Jodi: 

The Practicum takes place in any ESL/ESOL class I am teaching (sometimes also at Workplace sites, and currently at a Theological seminary where we provide English for Theological Studies programs). Many of our classes are held in local schools, churches and libraries. The Practicum trainees shadow me, interact with the learners, participate in post-class discussion and planning, and eventually try their hand at teaching.

We have tried various schedules --in attempts to accommodate trainees. The most effective was an intensive course - 60 hours of student-contact hours + 20 hours of post-class discussion and planning, all in a 4 week period. Unfortunately this is not feasible for most individuals entering the world of community-based adult ESL/ESOL instruction or volunteer tutoring. So we have also run 6 and 8 week (30-40 hours, 2x weekly). I individualized a course this past Dec/Jan for a trainee who could attend only bi-weekly. Too much time between sessions. 

Included in the Practicum:
Some readings and discussion of Adult Learning/Adult Education (Freire, Vella, et al)
Cross-cultural information and observation
Techniques for Targeted Listening, Dialog and Pronunciation, Reading, and Writing for Everyday Purposes ( and related grammar), materials evaluation and design, and assessment. Also discussion of continuing ed and professional development opportunities, and building a network of Adult Ed colleagues (a challenge since most of us teach in isolation)

Very much a roll-up-your-sleeves course (hence the course name).
Some trainees have been hired into our programs directly from the training. ( A good way for me to observe a potential instructor with learners)
Some took a second Practicum in an ESL/ESOL class of a different level.
Some decided ESL was not for them.
Some took their new learning back to other programs for staff training and/or use in their own classrooms.

The questions raised and discussions that followed have always been valuable for me--perhaps even more so than for the trainees. Even more important--the multiplied benefits to the ESL learners who interacted with a small group of English speakers.

Note: never more than 3 Practicum trainees in a course.

I have also used the model when presenting at Adult Ed conferences--a small group ESL learners in tow.
Some have asked me to create videos and to take the Practicum on the road.
I just have not figured out the logistics of making those things happen.

Joanne

Jointure for Community Adult Education, Inc.
Somerset County, NJ



-----Original Message-----
From: Jodi Crandall <crandall at umbc.edu>
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Sent: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 8:07 pm
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1948] Re: Volunteer tutorshttp://webmail.aol.com/34032/aol/en-us/Mail/DisplayMessage.aspx#









Joanne,



This is a pretty dramatic demonstration of commitment to students.




I would be interested in a general overview of the Practicum, how long it was held, the major topics, where you held it, etc.




Jodi Crandall



On Feb 8, 2008, at 9:47 PM, jhalaesl at aol.com wrote:



 We had an interesting experience with this a few years ago. NJ Reads awarded us a grant for our volunteer efforts. The funds were to cover Adult Ed conference fees, materials and equipment needed by volunteer tutors, incidentals needed by students, the cost of tuition in our home-grown Practicum in Adult ESL/ESOL Instruction. 
 
 Most of the volunteers attended at least one Adult Ed conference and about half participated in our Practicum--all charged to the grant. There were purchases of : a modestly priced computer printer, several Oxford Picture Dictionaries, and one pre-paid phone for a single-mom student who could only attend tutoring sessions if her daughter (11) could stay in contact (no home phone). 
 
 The remaining expenses related to volunteer tutoring and professional development were never submitted for reimbursement. 
 
 When surveyed, the volunteers stated that they wanted the monies to go directly to program costs not toward the cost of their own education. 
 
 And there was a strong sense that the program's willingness to support the volunteer efforts financially enhanced these philanthropic sentiments.
 
 
 
 Joanne
 
 






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