Donna, thanks so much for compiling a summary of the discussion and for
facilitating the process. This is very helpful.

John

On Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 1:56 AM, Brian, Dr Donna J G <djgbrian at utk.edu>wrote:


>  Greetings, Workplace Literacy Discussion List Subscribers!

>

>

>

> I thank you one and all for your participation in our discussion just

> concluded, the Talk Back with authors Pat Sawyer and Barbara Tondre of the

> *Tennessee ESOL in the Workplace* resource.  What a lot of expertise is

> represented among our list members!  We thank Pat and Barbara especially for

> the time, effort, and enthusiasm they shared with us.  I'm sure you will

> agree.

>

>

>

> To those of you who joined the Workplace list just for this discussion, (I

> almost hate to mention this because we'd love to be able to keep you, but)

> if you wish, you can unsubscribe again by going to *

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/workplace.*

>

>

>

> I have compiled and organized the comments made in the discussion, and you

> might find the summary helpful in organizing your thoughts and reactions, as

> sometimes the threads of conversation got a bit tangled.  If I missed

> anything major, please let me know.

>

>

>

> Appreciatively,

>

>

>

> 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*

>

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

>

> *Tennessee ESOL in the Workplace, July 21 – 25, 2008*

>

> *Workplace Literacy Discussion List "Talk Back"*

>

> *with Pat Sawyer and Barbara Tondre*

>

> * *

>

> *Tennessee ESOL in the Workplace* is a training manual for ESOL

> supervisors and instructors.  It is available online at

> http://www.cls.utk.edu/pdf/esol_workplace/Tenn_ESOL_in_the_Workplace.pdf. The

> manual includes basic information, Powerpoint presentations, and very useful

> checklists on how to design a program, present a plan to a workplace

> community, and monitor and evaluate the program.  This training manual has

> been added as an exemplary resource to the LINCS Workforce Competitiveness

> Collection.  The training manual was the centerpiece for a discussion on the

> Workplace Literacy Discussion List from July 21 – July 25, 2008.  The

> discussion was called a "Talk Back" because it featured the authors of the

> resource as the discussion guests.  (Bios of Pat Sawyer and Barbara

> Tondre-El Zorkani are appended.) The discussion served not only to feature

> the resource, but also to introduce the Collection to the members of the

> Workplace Literacy Discussion List.

>

>

>

> Announcement of the pending discussion was made on the Workplace list on

> July 16.  Moderators of all LINCS discussion lists were apprised of the

> pending discussion and could invite their list members to participate.

> Announcement of and an invitations to join the discussion were made on the

> English Language, Professional Development, and Learning Disabilities

> Discussion Lists.  The discussion was also announced to supervisors of Adult

> Education programs in Tennessee, as some of them had collaborated in the

> work that resulted in the resource.  >From the time the announcement of the

> discussion was made on July 16 through the end of the discussion on July 25,

> 49 new subscribers joined the list and 12 members unsubscribed.  There were

> 60 posts made during this time that were related to the discussion.

>

>

>

> Themes that developed in the discussion were:

>

>    - Addressing the work-related language needs of learners in regular ESL

>    classes

>    - How to go about approaching a workplace about teaching Workplace ESL

>    - Considering all the stakeholders in planning Workplace ESL

>    - Managing client expectations, coming to agreement with a contract

>    - Identifying the language skills needed in a workplace

>    - How to address the needs of the learners in a workplace class as well

>    as the needs of the employer

>    - What to look for in choosing an instructor for a workplace ESL class

>    - Possibilities of ways to extend the ESL instruction for workers

>    beyond what the employer is willing to provide

>    - Comparison of the terms workforce, workplace and work-based ESL

>    - Background and current use of the term "VESL"

>

>

>

> Points made by list subscribers during the discussion around each of these

> themes included these:

>

>

>

> *Addressing the work-related language needs of learners in regular ESL

> classes*

>

> Our program provides workforce content in our textbook series that is

> further enhanced with instructional handouts provided by the Texas Workforce

> Commission.  We have posters provided by TWC that teach our students about

> getting a job, interviewing, calculating salary, and sustaining

> performance.  We use some handouts from Equipped for the Future that show

> the importance of mastering English for home, work and community.  In the

> spring of 2009, we will be offering a new program at our college, Basic

> Workplace ESL Skills, with a weekend college format, to allow students who

> want a greater emphasis on workforce skills to have their own program.

