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English Now!Learning Circles project
2019-2020
Supported by
Welcome!
❖Roberta Chacon, 1199SEIU TEF, New York
❖Denise Kline, Chesapeake College, MD
❖Kathleen O’Connell, World Education
❖Maryann Peterson, TJACE, Piedmont CC, VA
❖David Rosen, Newsome Associates
❖Priyanka Sharma, World Education
English Now! Learning circles project
16-month project funded by Led by
California
Building Skills Partnership, San Jose
Learning and Loving Education Center, Morgan Hill
Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara
District of Columbia
Carlos Rosario International PCS
IllinoisCenter for Literacy at Univ. of Illinois, Chicago
MarylandChesapeake College, Wye Mills
New York1199SEIU Funds, New York
PennsylvaniaLiteracy Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh
TexasIrving ISD, Irving
VirginiaTJACE at Piedmont Virginia CC, Charlottesville
English Now! 2018-2020 Timeline
Fall ’18
Planning
Jan-Mar ’19
Round 1
April-Jun ’19
Round 2
July ’19
Iteration
Sept-Dec ’19
Round 3
Dec-Jan ’18
Facilitator trainings
April ’19
Round 1 Debrief
Jun ’19
Round 2 Debrief
Aug ’19
Round 3 Training
Jan-Feb 2020
Final Iteration; Dissemination
What is an English Now! learning circle?
English Now! learning circles aim to expand English language learning opportunities while facilitating online and peer-to-peer learning.
Project goals
● Expand access to learning opportunities for
ELLs
● Serve learners on waiting lists
● Demonstrate learning gains in a learning
circle environment
Additional project goals:
● Support ELLs in learning circles when
using online course materials
● Increase learners’ comfort with using
computers and mobile apps for learning
● Plan and support learning circles’
sustainability and expansion within
participating programs
English Now! Model
● Facilitated learning circles meet for 8 - 12 weeks
● Weekly learning circles meetings range from 1.5 - 2 hours
● Meeting includes independent online learning and group
discussion time
● Structure and continued guidance provided by World
Education through project resources and trainings
Suggested Learning Circle Agenda: ~ 2 hours
• Check-in (20 min.) including recap of last week
• Online learning (50 - 60 min.)
• Activity (30 min.)
• Wrap-up (15 min.)
Implementation Resources
● Site Coordinator & Facilitator
training
● Implementation Guide
○ Planning tips and Strategies
○ Sample Planning Templates
● Moodle community of practice
● Ongoing support from WEI staff
Let’s hear from some programs!
1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds
New York, NY
● María Luisa Castañeda, Assistant Director of Education
● Roberta Chacón, Coordinator of Foreign Language
Classes
● Juan Gomez, Elke Stappert, and Adam Bubrow,
facilitators
Our participants:
● learned more about New York City and its
community resources through the online video
course We Speak NYC.
● learned to use the Cell-Ed and Learning Upgrade
apps
● improved their digital literacy skills
In addition, they learned how to install new apps
from an app store and how to connect to wifi.
Partnered with Cell-Ed to develop an ESL course for Home Health
Aides, our participants’ occupation.
Used the learning circle to pilot this app.
Students learned job-related vocabulary and practical
applications of grammar.
Watched videos of common Home Health Aide scenarios.
Irving ISD, Irving, Texas
Delia Watley,
Adult Education and Literacy (AEL)
Director and Site Coordinator
Juan Camarillo, AEL Instructor
and learning circle facilitator
Irving ISD: Outcomes
● Student surveys were very positive. One person promoted
at work because she showed more confidence speaking
English and another got a job.
● Learners were eager to share after independent work --
more so than in traditional classrooms.
● Program plans to continue learning circles, may offer them
to students in classes or as a transition to classes.
Thomas Jefferson Adult and Career
Education program in Charlottesville, VA
Debbie Tuler, Coordinator
Maryann Peterson, Facilitator
Salient Features
• Learning circles were conversation-
based with a digital literacy focus
• Opportunities for learner leadership
• Learner ownership
Tips for introducing apps2. Download/launch the app• Introduce the app (provide name
and image)• Provide one-on-one support• Rely on volunteers/experienced
students
3. Complete a lesson in class• Allow enough time to complete
one lesson• Help students experience
success, changing levels if necessary
1. Provide smartphone orientation• Identify kind of phone • Establish WiFi connection• Find App Store/ Play Store• Remember personal phone
number and password
4. Reflect/evaluate• Evaluate the app • Set an intention for future use• Let students know where they
can get tech support
Santa Barbara City
College, CA
Coordinator-Sachiko Oates
Facilitator-Monica Campbell
Santa Barbara City College: Outcomes
• Peer teaching and learning was a
positive experience
• Increased learner skills both in
English and in using digital
technology including mobile apps
Michele Tate – FacilitatorDenise Kline – ESL Instructional
Specialist
Advantages
• Student-centered. They control their learning.
• Flexible – allows a program to provide students with a non-traditional avenue to
learning.• Perfect model for rural settings where class size is small.
Challenges
● Student access to technology outside the classroom continues to be a problem for our program.
Carlos Rosario International Public
Charter School, Washington, DC
Heather Ritchie, Elani Lawrence
and Laura Summer (volunteer)
Carlos Rosario Intn’l PCS: Impact
• Apps: Some true beginner learners spent over a 100 hours using a
learning app, and then were ready to enroll in a regular English class
• Learners recruited friends and relatives to join a learning circle
• For the school, recapturing students who had dropped out was key.
• Teachers and student services staff were seeing learning circles as a
good option for students who had dropped out.
Carlos Rosario Intn’l PCS: Learner Outcomes
• Increased learner confidence
• Building a strong sense of learner
community, especially for those who
joined more than one round of learning
circles
• Learners discovering how to use
technology for learning
English Now! by the numbers
● # Learners served: 321
● Cell-Ed app usage (~3 months):
381 hours; ongoing
● All 10 programs plan to offer
learning circles this spring
Questions?
• How could you use learning circles for your programs?
• How could you use a learning circle model for learners on waiting lists, as a supplementary learning experience, or in partnership with a public library, or in other settings?
Thanks!
Kathleen O’Connell
Priyanka Sharma
Interested in joining our Community of Practice? Drop us an email.
