We developed wrap-around video materials for Crossroads here at Central Piedmont Community College and have worked with the program for many years with much success. J It is sometimes the only thing students with demanding family and work schedules can do. Students really love the TV series approach to the program and that the content is something with which they can easily identify. It really engages them. Students meet with a teacher once a week for 2-3 hours at one of our campuses or local libraries to exchange videos, discuss assignments and/or receive some targeted instruction. We have 10 Crossroads Café classes throughout the city of Charlotte and outlying areas right now. Our college TV station also broadcasts the videos as a series several times a week. 

 

Crossroads materials assume a certain level of English language competence, so we don't recommend the program to beginners. It's the same for our online Adult ESL classes. If there were more instructional hours involved, perhaps we could make the materials work for beginners. But as it is, there is a lot language that would be overwhelming to beginners. So, I say it's great but not always appropriate for beginners. 

 

If anyone wants to know more, our Crossroads 'queen' at CPCC is Claudia Farnandez (Claudia.farnandez at cpcc.edu). She has even developed an online training for teachers who want to learn how to teach at a distance with Crossroads. 

 

Rebeca Fernandez

Central Piedmont Community College
704-330-4693

 

 

From: Dan [mailto:dlwann at comcast.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 8:52 PM
To: 'The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List'
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4141] Re: Crossrds cafe

 

I agree with Holly that high intermediate and advanced learners enjoy and benefit from the series.  There is a lot of humor that more advanced students begin to pick up on.  

 

Dan Wann 

Adult Education Consultant, Indiana 

 

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Holly Dilatush
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:09 PM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4139] Re: Crossrds cafe

 

Hello all, 

I used Crossroads Cafe extensively for two+ years with a pilot distance learning project.  Learners borrowed the DVDs and watched them at home, as many times as they wished.  Recommended highly (by students, by me) -- for all levels; not just beginners -- are the available "comic-book style" photostories books.  In our program, learners had optional "open study sessions" where we met face-to-face and I'd have students retell the episode as best they could, using the photostories guides -- and generating questions.  This allowed us to optimize time by replaying shorter segments of the DVDs during class time.

 

High intermediate and advanced learners loved Crossroads Cafe and the characters and the storylines as much as the high beginner / low intermediate level learners -- and everyone found benefit and meaningful learning with the series.

 

I'd be happy to talk more about this with anyone -- contact me offlist:  holly at dilatush.com (and phone #s are below, with my signature).

Holly

On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 6:12 PM, <Patmay1122 at aol.com> wrote:

Hi

I usually show the video twice for the class.  It's amazing how much they seem to get with it being played twice.  A 2 hr. time frame would work for your project.  There is also a "culture clip" in the video which can spark conversation.

~Pat

NE Pa.

-- 
Holly (Dilatush)
Charlottesville, VA USA 
holly at dilatush.com
(434) 960.7177 cell phone
(434) 295.9716 home phone

delight~ demonstrate~ disentangle~ [holly's mantra for 2009]
"Live with intention. Share inside-out smiles, inspire hope, seek awe and nurture in nature." (an original quote by holly)
http://blogblossoms.edublogs.org
*Twitter ID = hollydilatush
Skype ID = smilin7-

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/attachments/20090416/0275d411/attachment.html