>>> Maria Caratini-Prado 07/22/08 11:36 AM >>>

Good morning!

Thank you Dr. Brian for reposting these questions. As the Program Director
for ESL at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, and with eight years experience 
in Business Industry ESL I will introduce our model.

Questions about Workplace Literacy:

-The terms workforce, workplace, and work-based are often used interchangeably in discussions of work-related literacy, basic skills, and English language instruction.  Is one preferred over the others and is there a marked difference in meaning? 

I perfer the term workforce because every important office in our state bears the word:  "Texas Workforce Commission" for example. And our college division bears the word in its title: "Division of Workforce Development."  Keeping to the term "workforce" allows businesses to relate and access our services faster.   

-If you recognize a local need for work-related literacy services in your community, what do you do about it?  How do you go about approaching the employer(s) to discuss needs? 

At Eastfield College, I use census demographics information and city statistical information to learn where in the area there is marked density of non-English language speakers.  I drive through those areas and meet with directors or managers to talk about what I see.  (I do this every summer in early July.)  I have a document that shows the different programs and courses my college offers and emphasize that those courses can be adapted to fit industry.

-What needs to happen at the initial meeting between a company/employer and a workplace ESL provider?  I like to provide a "mini-college fair" at the company.  Once I am in the door, I feel that the first person I need to speak to is the one needing the language because in significant numbers, the employees will clamor for the company to offer ESL.  I also provide my customary presentation to the CEO, managers, etc. and provide a sample of what a Business Industry ESL class is like.

-How do you go about identifying the language skills needed in the workplace?  Once I choose the perfect instructor, we request permission to shadow the company, collect brochures to create vocabulary logs.  This information is sorted and included in the various units presented in class.

-How can you address the work-related language needs of learners coming to your regular ESL classes?  Our program at Eastfield provides workforce content in our textbook series that is further enhanced with instructional handouts provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.  We have four posters provided by TWC that teach our students about getting a job, interviewing, calculating salary, and sustaining performance.  We use some handouts from Equipped for the Future that show the importance of mastering English for home, work and community.  In the spring of 2009, we will be offering a new program at our college, Basic Workplace ESL Skills, with a weekend college format, to allow students who want a greater emphasis on workforce skills to have their own program.

 
 



Maria Caratini Prado, M. Ed. TESOL
ESL/ESOL Teaching & Learning
Arts, Languages & Literature Division
Eastfield College, Texas
mcaratini at dcccd.edu
www.eastfieldcollege.com
(972) 860-7659 office
(972) 860-8392 fax
"Advancing English Education Globally"

>>> "Brian, Dr Donna J G" <djgbrian at utk.edu> 07/22/08 5:23 AM >>>

 

Colleagues,

For some reason, Barbara Tondre was unable to post directly to the list,
and I was without electricity all of last evening due to a ferocious
storm that passed through, and so was without computer access.  

 

The questions that Barbara provides below are all good jumping off
places.  Which ones are of special interest to you?  To let us know,
just reply to this post with your comments.

 

Donna

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dear Colleagues, 

 

It is only Monday, but I thought I would try giving our discussion a
jump start by offering some prompt questions that Pat and I provided
Donna Brian.  If you are just beginning to venture into matters related
to the workplace, these questions may "speak to you".  If so, send a
reply and let us know what peaks your interest.  If on the other hand,
you've got questions you don't see here, or issues you would like to
discuss, we hope that you will introduce them.  

 

Questions about Workplace Literacy:

 

1.	The terms workforce, workplace, and work-based are often used
interchangeably in discussions of work-related literacy, basic skills,
and English language instruction.  Is one preferred over the others and
is there a marked difference in meaning?
2.	If you recognize a local need for work-related literacy services
in your community, what do you do about it?  How do you go about
approaching the employer(s) to discuss needs?
3.	What needs to happen at the initial meeting between a
company/employer and a workplace ESL provider?  (see page 74 of the
Tennessee Handbook)
4.	How do you go about identifying the language skills needed in
the workplace?  (see section starting on page 75)
5.	How can you address the work-related language needs of learners
coming to your regular ESL classes?

 

Anything pop off the page?  Let us hear from you!

 

Barbara Tondre

 

________________________________

From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Pat Sawyer
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 12:19 PM
To: workplace at nifl.gov
Subject: [Workplace 1503] What do we do first?

 

I know that many of you who are members of this discussion list are
experienced educators who have established ESOL classes in the
workplace.  There may also be others who have had little if any
experience in the workplace. 

 

 I am an "educator" and my only experience in the workplace was to wrap
Christmas presents at a department store when I was 18 years old. I
didn't know who to contact  or how to approach someone in a business
where we wanted to establish an ESOL class. This is the first and most
common question asked by those who are beginning to work with workplace
ESOL classes, "What do we do first?"

 

This question is answered many times and in many sections of our
workplace book, but if you will read page 144 in Appendix B-1 you may
begin to think about "what you do first."

 

Pat Sawyer