Posted at the request of Julie McKinney, Moderator, Focus on Basics List



>For those who are interested: the discussion of Struggling ESOL Learners

>starts tomorrow on the Focus on Basics Discussion List.  Please join

>Robin Schwarz and the rest of us to discuss her article in Focus on

>Basics, Vol. 8A.

>

>To read the article: "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

>

>Below are the questions we posted last week to get us thinking about the

>article and how it relates to the work we do.

>

>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 Sudanese

>men 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 tomorrow for the discussion!

>

>Julie

>

>Julie McKinney

>Discussion List Moderator

>World Education/NCSALL

>jmckinney at worlded.org