>

>

>

> The instructor focuses on vocabulary and events that happen at the

> workplace so that the student immediately sees the relevancy to daily

> activities. Math topics deal with examples from the jobs people have to do.

> Instead of saying I cut the rod to 3 lines on the ruler, the

> student learns to measure 3/8 of an inch and can perform the mathematical

> calculations necessary for the job. The same is true when it comes to

> writing. Healthcare workers have to complete reports which need to be

> written in English that is legible and understandable.

>

>

>

>

>

> *How to go about approaching a workplace about teaching Workplace ESL*

>

> Obtain a business license and general liability insurance.

>

>

>

> Do your homework to learn about the workplace.

>

>

>

> Go to networking lunches, join associations, make contacts.

>

>

>

> I use census demographics information and city statistical information to

> learn where in the area there is marked density of non-English language

> speakers.  I drive through those areas and meet with directors or managers

> to talk about what I see.  (I do this every summer in early July.)  I have a

> document that shows that different programs and courses my college offers

> and emphasize that those courses can be adapted to fit industry.

>

>

>

> Always do your homework, understand who the company is, what they produce,

> history in the area etc. Demonstrate your knowledge of the business culture

> because you may only get one shot at working with them, and also the

> opportunity to work with a group of employees that need your services the

> most.

>

>

>

>

>

> *Considering all the stakeholders in planning Workplace ESL*

>

> Workplace literacy is rarely delivered according to a college's academic

> semester schedule.

>

>

>

> I like to provide a "mini-college fair" at the company.  Once I am in the

> door, I feel that the first person I need to speak to is the one needing the

> language because in significant numbers they will clamor for the company to

> offer ESL.  I also provide my customary presentation to the CEO, managers,

> etc. and provide a sample of what a Business Industry ESL class is like.

>

>

>

> The language and literacy competencies needed by limited English proficient

> workers depend upon the job. This is why we always work with a TEAM set up

> by the business. This TEAM is composed of management, supervisors, workers,

> and CWL, the education provider. The TEAM decides the goals of the program,

> recruits the students, schedules the classes, works out rules and

> arrangements within the company, provides curriculum materials, and monitors

> the program. The TEAM meets weekly in the beginning and monthly

> thereafter. Once the TEAM has decided what the goals of the program should

> be, CWL, the education provider, assesses those workers who want to enroll

> into the classes in reading, writing, speaking English and math. The TEAM

> then selects the students for the classes. Also the TEAM arranges a tour of

> the facility so that the instructor and other CWL staff involved in the

> program can understand what is required in terms of language and literacy

> skills to do the job.

>

>

>

> In the Workplace Cultures materials, they talked about identifying three

> key people for the training team (who would also be good spokespersons for

> the needs analysis): technical leader (person with best skills and knowledge

> to get the job done); the language leader (person with the best bilingual

> skills); and the social leader (person the group recognizes as the leader).

> This seems like a good strategy for workplace ESOL programs, especially for

> incumbent workers, so that the program targets needs from a variety of

> perspectives.

>

>

>

> I always use an example from an electricians' 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.

>

>

>

>

>

> *Managing client expectations; Importance of coming to agreement with a

> contract*

>

> Shorter cycles of instruction are usually a better "fit" in the workplace

> but often lead to repeat business, second cycles, etc.

