§
Janet Fischer and Lynne Weintraub were primarily responsible for
developing the Listening benchmarks
§
Jane Schwerdtfeger and Dulany Alexander were primarily
responsible for developing the Speaking benchmarks
§
Andrea O’Brien and Lee Haller were primarily responsible for
developing the Reading benchmarks
§
Dori McCormack and Lynne Weintraub were primarily responsible for
developing the Writing benchmarks, with Jeanne Burke and Mitchell Krouner
Andrea O’Brien
compiled and wrote the Glossary in Appendix A. Jane Schwerdtfeger edited this
document in 2005. Jane Brown, Karen McCabe, Meg Murphy, and Fabio Scarcelli
proofread. Many thanks to Dale Helenius and Julie Crowley for hosting working
meetings at Mt. Wachusett Community College’s Devens Adult Learning Center.
Thanks also to
Peggy Seufert, formerly of American Institutes for Research, staff at AIR and
the Office of Vocational and Adult Education who sponsored the Adult Education
Content Standards Consortia, through which this revision work was completed. We also appreciate the fruitful conversations and
collaborative spirit of the other state participants in the Consortia.
In creating the
ESOL framework benchmarks, we analyzed the standards and benchmarks of many
other states, organizations, and one country, including: the ACTFL
Proficiencies, the TESOL Standards, the BEST Plus and REEP Assessment rubrics,
the CASAS Content Standards, the SPL Level Descriptors for Listening and
Speaking, Reading and Writing, the NRS Level Descriptors; the Adult Education
Content Standards Warehouse, the ESOL standards and benchmarks of Arizona,
Maryland, Massachusetts (K-12), Ohio, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia,
Massachusetts ABE (DOE-funded) Programs’ level descriptors, and the Canadian
Language Benchmarks.
As well as those
above, we thank all of the unnamed others who have seen this document in at
least one of its many iterations in the past 10 years and offered their
thoughtful comments.
The
following quotes were collected from Adult ESOL learners in response to the
question, “what do you need to learn?” Learners from a variety of levels
responded, and some responses were translated from their native language. Some
were corrected or edited as part of class activities, and others were left
unaltered.
“Six
months ago my mother had chest pain after midnight. I was alone. We going to
the hospital and I try speaking with them about her problem. She was very bad
and I get nerves because we doesn't have translation to help us. The doctor
come to me and ask lot of questions, but I couldn't understand everything. I am
feel bad. I try to help them the best I can, but sometimes I afraid about
everything. I hope I learn English fast. I don't want another experience like
that.”
§
“Before
I had never learned English. I had difficult time. I couldn’t talk myself, only
my family translated to me. My feeling was deaf mute.... One time maybe two or
three years ago I pick up phone in home. Women talked very fast. I didn't
understand anything. I only say polite “yes, yes”. After few days we had
protection plan in credit card and very high next bill.”
§
“I was
looking for a job. I was talking with the manager about to get a job in my
profession. In my country I was work the social worker, I know many problems, I
can try the problems and help to people when they will need it. If people talk
to me slowly, I understand them well. The manager said to me, ‘You had a good
resume, but in this job you will need speak well’. I felt very sad, because in
my country, I worked all the time.”
§
“When I
talk my son's teacher about his progress, I need understand more.”
§
From a
group of students (translated from Spanish):
“Most of the teachers teach grammar rules but what they don't teach is enough
speaking...When you're on the street you need to talk with people. Know how to
express yourself--use sentences to make yourself understood... People on the
street don't talk the same as people in the classroom. You get accustomed to
the teacher but when you get outside the class it's different...Students should
get outside the class and interact with others.”
§
Frame (fram) n. A skeletal structure designed to give
shape or support.
The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition
Frame is a term that can be used in numerous contexts to refer to a variety
of things, from buildings to bodies to bowling. The definition quoted above is
most appropriate for our purposes, although any of the others citing a rim,
border, or outline would suffice.
A curriculum framework offers a basic structure for how and
what we teach in adult basic education programs. It does not contain
lesson plans or scope and sequence charts, but it does describe the content
areas and skills with which each program and teacher can design a curriculum
that is relevant to the needs of his/her particular group of learners.
Curriculum frameworks are meant to provide a guide to instruction at the local
level.
Some
of the terms that are used throughout this document and the other frameworks may be unfamiliar to you, or you may
associate them with meanings other than those intended here. It is important
that you learn and practice using the terminology. Seek clarity from others if
you are unsure about a word’s meaning or use. By speaking the same curriculum
language, teachers across the state can discuss and share their ideas and
experiences more easily. Below is a list of essential vocabulary.
Core Concept: an articulation of the importance
of the subject of a given framework to the lives of adult learners.
Guiding Principle: an underlying tenet or assumption
that describes effective learning, teaching, and assessment in a subject area.
Habit of Mind: a disposition, tendency or
practice that strengthens and supports life-long learning.
Strand: a category of knowledge within the study of a given
discipline. A strand is also a cluster of learning standards in the content
area organized around a central idea, concept, or theme.
