Ever since becoming familiar with EFF, I have used anonymous written *
Reflections* at the end of each class to see if the group is 'getting' what
I'm dispensing. Further, the act of writing/acting on the reflection uses a
different part of the brain and requires participants to organize their
thoughts about the information they've received. With low literate
participants, I sometimes get a drawing or a list of words.

The reflections also give the the learners an opportunity to ask a question
or make an observation about a teaching style that they may not feel
comfortable bringing up before the class as a whole.

I stress vocabulary a lot in my classes and the reflections give the
learners an immediate opportunity to use any new vocabulary in the context
of the day's experience.

The reflections are written on strips of binder paper, no more than six
lines, during the last 5 minutes before leaving.  I ask the learners to
reflect on and to write a few lines about the day's subject: what was new?
Did it change their thinking or reinforce previous information, etc.

My work is with currently or previously incarcerated men and women so I am
not running a standard family literacy program, just ABE and literacy-based
family strengthening classes.




On 2/5/07, Gail Price gprice at famlit.org wrote:

>

>  The following two requests were submitted by Sara Mansbach in my

> pre-Christmas solicitation of ideas and suggestions for discussions on the

> Family Literacy Discussion List. Since they both had to do with evaluation,

> I am posting them together. However, in your response please indicate which

> item you are responding to as your suggestions may not be the same for both.

>

>

>

>

> Evaluation of outcomes is an important part of any literacy program and

> certainly one that we need to continue building and strengthening in adult

> education. I am sure not only Sara, but the entire List would be glad to

> here your thoughts on these two requests.

>

>

>

> Again, on behalf of Sara Mansbach, I submit the following for your

> consideration.

>

>

>

> I would be interested in learning more about:

>

>    1. Evaluating the outcomes of less intense family literacy programs

>    where parents may be seen from one month to the next for only ½  an hour at

>    a time, again with newborns to 4 year old children who are not very verbal

>    and where formal evaluation measures can not be employed.

>

>

>

>    1. Evaluating the impact of short term intense workshops on teen

>    mothers over a 6 weeks period of time

>

>

>

>

>

> Sara C. Mansbach, D.Ed.

>

> Program Director

>

> Lapsits for Early Literacy

>

> 864-414-0875

>

> info at lapsits.org

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Gail J. Price

>

> Multimedia Specialist

>

> National Center for Family Literacy

>

> 325 W. Main Street, Suite 300

>

> Louisville, KY 40202

>

> gprice at famlit.org

>

> 502 584-1133, ext. 112

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

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> FamilyLiteracy at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

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

>




-- 
Joanna A. Barnes
P.O. Box 1123
Ha'iku, HI  96708

(808) 281-3331
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