HI, Angela and Lynn (and others who have written)

Thanks so much for all the information on how you use Plaza Comunitaria. I very much appreciate your taking the time to include all those details.  I'm on the road but will sort through what's what and will also check out the site and then make recommendations to send forward.

A quick question for those of you who are offering L1 literacy (in Spanish or another language).  Since the WIA funded classes are supposed to focus on the acquisition of English, how are you funding your native language literacy classes?

A number of programs are combining an L1 class with an English conversation or an English literacy class which allows them to "count" these students in the NRS

What model/approach  are you using and how is this working out for you?   From your perspective, what would be a sane L1 literacy program look like as part of a larger framework of education for adults who want/need to become bilingual and biliterate?

Thanks, all

Heide

And Miriam, I know some of these issues were discussed on the list before.  Are L1 posts bundled in the archives in such a way that list servers can pull them out across discussion groups (e.g., last years discussion on What Works in Adult ESL; this year's discussion on ESL Literacy and posts in between)

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lorz, Angela
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 11:19 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3982] Re: Plaza Comunitaria


Hello Lynn & Heidi,
We here in the northernmost reaches of central WA, Tonasket, have established a Plaza Comunitaria that has been running strong continuously since March 07.
We have a 70+ adult ed [ESL & SPanish ABE & Spanish GED prep], 4 night/week 2 1/2 hr classes that have a strong cohort of continuing learners who bring in others as well as progress through the levels of monolingual Spanish non-literacy towards readying for Spanish GED.
We will be sending several folks this year for GED testing.
In this insular community in northern Okanogan County, with FEW resources, the Plaza has established a focal point for fulfilling this resource void.  We are constantly growing and adding more information/resources to our 'rollodex', trying to provide that location where you go to get whatever direction you need to improve integration into the community.  At least we have arrived to the reality of resource center!
As far as the on-line [CONEVyT]Spanish curriculum's usefulness goes, it has been the locus of turning towards hope and progress in so many lives.  The opportunity to finish Primaria, then Secundaria and go on to American GED, while studying in Bachillerato, provides the compelling support that has improved their chances for success in ESL!
...not to mention learning computer skills.
Plus, we have a pen & paper program through the "library" of materials that Mexico provided us as the 'hard copy' for the on-line courses.  The "Learn English" coursework is only available on-line.
I cannot praise CONEVyT [ continuing adult ed] enough for use with parents of minor US citizens, for those older teenagers who arrive with mono-lingual SP literacy [who can continue their studies on-line] while they learn English in mainstream classes, and for work skill related training that prepares adults for applying for 'better'/non-orchard employment. We are also working to get credit completion established with our local high schools.

Please contact us for help with getting your Plaza started!

We are supported by a GearUp grant, with coordination of resources from 2 colleges.

As ever looking forward,
Angela


-----Original Message-----
From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Lynn Christofersen
Sent: Tue 3/3/2009 12:12 PM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3974] Re: Plaza Comunitaria

Hi Heidi,



Our Plaza program came into the community through the Migrant Bilingual
Education department of our local school district.  It is run by a very
dedicated bilingual middle school math instructor who receives support
from the school district.  While it currently serves Spanish adults two
nights a week the long range vision is to include our bilingual high
school students.  They will benefit by studying subjects in their native
language and hopefully improve their subject scores in the corresponding
English language classes.  We also anticipate it would help with student
retention and high school completion.  The Volunteer Literacy Program is
still looking for champions within the high school to help make this
integration happen.



Our Volunteer Literacy Program helps support the Plazas program by
referring students and providing children's activities while parents are
studying.  We are co-located at the middle school where we provide ESL
classes three nights a week.  We are currently working on locating a
Spanish speaking volunteer at the Plazas site who will help tutor
students interested in taking the GED in Spanish.



We are an agricultural community and have many Spanish and Oaxaca
community members with limited formal education.  Plaza provides an
opportunity for these students to increase their education provided they
have basic reading skills.   We think it is a great resource and would
like to see even more community access.



Lynn Christofersen

Community Services Division Director

Skagit County Community Action Agency

PO Box 1507

Mount Vernon, WA   98273

360-416-7585

lynnc at skagitcap.org



________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Wrigley, Heide
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 10:56 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List;
dtaylor at buffalo.edu
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3972] Plaza Comunitaria



Hi, all



I'm at the meeting of the National Center for Family Literacy and am
trying to speak to the resources for native language available to
practitioners and learners.  We are hoping to make state directors aware
of these resources and provide access for programs



*         basic literacy development in Spanish (or other languages)

*         development of literacy and content knowledge in the native
language

*         credit and certification for classes taken in the home country
(for late entry adolescents)

*         assessment of L1 proficiency (writing)

*         Spanish GED

*         on-line resources for developing literacy skills and content
knowledge - linked with (academic) credit for having taken these courses




As to the last question, I'm hoping some of you might have experience
with Plaza Comunitaria and tell us how you have used the Portal.  To
read more, please look at



http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_communications.aspx?ViewMode=1&RctPressV
iew=Enewsletter&obj=1242



Best and thanks



Heide Spruck Wrigley

Mesilla, NM







-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/attachments/20090304/71b14d6f/attachment.html