Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j89FbKG12334; Fri, 9 Sep 2005 11:37:21 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2005 11:37:21 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <002d01c5b559$564b9d40$c903a8c0@Tara> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Tara O'Brien" <tobrien@vtadultlearning.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:11117] Re: Traffic Safety Curriculum for Existing ESL Programs X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 2984 Lines: 95 1. In the process of teaching English, have you used ESL as a forum for teaching other things? If so, please describe. We have taught financial literacy, driver's education, family literacy, health issues, history and civics and have held workshops in resume writing, problem-solving and culture. 2. Please rate the importance of teaching the following in ESL classes: (on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest) a. English: 10 b. Civics education: 10 c. Traffic safety: 5 d. American history: 7 e. Banking: 5 f. Employment practices: 8 g. Driver's License: 5 h. Immigration Services: 6 i. Housing: 6 3. Are ESL programs an appropriate venue to teach new immigrants to use seat belts and child safety seats? Why or why not? Yes, covering items concerning students' welfare and safety addresses the whole student and provides them information about cultural information and societal expectations. 4. Do you think ESL instructors feel it is their role to provide students with traffic safety and other civics education? More are increasingly seeing the importance of civic education in the classroom; however, I am not aware of traffic safety as a topic commonly addressed. 5. What would be the best way and the best venue to train ESL instructors on the importance of traffic/occupant safety (i.e., continuing education workshops)? Topic-specific workshops. 6. What would be the best way to present traffic safety materials for ESL instructors (i.e., a guidebook, video)? Guidebook for a workshop, which could be adapted in either a shorted, intense form or a longer form throughout a semester, and materials such as flashcards with authentic photos, street maps and communicative activities that could also be used in general English courses. 7. What methods and media are most effective for teaching traffic safety and other civics education? Experiential learning methods, project-based learning, community-based presenters and guests, videos, and authentic realia. 8. What would be the best way to encourage ESL instructors to always include a traffic/occupant safety component during their ESL classes? Include some connection or correlation to assessment and achievement such as EFF Standards, CASAS competencies or NRS Levels to which teachers are held accountable. Include clear objectives in lessons which include content, English and social skills and knowledge 9. What are the barriers we will face when trying to get ESL programs to incorporate our traffic safety curriculum? How can we overcome these barriers? Is there anything else you would like to add concerning traffic safety and ESL programs? A major barrier is the pressure for teachers to have measurable outcomes at the state and federal level for dwindling funding. See #8 for ideas. Hope this helps. Good luck on your work. I would be very interested in examining it at some point Tara Tara O'Brien ESOL Coordinator Vermont Adult Learning tobrien@vtadultlearning.org
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