Best Practices for Adult ESL & LINC Programming In Alberta

Best Practices for Adult ESL & LINC Programming In Alberta Sara Gnida

Outline

Acknowledgements • ATESL would like to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of the following in funding the project: Alberta Employment and Immigration&

Introduction

Introduction Click for More detail Click for More detail Click for More detail Click for More detail Next

Researchingthe literature Back

Focus Groups • Focus groups in Calgary, Edmonton, South and Central AB; telephone interview for Northern AB • Electronic questionnaire on ATESL website • Participants represented programs of various sizes (1000+ students/semester to 25 students/semester) and focuses (from survival/settlement/literacy focuses to EAP classes with university credit) • Participants represented public, private, and non-profit providers. • Invited to provide input into what they considered to be best practice in each of 8 themes: Staff, Instruction, Curriculum, Canadian Language Benchmarks and Essential Skills, Assessment/Learner gains, Program structure/administration, Learner support, and Resources Back

Research & Drafting • In some cases, the focus groups identified an area that needed to be included but didn’t provide the content… • In some cases, the focus groups provided some of the substance of what is included… • In some cases, the input from the focus groups provided most of the substance of a section… • …In those cases, it was the TEFL and SLA literature that provided the substance of what is there. • …And the literature expanded on that input. • …In those cases, the literature validated the input gathered from ESL professionals across AB. Back

Feedback from experts in the field • Once a draft of the document was completed, it was sent out to experts in the ESL field across Alberta, soliciting their feedback on particular sections depending on their areas of expertise. • The draft was reviewed by 15 people, with each theme being reviewed by at least 2 experts, and the instruction theme reviewed by 5. • Revisions made based on feedback. Back

Orientation to the Document

Orientation to the document: The 9 themes

Orientation to the document

How might a list of Best Practice statements be of use to you in your practice?

Using the Best Practices • Reference • Self reflection • Collaboration End

Using the Best Practices as a Reference document

Using the Best Practices as a Reference Document Back Focus on your assigned scenario. What sections of the document should they turn to? What support could they find (i.e., what would they learn?).

Using Best Practices for Self Reflection Begin Broadly in Best Practice Statements Choose a theme in Best Practice Statements to work through. Your Goal: to identify 1-2 best practices to explore further.

Using Best Practices for Self Reflection • . Narrow your focus: Section 2: Best Practice Guidelines: Select the best practice you wish to focus on and read through the indicators listed. Back What did you learn? Explore more: References and Further Reading

Using the Best Practices to Focus Collaboration and Discussion Next Back Which of the above collaborative activities would work for you? How else could you use this document in a collaborative way?

Collaboration/Discussion Activity • Find a partner/colleague who is teaching the same/similar course/level. • Choose ONE Best Practice to work through (perhaps in instruction theme). • Talk through the indicators of the BP with your partner. Ask Questions such as… • So… do you do this? • How do you do this? • What other ways do you do this? • Identify what you are doing well, what you are not doing, and what needs to be improved. Together identify actions/steps to take. • If you have time, give yourself or your program a score based on the rubric on bottom of p.120.

Collaboration and discussion: Scoring Best Practices (see Evaluation Tool p. 135)

Collaboration/Discussion Activity Back • What did you learn? Would this be a valuable activity to do “for real”?

Conclusion • Purpose: to delineate a common set of expectations regarding what constitutes best practice in adult ESL & LINC programs in Alberta. • NOT a straightjacket! • Any statement of standard practice involves a “construction of the teaching/learning process that will not be universally shared” (Crabbe, 2003, p.29). i.e., there is bound to be disagreement! • BUT a starting point for clarifying divergent beliefs and perspectives; a catalyst for reflective practice & collaboration.

Questions • Questions regarding the “Best Practices for Adult ESL and LINC Programming in Alberta” document? sara.gnida@norquest.ca

ATESL thanks the following people who participated in focus group interviews, provided input on the ATESL website, and/or provided feedback on drafts of the document: • Lorene Anderson • Carol Aubee Girard • Susan Badger • SumanaBarua • Pat Boehme • Chrystal Blume • Anne Capune • Anna DeLuca • LeniDeisman • Tracey Derwing • Carolyn Dieleman • Hailey Gale • Isabel Gibbins • Myrna Glenn • David Graham • Erma Guinto • Diane Hardy • JenineHawrelyk • Fiona Hayes • KatalinHegedus • Tara Holmes • Ron Horton • Mimi Hui • Penny Hui • Melissa Hunt • Hana Imai • Elsie Johnson • Ruth Jordan • Liz Karra • Cynthia Lambertson–Poon • Christine Land • Roberta Lawlor • Patti Lefebvre • Laura Lindsay • Amy Meckelborg • Cindy Messaros • Valerie Millar • Mandy Neilsen • Todd Odgers • Susan Oguchi • Audrey Olson • Donna Paskall • Heather Plaizier • Leila Ranta • Sheri Rhodes • Ian Rogers • HettyRoesingh • Marian Rossiter • Virginia Sauve • ShallaShaharyan • Judy Silitto • SkippSymes • Gayle Taylor

Best Practices for Adult ESL & LINC Programming In Alberta