new skills on the job? (Life long learning) If he's delivering pizza, he will need to learn the area, and might need to read a map. (Donato's Pizza has a big map of Hamilton on the wall.) Will he need to learn new skills on the job? train someone else? > > > > Will he need to pay bills? make purchases? balance a checkbook? read a paycheck stub? read maps? use trade skills? (all EFF/GED skills) > > > > With the "new" GED, the emphasis will be on adult life skills. That sounds pretty compatible with EFF. > > > > > > You don't need to trick anyone. Just do what needs to be done to prepare for GED test. Then ask if this is a skill he'd use in "real life." Virtually all are. > > > > Millie Kuth > > Hamilton City ABLE > > Hamilton OH 45011 --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions Great stuff seeking new owners! Bid now!
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