>

>

>

> Many of the union personnel, supervisors, HR personnel, and upper

> management were not aware of the needs of their employees.  Some of them

> said, "We don't know what they need, we just know they need to learn

> English.  How many weeks will it take for them to learn English?" We assume

> that they know as much as we do concerning the employees needs and they

> don't.

>

>

>

> 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.)  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 believe that when we go to a company we must approach them on their

> terms, in their culture, and seek to understand them.  Company training is

> very different from classroom teaching. The key to success was being able to

> approach the job as a workplace trainer, not an educator.  And central to

> that is understanding that my client is the company, not the individual

> employees.  The employees benefit tremendously, but my client is the

> company.  Let me quickly add I would not sacrifice the employees to meet a

> client's expectation, and clearly there are times when you must teach the

> employer what is not acceptable, but it's the underlying attitude that you

> are serving the employer that is important.

>

>

>

> Successful initiatives require that educators understand who their

> customers are and what is important to them.

>

>

>

> Return on investment has little to do with the "educationalese" we use to

> communicate with our peers.  The bottom line: our customers want to know if

> what we have to offer can result in changes in employees' behavior and

> performance.  This is another reason why the language task analysis is so

> important.

>

>

>

> Companies are used to offering training programs which result in a worker

> learning a specific skill in a specified time.

>

>

>

> Customize, customize, customize, you have your audience generally for a

> short time, teach for application of skills to do the job better and safer.

>

>

>

> Define your outcomes and expectations before you ever start a class. Know

> what success looks like for the client and yourself before you start.

>

> And know that it's OK to say no, not all expectations are reasonable, nor

> are conditions for program delivery.

>

>

>

>

>

> *Identifying the language skills needed in a workplace*

>

> Once I choose the perfect instructor, we request permission to shadow the

> company, collect brochures to create vocabulary logs.  This information is

> sorted and included in the various units presented in class.

>

>

>

> I observed workers on the job, during their breaks, and at meetings to

> determine the skills needed for communicating with supervisors, with

> customers, with co-workers, and with union staff.  I took extensive notes,

> which I later clarified/confirmed during interviews with union personnel,

> supervisors, HR personnel, upper management, co-workers, and the targeted

> workers themselves. For the literacy demands of the job, I collected and

> reviewed both all formally required texts: contracts, memos, manuals,

> recipes, policies, and so on, as well as all environmental print…for

> example, signs and notices posted on the job. Hanging around during the

> breaks was especially useful as I was able to see how co-workers

> communicate, topics discussed, level of formality of discourse, and so on.

>

>

>

> *First*, I read all of the processes that each employee needs to read,

> understand and implement in running their machines or carrying out their

> tasks and do a vocabulary scan; from this I create a basic vocabulary that

> everyone in the plant needs to be able to use both verbally and in written

> form;

>

> *Second*, I collect all of the documents relative to employee benefits;

> explanations of medical coverage, death benefits, days off, procedure for

> calling in sick, etc. and add the vocabulary needed for that;

>

> *Third*, I train English speaking employees to tutor ESOL employees to

> understand presentations that are given in which outsiders are not

> permitted—several companies that I have worked with are Dept. of Defense

> Subcontractors and I do not have clearance for the missile program

> components.

>

>

>

> When I get a call from an employer I also ask what the problem is that

> needs to be corrected. What mistakes do people make because they cannot

> speak, read or write English. We assume the role of an education consultant.

>

>

>

> We also find it worthwhile to conduct a fairly thorough needs analysis.

>

>

> We do interviews and/or focus groups with various levels of management

> (very important to include line supervisors), union representatives, and a

> cross-section of workers.  We are looking for what the education needs are

> in that workplace from the different points of view.  Then we look for the

> common interests that have been expressed by labor, management and workers.

