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 j3GLvfG22554; Sat, 16 Apr 2005 17:57:41 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 17:57:41 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <009601c542cf$0b0704c0$3002a8c0@ben2ut66kkx7o3> 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: "Amy R. Trawick" <atrawick@charter.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2980] Re: EFF terms, etc X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 5388 Lines: 90 Andrea, Re: the issue of so many tools, so many terms--I think you're right on that experience with the EFF Famework is a key ingredient to building a deep understanding of how different pieces work together. However, it is only recently that I gave up trying to experience all the pieces of the framework! It's just too much. What helped me was something that I heard Sondra Stein say a couple of years ago: that the various components of the EFF Framework were developed as part of the Research & Development process on the way to identifying content standards. They turned into teaching tools when teachers in the field were validating different aspects of the framework for research purposes and reported that the pieces were useful in designing and implementing meaningful, adult-oriented instruction. The process went something like this (this is an open invitation to critique my understanding of the development process!): 1. Pre-EFF, NIFL was asked by Congress to measure progress towards National Education Goal #6. 2. Goal 6 talks about adults having the knowledge and skills necessary to be literate, compete in a global economy, and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. But what does this mean? What ARE the knowledge and skills adults need to know and be able to do in order to be literate, compete in a global economy, and exercise the rights and responsbilitites of cititzenship? Before we can measure progress we have to know what to measure. SO, NIFL collected essays from learners, analyzed them, and arrived at the 4 PURPOSES FOR LEARNING in the 3 ROLES that seemed to motivate adults to attend literacy and ABE programs. A vision for the adult literacy and lifelong learning was born--one which focused on adult needs and aspirations rather than (just) high school completion. (NOTE: I would say an understanding of the Purposes for Learning and the 3 adult roles is key to "doing" EFF). 3. Great. We have a vision. But we still don't know what the knowledge and skills are that adults need to achieve the four purposes in their three principal adult roles. What to do? Well, we need to know what adult responsibilities are in these 3 roles and *then* see what knowledge and skills they use to accomplish these responsibilities. Through an involved and multi-faceted research process, the 3 ROLE MAPS were constructed. I think it's important to remember that these were meant to be *descriptive* of the responsbilitities that adults have, not *prescriptive". They were constructed in order to inform the next step in the research process, i.e., identifying the knowledge and skills adults use to perform these responsibilities. However, in EFF's commitment to engaging the students and practitioners throughout the research process, one overwhelming response was that the Role Maps were useful in the classroom. Thus, the Role Maps--and their corresponding materials--became *one* set of tools made available for classroom use. (NOTE: The use of the Role Maps is not "required" to "do" EFF). 4. The next part of the R&D process was looking across roles and developing a sense of the common activities that occurred across roles. When these 13 COMMON ACTIVITIES were shared with the field for validation purposes, again teachers found them helpful in organizing meaningful activities. Thus, the Common Activities--and corresponding materials-- became *one* set of tools made available for classroom use. (NOTE: The use of the Common Activities is not "required" to "do" EFF). 5. NOW we're ready to identify the skills adults need to do these activities. Thus, through more R&D, the Generative Skills are identified and then developed into CONTENT STANDARDS. Now we know, through a consensus-building process involving individuals and groups from all walks in life, the skills adults need to fulfill their purposes for learning in their adult roles. The research question is answered. (NOTE: The use of the EFF Content Standards--specifically, teaching the components of the standard--"is" required to "do" EFF). Whew! Whenever I review this process, I understand again why it took close to 10 years just to get to this point. But my point in giving my recounting of the history is primarily to highlight what I didn't "get" for a long time--that the components of the EFF Framework 1) were developed as a way of getting answers to an involved research question, 2) were developed as descriptions of different aspects of adult activity, and 3) were coopted by teachers in the field who were hungry for ways to engage students in conversation and activities related to their lives. What I think happened is that, as more and more tools came along, teachers began to think they had to use *all* of them to be an "EFF teacher." I agree with others who have said this just isn't the case. To me, the basics of being an EFF teacher are to 1) teach the EFF Content Standards 2) through approaches that build expertise by being purposeful, transparent, contextualized, and assessment-based. The EFF TEACHING & LEARNING CYCLE, with embedded use of role maps and/or common activities, can help us do that, but, golly, there just might be other tools that teachers can use:). Amy Amy R. Trawick North Wilkesboro, NC atrawick@charter.net
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