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Conversation Circles
A simple program for your ESL speaking
patrons Presented atNCompass Live March 29, 2017
Elizabeth M. Rivera
Los Alamos County Library
System
Hello!Elizabeth RiveraReference LibrarianLos Alamos County Library System
Big A Japanese mother who brought her baby in to all our baby programs requested a program to help her practice English.
Hello!
こんにちは
Language Other Than English Spoken at Home
New Mexico36%
National20.8%
Nebraska
10.3%
Source: https://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acs-22.pdf
Why do this?× Serving the underserved× Supporting lifelong learning× Building community
1.The PLanning
How we got started
The Research× What is available in the
community?× How are other places doing
this?× What is our primary audience?
What is already available?× Free ESL classes at UNM-LA
× Free one on one tutoring via Río Arriba Adult Literacy Program
How are other places doing this?× Most places are using volunteers.× The programs emphasize a relaxed
atmosphere.× Little to no focus on grammar or other
technicalities , except for what’s necessary to communicate.
The program Cost: Time× We committed to 45 min to 1 hr
sessions once a week.× Prep time varies between 5 and 20
minutes.× We wanted to use volunteers, but used
staff until we could train them.× We used volunteers from our existing
volunteer pool.
How to train volunteers?× Ask volunteers to come
observe / participate first.× Provide them with a volunteer
handbook.
Christa will be
posting a copy!
Training Manual: Highlights× Keep it casual & friendly.× Encourage equal participation.× Have backup topics & ideas.× Make sure they understand you & each
other.× Remember that intercultural
communication is more than just language.
What is our Primary target audience?× Primary caretaker for a small child
or infant, may care for older kids too
× May be in the United States only briefly
× Varying degrees of language proficiency
× Seeking both language development and social connection
Planning & Marketing for our Audience× Cross promotion strategy with other ESL programs
and youth service programs× Used the baby time room, already set up with a
“baby corral”× Planned sessions around the school calendar× Flyers & handouts that clearly welcomed kids
Flyers & Handouts
2.Things that
workedLet’s start with what went
right.
Having a clearly defined target audience× Choosing the right
time & place× Targeted marketing× Word of mouth
Riddles & Logic PuzzlesActing on an anonymous phone call, the police raid a house to arrest a suspect. They don't know what he looks like but they know his name is John and that he is inside the house. The police bust in on a carpenter, a truck driver, a mechanic and a fireman playing cards. Without hesitation or communication of any kind, they immediately arrest the fireman. How did they know which person to arrest?
The Game of ScruplesAt a restaurant you
own, you see a cook drop a lamb chop on the floor, pick it up,
wash it, reheat it and serve it on a plate.
Do you reprimand the cook?
“Would you rather. . .?”
. . . be extremely hairy or completely hairless?. . . work hard at an interesting job or relax at a boring job?. . . be the best dancer in the world or the best singer in the world?
WHY?
Get your partner to guess the word:
PANDA
Taboo Without saying any of these words:
×Bear×Black & White×China×Bamboo×Zoo
What’s Going On In This Picture?
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/column/learning-whats-going-on-in-this-picture
× Food× Places to visit in the area× Health care× What do you love about your
country of origin
Other Topics That Worked:
A great pool of volunteers× Native language
fluency in English× Experienced with
intercultural communication
× Empathy & humor
3.Things that Didn’t work
Let’s look at what could have gone better.
Working with absolute beginners×Conversation Circles cannot substitute formal learning and won’t work for people who don’t have a basic vocabulary.
The group was too big or Too Small×One morning we had about 14 people at the session, plus babies.
×Our evening sessions consistently had only 1 or 2 participants.
2 truths and a lie
4.Our Results
How did we do?
Our participants
Our Library
Honduras
México
Chile
Colombia
China
JapanTurkey
France
Bulgaria
Ecuador
Palau
39Sessions for FY 15-
16
165Total
attendanceSessions for FY 16-17 started
September 13th with a core group of attendees from last year.
26Sessions for FY 16-
17(So far. . .)
96Total
attendance
“This is a safe place where we can express our
opinions”
“It helped me to know that there are more people like me
and that I don’t need to feel
embarrassed”
“It’s a social time for us but it’s also a social time for the
kids- they can make friends and
play”
THANKS!You can email me at:[email protected]