Standard: what learners should know and be able
to do within a specific content area, such as a strand. Standards reflect the
knowledge and skills of an academic discipline, and reflect what the
stakeholders of educational systems recognize as essential to be taught and
learned. The standards provide a clear outline of content and skills so that
programs can develop and align curriculum, instruction, and assessments.
Standards should not dictate pedagogy or teaching styles, nor prescribe class
lessons or assignments.
Proficiency Level: portrays what students at a particular level know and can do
in relation to what is being measured (e.g. a learner can do “x, y and z” in
the Massachusetts ABE ESOL Framework, Reading strand, Proficiency Level
5). Proficiency levels are not to be confused with a program’s class design
levels. Programs should, however, use proficiency levels to closely crosswalk
with their program class design levels.
Benchmark: the specific set of skills learners
need to develop and achieve in order to meet a more broadly stated standard.
Benchmarks provide more detailed information on the specific skills and
contexts for learners to meet the standard. They reference specific
proficiency levels in terms that are concrete and observable, and serve as
checkpoints to monitor learner’s progress toward meeting a standard.
***
While using the
ESOL framework, don’t forget that
Massachusetts has Curriculum Frameworks for
Adult Basic Education in the following additional areas:
§
English Language Arts
§
Mathematics and
Numeracy
§
History and the
Social Sciences
§
Science and
Technology/Engineering
§
Health
Like the ESOL
Framework, these Frameworks include Core Concepts, Guiding Principles, Habits
of Mind, Strands, and Standards. In the case of the ESOL, English Language
Arts, and Mathematics and Numeracy frameworks, they also contain benchmarks and
proficiency levels to inform teaching and learning within the subject areas.
You may also wish to read the Common Chapters for the Massachusetts Adult Basic
Education Curriculum Frameworks, which are designed to provide an overview of
and guide to working with the entire set of ABE Curriculum Frameworks. You can
find a table listing the strands of each of these Frameworks in Appendix G. You may also download copies of the other ABE
Frameworks or the Common Chapters from the Massachusetts Department of
Education’s website, http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/frameworks/.
The importance of English Language
Learning for the adult learner
This framework articulates the knowledge and
skills adult ESOL learners need in order to communicate effectively and
confidently in English so that they can meet their needs, advocate for
themselves, their families and their communities, and participate more fully in
U.S. society.
The content outlined in this document is meant
for all levels and all learners, from beginning to advanced. It applies to
various program contexts including general ESOL, ESOL literacy, workplace
education, family literacy, corrections, or those that transition students to
higher education, vocational training and/or employment.
The
core concept of the ESOL Framework recognizes two critical dimensions of adult
education. First, it focuses on skills, not content; secondly, it acknowledges
that adults are developing their skills in order to use them in specific
contexts.
The
contexts that we consider here are the same ones addressed by the National
Institute for Literacy’s Equipped for the Future (EFF) framework. The
EFF includes role maps for adults that consider their responsibilities as
parents/family members, citizens/community members, and workers. (See Appendix
F for the EFF role maps.)
The
skills necessary for mastery of English language learning are contained within
the seven strands of this framework—Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing,
Navigating Systems, Intercultural Knowledge and Skills, and Developing
Strategies and Resources for Learning. All of these skills, in turn, are
necessary for mastery of what the EFF calls generative skills: communication,
decision-making, interpersonal, and lifelong learning skills. You can find the
web address for EFF in Appendix E: Internet Resources.
Considering
language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in these contexts
and seeing their inter-relatedness allow teachers to develop and implement
curriculum that will help students to meet high academic standards and help
them to meet the challenges and responsibilities of their many roles.
Underlying assumptions about effective learning,
teaching, and assessment in the subject of English Language Learning for adults
1. Adults come to ESOL classes with a diversity
of native language skills, formal education, learning styles, cultural
backgrounds, and life experiences, which impact their learning. It is important
that teachers use their understanding of these differences to guide their
selection and assessment of program models, curriculum materials, and teaching
strategies.
It
is crucial for teachers to be aware of the characteristics of their learners
and that they develop lessons that address both the strengths and the needs of
their individual students. Whereas some learners may have little formal
education but a great command of basic spoken English, others may have an excellent
grasp of formal grammar but be unable to understand native English speakers in
real life situations. If teachers are aware of the differences within their
classes, they can develop lessons that build on individual strengths and
address individual needs.
In
order for teachers to plan classes that best address the needs of particular
learners, careful assessment needs to be done, both when students enter the
program and as they progress. In particular, teachers need to obtain
information about students' native language literacy skills. Whether it will be
possible to set up native language literacy classes or not will be based on a
variety of factors. What is crucial is that each program decides how it will
address the particular needs of ESOL students with little or no first language
education.
Once students are placed in classes, methods
and materials should be chosen based on the students' learning styles and needs
with attention to differences in formal education, age, cultural background,
interest, and life experiences. Teachers also need to be aware of how learning
disabilities may impact the progress of some ESOL learners and seek assistance
in assessing and responding to the particular needs of learning disabled (LD)
students. It is important for teachers to use a wide variety of teaching
strategies in order to help all students progress.