> The labor-management team reviews the needs we have identified, chooses

> which needs they want to tackle first and makes reasonable goals from

> those.  Good candidates are those interests important to all parties (often

> having to do with improved communication and/or safety issues) and ones

> which classes could reasonably affect.  Goals like increased productivity,

> for example, have a lot of other factors, such as availability of materials

> and staffing levels at play.  Also, only a few workers may be able to attend

> the classes.  We try to identify more specific goals, like being able to

> fill out routing sheets correctly, or having more people asking clarifying

> questions of the supervisor, or understanding the attendance policy.

>

>

>

>

>

> *How to address the needs of the learners in a workplace class as well as

> the needs of the employer*

>

> Several weeks ago an ESL student asked me what "gitit" means.  She said

> that her employer will explain what she is to do in the factory where she

> works and then always ends her conversation by saying, "Getit."  The ESL

> student said, "What do I say to her?"  When I said, "You can say, *got

> it." *she was so excited. The other students who had been listening to our

> conversation actually clapped their hands.

>

>

>

> Last year I hired an instructor for a class of professionals who were not

> able to speak very much English although their ability to read English was

> at a very advanced level. He began the class with common pronunciations like

> gotcha, gimme, etc. I observed some of the first class and was sorry to have

> had to leave. This is really what people need to learn becuz that is how we

> talk.

>

>

>

>

>

> *What to look for in choosing an instructor for a workplace ESL class*

>

> The instructor must understand who the customers are in workplace literacy.

>

>

>

> In order to find the "perfect" instructor for our wonderful potential

> students, I offer a training session for the instructors who want to teach a

> workforce class.  Once the training is completed, I offer a simplified

> adult-second-language learning class to help the instructor work effectively

> in teaching listening/speaking/conversation, reading, and writing.

>

>

>

> Bring your seasoned veterans who have done workplace training before.

>

>

>

> You have to have a background in ESL to understand the curriculum process

> and you have to have an instructor with a background in ESL and a lot of

> patience. I work extensively with the company, provide training and

> mentoring for the instructor and pay him or her $30 to $40 an hour.  I also

> pay the instructor extra for any additional course planning or new

> materials.

>

>

>

>

>

> *Possibilities of ways to extend the ESL instruction for workers beyond

> what the employer is willing to provide*

>

> I've collected a binder listing details and contact info for local ESL

> programs, classes, tutors (including impressive teachers who have worked for

> me and have consented to have their info listed), books and audio programs,

> and stores...as well as blank pieces of note paper.  I organize them all in

> the binder and take it with me to the last day of any workplace course,

> whether I'm teaching it or supervising it...after students fill out their

> evaluations, I have a short exit interview with any student who wants it,

> and the information they request is almost always in my binder, ready to

> copy out onto the notepaper and point students in the directions they want

> to go.

>

>

>

> The first thing that comes to mind is distance learning.

>

>

>

> I wonder if any workplace ESOL programs are partnered with distance

> learning programs in their states so that students can flow seamlessly from

> classroom-based English learning (perhaps with an online supplement) to

> online distance English learning, and perhaps other basic skills learning,

> once the class has ended. This may be an area in some states that needs to

> be better organized.

>

>

>

> The program was able to purchase a set of the *Sed de Saber* kits.  *Sed

> de Saber* uses the technology of the LeapFrog Quantum Pad for a

> self-paced, take home system.  It is appropriate for use with low level

> English language learners whose first language is Spanish.  This seems to be

> effective in *extending *learning beyond the traditional classroom and

> providing continuity and connection for those whose work prevents them from

> attending classes regularly.

>

>

>

> • I wonder if one solution to the problem can be framed in planning

> the workplace ESOL class(es) at the outset. For example, especially if a

> community college is the workplace English provider, designing and

> scheduling the workplace course so that it can lead to other ESOL classes a

> community college offers, and providing -- in the workplace ESOL course --

> some help with reading the college credit or noncredit (continuing

> education) catalogs might be useful for some students. Perhaps some

> subscribers to this list do this already. If so, it would be great to hear

> what they do.

