Dimension 6.1

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Dimension Six

A Strategy for Planning in the Multilevel Adult ESOL Classroom

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Many of our issues with retention on SSCC ESOL sites can be traced to planning concerns. Indeed, many learners have expressed a desire to be better informed about what happens “next,” so that their own resources, especially childcare, can be allocated to their maximum benefit. Dimension Six is not a lesson plan, but aims to support planning by:  Providing a list of the essential components that must be included in instruction…  Developing these into a framework that will allow an agenda, calendar, and eventually, a syllabus to be provided to learners at the beginning of each instructional period…  Our expectations of learners (and what they can expect from us) may become clearer as we address each of the following six dimensions…

First Dimension  

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Instruction should incorporate an appropriate textbook. Advantages:  Predictability that some learners need.  The “buy-in” that goes with being issued a book of one’s own, that must be brought to class every meeting.  Audio is often provided with a textbook to encourage participation and address aural learning. Concerns:  There has been a problem in the past with textbooks not being returned when learners cease attending class.  Though presented as “optional,” audio is usually necessary to make sense of each lesson if a textbook series is packaged with a companion CD!  Many textbook series are sincerely disliked by learners and volunteers, but both hesitate to express opinions! Forming groups and allowing learners to select their own textbook series from a list provided to them is an attractive option, but only works when there is regular attendance (the same individuals working together consistently, by mutual agreement).

Second Dimension

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Instruction should address the differences between academic and social language.  Many learners are prepared for the classroom, but not for the community.  Others are prepared for the community, but not the classroom.  We lose good students by addressing one situation while neglecting the other!

Third Dimension 

Instruction must address all four language competencies:  Listening  Speaking  Reading  Writing

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Fourth Dimension 

Instruction must address the five points of language development:     

Phonetic Morphemic Syntactic Semantic Pragmatic

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Fifth Dimension 

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Instruction must incorporate all life skills competencies measured by CASAS, and include mandated EL Civics content. 

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It can be difficult to determine how this should be done in a multilevel, multidisciplinary classroom: Example: When does a doctor need to learn how to fill out a job application? It is important to ask the question each of the learners will ask themselves: How are these life skills part of MY life?

Sixth Dimension 

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Instruction must incorporate information technology, and address the career goals and personal aspirations of individual learners. 

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Most learners have not responded with much enthusiasm to offers of specialized study groupings for those having a particular career goal, such as the medical professions. However, they do wonder about the utility of the six hours per week spent with us. Such groupings are designed, in part, to address these concerns. Our free courses carry no academic credit, and terminal certificates are not being issued at this time. What does a learner get, exactly, by studying English with us? These questions must be answered by making each learner aware that we are serious about helping people develop a plan for “going somewhere” with English. Example: How can I help you search for a verification service for your international college transcripts? Research has shown that those learners who are unfamiliar with basic computer skills will face serious consequences in the job market

Color Codes for Student Folios Orange—textbook material

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Blue— conversation help

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Yellow—group exercises

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Green—grammar, pronunciation help Red—citizenship, survival English, U.S. culture Purple—career exploration, personal growth

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This color-coding system has become part of the My English Notebook experiment, which has been wellreceived by most students at Holy Spirit. Students are given a 3-ring binder within which they can build a portfolio of work. Each binder is personalized. Instructors can distribute handouts to each student in “folios” that are organized according to purpose and 3hole punched. Not every student receives the same folio when they are distributed—to each according to need! My

English Notebook helps us with two important goals: To control handouts, helping students keep track of them, thus minimizing distractions during instructional time, and… To establish a system for students to complete outof-class writing activities and turn in homework, receiving timely feedback on each of these.

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Dimensions Checklist for My Classroom: 

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Did today’s activities…  

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Incorporate an appropriate text? Require the use of both academic and social language? Require listening, speaking, reading, and writing? Address phonetic, morphemic, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic features of English? Include CASAS and EL Civics content? Include exploratory activities compatible with each student’s language learning “road map,” including career development plans?