[Assessment 919] Re: Passing the Torchfchisman forrest at crosslink.netFri Sep 7 22:40:14 EDT 2007
Marie, We don't have any empirical evidence about the applicability of these findings outside community colleges, but I see no reason why most of they should NOT be suitable for Board of Education programs and the more professionalized CBO's. I dobt, however, that thnly they are suitable to CBO's that rely primarily on volunteer tutoring. I think there is an element of student-self assessment in some of the "outside the classroom" strategies -- but not in the sense that the term "self-asessment" usually employed. I have nothing against it. We just didn't find it. No, we're interested in cost/effective (and time/effective) ways to measure all four skills. The idea about computer-adaptive tests was just a stab in the dark. As of now, there is no good, quick, inexpensive way to measure all four skills. Forrest -----Original Message----- From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Marie Cora Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 5:16 PM To: 'The Assessment Discussion List' Subject: [Assessment 918] Re: Passing the Torch Hi Forrest and Jodi - thank you so much for these resources. I am aware of Passing the Torch, but I have not had the pleasure of reading it through. I've read the executive summary, which is quite a thorough overview. Guess I'll read the whole report now! I know that the paper is focused on Community College - would you say that the information would be applicable in other venues, for example, CBOs, volunteer organizations, and the like? Also, the overview provides an incredibly rich array of approaches, supports, techniques - indeed: innovative strategies for addressing this complex issue (see: #6. Improving Learning Gains in the executive summary). Do any of the strategies involve the student in assessment, or do any strategies include student self-assessment? (The section on Learning Outside the Classroom prompts me to ask these questions.) Finally, you note that computer-adaptive tests with voice recognition software would enhance the paucity of assessments that appropriately gauge the range of ESOL students' skills. I'm intrigued: would this mostly be focused on the oral skills of the student then? Do you feel there are adequate assessments for writing and reading skills? Can you talk a bit more about this? Thank you so much! Marie Cora Assessment Discussion List Moderator -----Original Message----- From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of fchisman Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 5:58 PM To: Jodi Crandall; The Assessment Discussion List Subject: [Assessment 914] Re: September welcome! The Yakima program and its outcomes are descriped in more detail in a separate report on it by Pamela Ferguson et.al, also published on www.caalusa.org. Forrest Chisman -----Original Message----- From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 12:40 PM To: The Assessment Discussion List Subject: [Assessment 911] Re: September welcome! I agree that transition classes are a good idea, but a program which offers gradual transition to ABE may also be a good solution. Yakima Valley Community College has an integrated ESL/ABE program, with students in the upper levels of adult ESL taking first ABE math classes and then ABE reading. You can learn more about the program in a report that Forrest Chisman and I did on promising practices in adult ESL in the community college: Passing the Torch You can access the report online under Occasional Papers at www.caalusa.org I should note that we also identify one of the major barriers to transition for adult English Language Learners is the lack of an assessment system, with different tests used for exit from one program and entry to another. Jodi Crandall > This is a good on-going topic. > > In my experience, ESL students either have the means to take the advanced > grammar and pronunciation courses, etc., or they are pressed to get the > diploma. If they can stay in school at all. > > In my experience, a transition class is an ideal. The reality has been > that I attempt to ground them in the basics of English especially > verbs,simple past and present, continuous, both kinds of future, a few > modals, negatives. Then I encourage them that when they enter an ABE or > similar class, they will still be responsible to maintain and develop > their grammar and other English skills. It will not be the teacher's job > to pour it into them or spend class time coaching them or having peer > coaching the way that we can in ESL class. They have to be their own > advocates on this. > > Mary Jane Jerde > > > > Donna Chambers <donnaedp at cox.net> wrote: > Clean Clean DocumentEmail > MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:* { BEHAVIOR: > url(#default#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ > table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; > mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; > mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; > mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; > mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; > font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} Marie > and All, > > Happy September! I must admit that I have not read all the postings on > the listserv and so if the discussion I am suggesting has already > happened, please forgive me. > > I would like to suggest a discussion designing a system that > efficiently moves ESOL learners through to ABE and ASE. For several > years now my experience has been with non-native English learners who > want to receive their high school diploma or GED. They get "stuck" in > ESOL classes that do not provide an integrated curriculum that would > allow them to move ahead. How can we make the smooth transition from > ESOL to ABE and how can we in Adult Education facilitate the learner > through a pipeline? > > This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a number of > professional development summer sessions that focused on assessment. > These sessions were offered to K12 teachers and administrators, but I > found everything relevant to adult learners as well. Competency-based > assessment is my specialty, but I was introduced to the idea of > formative vs. summative assessment and how both guide instruction in the > classroom. Understanding assessment would allow ESOL learners to work > along side native English speakers with teaching and learning being > focused on the skills that need to be learned. I believe this would > make a great discussion topic. Let me know if I can help. > > Donna Chambers > > From: Marie Cora > To: Assessment at nifl.gov > Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 2:12 PM > Subject: [Assessment 906] September welcome! > > > Dear Colleagues, > > Hello! Welcome to September! Welcome to those List Members who have > been here for a while, and welcome to