Hello all,
At the Community Learning Center in Cabmridge MA, I teach ABE at the level
where most of our ESOL learners enter the ABE side.  Transition has been a
thorny issue for us, as you can imagine.  We decided to try a formal
transition class; it worked well for the first year, but since then there
hasn't been a large enough group of students whom we felt would benefit
from this kind of class.  We've tried informally giving the TABE to ESOL
students who wanted to move into ABE, and that was certainly a wake-up for
the ESOL teachers because few earned the scores that we expect of ABE
learners at this level.  We're still working on it!

Wendy Quinones

On 9/7/07, Marie Cora <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> wrote:

>

>  Hi Donna and everyone,

>

>

>

> Thanks for your post – you've raised a whole bunch of interesting

> questions and issues.  I see that a couple of other emails address parts

> of your post, so I will focus instead on your comments involving formative

> and summative assessment.  I would argue that we need both of these types

> of assessment for different purposes, but I do believe that formative

> assessment can really provide the practitioner (and student!!) with some

> substantial immediate feedback in which they can both see where the

> strengths and challenges lie (lay?).

>

>

>

> I wonder if you could use various classroom (formative) assessments that

> are focused on ABE or ASE levels with ESOL students in order to determine

> their readiness in certain areas.  Does anyone do this?

>

>

>

> Also, Donna you said:  "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."  Were you talking about

> the practitioner understanding assessment better, or the ESOL student

> understanding it?  Both would be great!!  Does anyone involve the ESOL

> student in assessment – do you do any self assessment with students?  If

> so, what's it like?

>

>

>

> Thanks!

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

>

>

> PS:  here are a few resources/articles on formative assessment:

>

>

>

> Assessment Crisis: The Absence Of Assessment FOR Learning

>

> https://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0206sti.htm

>

>

>

> Assessment Resource Banks – New Zealand

>

> http://arb.nzcer.org.nz/nzcer3/using.htm

>

>

>

> Assessment Training Institute – ETS

>

> ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING:

> Formative Assessment That Can Improve Student Learning

>

> http://www.assessmentinst.com/

>

>

>

> Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, Second

> Edition

>

> http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1555425003.html

>

>

>

> The Concept of Formative Assessment

>

> http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=8&n=9

>

>

>

> Formative assessment and the Assessment Resource Banks

>

> http://arb.nzcer.org.nz/nzcer3/formative.htm

>

>

>

> Improving Teaching and Learning for Adults with Basic Skill Needs through

> Formative Assessment

>

> CERI (Centre for Educational Research and Innovation)

>

> http://www.oecd.org/edu/whatworks

>

> Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment

>

> http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm

>

>

>

> NW Regional Educational Laboratory

>

> Assessment Toolkit98

>

> http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/toolkit98.php

>

>

>

> A Primer: Diagnostic, Formative, & Summative Assessment

>

> http://www.mmrwsjr.com/assessment.htm

>

>

>

> The Value of Formative Assessment

>

> http://www.fairtest.org/examarts/winter99/k-forma3.html

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> *From:* assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] *On

> Behalf Of *Donna Chambers

> *Sent:* Wednesday, September 05, 2007 8:27 AM

> *To:* The Assessment Discussion List

> *Subject:* [Assessment 908] Re: September welcome!

>

>

>

> 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 <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***

>

> *Di**gest 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 teacherwendyq at gmail.com

>

>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/attachments/20070910/02b6e6ac/attachment.html