Thanks, Lynda. It was great to learn about the different experiences and
insights that colleagues have with adolescent ELLs, at both the
secondary and adult education levels. The issues of how, where, and when
to educate adolescent ELLs will certainly continue to be discussed and
addressed in the field.
 
On this discussion list, the point about the difficulty of getting
adolescent ELLs enrolled in traditional high schools came up on several
occasions. School district personnel are reluctant to allow older
students into these schools, due to assessment and accountability
pressures and doubts that the students will not be able to learn English
fast enough to graduate on time. Students themselves might not
understand why they would need to attend an American high school when
they already have a diploma from their native country.
 
Once enrolled in an adult ESL class, some teachers have found that
adolescents may advance more quickly in certain linguistic areas than
adults, or may become bored with the pace set by the other students in
the class. These adolescent students may find themselves in new roles as
cultural and/or linguistic translators with members of their families,
communities, or even English class.
 
A strong support system is essential to help these students adjust to
education in the United States and the various career and life paths
that may be open to them. Advocacy groups (such as those mentioned here)
can work to ensure social and educational infrastructures that will
allow adolescent ELLs to have access to and receive these kinds of
supports.
 
Thanks again to all who participated in the discussion! I look forward
to learning more and sharing resources about this issue in the future.
 
Sarah Young
Center for Applied Linguistics
4646 40th St. NW
Washington, DC 20016
 
Phone: (202) 362-0700 ext. 529
Fax: (202) 362-3740
Web: www.cal.org <http://www.cal.org/>  
Email: sarah at cal.org
CAL: "Improving communication through better understanding of language
and culture"
 

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lynda Terrill
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 7:47 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: Discussions


Hello, listers,
 
I want to thank Sarah Young for sharing her expertise with the list this
past week concerning adolescent learners in adult ESL/ESOL classes.
Thanks also to those of you who shared your questions and ideas.  I
don't believe the issues surrounding this topic have been exhausted, so
I hope you will continue to share your views on the topic.
 
I also want to remind you that today a discussion of interest is
beginning on the Focus on Basics discussion list on Struggling ESOL
Learners.  This discussion will be lead by Robin Schwarz who wrote an
article on the topic for the latest issue of FOB.  See further info
below from Julie McKinney FOB list moderator.
 
Lynda Terrill
English language list moderator
 
***********************
 
 
 Please join 
Robin Schwarz and the rest of us to discuss her article in Focus on
Basics, Vol. 8A.

To read the article: "Taking a Closer Look at Struggling ESOL Learners"
go to:
http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=994

If you are not subscribed to the FOB list, you can subscribe at:
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/focusonbasics

Below are the questions we posted last week to get us thinking about the
article and how it relates to the work we do.

Discussion Questions

1.  Stories:  Have you had struggling learners in your program? How
common do you think this problem is? Do you want to share a story of a
learner you have worked with, and tell us how you were able to find out
the issue, and what you did to help?

2.  Physical Disabilities:  How do we screen for them and what specific
accommodations can we make in the class or program for them?

3.  Intake/Counseling Procedures:  What does your center or program do
for a routine intake? What is the procedure to address a learner who is
not progressing? How well do you get at factors such as physical and
health problems, living situations, amount and nature of literacy
skills, nature of the primary language and cultural communication style?

4.  Responding: Once there is a reason discovered for a learner's
struggles, how well-equipped are you to respond to the problem? How do
you learn how to accommodate a hearing or visual problem? What do you do
for the learner with anxiety or depression? Do you have access to a
consulting teacher, or someone knowledgeable in the complexities of a
given culture's communication style (as in the example of the Sudanese
men in the article)?

5.  Staff Training/Professional Development: What kind of training do we
all need in order to ensure that our intake procedures are complete and
appropriate? What kind of  training will help us to respond an effective
way?

6.  Did This Article Change Something You Do? Share with us anything
that you changed, did, started, or stopped as a result of reading this
article.  Why?  What result did you get?

7. What Connections Did You Make With This Article? Even if you did not
change anything, did it ring a bell or hit home to you in some way?

We'll see you tomorrow for the discussion!

Julie

Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org


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