Contextualized ESL at the WorksiteCEANY Conference

White Plains, NYNov. 2019

Welcome and Thank You! Today, we will...1. Learn about a partnership and collaboration that helped retail

workers improve their language skills

2. Talk about effective ways to engage learners in contextually-relevant activities

3. How to motivate and support learners for life-long learning

1. Program Overview A Project of the National Immigration Forum

(The Forum)

Skills and Opportunity for the New American

Workforce

(SONAW)

The Partners

Project Funded By Curriculum Developed in Partnership with

Employer Partner

Participating Institutions for Year 3 of the Program

A little bit about me and my (many) hats:

Claudia Carco● CCIE* Consultant & Curriculum Expert● WCC SONAW Coordinator for Year 3 ● SONAW Instructor for Remote Cohort

A national network of community colleges and

other organizations committed to supporting

immigrant education through innovative

programs and services.

Why Community Colleges?● Affordable tuition

● Accessible locations &

scheduling

● Flexible open door admissions

policies

● English as a second language

● Practical majors

● Workforce training

● Smaller classes

● Diversity – sense of

belonging

● Academic support

● Strong referral system in

the community

The English Language Institute...❏ Serves about 4000 students annually.

❏ Employs about 80 adjunct ESL instructor each semester.

❏ Offers a variety of ESL courses ranging in levels from low beginner to advanced.

❏ Supports and advises students about educational opportunities and goals.

❏ Partners with CBOs and other organizations to provide their clients with on-site

ESL courses.

❏ Offers a teacher-training program that arose as a result of a growing demand for

qualified ESL instructors in Westchester County with training and experience in

teaching adult learners.

Ana NegoescuManager of Integration Programs, National Immigration Forum

A little bit about her, the National Immigration Forum and their mission.

Here’s Ana

Program Goals● Strengthen participants’ productive and comprehensive

language skills as they relate to their jobs and everyday life

● Increase confidence and thereby job performance

● Increase participants’ comfort level with technology

● Increase participants’ awareness of and adherence to safety guidelines

● Improve participants’ communication skills on the job

● Broaden participants’ access to career opportunities

Nuts and BoltsSpring 2019: A total of 7 cohorts

WCC Cohorts

Cohort 1

Schedule: 12 Thursdays, 3:00-5:30

Location: Main Campus, Valhalla

Instructor: Victoria

Cohort 2

Schedule: 12 Thursdays, 3:30-6:00

Location: Cross County Extension Center, Yonkers

Instructor: Leanora

Cohort 3

Schedule: 12 Tuesdays, 3:00-5:30

Location: Remote

Instructor: Claudia

2. Curriculum Design and Technology

● Highly customized curriculum for frontline retail workers.

● Developed by the Forum, in partnership with Miami Dade College and CCCIE. Most recently, adapted for fully remote delivery in partnership with World Education.

● Blended Curriculum: 40% in-class or face-to-face & 60% online

● 7 Modules: ○ 6 with content and 1 review○ Multilevel classes

Face-to-Face Curriculum Highlights (40%)

All modules...

○ State a set of objectives and competencies

○ Are presented in the context of the retail industry

○ Have a combination of speaking and listening activities

○ Have grammar & vocabulary embedded in content

○ Engage learners in authentic practice

○ End with a multiple choice quiz to assess understanding

Curriculum Overview

Additional Curriculum Components

● Instructor Guide, which includes Handouts,

Worksheets and Visual Aids

● Student Handbook

● Pre and Post Assessment Tools

Program CalendarWeek 1: Registration, Program Overview, Assessment

Week 2: Technology Orientation

Weeks 2-11: Modules

Week 12: Final Assessment, In-class Ceremony

Program Graduation

Face-to-Face Content: 2 Formats1. In-person: ● Cohorts met once a week at the

main campus and at the Yonkers Cross County Extension Center.

2. Remotely:

● The cohort met synchronously once a week. ● Class used Big Blue Button to connect and share content.

