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 h8NHdFV02029; Tue, 23 Sep 2003 13:39:15 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 13:39:15 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.2.20030923133245.052fbdd0@pop.utk.edu> 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: Diane Gardner <dgardner@utk.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2554] RE: Toolkit on line X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Status: O Content-Length: 2858 Lines: 69 Linda, Thank you for sharing your experience with this activity. I hope that others will respond and provide other examples or connections that might be useful to you as you build on this information that your learners shared with you. Diane Gardner EFF Professional Development and Certification Coordinator EFF Center for Training and Technical Assistance At 12:16 PM 9/23/03 -0400, you wrote: >Wow. I just had one of those classroom experiences where it seemed the >lesson had fallen flat around an activity that didn't seem to generate >much interest. After previous discussions of the four purposes, I asked >my intermediate-level students to fill out individual goal sheets (see >tools: Naming Role-related Goals) to help identify specific changes >they'd like to make in 4 areas of their lives: work, family, community, >and self. I shared my own goals, gave them time to think about and begin >the task at home, and then encouraged them to complete the goal sheet >during class. As I circulated, I got an overall sense in the group of >confusion, hesitation, or reluctance to write. I braced myself for the >usual generic goals: "to get more English", "to improve my English >skills", etc. > >But when I sat down to read them, my mouth dropped open as I saw the >depth of thought and feeling evident in their work. Some of the >responses: >. Understand when I talk with the teacher about my son >. Talk speech in front of the whole class >. Volunteer at school >. Volunteer with my neighbor >. Be more brave to speak English >. Manage money >. Learn about opening a child-care business >. Meet new friends >. Help my church >. Volunteer for my son classes >. Read the newspaper >. I want a change my life >. Fill out application >It seems what I took for hesitation was part of the process, the >struggle to put their ideas into English. This assignment not only gives >me a great jumping off point for joint class goals and connections to >the standards; it is an integral part of the needs assessment process. >It reveals a lot about students' metacognitive skills, ease of >expression, and priorities. > >I've been dabbling with EFF concepts and materials for a few years, and >have found them helpful to reflect on and evaluate my own teaching >practices. But until now I've seldom been satisfied with results in the >classroom. I happily await more models of instruction and "tried & true" >tools from this excellent toolkit! > > >Linda Rytterager >Boise State University >rytt@mindspring.com Diane P. Gardner EFF Professional Development and Certification Coordinator The University of Tennessee EFF Center for Training and Technical Assistance Center for Literacy Studies 600 Henley Street, Suite 312 Knoxville, TN 37996-4135 865-974-9949 dgardner@utk.edu
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