Dear subscribers,

 

Adolescent English language learners (ELLs) are a growing population in
secondary schools and a steady presence in postsecondary (adult)
education programs. Many of you have experienced the unique
characteristics and needs that adolescent ELLs present in the adult ESL
classroom. Like their adult counterparts, some of these adolescents may
be undocumented or may not have high literacy or education levels in
their native languages. They may be trying to juggle work, education,
community, and family responsibilities both here and in their native
countries. Some may be struggling with cross-generational reunification
issues. Others may have been born and raised in the U.S. but failed to
succeed in traditional K-12 schooling. Despite their varied educational,
social, and cultural backgrounds, these adolescents have one thing in
common - their developmental stage and related needs may set them apart
from the adult students in your classes. 

 

As high school exit criteria grow more demanding in the United States,
students with limited or interrupted schooling are finding it difficult
to graduate within the timeframes traditionally allocated for high
school study. As a result, these students are turning to adult education
to earn high school diplomas, increase their job skills, and improve
their English language proficiency. On February 8-14 Sarah Young, author
of Adolescent Learners in Adult ESL Classes,
http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/adolescent.html  will lead
a discussion and respond to questions about this topic. 

 

Sarah is an instructor at the Arlington Education and Employment Program
(REEP) in Arlington, Virginia. She is also an adult ESL content
specialist at the Center for Applied Linguistics where she works on
several projects related to adolescent and adult English language
learners.

 

On February 8, Sarah will summarize some of the issues related to
adolescents studying in adult ESL/ESOL classrooms (e.g., who these
learners are and why they are in adult ESL/ESOL classes, what
instructional strategies may work well with this population, what types
of educational opportunities may be available).

 

To review the topic before the discussion, please read brief (above),
which includes an extensive bibliography. 

 

We hope you will share your own experiences, advice, and comments,
before, during, and after the days that Sarah leads the discussion and
fields questions. 

 

If questions or comments are raised before next Tuesday, I will forward
them to Sarah. 

 

You may also send comments or questions to me off the list at
lterrill at cal.org

 

 

 

Lynda Terrill

English Language Discussion List

Center for Adult English Language Acquisition Center for Applied
Linguistics

4646 40th St, NW

Washington, DC

lterrill at cal.org

tel 202-362-0700

fax 202-363-7204

http://www.cal.org/caela

 


	 

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