Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id KAA23010; Wed, 23 Feb 2000 10:21:31 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2000 10:21:31 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <20.2702609.25e5539b@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Rgspacone@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:856] Composite Questions for the Genesis Center X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 39 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Status: RO Content-Length: 4916 Lines: 104 NIFL-4EFF Colleagues: I'd like to extend my thanks to the staff of the Genesis Center in Providence, RI, for setting aside special time to consider our questions, write up their discussion, and post their collective responses here, February 28 - March 3. In her introduction, Sally Gabb, the Center's Adult Education Director said, "We are currently looking at the new standards development, and hope to integrate the EFF standards as we revise our curriculum guide." One of the reasons I invited Sally and her colleagues to join us in this dialogue was because I hoped their situation and their questions would be like many of yours...at least with regard to having already embraced the EFF framework and now hoping to integrate the standards. I sincerely appreciate Sally, Nancy, Michele, Steve, Ginny, and Patricia's willingness to put their ideas and beliefs "out there" on the 4EFF discussion list. And thanks a lot to all the folks who raised questions for the Genesis staff's consideration. We ended up getting more than eight questions! Please do not expect the crew from the Genesis Center to tackle them all, unless they want to, of course... (smile) A couple of subscribers sent their questions directly to me; the rest originally appeared here. In general, we'd like the Genesis Center staff to elaborate on all three topics. What follows are the more particular interests we expressed: Topic #1. Introducing EFF and providing support to teachers and learners engaged in learning these content areas and skills: What types of support appear to be most useful to teachers who are learning how to incorporate EFF into their practice? How can directors/coordinators become familiar and comfortable with the standards? Can you suggest ways other than reading, discussions, and attending staff development sessions? What has been the impact of teachers using EFF on the program administrators? Has use of EFF changed the organizational culture or structure of the program? Do you introduce EFF to your learners in the classes all at once, or only the relevant pieces as needed, or not at all (you just use the components as a given, explaining the pieces but not the history, philosophy, etc.) ? What are your views with respect to explicit and intentional initial and continuing teacher and tutor training? How do you make sure you are ready and able to train in terms of content and process? Topic #2. Choosing how and when to use the EFF Content Standards and why: What do you think about using the EFF standards as compared to other educational standards that you know about and use? What are those other standards? Do learners set individual goals around the standards, or are group goals created? If it's the latter, do learners help set these goals or do the teachers set these? If goals are not created around the standards, what are they based on? Do you worry about "hitting" all the standards? If not, how do you focus? Have you delved into assessment issues, and, if so, what pearls of wisdom have you to offer? Topic #3. Using the EFF Framework and Content Standards to design curriculum and implement instruction specifically for ESOL programs: What impact has EFF had on learners? Are they better served than they were before EFF? Does your program have a set curriculum/a that is used with all learners in a particular class, or is curricula developed based on goals expressed by learners when they enter that class? Or, is some approach used which combines these two? How does your learner-centered participatory curriculum fit into the EFF framework? What process did you use to evaluate your existing curriculum with reference to the EFF framework? You mentioned revising a curriculum guide. Is this a guide for teachers/learners on the curriculum? What kinds of changes to the actual curriculum do you envisage as a result of the new standards development? How has the EFF framework impacted on the instructional approach used by teachers? Has there been more of a focus on the language needed to perform in accordance with the content standards, i.e., a functional language approach in the classroom? What has been your experience with regard to the integration of the EFF framework and your different ESOL levels? How has the integration of the EFF framework at the higher proficiency levels compared to the experience with your pre-literacy classes, for example? Thanks, everyone! Ronna Ronna Spacone NIFL-4EFF List Facilitator rgspacone@aol.com Phone: 703-228-8024 To order a copy of "Equipped for the Future Content Standards: What Adults Need to Know and Be Able to Do in the 21st Century, please call ED PUBS at 1-877-433-7827 and request publication number NIFL EX 0099P. (If 877 is unavailable in your area, call 1-800-872-5327; if you want to use the TTY/TDD line, call 1-800437-0833.)
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