Hi Jackie and All Listers!
I am delighted to be included on the List. I just discovered you recently! My research in the field of Adult Ed ESOL has included a wide range of topics from Motivation and Retention, to Assessment and Placement (and everything in between). To address Jackie's latest posting, I believe the most profound need of Adult Ed in general is Awareness Training to the general public about the accessibility and availability of our fabulous Adult Ed programs nationwide, often meeting in church basements in New York City, to community centers in Oakland. We're everywhere, yet the American public is oblivious to our otherwise, valiant efforts. We need to get our positive message of Adult Ed out to the public media. How? Well that will take your input and energy. 
 
Regarding Adult Ed ESOL: This is the fastest growing component of Adult Ed! I live on the Mexican border in Texas where the 2nd and 3rd fastest growing population in the entire country resides! (Vegas is #1, Laredo is #2, and McAllen-Edinburg, Texas is #3 (US Census, 2000) How wonderful! Our greatest need which screams for attention is Accessibility and Availability of facilities, funding, and public awareness of our classes (i.e, "Program"). Again, I return to the theme: the public who is in great need of ESOL classes are either unaware of the availability of this valuable resource, or are afraid of Immigration issues, or otherwise, such as lack of proper clothing, baby sitting, etc. 
 
Our population along the border with Mexico is very poor, Spanish-speaking, but growing prolifically! They lack specific skill-training in English language, often falling "between the cracks" of society. We believe that education is the key to this. South Texas College of McAllen, Texas, was born about 10 years ago and since then has grown to 18,000 primarily Mexican-American students. This proves the desire is there to improve and move up into USA society.
 
Besides PD and staff development, I also teach 5 classes of English/ESOL at the College and am very proud of our efforts in addressing border problems. However, we've only begun and our drop-out rate is nearly 50%! (and these students are English speaking!) So one can readily imagine if this is happening here with an organized, well-funded College, then the needs for Hispanic ESOL classes, particularly in job-skills are astounding. We join the moderator, Jackie, and the entire List Serve in inviting any ideas for opening a forum and addressing this (these) concerns as well. 
 
Dr. Melvin Clark, Texas
 
 
 
 

________________________________

From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Taylor, Jackie
Sent: Mon 11/20/2006 3:53 PM
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 655] Re: List introduction: Dr. Clark/Texas



Hello Dr. Clark, All,

Dr. Clark, welcome to the Professional Development List! I'll bet you are a wealth of information about ESOL PD resources. I hope if you have more information, and also training-specific resource info, please do send them our way. Given your recent work, would you tell us more, in particular, about what you're seeing as the greatest need for ESOL professional development?

 

We've had many new subscribers this fall, and I invite anyone new or returning (or first time posters) to share an intro - tell us about yourself, why you subscribed, or what brought you to the adult literacy and language field.

 

Something I've been wondering for a long time - how can this listserv better meet the needs of ESOL professional development staff? For those of you in the ESOL PD field -- when you joined the PD List, how were you hoping this list would support ESOL PD needs? Taking it another step further -- how can AALPD (www.aalpd.org <http://www.aalpd.org/> ) be more inclusive of ESOL? I hope to hear from ESOL colleagues in Texas and other parts of the country.

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts...Jackie

 

Jackie Taylor, Adult Literacy Professional Development List Moderator, jataylor at utk.edu

 

 

________________________________

From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Melvin Dr. Clark
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 11:23 AM
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 649] List introduction: Dr. Clark/Texas

 

Hello. My name is Dr. Clark von Heller from the Mexico-Texas border. My area of interest and research has been Adult ESOL issues, ranging from assessment to multi-level classes (having authored a book on the latter). I served as Coordinator of the Texas ESOL Teacher Training Project in the 90's with Dr. Mark Walsh at Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas. What a wonderful challenge! Hispanics are the fastest growing group in the USA, thus the need for Adult ESOL training and growth potential, is very real, nationwide. Currently I am working with college aged ESOL learners on the border. We have identified five levels of students in our program, including 0 level for preliterates which may come as a surprise to some practitioners in other parts of the country. I offer intensive Adult Ed training and staff development as well as keynoting events/conferences nationwide. If I could ever be of service, I would be happy to visit your state and program and perhaps make a few suggestions or help in any way possible. My details are:

Dr. Clark von Heller

South Texas College

400 N. Border

Weslaco, TX  78596

(956) 447-6683

________________________________

The South Texas College domain name has changed from stcc.cc.tx.us to southtexascollege.edu. Please update your contact list. 

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