Keeping Your Students Connected and Engaged

In the Summer

STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PERSISTENCE AND LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

A FIRST LITERACY WORKSHOP; MAY 9,2014

Program profile•Located in Peabody; 30 minutes north of Boston

•3 levels of ESOL

•12 hours/ week of instruction; most intensive in the area

•September through mid-June; no formal summer classes

•Funded by the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

•3 part-time teachers; 1 part-time Education & Career Advisor; a full time Program Director

Learner profile•60% of students are employed at least part-time

•Majority from Dominican Republic & Brazil, but also Albania, Haiti, Central America, Morocco, D.R. Congo

•More than 75% have the foreign equivalent of a high school diploma or higher

•Goals are to: enter employment, obtain better/more appropriate employment, enter a training program, help children in school, etc.

•Historically strong attendance: 75%

Why summer persistence matters

It’s only 2 or 3 months, why don’t we all just take a little break?!

Why summer persistence matters

The notorious Summer Slide in the K-12 system:

•All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004).

•Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains (Cooper, 1996).

•More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college (Alexander et al, 2007).

•www.summerlearning.org

Why summer persistence matters

How can we connect this information to our adult learners?

•“Low-literate parents, particularly mothers, are more likely to exert a positive influence on their children' s academic achievement when they are able to enhance their own literacy skills.”

Learner and Program Factors Affecting Adult English Language Acquisition and Instruction

Learner Factors Program Factors

•Time available for instruction•Opportunities to use English outside the

classroom•Age

•Language and cultural background•Level of prior education

•Degree of first language literacy•Personal conditions (e.g., visual or auditory

impairment)•Personal motivation

•Other demands of life (e.g., work, family)

•Instructional setting (e.g., school, work site)•Type of instruction 

(e.g., classroom, tutoring)•Type of entry 

(open vs. managed enrollment)•Time of instruction 

(day, evening, weekend)•Length of instructional program

•Level of resources

From Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (2003)http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/levelgain.html

 

Number of Students Attaining NRSEducational Level Gain (BEST Plus) by Instructional Hours

Instructional Hours Attained Level Gain

Below 60 hours  53%

60 to 79 hours 55%

80 to 99 hours 60%

100 to 119 hours  62%

120 to 139 hours 69%

140 hours or more  70 %

Why summer persistence mattersDrivers of Persistence•Intake & orientation•Instruction ”It is also primarily in the classroom that students may feel the sense of community that supports learning and persistence, and where they can explore and negotiate learning that will meet their needs.”

•Student Involvement

http://www.nelrc.org/persist/

Why summer persistence mattersDrivers of Persistence•Counseling and Support Without ongoing support and reminders of the resources available to them, many lose their way. Counseling, peer networks, and other non-instructional supports can help students address barriers and stay motivated and focused on their learning. Programs are finding that the risk of dropping out increases when students approach completion of their studies.

•Seeing Progress

Key ideas to support summer connections•Build relationships • with your students• with community support services

•Connect to goals

•Build expectations and mutual commitment

•Start early – start now

•Provide differentiated learning opportunities and strategies• Technology-supported and traditional• Multi-leveled

Key ideas to support summer connections•Keep the door open

•Try new approaches – have some fun with it!

•Share support resources from the community—celebrations, summer reading at the library•http://www.cityofboston.gov/SUMMER/

•Follow through

•Be pleasantly persistent

•Frequent the places your students frequent (and say hello!)

Approaches to try: Case study #1This level 1 ESOL class has been meeting for several months and they have formed a strong connection with each other and with the teacher. Many of the students spend time with one another outside of class, or call one another to get assignments when they miss class. The majority of the students are comfortable with technology and many regularly use smart phones or tablets in class.

Attendance has been strong and most of the students have indicated that they plan to return to the program in the fall.

How can we make sure they do return and are ready to hit the ground running in Level 2?

Strategies and resources• Strategies

• Build trust• Pre-teach strategies• Build comfort with technology in

the classroom and throughout the year

• Visit the library & get cards!• Resources

• Email (between students & teacher)

• Word of the week• Weekly questions for dialogue• Texting

Approaches to try: Case study #2

Student A is in an Intermediate level ESOL class. She has had to stop out once or twice during the year for various reasons. While she has progressed throughout the term, her gains in reading comprehension and writing lag behind her peers. She has two middle-school-aged children. She has very basic computer skills, but no computer at home.

What can she do to stay connected and not fall further behind?

Strategies and resources• Strategies

• Teacher and student develop a plan together. Plan may include the following action steps:• Go to the library; ask reference to direct you to the ESL resource area and computers• Make a plan to visit the library 3 times a week with the children• Children will do summer reading at the library while mom works on her reading and

writing skills; take time to read together• Ask for help to navigate the computer• Go to the Internet and type ESL Reading Comprehension

• Resources• Local library• Textbooks and computers at your school

Approaches to try: Case study #3

The program’s highest level class graduates in June. They are experiencing mixed emotions about leaving the academic and social support system they have come to know and trust. While some are on the path to their next steps, others are still in pursuit of education, employment and language goals.

How can assure them that support doesn’t end with graduation?

Strategies and resources• Strategies

• Invite high level students to mentor, tutor or lead a summer conversation group

• Connect them to volunteer opportunities in the community• Ask for their input into curriculum development for the next year (focus groups)• Encourage students to drop in and use the resources (staff and materials) at the

school to improve their English. • Ask them to speak at orientation

Other Resources•The Best Sites That Students Can Use Independently and Let Teachers Check on ProgressThanks to http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org

◦ USA Learns www.usalearns.org (beginner and low-intermediate ESOL)◦ Virtual Grammar Lab http://www.spunkyenglish.com/VGL/ (all levels)◦ English Central www.englishcentral.com (videos and exercises for all levels)◦ English for All http://www.myefa.org/login.cfm (high beginner)

Question, Comments, Ideas or Resources to Share?

Keep Connected at firstliteracyworkshops.weebly.com

OR CONTACT

GINA FREY: GFREY@NSCAP.ORG KAREN BLANCHARD: KBLANCHARD@NSCAP.ORG

MICHAEL FEHER: MFEHER@FIRSTLITERACY.ORG