new subscribers as well. If you > are new to the List, please introduce yourself and let us know why > you have subscribed to the Assessment Discussion List - what topics > would you like to see focused on here? And to veteran subscribers - > what is on your minds these days? What topics of interest would > you like to see discussed? > > I have in the works a couple of guest discussions that will take > place this fall - one focused on GED and another focused on using > data in the classroom as a follow up to our discussion last April on > using data for program improvement (see below for info on accessing > this discussion in the archives). I would really like to have > something focused on ESOL - any suggestions? I have a few ideas > but want to hear from you. > > For those of you who are new, let me share these List Tips, they can > be very helpful. Also - new folks may want to scroll down to read > the information on using the Archives so that you can see what types > of discussions we have had in the past. > > Thanks so much - looking forward to hearing from you and having some > great discussions here! > > Marie Cora > Assessment Discussion List Moderator > > Discussion List Tips > Here are some suggestions for maximizing your experience as a List > Member, both in terms of getting the most out of the content, as > well as minimizing the time and effort involved in following the > Discussion List. In addition to the tips below, you should always > feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns, or if you > need help: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com > Posting to the List > Please include an email address in your signature line in at least > your first message so that subscribers can respond to your inquiry > off-list if they choose. > Please be sure that the Subject Line heading matches the content of > your message; many subscribers follow discussion threads via the > Subject Line, and often, the message content shifts as people > converse, but the Subject Line remains the same from the first > posted message. This makes it more difficult to follow discussion > threads. Please remember to check the Subject Line info and change > it to appropriately reflect your message content, if needed. > Consider whether your reply is best suited to send to only one > person or the whole group. > Managing Your Subscription > Digest Format > This format allows subscribers to receive Discussion List > messages "bundled" into one or two emails per day. The subject line > will not be topic-specific, so any replies to digest format often > mean the subject line will need adjusting before replying. Also, > subscribers using digest format do not receive the information that > was posted right away. Because of that, this option may or may not > suit everyone's needs. > From the Assessment Discussion List page: > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Assessment > Scroll down to Unsubscribe and other options at the bottom and > enter your subscription email address. > This takes you to a page where it asks you if you want to > unsubscribe or to log in using your password. Log in. (There is a > button you can click to have your password emailed to you if you've > forgotten it.) > Once you've logged in, scroll down to where it reads "set digest > mode". Click this to "on", then scroll down further and click > "submit my changes." > Use the archives > You do not have to be subscribed to a List to use the archives, so > if you are interested in reading about certain topics, but don't > want to be a List Member, this option is open for you. (See > below for more information on using the archives.) > Just hit delete! > This is when the Subject Line can be your best friend! If the topic > of discussion just isn't up your alley, or you simply don't have the > time at the moment, the delete button is a good option. No one > is making you be a subscriber so you should feel no guilt! It's all > your choice! Often subscribers say that they just can't hit delete > for fear of missing something, but remember that all posts get > logged automatically in the archives and so when you *do* have the time > or when that topic area *does* interest you, you can go back and > search for those posts in the archives. > Using the Archives > To read full discussions, or search and read the archives, visit the > Assessment List Archives at: > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Assessment. > The archives can be sorted by thread/subject/author. > In the right-hand toolbar: > Click on Search Archives; you can search just the Assessment > archives or all the List archives from here; search by thread, > subject, or author. > Click on List Events to view information on upcoming, as well as > past, Discussion Topics. > Click on List Help for the FAQ about using the Lists. > > > Marie Cora > marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com > NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment > Coordinator, LINCS Assessment Special Collection > http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/ > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > ------------------------------- > National Institute for Literacy > Assessment mailing list > Assessment at nifl.gov > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment > Email delivered to donnaedp at cox.net > ------------------------------- > National Institute for Literacy > Assessment mailing list > Assessment at nifl.gov > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment > Email delivered to mjjerdems at yahoo.com > > > > --------------------------------- > Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. > ------------------------------- > National Institute for Literacy > Assessment mailing list > Assessment at nifl.gov > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment > Email delivered to crandall at umbc.edu > -- JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall Professor, Education Department Director, Ph.D. Program in Language, Literacy & Culture Coordinator, Peace Corps Master's International Program in ESOL/Bilingual Education University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 ph: 410-455-2313/2376 fax: 410-455-8947/1880 email: crandall at umbc.edu www.umbc.edu/llc/ www.umbc.edu/esol/ www.umbc.edu/esol/peacecorps.html ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Assessment mailing list Assessment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment Email delivered to forrest at crosslink.net ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Assessment mailing list Assessment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment Email delivered to marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Assessment mailing list Assessment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment Email delivered to forrest at crosslink.net
More information about the Assessment mailing list |