>Colleagues:


Below is an announcement posted on behalf of Julie McKinney, the Moderator 
of the Focus on Basics Discussion List.  Those of you who serve ESOL 
learners may be interested. -- Kim

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


>Hi All!

>

>I invite you to join us next week on the Focus on Basics list, for a

>discussion about ESOL learners who seem "stuck".

>

>When:   Wed, Feb. 15th - Wed, Feb 22nd

>Where:  On the Focus on Basics Discussion List (You can subcribe

>for     the week and then unsubscribe.) Go to:

>         www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/focusonbasics

>

>Who and What:

>Robin Schwarz, a longtime LD specialist, researcher and ESOL tutor,

>will

>discuss her  recent article, "Taking a Closer Look at Struggling ESOL

>Learners ", about ESOL learners who seem "stuck", and how we can find

>the real reasons for their struggles and find ways to get them back on

>track.

>

>You can find this article at:

>http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=994

>

>Following are some questions to think about as we prepare to discuss

>this article. If you have staff meetings coming up, I encourage you to

>use them as a chance to discuss the following questions as they relate

>to your center or program.

>

>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

>Sudanesemen 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 next week for the discussion!

>

>Julie

>

>

>

>Julie McKinney

>Discussion List Moderator

>World Education/NCSALL

>jmckinney at worlded.org

>

>_______________________________________________

>National Institute for Literacy

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

>Moderator's Resource Page: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs_dlms/contents.html