Online Learning - Self-Directed Learning (60%)

Available on Moodle - can be accessed on computer and mobile (smartphone or tablet)

Six interactive online modules

● Comprised of games and activities ● Recycle learned materials and expand on it● Include listening and video activities

Online Components

● Instructor

Repository/Toolbox

● Customized

Learning Videos

● Module Quizzes

3. Class Experiences and Outcomes

Emphasis on Oral Communication

● Authentic, useful practice - role plays

● Emphasis on listening & comprehension skills

● Focus on accurate pronunciation and speech intelligibility

● Focus on appropriate forms of language

● Vocabulary collaborative games and activities

Emphasis on Student Engagement

● Classroom Setup● Classroom Materials :

○ Student Handbook○ Handouts & Worksheets○ Visual Aids & Laminated

pictures○ Realia

● Welcoming and Dynamic Environment● Connecting classroom learning to work

Use of Visuals

Class Activities● Interactive and communicative● Customized for retail workers● Collaborative ● Adaptable● Flexible● Balanced● Relevant● Engaging● Fun

Students at Work

Let’s have some fun!Imagine you work at your local grocery store. Some of you work in the Bakery, others in the Deli Department, others in Maintenance and others in Customer Service.

They unloaded two trucks yesterday.

● In groups of 5, write three sentences related to your jobs using the verbs below.● Write sentence #1 on all the index cards with the number 1, sentence #2 on the

index cards with the number 2 and sentence #3 on the cards with the number 3. ● Your sentences must have 5 words. ● Write one word per card ONLY.

VERBS: Stack - Slice - Arrange - Assist - Bag - Remove - Organize - Bake - Train - Sort

Students Expectations

In-class

● Attend at least 70% of classes

● Arrive on time and ready to learn

● Bring Student Handbook to every class

● Participate of all class activities

Online

● Log in to the LMS and familiarize

themselves with the platform

● Complete 60% of online learning

● Complete all end-of-module

quizzes

Student Feedback“I didn’t feel confident to

speak the language. Like I felt afraid to speak. People can make a joke of my accent. But actually in this time, I

feel more confident. I can feel it inside.” Valeria J.

“It’s more convenient to to do it

online. The experience was

fantastic. I love it. If I can keep

doing this class, I will.”

Carolina S.

“I like this English class. For me it’s very important improve my

English. I am enjoy it every Tuesday. I hope soon we will have another class. I want to say thank you to my teacher

and to my store - they give me this opportunity.” Maria C.

Instructor Expectations

● Take and report attendance weekly

● Administer and report scores for customized pre and post assessment

● Track and monitor students’ in-class and online learning, participation

and progress

● Complete and submit weekly instructor surveys

● Complete Progress Assessment Forms for each student at the end of the

course

● Participate in a total of 4 Community of Practice Calls

Instructor Feedback

“I gave the students a “phrase of the week”

last week to try to use at work as many times

as possible and report back with results.

People really did try to do the phrase of the

week. One person in particular spoke of how

nervous he’d been to try it, but that it got

easier each time he tried. [Phrase: “Do you

prefer this (product name) or that (product

name)?] He laughed at his co-worker teasing

him about how nervous he was in anticipating

trying it, and that it did help. The class

applauded his efforts after he told his story.”

Tori W.

“Students did a role play between a

manager/employee during a training and they did

an amazing job! Their language was natural,

appropriate and relevant. We worked on some

skills after debriefing on everything they had done

well. I could tell they were proud of what they had

done”. Claudia C.

Students were given

pictures of the weekly sale

flyer. Students used the

language, “How much is

it?”. They demonstrated

ability to distinguish

subjects, verbs and

objects!”

Lea K.

Program Outcomes

Assessment

● Pre and post Customized Assessment (custom-made for retail

workers)

● Pre and Post Oral Interview

● Weekly end of module quizzes

● Student Progress Assessment Forms

4. Challenges and Successes

Challenges

1. Enrollment

2. Attendance

3. Mixed-Level Ability Class

4. Technology

a. Remote Class Challenges

Successes1. Free, high quality ESL courses to Whole Foods workers.

2. Support from employer resulted in high levels of

motivation, retention and appreciation from

Whole Foods employees.

3. Improved language skills and overall English proficiency.

4. Community of learners that supported and encouraged one another.

5. Increased language confidence led to participants providing more and better

customer service and improved job performance as told by the participants and

team leaders surveyed.

Our Graduates

A Message from Our Graduates

Thank you!Questions & Answers