Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f18Kgr922514; Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:42:53 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:42:53 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <D55F08E5DD33D411A655009027543211315042@cotr1.cotr.bc.ca> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Bennett, Gina" <BENNETT@cotr.bc.ca> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:1573] Re: Mark Warschauer on NIFL Tech List X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Status: O Content-Length: 5210 Lines: 119 I, too, would just like to confirm Pauline's message about the value of using computer technology for adult literacy learners. My institution -- College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, BC (Canada) -- was one of the research pilot sites mentioned in Pauline's note below. I can testify that many of the students involved in our pilot had very low literacy levels (i.e. low in both text literacy & computer literacy). They LOVED the alpharoute project and were, indeed, empowered as a result of their participation (Hey, Pauline; any word on when we can get AlphaRoute out here in BC???) As a computer literacy instructor, I have a number of students with disabilities (both mental & physical) plus some ESL students, elderly students, and others who never thought that the computer could become a part of their lifelong learning. Our computer class is very much a social environment & the learners soon see the computer as a powerful communication tool. In my experience working with this special learner audience, so much depends on the instructor's enthusiasm, patience, and knowledge of the incredible wealth of resources available for low literacy learners. Gina Bennett College of the Rockies -----Original Message----- From: pmcnaughton@alphaplus.ca [mailto:pmcnaughton@alphaplus.ca] Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 9:51 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:1571] Re: Mark Warschauer on NIFL Tech List I would like to respond to discussion about use of computers for facilitating adult literacy and ESL literacy instruction. 1985 - 1990 - I first started using a computer with adult literacy students in the Canadian Arctic - southern Baffin Island to Inuit learners functionally illiterate at equivalent grade 0-3 levels. The greatest success was with the lowest level student who had always fantasized about working in an office. Unable to get enough computer time (on our 1 computer) we set up an old electric typewriter so she could continue to work on her keyboarding skills between computer sessions. She focused so much on letters and words and getting things perfect she almost began to absorb literacy skills like osmosis. 1990 - 1995 - I was hired to run the first computer lab in 1990 at a school board in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) for adult literacy and ESL learners. The pace was phenomenal - 20+ classes a week, all adult literacy and ESL classes required to go for 1-2 periods a week. (Eventually multiple computer labs were set up at various sites.) The greatest strides I believe were made by the adult literacy and ESL literacy students at the lowest levels - (I taught many beginner ESL classes filled with newcomers, mostly women aged 30-60 with no more than a dozen survival sentences in English and no first language literacy.) THEY LOVED IT - ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY. The gains they made in learning by working to find individual letters to type out at first just their name and address, and slowly individual words, phrases and sentences they were learning in class - well it was amazing. After more than 16 years in adult education I can't think of anything I've done that was more satisfying. The women (and men) would line up to get their print out - and as their oral skills developed they would clutch my hand and tell me they were going to show it to their son or daughter or husband and prove that they were learning important things - that they were not stupid. The most difficult students in ESL I found were those at high academic levels, with extensive computer backgrounds (engineers, programmers etc.) who didn't want to be waste precious language learning time in a computer lab. If their teacher wanted an assignment word processed they would do it at home thank you very much and give it to her. They didn't want to be included with other students in their class and be taught the fundamentals all over again. Understandably. Thus evolved more specialized classes and options for the variety of learners. Now I manage a new on-line literacy site called AlphaRoute - just launched for use in Ontario, Canada adult literacy programs - with a comprehensive set of learner tools, supports and curriculum including on-line curriculum, email, cafe discussions, mentor supports etc. etc. We know through our research pilots that learners find it a) very empowering b) effective for learning c) enables them to overcome many barriers which they face in accessing traditional delivery programs and the list goes on and on. If anyone would like to see the research report or a demo of the site please go to http://alphaplus.ca and click on "AlphaRoute" on the sidebar. We launched the English and French AlphaRoute sites this past September and next September we will be launching the Native AlphaRoute and Deaf AlphaRoute site. I'd love to hear what you think. You can email me directly at pmcnaughton@alphaplus.ca Thanks. =========================================================== Pauline McNaughton Field Consulting Team Manager Centre AlphaPlus Centre (http://alphaplus.ca) Telephone: (416) 322-1012 ext 309 Fax: (416) 322-0780 TTY: pmcnaughton@alphaplus.ca ============================================================
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