>

>

>

> • Another solution might be a new, free, online federally-funded Web portal

> that will be unveiled in September called USA Learns. I haven't seen it yet,

> but I know that it is based on two existing online products which may be

> familiar to some readers of this discussion: *English For All*, and *Putting

> English to Work*. These products are best used with an online or classroom

> teacher, but it may be possible for some students to use the newly-designed

> USA Learns on their own.

>

>

>

> • There is another product in development (in its first year of a

> three-year federally-funded demonstration in several regions of the country)

> called the Learner Web. One of its Learning Plans that is being developed

> now is for ESOL. The Learning Plan will be designed so that students can use

> online ESOL learning resources on their own with a structured self-study

> guide/curriculum and, at least in some regions, with online and telephone

> help available.

>

>

>

> • Perhaps a Workplace English program could help the company to set up a

> company-sponsored employee DVD video lending library of English learning

> videos. Does anyone already have a good list of such videos in case a

> company is interested? Do any companies already do this? Many public

> libraries, of course, lend ESOL videos and software.

>

>

>

> In addition to some of the ideas presented here about workplace learners

> continuing their education, we have sometimes had education fairs where

> learners can find out about resources in their communities.  Sometimes

> waiting lists in community programs mean a while before learners can

> continue.  In a few cases, the team has chosen a provider with the ongoing

> educational opportunities in mind and our workplace learners are considered

> already enrolled.  We have also suggested distance learning programs, and

> welcome information about any more of those resources.

>

>

>

>

>

> *Comparison of the terms workforce, workplace and work-based ESL*

>

> *Workplace* learning, including workplace English, is usually classes

> focused on basic skills learning contextualized to a particular workplace,

> company or industry. Although the classes are usually held at the workplace

> they could be held at a union hall, community college or elsewhere. Some

> workplace learning takes place online.

>

>

>

> *Workplace* literacy classes are given right within the workplace.

>  Usually the instruction is based primarily on the actual needs of the

> company, and the company supplies the place for any off line instruction and

> assigns some computers for use when the instruction is math based, such as

> the classes done in preparation for quality assurance training.  In my

> experience from the past 15 years, these companies persevere the longest.

>  In one case, the training extended from 1993-2003 with each new development

> of product lines and processes.

>

>

>

> *Workforce* learning, in adult literacy education, could include workplace

> learning but often focuses on preparing students for work or, for workers

> who have lost their jobs, for new kinds of work.

>

>

>

> *Workforce* literacy training refers to the people who are being trained

> and the training can be provided in many different venues.  For example,

> many hospitals do not have facilities available in the hospital to dedicate

> to regular classes for literacy training.  So the workforce is trained in

> adjacent educational institutions, such as a nearby high school in one case.

>  Classes for third shift take place as the shift finishes and the high

> school students have not arrived yet.  Classes for first shift take place

> immediately a the end of the shift and the high school has completed their

> regular classes.

>

>

>

> *Work-based* learning, usually for students who are preparing for work,

> has a high school, college or adult education class component and also a

> learning component at work.  Ideally the two are well integrated.

>

>

>

> *Work based*: I have not used this term, but what it conveys to me is the

> curriculum development is based on the work that the employees do.  It has

> the advantage of being very expansive in that it can apply to communications

> in all forms-reading, writing, interpersonal conversation, supervisors

> training on how to deal with a diverse workforce (with respect to language

> and culture); math as it applies to the needs of different companies, etc.

>

> *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**

>

> * *

>

>

>

> *Background and current use of the term "VESL"*

>

> VESL is an old, old term that many of us used in the late 80's/90's, to

> talk about Vocational ESL – up to and including language/culture connected

> to employment for those not yet in the workplace.  A cottage industry, of

> sorts, had sprung up to develop and publish materials – partially in

> response to the influx of refugees from Southeast Asia.

>

>

>

> I think VESL is still the term used in California to denote Workplace ESL.

