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[Workplace 1139] Re: dual language programssuma.kurien at verizon.net suma.kurien at verizon.netTue Jan 15 06:58:44 EST 2008
Hi all, I couldnt agree more with Victoria. It may certainly be necessary for the ELL individual to be able to display or share her/his knowledge in English if that is the language of the workplace. And, that is something they can learn to do. It may actually be easier/more effective to learn some of the skills or build on existing skills and knowledge in the native language if the English language skills are not high enough. And, as many of us native speakers of other languages know, there are things that you continue to do in your native language because that is how you first learned it. My informal surveys among my ELL friends suggests that they all revert to the native language to count and do math calculations, just as I do, after 30 spent in graduate school, teaching ESOL and working in the US! In fact, smethings feel right only when done in the language in which it was learned... Suma >From: Victoria Lichty <VLichty at racc.edu> >Date: 2008/01/14 Mon PM 02:33:02 CST >To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List <workplace at nifl.gov> >Subject: [Workplace 1136] Re: dual language programs > >If the level of knowledge is the same,should the language make a difference? My husband came to the US as a 13 yearold boy. He only learned English as a secondary school student, yet earned ahigh school diploma, two college degrees and completed coursework for his PhD.Does it matter he still computes math in Spanish? The skills are the same. > >If the worker can communicate in thelanguage used at work, I do not think they should be discriminated againstbecause the GED is in another language. > >Vicky Lichty >Coordinator/Move Up >Reading Area Community College > >From:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Adam WNathanson/nathansonaw/O/VCU >Sent: Friday, January 11, 200811:31 AM >To: The Workplace LiteracyDiscussion List >Subject: [Workplace 1130] Re: duallanguage programs > > >Soon GED certificates will specify whether learnersachieved their diplomas in English, French or Spanish.  Obviously, in the  United Statesthe English one will be more valued by employers and educational institutions.  SoI think that whatever one's native language is, here in the U.S. it's bestto shoot for a GED in English. >------------------------------------------------------ >Adam Nathanson >Financial Literacy Project Coordinator >Virginia Commonwealth University >Division of Community Engagement >Mary & Frances Youth Center.Rm. 112 >120 South Linden Street, Box 843062 >Richmond, Virginia 23284-3062 > >(804) 828-7126 p / (804) 827-1739 f >nathansonaw at vcu.edu >-------------------------------------------------------- > > >"Chrissie A. Klinger" <cklinger at crsd.k12.pa.us> > Sent by: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov >01/11/2008 10:12 AM >Please respond to > The Workplace Literacy Discussion List <workplace at nifl.gov> > >To >"The Workplace Literacy Discussion List" <workplace at nifl.gov> >cc ><workplace-bounces at nifl.gov> >Subject >[Workplace 1129] Re: dual language programs > > > > > > > >I just wanted to share something interesting Irecently heard from an ESL learner.  She said when she went for her GEDtest they offered to give her the Spanish version and she said no.  Herreason was that she wasn’t confident that whoever may havetranslated/created the Spanish version would do it properly and she felt if shetook the test in English she would know for sure what the questions asked. She did very well on her test and continues to work on her English skillsalmost as a hobby.  So, it’s always important to think about theresources we use and the translations that might occur.  There are alwaysdifferent dialects in very language that can confuse some learners. > >Chrissie Klinger >"Doing things the same way and expecting a different result is asign of insanity"-Albert Einstein > > > >From:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Adam WNathanson/nathansonaw/O/VCU >Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 9:05 AM >To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List >Cc: Workplace Literacy Discussion List; workplace-bounces at nifl.gov >Subject: [Workplace 1128] dual language programs > > >Terry and Everyone, > >Dual language programming sounds very exciting.  I have always wanted totry English/Spanish GED classes towards learners achieving GEDs in English.  Theopportunity to provide occasional clarification in Spanish for high-levellearners ESOL learners pursuing English GEDs would be great.  I also likethe emphasizing your work on vocational opportunity for those who are literatein two or more languages with English being one.  > >I find that sometimes literacy in the person's native language is not up tospeed for the workplace/professional environment, so in order to use the otherlanguage(s) as a job market selling point, some adults need to do a littlesupplementary work in their native languages. > >Thinking small, maybe some of this could be initially addressed as skillsshares at the community level with houses of worship and rec centers.  NativeEnglish speakers could learn Arabic, Korean, or Spanish while ESOL learnersacquired English from them.  Of course that's probably not up to snuff forvocational/professional demands, but it's a start.  Perhaps it alreadyexists?  There are probably lots of basic toolkits for learning businesslevel languages. > >Adam >------------------------------------------------------ >Adam Nathanson >Financial Literacy Project Coordinator >Virginia Commonwealth University >Division of Community Engagement >Mary & Frances Youth Center.Rm. 112 >120 South Linden Street, Box 843062 >Richmond, Virginia 23284-3062 > >(804) 828-7126 p / (804) 827-1739 f >nathansonaw at vcu.edu >-------------------------------------------------------- >"Brian, Dr Donna J G" <djgbrian at utk.edu> > Sent by: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov >01/10/2008 03:13 PM > >Please respond to > The Workplace Literacy Discussion List <workplace at nifl.gov> > > >To >"Workplace Literacy Discussion List" <workplace at nifl.gov> >cc > >Subject >[Workplace 1126] Welcome a new member to the Workplace Literacy     Discussion List > >  > > > > > > > > >Please welcome a new member to the Workplace Literacy Discussion List.  Doany of you have information you could share with Terry about dual languageworkplace literacy programs? > > > > > > >I’m Terry Shearer.  I am an Adult Education Specialist for aregional education center.  I have been in the field of education for 30years.  I have developed and taught workplace programs mostly in the Houston area. > >I joined the Workplace Literacy discussion list because I am very interested indeveloping dual language programs that develop work skills in two languages. The difference between Bilingual Vocational Programs and Dual LanguageVocational Programs is that the student’s language skills are developedas a vocational skill and not just used to transfer skills to an Englishspeaking environment.  > >I coordinated a program like this from 1995 to 1998 when funding (Carl Perkins)ran out for this demonstration project.  The project was able to placemany students because business and industry has a growing need for workers withbilingual skills.  I have been researching dual language programs in Europe that are funded by the European Union.  Iwould welcome any information about dual language programs in the US.  > > > > > > > >Donna > >Donna Brian >Moderator, LINCS Workplace Literacy Discussion List >Off-list contact djgbrian at utk.edu > >To post a message: >workplace at nifl.gov > >To subscribe/unsubscribe/change options/access archives: >http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/workplace >---------------------------------------------------- >National Institute for Literacy >Workplace Literacy mailing list >Workplace at nifl.gov >To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go tohttp://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/workplace >Email delivered to nathansonaw at vcu.edu ---------------------------------------------------- >National Institute for Literacy >Workplace Literacy mailing list >Workplace at nifl.gov >To unsubscribe or change your subscriptionsettings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/workplace >Email delivered to nathansonaw at vcu.edu > >---------------------------------------------------- >National Institute for Literacy >Workplace Literacy mailing list >Workplace at nifl.gov >To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/workplace >Email delivered to suma.kurien at verizon.net Suma Kurien Director, Center for Immigrant Education & Training, LaGuardia Community College New York City
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