Way to go Jim!!!!
On 2/5/08, Schneider, Jim <jschneider at eicc.edu> wrote:

>

> I have directed a downtown Adult Learning Center for our local community

> college for 14 years. The #1 issue that inhibits the success of all of our

> learners - ESL, ABE, or GED is funding and infrastructure.

>

> Funding puts severe limits on the pay that is available for instructors, the

> hours that classes can be offered, and the support services that will be

> available to the learners.

>

> The reality of funding limitations on our program result in

>

> - starting pay of $13.25 an hour, top pay of $15.25/hr  - which is not

> competitive with K-12 substitute teachers, let alone highly qualified,

> instructors with any significant ESL and/or adult education training. Our

> instructors work hard and are committed to the learning of their students,

> but with an extremely limited well of knowledge training to draw upon.

>

> - 4-10 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year also severely limits the pool

> of interested instructors, as well as inhibiting the learning opportunities

> of the students.

>

> Similar to others who have posted - we find that the higher the

> literacy/education of the ESL student upon enrollment, the more likely they

> are to progress and transition to additional education/training - which

> isn't all that different from the U.S. born ABE students.

>

> We do have staff who do assist our learners transition to our short-term

> vocational &  credit programs as one of several responsibilities. The

> majority of ESL learners who have transitioned have done so via short-term

> vocational programming - CNA, welding, etc.  Those who transitioned into a

> credit program were again those who were well educated in their home

> country.

>

> Bottom line is that adult literacy desperately needs a serious commitment of

> funding, support and infrastructure from the federal, state and local levels

> if meaningful learning is going to take place. The system does very well

> considering the limitations placed upon it. Professional development

> opportunities are meaningless if the system doesn't support professionals.

> There isn't an NRS accountability measure that can create Cadillac-level

> students with the current Yugo budgets.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Jim Schneider

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On

> Behalf Of Marie Cora

> Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 5:51 PM

> To: Assessment at nifl.gov

> Subject: [Assessment 1103] No Questions or Comments?!

>

>

>

>

> Hello everyone,

>

>

>

> I'm so surprised!  No one has anything to comment on regarding your

> program's effectiveness at helping ESL students advance??  I was very

> curious to know if subscribers experience the same types of issues that Dr.

> Chisman and Dr. Crandall found in their research:  a lack of intensity of

> instruction/few protocols for transitioning students/few opportunities for

> professional development.

>

>

>

> What are the issues in your program that you feel inhibit the ESL student

> from advancing?  What do you try to do about that?

>

>

>

> Please post your questions and comments now.

>

>

>

> Thanks!

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com

>

> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment

>

>

>

>

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