[NIFL-ESL:5850] RE: "Just in Time Civics"

From: Susan Adams (adams@ylit.org)
Date: Mon Apr 23 2001 - 09:35:24 EDT


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From: "Susan Adams" <adams@ylit.org>
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Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5850] RE: "Just in Time Civics" 
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I would be happy to share what we have developed and are using with our
senior learners from the former Soviet Union.  Please forward me an address
where I can send them.

Kindred spirits need better networking...would love to meet you someday.
Susan Adams


-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Joy Ross
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 5:35 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5838] RE: "Just in Time Civics"


Hi there Susan:
You and I sound like kindred spirits. I am the facilitator of the Newcomer
Program at Chicago Public Schools and we are also looking to develop a
curriculum for our refugee & immigrant students. Would love to share
resources with you as we collect them & hopefully like wise on your part!
All the best!

-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Susan
Adams
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 1:00 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5836] RE: "Just in Time Civics"


Hi Heidi
My name is Susan Adams and I am the ESL Program Director for the JCCs David
Neuman Senior Center in Philadelphia.  This year we got a small grant from
the Good Neighbor Partnership as a result of the Republican National
Convention held here.  We are working with students and some teachers from
the former Soviet Union on advocacy issues.  We are using parts of the On
Common Ground series, have had a city councilman come to speak with us and
are compiling a directory for other immigrants on agencies and people in the
area that were user friendly for issues such as dealing with landlords,
creating a public transportation system that listens to its riders, getting
out the immigrant vote, etc.  I would love to see the curriculum that you
have developed.  You can reach me at
	215-338-9800 or adams@ylit.org
Thank you,
Susan Adams

-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Heide
Wrigley
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 11:48 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5829] "Just in Time Civics"


Hi,

I'm helping a number of CBOs (in Illinois and California) expand their
citizenship classes to include problem posing, inquiry, and project work
through what we are calling  "Just in Time Civics".  Right now, we are
collecting problems that students have encountered that call for personal
problem solving, exploring resources that can provide help, "English for
self-defense" (Elsa Auerbach's term) or taking civic action.  Issues that
challenge students range anywhere from (1) leaving a personal item on a bus
or subway and wondering how to get it back to (2) there not being a
translator available at the emergency room, to (3) getting a note from the
teacher that a child is not paying attention in class, to  (4) being
overcharged on a phone bill; to (5) needing to take an appliance back to the
store because it is not working (no receipt; natch), to (6) a neighbor
walking out of her apartment with a black eye, to (7) having the hours
worked not match the hours listed on a paycheck (can't you just see the EFF
role map popping up in your head?)

We are collecting these problems and turning them into little scenarios to
be used in the classroom where they form the basis for discussion and
language and literacy development (listening to and analyzing a problem;
summarizing an issue; finding out more about how things work, exploring
options as to what recourse is available; stating what should be done; and
deciding on a plan of action, sequencing steps; etc)

I would love to hear examples of the kinds of things that your students have
run into (and how you deal with them in your class).  I'll be happy to share
more of the mini-scenarios we are collecting with this list

Thanks

Heide Spruck Wrigley

P.S.  Some of these problems have come out of the work with the Coalition
for Limited Speaking Elderly (CLESE) in Illinois that Rosemary Gemperle is
directing. Aliza Becker is part of the project as well.  This project is
part of the national demonstration projects on EL Civics funded by the
USDOE. The California projects are part of the Central Valley Partnership
funded by the Irvine Foundation.



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