>

>

>

> 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.

>

>

>

> 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.

>

>

>

> The major theoretical basis for vocational or workplace ESOL is

> content-based instruction which focuses upon the knowledge content in a

> language, literacy, or numeracy (LLN) program, rather upon the general

> processes of LLN.

>

>

>

> I remember back in 1992, ...Vocational English as a Second Language was ESL

> with handouts of activities strictly related to work vocabulary, setting,

> and support.

>

> Now that I am involved in leading workforce ESL, I can say that VESL was

> much more complex, the teaching was harder and the regulations for the

> program quite stacked.

>

>

>

> Back in the 80's, ...implementation of VESL was chiefly in the vocational

> tech High Schools in their Bilingual Voc programs. These were very good

> programs and what goes around comes around.

>

>

>

> Through the years, I've seen VESL (Vocational English as a Second Language)

> defined in various ways, including the following:

>

>

>

> # 1. An ESL support class that is attached to a vocational or occupational

> skills class and where the ESL instructor and the vocational skills

> instructor coordinate to some extent. Quite often, the major burden is on

> the ESL instructor, and the vocational skills instructor may pass on

> vocabulary lists or lesson plans, but as a rule the occupational skills

> instructor does not change his/her curriculum or teaching approach very

> much.

>

>

>

> # 2.  An integrated class where ESL and job skills are well coordinated and

> both the ESL teacher and the occupational skills instructor are expected to

> work closely together either in an I-BEST model where the classes are team

> taught or in a coordinated model where the classes are taught separately but

> the curriculum is jointly developed. This model is often called "embedded

> training" in the UK or in Australia or New Zealand,

>

>

>

> # 3. An occupation or industry specific ESL class that serves as a bridge

> class to training – sometimes called "cluster VESL"

>

>

>

> # 4. An employment general (or employment-oriented) class that teaches

> English for Work focusing on the kind of English communication and literacy

> skills that students are likely to need in any job (e.g., explaining a

> problem; understanding or giving instructions; dealing with difficult

> people, working in teams; dealing with forms; understanding how workplaces

> tend to work; advocating for self and others; etc. Such a class may or may

> not have an employability and career exploration component (as might the

> other models)

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> *Resources shared in the discussion*

>

> Several resources were shared by list members in their posts.  These

> included:

>

>    - a PowerPoint for use in training instructors who want to teach a

>    workplace class

>    - material developed by Oregon OSHA for doing safety training to

>    Spanish speaking English language learners

>    http://www.cbs.state.or.us/osha/educate/peso.html

>    - a bilingual Spanish-English glossary of health and safety terms

>    http://www.cbs.state.or.us/osha/espanol.html

>    - a chart summarizing the communication and critical thinking skills

>    demanded in the workplace

>    - the PAWERC skills wheel

>    http://www.pawerc.org/foundationskills/cwp/view.asp?Q=92970

>    - a list of resources helpful for conducting needs analyses in the

>    workplace

>    http://www.pawerc.org/foundationskills/cwp/view.asp?a=250&q=122328

>    - workplace health and safety materials for ESOL classes from the

>    Massachusetts Worker Education Roundtable http://www.umass/roundtable

>    - *Testing and Accountability in Adult Literacy Education: *Focus on

>    Workplace Literacy Resources for Program Design, Assessment, Testing, &

>    Evaluation

>    http://www.nald.ca/library/research/sticht/testing/testing.pdf

>    - *Reading for Working: *A Functional Literacy Anthology

>    http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/sticht/rfw/rfw.pdf

>    - "You wouldn't expect a maths teacher to teach plastering…"

>    http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=73

>    - *Functional Context Education: Making Learning Relevant in the 21st

>    Century *http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/fce/FCE.pdf

>    - "The Theory Behind Content-Based Instruction"

>    http://www.ncsall.net/?id=433

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>  *Bios of Barbara Tondre-El Zorkani and Pat Sawyer*

>

> * *

>

> *Barbara Tondre-El Zorkani* holds a Master's degree in Teaching English to

> Speakers of Other Languages from the University of Texas in San Antonio.

