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Enhancing Instruction for Low-Literacy Adult ESOL Learners: Effective Teacher Preparation

This presentation outlines the challenges and solutions for preparing teachers to effectively instruct low-literacy adult ESOL learners. Highlighting demographic data and the linguistic diversity within the adult population, it discusses the need for specialized teacher training and curriculum. Programs offered by Virginia Commonwealth University focus on competency-based, research-driven ESOL instruction and life skills. Key strategies include multi-level classes, the Language Experience Approach (LEA), and collaborative learning. Essential resources for educators are also provided to bolster teaching practices and learner outcomes.

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Enhancing Instruction for Low-Literacy Adult ESOL Learners: Effective Teacher Preparation

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  1. Getting the Research into the Classroom Preparing Teachers to Help Low-Literacy Adult ESOL Learners Tilburg University August 26, 2005 Nancy Faux Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center Virginia Commonwealth University

  2. Virginia

  3. Some General Demographics* • Total adult population that speaks only English – 4,741,805 • ELL population 18 years +: 127,015 • Of these: • Less than 9th grade ed. - 44,565 (35 %) • Grad. or prof. degree – 5,015 (4 %) • Management + professional jobs – 8,260 (11.5 %) • Service jobs – 24,855 (35 %) • Linguistically isolated households: 24,805 (65 %) *Data from: U.S Department of Labor

  4. Languages Spoken by ELL’s (In order of importance) • Spanish • Vietnamese • Korean • Chinese • Arabic • Russian

  5. Adult ESOL Programs (’03-’04)

  6. Challenges of Emerging Areas • Until now, homogenous populations • Rural locations • Distant from resources • Lower economic levels • Newcomers are less educated, agricultural workers • Most ESOL teachers do not have experience or training to work with low-literacy adult learners.

  7. Current Help to Teachers • Regional workshops • Online courses (ESOL Basics) • Summer Institutes • Publications (ESOL Starter Kit) • Web site (http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu) • Adult ESOL Content Standards

  8. ESOL Basics Online • 8-week course (32 hours) on teaching ESOL using a learning management system, Blackboard • Facilitated, asynchronous • Threaded discussions • Assignments • Many resources; websites

  9. ESOL Basics Content • Focus on life-skills • Teaching 4 skills • Assessing Ls needs • Multi-level classes • Working with low-literacy learners; learners with non-Roman alphabet L1

  10. Certificate for Teaching Adult ESOL • Prepares Virginia educators to provide adult non-native speakers of English with competency-based, research-driven English language instruction.

  11. Certificate: • Graduate level courses • 22 credits • Cohort • Blended modality • 1-2 face to face sessions • Rest facilitated online • Each course is 7-10 weeks

  12. Certificate: • Concentration on teaching life skills and using distinct pedagogical techniques to address the lack of literacy in L1.

  13. Courses: • Orientation • Second Language Acquisition • English Linguistics for Adult ESOL Instructors • Cross-cultural Education • Methodology in Adult ESOL

  14. Courses (2) • Adult Second Language Instruction • Teaching Reading to Adult English Language Learners • Practicum

  15. Traditional ESOL Instruction • Focuses on grammar • Presupposes literacy in L1 • Emphasizes accuracy • Textbook-driven • Activities are usually individual or full-group • Teacher decides content and structure of course.

  16. Life skills based ESOL Instruction • Task/function based • Language/communication skills for everyday tasks • Learners’ needs drive course content • Extra supports for low-literacy learners

  17. Life skills based ESOL Instruction (2) • Emphasizes fluency (i.e., ability to communicate) • Materials represent real-life contexts (housing, health, community) • Learners work cooperatively in pairs or groups

  18. Language Experience Approach- LEA • Uses prompts or activities (e.g. pictures) • Uses Ss own words, experiences to create story • Ss decide on content • Ss negotiate to come up with story • Promotes integration of 4 skills

  19. LEA procedures: • T elicits details from each frame • T writes on board as Ss retell story • Class can practice reading it chorally or individually • Ss copy it down • Ext. activities: lexical development, phonics exercises, dictation, etc.

  20. Correctional Education • 31,000 inmates with language skills accessed • 13,434 enrolled in DCE classes • 90 % has a functional literacy level below 8th grade • 24 % completion rate • Plazas Comunitarias for Hispanics

  21. Other Literacy Contexts to Consider • Family Literacy • Financial Literacy • Health Literacy

  22. What teachers need is … Access to: • Scientifically-based research on second language acquisition in adults, • Results of what works and explicit literacy impact studies, • Special curriculum for low-literate learners.

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