Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g7SMICX12946; Wed, 28 Aug 2002 18:18:12 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 18:18:12 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <7ADB45B391BF714283550310C8251A2F19BA2C@exchange1.sos.state.mo.us> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jones, Karen" <jonesk@sosmail.state.mo.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2212] RE: EFF and current events X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Status: RO Content-Length: 4729 Lines: 82 Although it was not an EFF classroom (too long ago <sigh>), an activity set I found successful was, as Andy said, letting it emerge ahead of time what issues we were going to pay attention to early in the semester. The issues were different for different groups at different times. Then we taped large pieces of paper to the back wall (a bulletin board would be even better) and labeled one for each topic. On a nearby shelf was an expandable folder labeled for each of those topics. As individual students found information or had a question about one of the topics, they wrote a note about it on the paper and/or put a copy of the information they had found in the folder. We could add sheets of paper on the topic to the stack. Sometimes students would specifically seek information, sometimes it just appeared during another activity. Then when we were prompted periodically by new notes to discuss the issues, we had information and our past notes close at hand. Some semesters we added topics as things happened in our lives or the world. I confess to planting information occasionally if I thought they needed to know something they hadn't mentioned (voter registration deadlines, for example) or were off on a tangent, but in general I let it all emerge and facilitated discussion when the time seemed right. I was working on reading and speaking and survival skills with my classes at that point, but I think the activity would back up several topics and standards. It seemed to surprise the students what connected with what. The activity did not take a lot of effort and time but kept us from forgetting to discuss things. It also made the point that knowledge grows and can be combined and need for knowledge comes back around. Karen Jones -----Original Message----- From: Andy Nash [mailto:andy_nash@jsi.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 2:22 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2211] EFF and current events Understanding current events is not usually a high priority goal for adult students, even though state and national events have big implications for people's lives and options. Yet if you ask them if they are interested/concerned, adult students often have a lot to say about their worries about what's going on in their communities and in the world. And this is often how activities related to the community member role map come about - the teacher surveys students about their concerns and then asks if they want to learn more so that they'll be able to take informed action if they want to. But one of the challenges of teaching about current events is that these events change quickly. By the time you develop your lesson, the situation has changed and different information is needed. Or by the time the students develop the background knowledge needed to understand the present issue, their interest has started to wane. I've found that one way to deal with that is to think ahead with students about the news events they want to pay attention to - to help them understand the context of events that may hit the front pages rather suddenly. For example, the upcoming year anniversary of 9/11, and the threatened invasion of Iraq are both subjects that will be heavily in the news in the coming months. If students are interested in these topics and their presentation in the media, you can turn to standards such as "observe critically," "read with understanding," or "resolve conflict and negotiate," to guide lessons that will begin to prepare students to grapple with the competing perspectives and highly charged debate that may be in the news. Prep activities might include: * background readings that introduce key vocabulary and concepts * geography lessons * discussions of history, including class constructions of past events (educated immigrants often know much more about world history than we do) * lessons on media literacy and how to identify bias * work on reading comprehension strategies, such as identifying your own questions before you read information * discussion of listening and conflict resolution strategies (before, not after, people are in a heated discussion) * discussion of immigrant and civil rights and whether they must be traded for "security" Students who have done some prep work will be much better able to stay abreast of news as it evolves and much better able to develop well-informed opinions. And, though some believe that world affairs are not a priority for adult students, the local ramifications - the possibility of drafted sons, tax money shifted from public services to the military, the threatened safety of Arab-looking people (immigrants or not), etc. would affect most of us on a daily basis. Andy Nash
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