| Professional development strategies and initiatives
of the PSU Adult ESOL Lab School seek to develop and enhance
reflective practice, based on critical review and appropriate
adaptation of the best research available, as well as
experience and teacher knowledge, to improve student learning
outcomes. |
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To this end, the PSU Adult ESOL Lab School, using the
concept of practitioner study circles developed by NCSALL,
conducted a study circle for adult ESOL practitioners
at Portland Community College in winter and spring 2003
that encouraged reflective practice and introduced participants
to finding, evaluating, adapting, and using research in
adult ESOL literacy. In addition, the Lab School study
circle viewed and discussed especially selected clips
from the Multimedia Adult English Language Corpus (MAELC).
Nine faculty from the Lab School's educational service
provider, Portland Community College's adult ESL program,
participated. The group met twice each in winter and spring
for three hours per meeting. |
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All faculty who taught the lowest two levels of adult
ESL were invited to participate. The topic for the first
session was selected by the lead teacher for the group.
The following
presents the proceedings and activities of each of the
four sessions: |
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SESSION 1:
Introductory Discussion: "What are best practices?
How do you know?" |
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Take home reading:
Smith, C., Bingman, B., and Kurzet, R. (2003, March),
Developing Practitioner Knowledge in ESOL. NCSALL concept
paper. |
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Reading and discussion (done in "jigsaw" format):
Van Duzer, Carol. (1997, Nov./Dec.). Towards a Framework
for teaching adult
learners. American Language Review, Nov/Dec. 1977, Vol.
1, No. 5.
Available:http://www.languageagazine.com/internetedition/nd97/ftf27.html |
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Wrigley, H. (1993). Innovative programs and practices
in adult ESL.
ERIC Digest, February 1997. EDO-LE-93-07. available:
http://www.cal.org/ncle/digests/INNOVATIVE_PROGRAMS.HTML |
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| Presentation: locating on-line research articles in
education and evaluating the quality of research. |
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| Viewed video clips from the Lab School MAELC: a phonics
lesson on vowel sounds embedded within a whole language
activity on the names of students' countries of origin. |
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| Discussion of video clips: initial presentation to adult
ESOL learners and concluding activities, looking for evidence
of modeling the practice activity, scaffolding on students
prior knowledge, checking and validating students' learning.
|
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| Participants selected the topic for the next meeting:
lessons that start from students' life experiences, and
agreed to each try a lesson that would do this before
the next meeting. |
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SESSION 2:
Introductory Discussion: How do teachers select strategies
to use in their classes?
Included review of the NCSALL concept paper on "Developing
Practitioner
Knowledge in ESOL."
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| Viewed and discussed Lab School video from the MAELC,
that focused on classroom strategies to teach a lesson
that emerges from adult students' experience and knowledge,
together with written copy of the instructor's lesson
plan. The instructor introduced a reading lesson by first
"activating" students' background knowledge
and previously learned vocabulary to create a context
and support for the reading. |
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| Participants shared their experiences teaching a lesson
based on students' background experiences and the strategies
that they used to "activate" students' background
knowledge. |
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Presentation reviewed the participant steps suggested
in the NCSALL concept paper,
"Developing Practitioner Knowledge in ESOL."
No funding was available to pay participants to document
and write up their experiences, but one did so. |
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Reading:
Wrigley, H. (2002). What Works for Adult ESL Literacy
Students: Summary of
the Findings on Instruction, 1999 Cohort. Available:http://www.cal.org/ncle/whatworks1.html |
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| Participants scheduled time to conduct peer observations
in each other's classes. |
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Presentation: Introducing the U.S. Department of Education's
Evidence-Based Education initiative. This presentation
was based on:
Bringing Evidence-Driven Progress to Education: A Recommended
Strategy
for the U.S. Department of Education. (2002). Available:
ExcelGov |
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| Discussion: Availability and quality of research on
adult ESL, usefulness and limitations of the evidence-based
practice initiative. |
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| Participants selected topic for the next meeting: the
effectiveness of drills. |
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SESSION 3:
Reviewed video from last session: Chinese/Spanish speaking
partners. Discussed baseline assessment of students' knowledge
and how that led to instructor's decisions about what
strategies to employ. Compared low-level ESL student performance
when doing scripted versus unscripted activities and the
development of English fluency and accuracy. Discussion
of "fossilized" student errors as a teaching
challenge. |
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| Viewed MAELC video clips of "disguised drills,"
set up to appear as natural and authentic as possible
but still provide extensive practice of a target form. |
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| Presentation: Adapting Kagan structures (cooperative
learning structures, by Spencer Kagan, originally developed
for K-12) in adult ESOL to provide "disguised drills"
and other language practice activities.
Reading:
Burt, M., Peyton, J. K., and Adams, R. (2003). Reading
and Adult English
Language Learners: A Review of the Research. Washington,
D.C. : Center for Applied Linguistics.
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| Presentation: One participant shared how she had gathered
ideas for classroom strategies from Heide Wrigley's article,
"What Works in Adult ESL," implemented them
in her classroom, and the results.
Participants selected topic for the next meeting: video
clips from the MAELC showing the Lab School intervention
of modified Sustained Silent Reading in progress.
SESSION 4:
Introductory Discussion: participants shared what they
had learned about reflective practice and teaching strategies
from doing the peer observations. Participants all found
that doing peer observations, and having the opportunity
to discuss the observations afterwards with the teacher
observed, to be very helpful. Most found that the experience
validated what they were doing in the classroom and
at the same time provided new ideas for instructional
strategies and activities.
Discussion: Roles of research and teacher knowledge
and experience in improving instructional practices.
Participants noted difficulty of finding high quality,
relevant research related to instructional questions
in adult ESL.
Viewed and discussed MAELC video clips from the Lab
School modified Sustained Silent Reading intervention
and also from the control group (in this case, a language
experience lesson). Participants discussed the kinds
of things the research might be able to show or clarify
about language and literacy development in low-level
adult ESL classes.
Participants completed an evaluation form on the study
circle.
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