Refugees received in 2012 (as percentage of population)

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1 1 Developing a LESLLA-inclusive TESOL curriculum Laura Vander Broek & Colleen Brice Grand Valley State University, Michigan, USA PROBLEM U.S. TESOL curricula prepare teachers of 3 populations: U.S. elementary & secondary students ( ELL ) U.S. post-secondary ESL students ( ESL ) L1-literate students overseas ( EFL ) LESLLA LESLLAs = sizable demographic in U.S. & Michigan Refugees received in 2012 (as percentage of population) 0.04% 0.03% 0.02% 0.01% 0.00% Texas 5,928 California 5,173 Michigan 3,594 New York 3,528 Michigan ranks 3 rd in total number of refugees resettled In proportion to our population, we resettle more refugees than any state Michigan has the fifth-highest number of migrant workers in the U.S. i

2 2 SOLUTION Add LESLLA Unit to TESOL Course in Graduate Program THE COURSE: English 669: Teaching English as an Additional Language Exploration of second language learning theories and pedagogy of teaching English as an additional language in domestic and international contexts. The course addresses theoretical foundations of language learning and the implications for instructional practice, and considers critical issues in English language teaching. = One of 12 required courses in graduate program. THE PROGRAM: Masters in Applied Linguistics, GVSU (2015 start date) Required Courses (30 credit hours) ENG 660 Principles of Educational Linguistics ENG 667 Introduction to Applied Linguistics Research *ENG 669 Teaching English as an Additional Language ENG 664 Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching ENG 665 Second Language Acquisition ENG 670 World Englishes: History & Variation ENG 675 Second Language Reading & Writing ENG 662 Pedagogical Grammar ENG 668 Second Language Assessment ENG 679 Practicum ENG 695 Thesis THE LESLLA UNIT (4 weeks) Objectives Develop students knowledge of: Demographics of LESLLA Unique characteristics of LESLLAs Emergent literacy-levels Experiences of refugees and immigrants in U.S. Resources for learners and teachers of LESLLA

3 3 Second language & literacy literacy acquisition among LESLLAs Factors that influence SLA & literacy development among LESLLAs Develop students abilities to: Assess LESLLA learners needs Assess LESLLA learners literacy levels Plan instruction that draws on current theory, research, & prof. standards Plan instruction that develops & builds on students oral language abilities Plan instruction that builds on students L1s to facilitate L2 development Plan instruction that incorporates LESLLA-specific strategies Question whether & why to adopt specific strategies, practices, approaches Theoretical Foundations for Authors Development of Unit Kratos Learning. (2013). English language learner university (ELL-U) professional development plan. U.S. Department of Education: Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Available at: National Research Council. (2012). Improving adult literacy instruction: Options for practice and research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Available at: Peyton, J. K., Burt, M., McKay, S., Schaetzel, K., Terrill, L., Young, S., et al. (2007). Professional development for practitioners working with adult English language learners with limited literacy. In N. R. Faux (Ed.), Low-educated adult second language and literacy acquisition proceedings of symposium (pp ). Richmond, VA: Literacy Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. Vinogradov, P. (2013). Defining the LESLLA teacher knowledge base. In T. Tammelin- Laine, L. Nieminen, & M. Martin (Eds), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, Proceedings of the 8 th Symposium (pp.9-24). Jyväskylä, Finland: University of Jyväskylä Printing House. Vinogradov, P. (2012). Professional development for LESLLA teachers: A status report. MinneWITESOL Journal. Vinogradov, P. & Liden, A. (2009). Principled training for LESLLA instructors. In I. van de Craats & J. Kurvers (Eds.), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, Proceedings of the 4 th symposium (pp ). Utrecht, Netherlands: LOT.

4 4 UNIT OUTLINE Study Circles To maximize coverage of the readings for this unit, students will be organized into Study Circles, with each responsible for different readings from the groupings listed below. Study Circles will meet outside of class to discuss readings. Weeks 1-2: LESLLA Learners Introduction: What do you need to know to teach LESLLAs? Vinogradov, P. (2013). Defining the LESLLA teacher knowledge base. In T. Tammelin- Laine, L. Nieminen, & M. Martin (Eds), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, Proceedings of the 8 th Symposium (pp. 9-24). Jyväskylä, Finland: University of Jyväskylä Printing House. Unique Characteristics Bigelow, M., & Schwarz, R. L. (2010). Adult English language learners with limited literacy (pp. 1-8). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at: Unique Experiences: Refugees, Immigrants, Migrants Connery, C., et al. (August, 2014). Educating refugee English language learners in the United States. Refugee Concerns Newsletter: The Newsletter of TESOL s Refugee Concerns SIG Cultural Orientation Resource Center, Center for Applied Linguistics. (2006). Cultural orientation for refugees: A handbook for U.S. trainers. Washington, DC: Author. A New Day. Video on adjustment of refugees to new lives in the U.S. (24 mins.). Available at: Demographics International, National, & Regional United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (2013). Figures at a glance. Available at: Center for Applied Linguistics. (2010). Chapter 2: The foreign-born population in the United States. In Education for adult English language learners in the United States: Trends, research, and promising practices (pp. 3-11). Washington, DC: Author.

5 5 ESL survey snapshot. (2012). East Lansing, Michigan: ESL Professional Advisory Committee, Workforce Development Agency. Available at: Larson, A. (2013) update, Michigan migrant and seasonal farmworker enumeration profiles study. Lansing: State of Michigan Interagency Migrant Services Committee. Available at: Michigan migrant and seasonal farmworkers fact sheet. (2013). Available at: Brace, K., et al. (2014). Literacy needs and opportunities in the Grand Rapids Hope Zones. Grand Rapids, MI: Literacy Center of West Michigan. Available at: Week 3: Language & Literacy Development of LESLLAs Bigelow, M., & Schwarz, R. L. (2010). Adult English language learners with limited literacy (pp. 8-11). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at: Kurvers, J., Van Hout, R., & Vallen, T. (2009). Print awareness of adult illiterates: A comparison with young pre-readers and low-educated adult readers. Reading and Writing, 22(8), Available at: Trupke-Bastidas, J., & Poulos, A. (2008). Improving literacy of L1-non-literate and L1- literate adult English as a second language learners. Minne/WITESOL Journal, 25. Retrieved from: Marrapodi, J. (2013). What doesn t work for the lowest level literacy learners & why. In T. Tammelin-Laine, L. Nieminen, & M. Martin (Eds.), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, Proceedings of the 8 th Symposium (pp ). Jyväskylä, Finland: University of Jyväskylä Printing House. Wallace, C. (2008). A socio-cultural approach to literacy instruction for adult ESOL learners new to literacy. In M. Young-Scholten (Ed.), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, Proceedings of the Third Annual Forum (pp ). Durham, England: Roundtuit Publishing. Kurvers, J. & Ketelaars, E. (2011). Emergent writing of LESLLA learners. In C. Schöneberger, I. van de Craats, & J. Kurvers (Eds.), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, Proceedings of the 6th symposium (pp ). Nijmegen, Netherlands: CLS.

6 6 Week 4: Teaching LESLLA Learners Overviews Best Practices Bigelow, M., & Schwarz, R. L. (2010). Adult English language learners with limited literacy (pp ). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. Available at: Schwartzer, D. (2009). Best practices for teaching the whole adult ESL learner. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 121 (Special Issue: Bringing community to the adult ESL classroom), DOI: /ace. Assessment Wrigley, H. S., et al. (2009). Assessing the literacy skills of adult immigrants and adult English language learners. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 121 (Special Issue: Bringing community to the adult ESL classroom), DOI: /ace.321. Designing Instruction Schaetzel, K., & Young, S. (2007). Using adult ESL content standards. Washington DC: CAELA, CAL. Available at: Video: ESOL learners with basic literacy needs Where do I start? Judith Kirch (2011). British Council English Agenda Seminar. Available at: Oral language McKay, S., & Schaetzel, K. (2008). Facilitating adult learner interactions to build listening and speaking skills. Washington, DC: CAELA, CAL. Available at: Schaetzel, K, & Low, E. L. (2009). Teaching pronunciation to adult English language learners. Washington, DC: CAELA, CAL. Available at: Video: Growing vocabulary with beginning learners. Teaching ESL to adults: Classroom approaches in action, Volume 2. New Horizons Foundation. Available at: Reading & Writing Curtis, M. E., & Kruidenier, J. R. (2005). Teaching adults to read: A summary of scientifically based research principles. National Institute for Literacy. Available at:

7 7 Burt, M., Peyton, J. K., & van Duzer, C. (2005). How should adult ESL reading instruction differ from ABE reading instruction? Washington DC: CAELA, CAL. Available at: Video: Building literacy with adult emergent readers. Teaching ESL to adults: Classroom approaches in action, Volume 1. New Horizons Foundation. Available at: Vinogradov, P., & Bigelow, M. (2010). Using oral language skills to build on the emerging literacy of adult English learners. Washington, DC: CAELA, CAL. Available at: Silvester, K. (August, 2014). The language experience approach to ESL reading and writing for preliterate adults. Refugee Concerns Newsletter: The Newsletter of TESOL s Refugee Concerns SIG. Vinogradov, P. (2010). Balancing top and bottom: Learner-generated texts for teaching phonics. In T. Wall & M. Leong (Eds.), Low-educated second language and literacy acquisition, proceedings of the 5th symposium (pp. 3-14). Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Bow Valley College. Assignment Options Documenting regional services for LESLLAs With a classmate, interview the administrator of local agency that provides resettlement and/or educational services for LESLLA learners, to document the major services it provides. Issues to address: the main population(s) served by the agency, the services provided by the agency, the qualifications of agency employees, teachers, and/or tutors; the agency s funding sources, professional development opportunities the agency provides for staff; and major challenges faced by the agency. Present your findings in a written report that draws on/incorporates relevant course readings. Cataloging local resources for LESLLAs With your classmates, compile a comprehensive directory of local resources for LESLLAs. You are responsible for identifying all faith-based and non-faith-based agencies that provide housing, health, education, language, and/or employment services for refugees and immigrants in the greater Grand Rapids area. The directory should include contact information and descriptions of major services provided by each agency. Profiling a LESLLA learner With a classmate, research the linguistic, educational, cultural, and employment background of a LESLLA learner in your community, and prepare a power point presentation to share your findings with the class. Aim for a comprehensive account, keeping in mind that the content of your report will vary based on the individual you interview. Here are some key issues to identify, some of which will not be relevant to

8 8 your learner: primary language(s) (including salient structural features of that language), primary culture(s), dominant cultural practices, educational background, literacy level in primary language, current living/housing situation, family situation, work situation, (and, for refugees: factors that necessitated resettlement, refugee camps prior to resettlement). Cataloging instructional resources for LESLLA teaching Find 5 high quality web resources for LESLLA educators, and describe each, including their sponsoring agency/ies, web address, primary audience(s), major content, and a brief evaluation. Pool your findings with 5 other class members and classify the resulting list according to primary purpose (e.g. instructional strategies, instructional resources, etc.). We will compile a master list of our findings to share with others online. Analyzing instructional strategies for LESLLAs With a classmate, analyze the LESLLA-specific instructional strategies used during a lesson taught to adult literacy level learners. To complete this assignment, select a 15- minute segment from one of the two New Horizons Foundations videos listed in the course readings (Building literacy with adult emergent readers or Growing vocabulary with beginning learners). View and re-view the segment that you have selected, aiming to identify all of the LESLLA-specific strategies used (which strategies were used?, how frequently?, how did students respond?). Prepare a report that draws on relevant course readings to describe and analyze what you observed. i Michigan Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Enumeration Profiles Study, 2013 Colleen Brice bricec@gvsu.edu Laura Vander Broek vanderbl@gvsu.edu