Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id OAA09594; Wed, 3 May 2000 14:36:00 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 14:36:00 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <NCBBKFFJMKFIFAGAFGNEOEBACJAA.ahasty@famlit.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Ann Hasty" <ahasty@famlit.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:2897] RE: ESL family literacy program X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 6878 Lines: 166 The correct number for the National Center for Family Literacy is 502-584-1133. The training coordinator is Cathy McTighe, ext. 140. Or you can call the Infoline (877-326-5481), and select the training option to reach Cathy. Ann Z. Hasty National Center for Family Literacy Waterfront Plaza, Suite 200 325 West Main Street Louisville, KY 40202-4251 phone (502) 584-1133; fax (502) 584-0172 ahasty@famlit.org > -----Original Message----- > From: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov > [mailto:nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David Chandler > Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2000 2:19 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:2896] RE: ESL family literacy program > > > Jessie, I'm just down the road from you in Boulder with the Boulder Family > Independence Initiative. We have been problem-solving in some of the areas > you discussed, with second language learners (mainly Spanish-speaking) in > parent time, as well as having PACT time in classrooms. Let me say first > that if you haven't had implementation training from the National > Center for > Family Literacy (NCFL), do so.(Call 502-584-0172.) It will give > you a sense > of the whole program and how to integrate and structure the components. It > will also stress the purposes of the components, so if you need > to customize > your components to suit your families, you'll still know how to > maintain the > integrity of the program. Also, since you are working with second language > learners, you may want to join the nifl-esl list serve. It's a valuable > source of ESL instructional and resource information. > > Our program is formed from a coalition of agencies, so we have access to > paid teachers as well as well trained tutors. I do know of successful > programs that utilize only trained tutors. In parent time we have used > bilingual staff to facilitate discussions. We are continually trying to > refine our parent time, so I am not implying that we have found all the > answers. One site serves only Spanish speaking parents, so discussion is > held mainly in Spanish. At another site, students are at various levels of > speaking English, the teacher is English speaking, but another > staff member > is bilingual so she translates or holds separate discussions as necessary. > Since some parents at both sites are beginning English speakers, utilizing > the native language of students is the best way to communicate. > Title I pays > a significant portion of bilingual staff's salary. There has been some > national discussion on this list serve that some programs are > English- only > and it seems to work for them. That's not the case with what we see with > beginning English speakers. If you are unable to fund bilingual staff, > parents who are versed in Parent Time discussions may be able to translate > or lead groups. > > PACT time in grades 1-5 is another area that deserves attention. PACT time > was originally developed based on a preschool model of play centers. > Classrooms are very different. NCFL has a grant from Toyota to develop a > model, so make sure you are on their mailing list. Again, we > don't have all > the answers, but we are implementing various strategies to make it work. > PACT time in Kindergarten works fine since most are based on centers. > Generally, in elementary school, teachers are under so much pressure with > Standards Assessments and the Colorado K-3 Basic Literacy Act, that they > haven't figured out how parents can be useful with their children in class > and we havent yet trained teachers how they can be supportive. (Family > literacy is just another piece of the puzzle for them.) Parents have > generally just observed their children working in class, and > review what was > seen in Parent Time. We are building in a home visit component to > develop a > more traditional PACT time but also will be training parents in > the various > literacy programs and interventions that our district has > implemented: First > Steps, 6-Traits, Dual Language Bilingual, CLIP, SOAR, etc. That way they > will be familiar with instruction IF we can schedule parents in during the > literacy block. We also will have a family literacy staff person > designated > to be a teacher liaison to work out problems with parents in class, i.e., > child is English speaking, parent is monlingual Spanish, child is > in English > speaking classroom. > > Good luck with your program and come and visit if you can find > the time. We > have morning and afternoon programs. > > > > > ---------- > > From: Jessie Bullock > > Reply To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov > > Sent: Tuesday, May 2, 2000 10:55 PM > > To: Multiple recipients of list > > Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:2894] ESL family literacy program > > > > Hi, > > > > I work with an organization in Denver, CO that has a family literacy > > program in two different elementary schools. The program > participants are > > > > parents of children who attend the elementary schools. The adult > > education > > component is English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. I am > fairly new > > to family literacy. Prior to this I worked only in adult ESL programs > > that > > had no parent time, PACT, or early childhood education components. > > > > I have been searching for organizations/ programs that operate a family > > literacy program with a non-native English speaking population. Our > > program operates three days per week for 2 1/2 hours per day at > one of the > > > > schools and the other school operates two days per week for 2 > 1/2 hour per > > > > day. Each parent goes to PACT in his/her child's classroom for 25-30 > > minutes per week per child. We have parent time discussions > for the first > > > > half hour each morning. Is this type of structure common? > > > > How are others structuring their family literacy programs? Does anyone > > experience challenges facilitating parent time discussions with a > > non-native English speaking population? Does anyone have challenges > > working with the classroom teachers in the schools? How is PACT time > > handled in your program? Do you have paid instructors for the > ESL classes > > > > or do you use volunteers? > > > > I know that is a lot of questions to be asking, but I am looking for > > feedback from individuals in other organizations/agencies in > hopes that it > > > > will give me some ideas. I am interested from hearing from > anyone who has > > > > input into any of the questions I have asked. I hope that > others on the > > list will benefit from this as well. > > > > Jessie Bullock > > Family Literacy > > Denver, CO > > > > jessie@black-diamond.com > > www.black-diamond.com > > ----------------- > > The pupil who is never required > > to do what he cannot do, never > > does what he can do. > > -- John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), > > British philosopher, economist > > > > >
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