Valley, I believe writing in the student's native language was 
addressed in an issue of TESOL Matters last year sometime.  Look 
through their archives-- I could be having a senior moment and it was 
FOB, but I don't think so.  It is a WONDERFUL idea.  I am really 
entranced with this idea in any form, but for ELL's it would be 
especially positive.  The article, as I remember,  actually talked 
about having  ELL's write about something meaningful in their native 
language to help them feel less helpless as learners.  Then the 
suggestion was to begin to help them acquire the English to be able to 
speak or write about what they wrote about in their language.   I was 
struck by how respectful that process would be of learners who are 
often regarded as unable to express themselves about anything.

This Learner biography is something I will be anxious to pursue when I 
get a chance.
Robin Lovrien


-----Original Message-----
From: valleypeters at tetonliteracy.org
To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov
Sent: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:19 PM
Subject: [FocusOnBasics 448] Re: [RE] Learner biography process

Hi,As I was thinking about how to train tutors to do this, I thought 
one of the best ways would be to guide them through the same 
experience.  I used to ask tutors to write about a learning experience 
and we would identify what helped and what hindered that person's 
learning.  I can see expanding this in the way that Esther talks about 
below.  I think it also would be useful to offer our ELL students, who 
speak Spanish, a chance to write about this in their native language.


Has anyone tried to use this process when working in the student's 
native language?


Valley

On Jul 22, 2006, at 9:01 AM, e.b.shupe wrote:

Hi Everyone,
Since we generally identify learning and growth in terms of change, the 
learner biography process through discussion, and writing, help 
learners to gain more insight into behavior patterns that have kept 
them from moving forward as well as the freedom to bring about change 
and growth. For example, if in the process you discover that early 
experiences in learning spurned exploration or investigation, the 
result would be a learner identity that would be reticent to reach out 
and ask questions. I might add that not all experiences that learners 
recall are from formal learning but informal experiences as well. 
Consequently many ABE learners come to classes with a distorted image 
of themselves as learners. They carry with them past experiences and 
knowledge from those experiences that keep them from active 
participation in their own learning as well as the power to contribute 
to other ways of knowing. And so the result for many learners is lack 
of persistence. Many commun! ity colleges have in place a "student 
success seminar" that highlights ways in which "at risk" students can 
learn about successful learning behavior patterns. This is only part of 
what is needed for many learners. THe approach needs to be centered 
around the learner and his/her experiences and ways in which learners 
can themselves "re-story" or reframe those experiences to reflect a 
more positive change in future learning. They key is in the restorying 
of the experiences. Instead of coming away feeling inadequate or 
deficient, we come away with a larger understanding of covert forces 
that help shape our identities.
I would be interested to hear what others think. thanks, Esther









---------[ Received Mail Content ]----------

Subject : [FocusOnBasics 443] Learner biography process

Date : Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:28:26 -0400


>From : "Julie McKinney"


To :



Has anyone else out there used the kind of learner biography process

that Esther describes as a way to explore past learning experiences?



Valley talked of training tutors to use this approach...has anyone done

a training in this approach?



Esther and all, after the writing, how do you process the past

experiences to connect them to the here-and-now? How does the past 
guide

the learner's present and future learning experience?



Julie



***********************************

I'm sorry for such a delayed reply to Valley's email but my email 
set-up

changed and there was a delay in the postings to me. In answer to your

question about "reflection questions" used in the process. THe learner

biography process starts in group format (orally) with discussion about

early learning experiences. THe exchange is quite open ended with

freedom to talk about both formal and informal types of learning

experiences. It then moves into a more formal stage of the process,

which is the writing part. Once the group (inclusive of the learner) 
has

identified one or more pervasive theme/s the learner can begin to write

his/her story as it relates to theme identified. It is in the writing

that the learner gains both the awareness and distance to see the ways

in which his/her identity as a learner had been shaped by those

experiences. I may or may not have answered your question directly but

you can find more information about this process in "learning from our

live! s" by Pierre Dominice. If you do decide to facilitate this

process, I would love to hear more about your experiences, and I would

be happy to share more with you off-line.

thanks,

Esther

Julie McKinney

Discussion List Moderator

World Education/NCSALL

jmckinney at worlded.org




>>> e.b.shupe at lycos.com 07/19/06 9:24 AM >>>




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Valley Peters
Director of Adult Services
valleypeters at tetonliteracy.org
307.733.9242


Teton Literacy Program provides literacy education and resources to 
open doors for individuals and families to achieve their personal, 
professional, and academic goals, as contributing members of our 
community.









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