I suspect that we're differing in verbiage and not classroom technique.  I taught pre-literacy to ESL students for seven years. These people  needed it in an ESL context because they didn't have the vocabulary to  deal with the normal native English speaker vocabulary in the ABE  curriculum. 
  
  These were usually women from east Africa or Arabic speaking cultures,  to generalize further, students who had no or little experience in  schooling ever and who did not speak English. 
  
  Sometimes those from west Africa, or with some strong English  background, were able to attend an ABE class. Frequently even they  spent time in the conversational ESL classes gathering the vocabulary  and experience to prepare for the ABE class. 
  
  The classes were all taught by instructors who were well prepared to  teach. The students needed to be prepared to learn in an ABE  environment.
  
  Mary Jane Jerde
  

andresmuro at aol.com wrote:    The logical process should be ABE to ESL. First, students acquire  basic literacy in L1. Then, you can transition them into ESL and they  will do very well. If you try to do the opposite, it will be very  frustrating for students and teachers. I understand that there are  things that make this process very difficult, e.g. too many languages,  people from oral societies, etc. However, if at all possible, the  process should be from ABE to ESL.
  
  Andres 
  
     
    Please take a look at my artwork: www.geocities.com/andresmuro/art.html
     
   
  -----Original Message-----
  From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com
  To: Assessment at nifl.gov
  Sent: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 6:31 AM
  Subject: [Assessment 495] FW: [ProfessionalDevelopment 526] ESOL to ABE Transition
  
                  
Colleagues,

This email query is from the Professional Development Discussion List.
What are your thoughts and comments?

Marie Cora
Assessment Discussion List Moderator

***********************


Professional Development Colleagues:

I'm wondering what policies and supports your states are putting into
place to assist programs in transitioning their ESOL students into ABE,
now that the cut point for NRS level six has been lowered.  In New York
City, some programs are creating special classes for students who score
above 540 on the BEST Plus, but still need to improve their oral
proficiency.  These students will be tested on the TABE and designated
ABE for NRS purposes, but their classes will be comprised only of
non-native English speakers and will incorporate much more oral language
development than a typical ABE class.  What are some other strategies
you might suggest?


Ira Yankwitt, Director
NYC Regional Adult Education Network
Literacy Assistance Center
32 Broadway, 10th Floor
NY, NY 10004
212-803-3356
----------------------------------------------------


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