> She is also a developmental education specialist (Kellogg Institute,

> Appalachian State University).  She got her start in workforce-related ESL

> while teaching for the U.S. Department of Defense English Language Institute

> in San Antonio, Texas and Amman, Jordan.  Later, her teaching assignments at

> American University in Cairo involved preparing Egyptian professionals for

> work with Americans and study abroad. Barbara has lived and worked on four

> continents.

>

>

>

> Barbara ventured into adult basic education and job training upon her

> family's return to the states. Her role in welfare reform initiatives

> included preparing adult educators to serve individuals whose basic skill

> and language deficiencies presented barriers to employment and

> self-sufficiency.  At the community college level, Barbara became involved

> in developing customized solutions for businesses looking for services for

> their employees with basic skills and English language needs.  She was

> instrumental in establishing McDonald's first workplace ESL pilot

> initiatives in New York, New Jersey, Kansas, Illinois, and Tennessee.  Her

> work has included preparing educators to teach in the workplace.  It was

> this work that brought Barbara to partner with the Center for Literacy

> Studies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  Her experience and

> writing skills complemented the work already begun by Patricia Sawyer, then

> director of ESL programs for Tennessee's Department of Labor and Workforce

> Development, Adult Education Division.

>

>

>

> Since co-authoring Tennessee's *ESOL in the Workplace*, Barbara has gone

> on to author similar publications for Texas.  *Charting a Course:

> Responding to the Industry-Related Adult Basic Education Needs of the Texas

> Workforc*e,* *includes research on adult education's response to state

> legislation requiring the development of industry-related curricula for the

> limited English proficient*, plus two handbooks for program planners and

> instructors venturing into the delivery of workforce related instructional

> services and solutions.

>

>

>

> As a contractor and consultant, Barbara continues to pursue her research

> and interests in workforce literacy, ESL, and student transition for Texas

> LEARNS, the state office of adult education.  Barbara also authors *SHOP

> TALK*, a series that highlights promising practices as well as issues,

> concerns, and questions related to meeting the adult education needs of

> Texas' emerging, incumbent, and displaced workers.  In April 2008, she was

> instrumental in planning the first annual *Workforce Literacy Summit:

> Workforce Literacy Models for a 21st Century Economy* hosted by the Alamo

> Community College District in San Antonio.  Barbara lives in Austin,

> Texas.

>

>

>

> *Texas is distributing three copyrighted curricula to adult education

> programs this summer.  The curricula address the industry-related language

> and employability needs of those seeking employment in healthcare, sales and

> service, and manufacturing.

>

>

>

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

>

>

>

>

> *Pat Sawyer *holds a Master's Degree in Education from the University of

> Illinois.  She has worked in the field of adult education since 1978 in the

> states of Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Illinois.

>

>

>

> Her role as an educator has included Professional Development Trainer for

> Tennessee ESOL teachers and supervisors, publication coordinator for ESOL

> curriculum, and the writing of training manuals for Tennessee state

> programs.  Pat has also presented at several TESOL and COABE conferences and

> has worked with teachers who are preparing to teach in the workplace.

>

>

>

> Since retiring from The Center for Literacy Studies at the University of

> Tennessee, Pat has worked for the University of Illinois, Springfield campus

> as a teacher and trainer for Japanese students who are preparing for work as

> electrical engineers in the U.S., assisted in the development of Illinois

> ABE/ASE Standards, and is presently teaching ESL at Parkland Community

> College, Champaign, Illinois.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> 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 dirkx at msu.edu

>




-- 
John M. Dirkx
Professor
Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education
Michigan State University
517-353-8927
FAX: 517-884-1392
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/workplace/attachments/20080726/70fa18c1/attachment-0001.html