Cathy,

 

I like your succinct and very accurate definitions. Thanks. Jack
Hickey-Williams

 

________________________________

From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Cathay Reta
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 12:48 PM
To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Workplace 1526] Re: Taking the Plunge into Work-Based ESL

 

Hello All,

 

I would like to respond to the question regarding the use of terms
"workplace" and "workforce" literacy.  A few years ago a colleague and I
worked on a project to develop training for workplace literacy trainers
for the Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles.  The Network was made
up of service providers from community colleges, adult schools, CBOs,
and others -- each coming from different backgrounds.  Among them, there
was a lot of confusion over what we were developing until we developed a
chart which made the following distinctions:

 

Location:  Workplace Literacy is usually at the company site; workforce
is usually at the service provider's site.

Development:  workplace classes are developed WITH the company and is
company-focused; workforce is offered to general public and/or company
employees but does not focus on any one employer

Client:  Workplace is the company; workforce is the adult learner

Leadership:  workplace is shared leadership by company and service
provider; workforce is service provider

Curricula:  workplace is customized or semi-cutomized, based on
employer/employee needs assessments; workforce is off-the-shelf or
semi-customized materials based on SCANS and can be industry-specific

 

There is more on the list but these are the main points.  It really
helped us to be able to distinguish the terms and not use them
interchangeably.  I believe they describe two different types of
programs.

 

Cathay Reta

Cornerstone Concepts

6670 Southside Drive

Los Angeles California 90022



"Brian, Dr Donna J G" <djgbrian at utk.edu> wrote:

	 

	Colleagues,

	For some reason, Barbara Tondre was unable to post directly to
the list, and I was without electricity all of last evening due to a
ferocious storm that passed through, and so was without computer access.


	 

	The questions that Barbara provides below are all good jumping
off places.  Which ones are of special interest to you?  To let us know,
just reply to this post with your comments.

	 

	Donna

	 

	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	 

	Dear Colleagues, 

	 

	It is only Monday, but I thought I would try giving our
discussion a jump start by offering some prompt questions that Pat and I
provided Donna Brian.  If you are just beginning to venture into matters
related to the workplace, these questions may "speak to you".  If so,
send a reply and let us know what peaks your interest.  If on the other
hand, you've got questions you don't see here, or issues you would like
to discuss, we hope that you will introduce them.  

	 

	Questions about Workplace Literacy:

	 

	1.	The terms workforce, workplace, and work-based are often
used interchangeably in discussions of work-related literacy, basic
skills, and English language instruction.  Is one preferred over the
others and is there a marked difference in meaning?
	2.	If you recognize a local need for work-related literacy
services in your community, what do you do about it?  How do you go
about approaching the employer(s) to discuss needs?
	3.	What needs to happen at the initial meeting between a
company/employer and a workplace ESL provider?  (see page 74 of the
Tennessee Handbook)
	4.	How do you go about identifying the language skills
needed in the workplace?  (see section starting on page 75)
	5.	How can you address the work-related language needs of
learners coming to your regular ESL classes?

	 

	Anything pop off the page?  Let us hear from you!

	 

	Barbara Tondre

	 

	
________________________________


	From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Pat Sawyer
	Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 12:19 PM
	To: workplace at nifl.gov
	Subject: [Workplace 1503] What do we do first?

	 

	I know that many of you who are members of this discussion list
are experienced educators who have established ESOL classes in the
workplace.  There may also be others who have had little if any
experience in the workplace. 

	 

	 I am an "educator" and my only experience in the workplace was
to wrap Christmas presents at a department store when I was 18 years
old. I didn't know who to contact  or how to approach someone in a
business where we wanted to establish an ESOL class. This is the first
and most common question asked by those who are beginning to work with
workplace ESOL classes, "What do we do first?"

	 

	This question is answered many times and in many sections of our
workplace book, but if you will read page 144 in Appendix B-1 you may
begin to think about "what you do first."

	 

	Pat Sawyer

	----------------------------------------------------
	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 cathayreta at sbcglobal.net




Cathay O. Reta
Cornerstone Concepts
6670 Southside Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90022
Ph: 323) 728-4302
cathayreta at sbcglobal.net

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