Regarding the use of "VESL":

Most of my clients are building trades labor unions and labor/management training partnerships, and I have used "Vocational ESL" or VESL to refer to my work with them.  In fact, it was one of those unions who first suggested to me that we use that term (a Californian union, actually, apropos to Donna Brian's recent post....).  

For us, "Workplace" ESL doesn't work well because it suggests to some too much focus (again, perhaps just in our context) on the employer and the job, while our
 curriculum design & training focus on both the job-related needs and active, knowledgeable participation in the union.  For example, a recent project I've worked on involves "English for Ironworkers"....and being an Ironworker entails, for them, much more than just the work that they do every day.  The term "vocational" seems to encompass at least a slightly bigger idea, for us.  With other clients, though, I tend to use "Workplace ESL".  Not sure if this is the most accurate or historically-correct way to use "VESL", but it works for us!

Amber
 GallupDirector, Essential Language

--- On Thu, 7/24/08, Barbara Tondre <btondre at earthlink.net> wrote:
From: Barbara Tondre <btondre at earthlink.net>
Subject: VESL
To: agallup at essentiallanguage.com, "'The Workplace Literacy Discussion List'" <workplace at nifl.gov>
Date: Thursday, July 24, 2008, 8:28 AM




 
 







Amber’s use of the term VESL caught
my attention.  Business and industry is beginning to use this term but I’m
not sure what they mean by it.  Do we dare include defining this term in our
discussion? 

   

Barbara Tondre  

   









From:
workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Amber Gallup

Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008
3:05 PM

To: The Workplace Literacy
Discussion List

Subject: [Workplace 1531] Managing
expectations 



   


 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In response to Pat
  Sawyer's last message -

  

  Several posters have alluded to the challenge of managing the client's
  expectations.  It's common to hear questions like that which Pat
  mentioned, "How many weeks is this going to take?"  I have
  found that it will take much more than one conversation before my clients
  really begin to understand  what I'm saying regarding the process and
  time commitment of language learning and the goals of the course (which we
  develop together as much as possible through the needs analysis
  process.)  

  

  I have found that the needs analysis itself is useful not only to identify
  students' and workplace needs, but also to bring out into the light of day
  the stakeholders' expectations....which
  are often unrealistic and/or conflicting with other stakeholders'
  expectations.  The needs analysis process provides an opportunity to do
  the very important work of getting all stakeholders on the same page...it's a
  little teachable moment.  If important stakeholders have different ideas
  of why we're doing this (say, union and management) and  how it will
  impact them....that can deal a death blow to a program!  

  

  I always use an example from a electricans' union for which I once put
  together a VESL program when I first began this work:  In the needs
  analysis, I did my language task analysis and I interviewed some workers, the
  union leaders, the apprentice coordinator, the organizer, and the contractor
  (the "big boss").  I felt good that this part of the needs analysis
  had been thorough and everybody shared an understanding of our goals. 
  Yet, by the end of the semester, the otherwise very successful class was
  almost done away with!....why?  Because the workers' foremen (who were
  not getting jobs finished on time because they lost some of their crew for a
  few hours each week) were angry and refusing to let their workers leave for
  the class.  I had neglected to make them part of the process, and their
  differing expectations and needs led to revolt.  We modified the course
  schedule and luckily continued on, but I learned some lessons about needs
  analysis.

  

  Also, I liked Miriam's description of how she did her observations (language
  task analysis) BEFORE she interviewed the various stakeholders.  I'll be
  using that tip...it's a great idea - because it gives us more information on
  which to base our questions to stakeholders, and as Pat already mentioned,
  often the management (or HR, or union leader, etc.) will just say, "I
  want them to learn English," and not be able to go much farther than that. 
  

  

  Amber

  

  Amber Gallup 
  
  
  
  
  
  Director, Essential
  Language 
  
  
  (202) 234-4565 
  
  
  www.essentiallanguage.com 
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
     
  
  
  
  
  
  
 


   



 

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