Hi,

I have been managing a transitions program based at a community college for 9 years.  Here a few suggestions/strategies  that adult secondary programs and even all ABE/ESOL adult programs can implement that do not utilize large sums of money. 

 

 First,  start at the beginning levels to help the students become independent learners, it has been my experience that students become overly dependent upon their teachers and staff at programs in giving them the information.  When they are in a transition class and are asked to research topics, the students have not developed these skills.  And we know how to research and find information is a skill that is not just academic but a life skill.

 

Next start early and talk about life beyond the GED  either in post secondary education or a technical trade.

 

Give homework. I found that the students were shocked to find out how much homework is expected in college.  But before you start giving homework, discuss with the students time management strategies so they can plan their study/homework time.  The transitions teacher has the students fill out a 24 hour clock of their daily activities and often it is 30+ and that is before homework time is added in.

 

Provide longer reading passages.  In college there is a lot of reading expected and GED /ESOL students struggle because they have not yet developed the reading muscle.

 

Toni

 

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 10:44 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 1581] Transition models

 

Assessment Colleagues,

 

I have some questions for the guest experts and for others who work in transition from adult secondary (GED/ADP/EDP) to post-secondary education: 

 

1) what is the range of models of current transition programs? Are they all separate transition classes? Are some ASE/GED classes that are beefed up with transition content? Does anyone use a blend of online instruction and face-to--face mentoring (for example 2- 3 hours/week of one-on-one or small group mentoring accomianied by 6-10 hours a week of online transition self-study)? Does anyone use a pure distance learning transition model? Are there other models? 

 

2) Given the thin resources available to support separate transition classes, how can adult secondary education programs add an affordable transition component? What strategies are you thinking of?

 

3) I have been thinking about a design for a blended transition model -- face-to-face mentoring in combination with a highly-structured online transitions curriculum. How does that idea strike you? Does it already exist someplace? Is anyone using it now? How is it working?

 

Thanks.


David J. Rosen

djrosen at theworld.com

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