Well, I think we could demonstrate positive impact in students who have 
irregular attendance, but they would probably need some minimum intensity 
and duration to succeed. In England, programs are held accountable by their 
students taking standardized tests, but they are curriculum tests, more 
like the GED, except that there are five levels of tests and there are 
several versions of each test. So every class is helping its students 
prepare to pass a specific test, not make a gain on a pre-test and 
post-test. This gets a bit away from persistence, but I do think an 
approach to program participation that employed episodes of classroom 
learning with self-study would fit better with level  tests than with 
pre-/post-test approach to accountability. Also, the policy allows for some 
students to decide not to take the tests.


> Begin forwarded message:

>

>> From: "Maurio, Rebecca" <RMaurio at carrollcc.edu>

>> Date: July 10, 2006 12:55:53 PM EDT

>> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>

>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 93] Re: Persistence Strategies

>> Reply-To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

>>

>> Great discussion and it's only early Monday!  I appreciate hearing

>> ideas and learning what has worked in other settings – this topic

>> is so critical to our work!

>>

>>

>>

>> Renata's comments lead me to ask – how can we help our funders and

>> other stakeholders to understand the realities our students and our

>> programs face?  While we all need to be held to certain

>> accountability measures, there will be many students who can

>> benefit from even what most would consider irregular attendance –

>> and I believe that's a good thing.  How can we demonstrate other

>> benefits - perhaps without the number of hours of attendance or

>> without the score on a standardized post-test?

>>

>>

>>

>> I also wonder - what activities and strategies are programs

>> employing to keep learners connected to their programs even when

>> they cannot attend regularly?

>>

>>

>>

>> Thanks!

>> Becki

>>

>>

>>

>> Becki Maurio

>>

>> ESOL Coordinator / Project Developer

>>

>> Carroll Community College

>>

>> Westminster, Maryland

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-

>> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Renata Russo

>> Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 12:43 PM

>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 92] Re: Persistence Strategies

>>

>>

>>

>> Hello Bruce,

>>

>>

>>

>> Thank you for sharing the two strategies that you have found

>> helpful when dealing with persistence. A comment I have about the

>> second strategy relates to funding and accountability. We as

>> teachers and administrators understand our learners' barriers to

>> participate. However, accountability has become a major barrier for

>> some programs in recent years. The performance-based approach and

>> funding measured by contact hours can have a major impact in our

>> programs.

>>

>>

>>

>> Renata

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-

>> bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Bruce Carmel

>> Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:26 AM

>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 91] Persistence Strategies

>>

>> Dear John,

>>

>> I've been working in adult literacy since 1989, and student

>> persistence (and retention) has been a challenge in every setting I

>> have known. Students' dropout or irregular attendance makes

>> educational gain difficult and really frustrates teachers. I

>> learned a lot when you and I worked together on the Wallace Funds

>> project, where we focused on persistence among library literacy

>> students.  There are two main strategies I have found helpful:

>>

>> 1) Offer high-quality instruction in a supportive environment

>> (There are many components of this.)

>>

>> 2) Re-define success. Accept that students are going to attend

>> classes in a way that fits into their lives and satisfies their

>> needs.  This might not fit into staff's concept of intensity and

>> duration of instruction--so staff have to accept a new, irregular,

>> sporadic model of participation.

>>

>>

>>

>> What do you think?  What do you think are the key issues,

>> strategies, suggestions for programs and staff struggling with

>> student persistence?

>>

>>

>>

>> From Bruce Carmel

>>

>> Turning Point

>>

>> Brooklyn, NY

>>

>>

>>

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

>> National Institute for Literacy

>> Special Topics mailing list

>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

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

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

>

> David Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

>

>




John Comings, Director
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
(617) 335-9839, mobile
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu