Hello colleagues, Here are some additional useful tips and recommendations from our recent coffee break. In this list, you will find tech tips, recommendations for how to structure virtual classes, and links to some recommended professional development resources. Once again, I want to thank those who shared!
Please feel free to add your own ideas to this list. Your questions are always welcome, too!
Take care, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition CoP
Tech Tips & Helping Students Gain Access to Technology
- Patsy Egan: Educator resources – including tips for tutors here: https://www.literacymn.org/educator-resources, e.g., 3 Tips for Using WhatsApp, Remote Tutoring Resources – Digital Platform Guides for Tutors, Teachers and Staff
- Cynthia Shermeyer: Google offers some free products for nonprofits: https://support.google.com/nonprofits#topic=3247288 Please note: Students must have a Google account to use Google products.
- Sharmayne Perkins: “I sign in [to the various programs we are using] under an alias, so I can see exactly what learners see.”
- Zoom.us has become a popular FREE platform for synchronous classes.
- Patsy Egan: “Remote learning via mobile phones, resources from Lisa Gonzalves” -- https://docs.google.com/document/d/11l2iiZzJEctiNjhSLtxStIjtU1srL1ocdhVjsBgl_r4/edit
- Loaning out Chromebooks to learners
- Purchasing computers with CARES funds
Structuring Online Learning
- Patsy Egan: The teacher focused in this article shares her Weebly site and a few apps/sites she's using with her pre-GED/high-intermediate ESL class. https://atlasabe.org/news/abe-voices-across-the-distance-snapshot-of-the-new-normal-from-a-pre-ged-high-intermediate-esl-teacher/
- Liz Harris: Used TABE Academy for ABE level learners. This is a FEE-BASED product. https://www.essentialed.com/educators/tabe-academy
When Online Learning Is Not Possible
- Patsy Egan: “When online work isn't feasible, using packets - here are some tips!” https://atlasabe.org/news/to-packet-or-not-to-packet-that-isnt-the-question-part-2/
Opening In-Person Classes
- Terri Gunn: “Masks are required at all times. Teachers have clear shields for speaking as students need to see our mouths move. The desks are distanced, but this also forces us to lower our capacity. We could accommodate 500, but now it will be less than 200. I think we could reach a point of having a waitlist if we can maintain our opening.”
Professional Development Resource Recommendations
- Patsy Egan: LINCS ESL Pro materials for introductory resources! https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-initiatives/esl-pro/meeting-the-language-needs-of-todays-english-language-learner
- Patsy Egan: Teacher training toolkit: https://www.literacymn.org/teacher-training-toolkit
- Cynthia Shermer: New American Horizons-- fantastic 30-minute videos of actual adult ESL classes with learners at different levels https://www.newamericanhorizons.org/
- Patsy Egan: Betsy Parrish's book! https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Adult-English-Language-Learners/dp/110870283X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=betsy+parrish&qid=1596139087&sr=8-1
- Patsy Egan: Educator resources here: https://www.literacymn.org/educator-resources.
- Patsy Egan: “We did a newsletter series that might be of interest - highlight ESL teachers and what they are finding that works, with lots of links!” https://atlasabe.org/news/abe-voices-across-the-distance-snapshot-of-the-new-normal-from-a-beginning-level-esl-teacher/
- Elizabeth Weldy: ACT resources for educators https://www.act.org/content/act/en.html
Comments
A new concept to me was the act of building on understanding based off the learners native social structures in language. This makes sense when you consider scaffolding learning and I hope to study this topic more. Repetition without changing any phrases is a concept that I hope to implement in my classes. I have seen and used the Washington LD Screening Tool but I would like a refresher or updated training for this as it has been quite some time since I was trained in it and have not used it much recently.