Hi Everyone,

Welcome to our discussion with Robin Lovrien Schwarz! 

Robin is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer and veteran teacher of both ESOL and LD. Currently she does independent consulting in learning difficulties isn adult ESOL andadult education. While continuing doctoral studies in ESOL and Learning difficulties at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, Robin resides in Wisconsin.

We will discuss Robin's article in the latest issue of Focus on Basics: 

Addressing Potential Impediments to Learning with ESOL Students
http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/fob/2007/fob_8d.pdf

Note: Issue 8D is available only in PDF format. You can find this article on page 20.

Adult ESOL students who are not achieving the expected progress are often assumed to have learning disabilities. While this may indeed be the case, there are several other issues that can impede their ability to learn. This article discusses several of these issues and offers strategies to assess them and address them.

Please think about the Discussion Questions listed below, and send your thoughts to the list:

Discussion Questions 

1. What are some of the problems of learners in your program who have not made progress? 
2. Do you think the factors discussed in the article could explain some struggles you've noticed in your learners? 
3. How have you discovered, and then addressed the issues?
4. How can a program develop a coherent system to identify these issues?
5. What kind of professional development do practitioners need in order to address these problems?

To read a relevant article from two years ago: "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 

All the best,
Julie

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