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Best Practices for Adult ESL & LINC Programming
In AlbertaSara Gnida
Outline
Introduction
Orientation to the Best Practices
document
Using Best Practices
Acknowledgements ATESL would like to acknowledge the invaluable
contributions of the following in funding the project:
Alberta Employment and Immigration &
Introduction
1992 LINC -- increased funding
ATESL concern about quality
1994 Drafting of original Best Practice Guidelines, revised 2004.
Emerging standards and best practice documents in other jurisdictions
Time to renew the ATESL best practices.
IntroductionResearch of standards
documents, literature
Focus groups & electronic
questionnaire
Literature research & drafting
Feedback from experts in the
field
Best Practices for
Adult ESL and LINC
programming in Alberta
Click for More detail
Click for More detail
Click for More detail
Next
Click for More detail
Researching the literature
•Best Practice Guidelines for Adult ESL/LINC Programming and Instruction in Alberta
Original ATESL document
•TESOL Standards for Adult Education ESL Programs (2003)
US
•NEAS: Standards and criteria for ELT centres; Standards and criteria for accreditation of providers of the adult migrant English program
Australia
•Languages Canada quality assurance scheme: Standards and specifications
Canada
•Manitoba Adult EAL Curriculum Framework Foundations
Manitoba
•Best practice features of quality LINC programs
Ontario
•CLB documents, standards for various states, research into second language acquisition, teaching, learning, program administration, etc.
And others
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 ResourcesBack
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…
Focus group input
TESL/SLA
Literature
…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
Nine Themes
67 Best Practices
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
The Program
Mission, philosophy, goals
Finances
Administration
Planning
Marketing
Scheduling & delivery
Etc.
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
Learner Support
Orientation
Support
Communication
Support services
Community participationTransition
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
The Staff
Qualifications
Hiring
Orientation
Professional development
Compensation
Ethical treatment
Evaluation
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
Canadian Language Benchmarks
Professional development
Standard frame of reference
Inform curriculum, materials, instruction
Resources
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
Curriculum
Articulated & flexible
Responsive to learner needs
Reflects program mission, SLA principles,
etc.
Regular renewal
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
Instruction
Learner oriented
Listening, speaking, reading, writing
Grammar, pronunciation,
vocabulary
Technology, culture, autonomous learning
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
Learner Assessment
Placement
Ongoing formative feedback
Summative assessment
High stakes
Documentation
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
Resources
Location & facilities
Classroom, materials, equipment
Teaching/learning
resources
Orientation to the document: The 9 themes
ESL Literacy
Placement
Instructor qualifications and support
The literacy classroom
Enhanced support services
Orientation to the document
•67 statements of best practice organized according to the 9 themes.
Section 1: Best
Practice Statement
s
•Best practice statements
•Indicators for each BP
•References and further reading for each theme.
Section 2: Best
Practice Guidelines
Orientation to the document
•Self-reflection
•Program self-evaluation
•Identifying effective programs
Section 3: Putting
Best Practices
into Practice
•Report•Referen
ces•Evaluat
ion tool
Appendices
How might a list of Best Practice statements be of use to you in your practice?
Using the Best Practices
Collaboration
Self reflecti
on
Reference
End
Using the Best Practices as a Reference document
To compensate for an area of
weakness or gap in training
Toprovide an
overview to an unfamiliar area
To provide support for someone
taking on new responsibilities
As a resource for new ideas
Using the Best Practices as a Reference Document
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?).
Tami has TEFL training and experience teaching ESL overseas, but CLBs are completely new to her. She’s teaching LINC 2, and confused about CLBs.
Tyler has never used the CLB, but has been offered a contract to develop a curriculum based on the CLB.
Kim, in a rural setting, has just volunteered to teach an evening ESL class at the library. No TESL background.
Jake is on a committee which decides on PD opportunities for ESL instructors.
Neal’s organization is offering an ESL literacy class – and it looks like Neal is going to be teaching the class.
Val, with experience teaching ESL and a medical background, will be teaching medical terminology. She’s never taught a vocabulary course.
Kim, a TOEFL prep teacher, has a new job teaching listening and speaking. She’s finding the transition difficult.
Back
Using Best Practices for Self Reflection
Begin Broadly in Best Practice Statements
Definitely… I/we do this
Hmm…not sure about this
I’ve got to look into this
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.
Definitely… I do this
Hmm…not sure about this
I’m going to work on thisBack
What did you learn? Explore more: References and Further Reading
Using the Best Practices to Focus Collaboration and Discussion
Talk through the indicators of a BP with a colleague . Identify what you are doing well, what you are not doing, and what needs to be improved. Together identify actions/steps to take.
Class Observations: Ask an observer (supervisor, colleague) to focus on and provide feedback on a particular BP when observing your class.
Staff meeting: divide into groups and have different groups work through the BPs in different themes to determine whether your program is meeting the BP.
Instructors of a particular level work together through the BPs from the Instruction section to identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps.
Which of the above collaborative activities would work for you? How else could you use this document in a collaborative way?
Back
Next
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)
No indicators checked; the BP is not at all in place.
Just one indicator or sub-indicator checked. Not fair to say there is nothing in place, but in reality, the BP isn’t being met.
A few indicators checked. An attempt is made, but room for much improvement; identifiable gaps.
A substantial number of indicators checked but still room for improvement. The program is “approaching best practice.”
All indicators have been checked and additional indicators may be in place; clearly and substantially meeting BP.
Collaboration/Discussion Activity
What did you learn? Would this be a valuable activity to do “for real”?
4-5?
•Talk through questions in #2, p.121
1-2?
•Talk through questions in #4, p.121
3?
•Talk through questions in #5, p.121
Back
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?
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 AndersonCarol Aubee GirardSusan BadgerSumana BaruaPat BoehmeChrystal BlumeAnne CapuneAnna DeLucaLeni DeismanTracey DerwingCarolyn DielemanHailey GaleIsabel Gibbins
Myrna GlennDavid GrahamErma GuintoDiane HardyJenine HawrelykFiona HayesKatalin HegedusTara Holmes Ron HortonMimi HuiPenny HuiMelissa Hunt Hana Imai Elsie JohnsonRuth Jordan
Liz KarraCynthia Lambertson–PoonChristine LandRoberta LawlorPatti LefebvreLaura LindsayAmy MeckelborgCindy MessarosValerie MillarMandy NeilsenTodd OdgersSusan OguchiAudrey OlsonDonna Paskall
Heather PlaizierLeila RantaSheri RhodesIan RogersHetty RoesinghMarian RossiterVirginia SauveShalla ShaharyanJudy SilittoSkipp SymesGayle Taylor