Hi Mary Jane,
 
Thanks so much for this.  It sounds like you have worked on this area
quite a bit.  I definitely see that once the ESOL student has entered an
ABE class, they certainly would need to keep up somewhat on their own
(or already be confident at that level) because some of their skills
would already be assumed in the regular ABE student.  
 
Mary Jane:  do you have ways that you gauge if the student is ready to
go to the ABE classroom?  Do you work with ESOL students on gauging
their own capabilities and then how to address any gaps?  In other
words, do you have strategies that you employ with your students that
ready them to be their own advocate in the higher level classroom?
 
Thanks,
Marie Cora
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Mary Jane Jerde
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 9:39 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 910] Re: September welcome!
 
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:
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 <mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>  
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
 <mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> 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
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48256/*http:/travel.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTFh
N2hucjlpBF9TAzk3NDA3NTg5BHBvcwM1BHNlYwNncm91cHMEc2xrA2VtYWlsLW5jbQ-->
great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/attachments/20070907/792c4720/attachment.html