2. Adult learners come to ESOL programs with a
variety of motivations for learning English, a range of personal, educational
and career goals, and differing expectations about the learning process. It is
important that teachers, program staff, and students work together to identify
learners’ goals and expectations to ensure that each program’s curriculum,
instruction, and assessment address learners’ immediate and long-term goals.
Teachers and
counselors need to meet with learners early on in the program in order to
identify students' most urgent needs for using English. These will vary greatly
based on learners' life circumstances. For example, newcomers to the community
may have a need to learn how to navigate the public transportation system.
Students from smaller immigrant groups may have a pressing need to learn how to
communicate with doctors or shop owners in English; students who live in large
mono-ethnic communities (such as Chinatown) may not share this sense of
urgency.
Some
learners may be elderly immigrants or stay-at-home parents. These learners may
need English to answer the phone, deal with medical problems, sort out their
mail, and handle emergencies. Many of them have family health issues as well as
child care responsibilities to attend to. Sometimes whole families rely on them
to keep young children safe so that everybody else can work several jobs.
Other
learners also have long-term educational and career goals and hope that
learning English will allow them to gain entry to better jobs, vocational
training, and/or higher education. Teachers need to develop curriculum that
will make it possible for learners to take their next steps. As students
develop confidence and fluency in English, teachers may also need to place an
increased emphasis on helping students develop accuracy in using standard
English, in order to make it possible for them to move on to good jobs and
higher education. For many students, particularly those with limited first
language education, ESOL instruction must help them develop effective study
skills and learning strategies so that they are able to continue their
education in programs such as high school diploma programs or colleges.
Many
adult learners also experience great joy in learning English and find that
their lives are enriched as they learn to understand and appreciate a new
language and culture. Beyond meeting their practical goals, they also want to
be challenged and exposed to new worlds through their educational experience.
As
all learners have expectations about how learning happens and what is
meaningful to them, they will best be served if their input is solicited when
making decisions that affect the process and content of their learning.
3. Adult ESOL learners need to develop English
language skills that will allow them to understand and be understood in both
oral and written English. The emphasis of instruction, therefore, should be on
those activities that increase students' ability to communicate their own
thoughts and to understand the ideas of others in a variety of settings.
For
the language classroom this implies that students will benefit from practice in
listening, speaking, reading, and writing that takes into account the kinds of
communication that happen in different contexts outside the classroom.
Materials, content, and methods should help students improve their ability to
communicate and to understand authentic English.
Reading and listening clearly go beyond word-by-word translation. Classroom activities can
equip learners to better understand written and spoken English when instruction
includes strategies for deriving meaning: pre-reading, skimming, asking
clarifying questions, and recognizing the reductions that are characteristic of
American English, among others.
Speaking
and writing instruction need to prepare students to express original thoughts
as well as to engage in formulaic social exchanges. Teachers should plan
classes in a way that maximizes the amount of time that all students spend
expressing thoughts and feelings in English, using plenty of small group and
pair work. Classroom instruction should include strategies and practice in
finding a variety of ways to get ideas across in spite of limited vocabulary.
Language learners also need to learn to adjust their speech, depending on who
they talk with (the boss or their children), what they want to accomplish (make
a request or give an order), or what the level of urgency might be (“I need
help NOW!” or “Would you be so kind as to...”).
Similarly,
writing lessons should give practice with real writing tasks found outside the
classroom, and help students express original ideas. Letter writing and journals
are examples of classroom activities in which the learners practice finding
their own voices in written English. Students need to learn how to adapt their
writing style based on audience and purpose.
4. Language learners move through a series of predictable
stages; however, teachers and learners need to understand that progress may be
inconsistent from day to day and across the four skill areas. Teachers need to
plan lessons that introduce new skills as students are ready for them and
reinforce old skills from previous stages.
Language
structures are developed sequentially; for example, new language users are able
to speak in simple sentences using the present tense before speaking in more
complex sentences using the present perfect tense. However, language skills do
not develop at an even pace. Individual students have differences across
language skill areas; for example, a good writer may have difficulty with
speaking or some students may always write the "s" on third person
singular present tense verbs, but may take years before they pronounce it
regularly.
Learners
often leap forward in their understanding and use of a particular language
concept and have great difficulty grasping another. A learner may have minimal
problems learning to use irregular past tense forms correctly, but take a very
long time to use pronouns correctly. Learners benefit from a cyclical review
and reinforcement of learned skills so that these skills become internalized.
Not all students will master a skill before the class moves on, but they may
master it later, as the teacher focuses on a different context or topic. This
is an especially important concept as teachers try to address individual
learner needs in programs that are multilevel and/or open entry.
Teachers
should be aware that students try to make sense of a new language and construct
rules of how English works, often based on how their home language works; this
concept is referred to as “interlanguage”. Interlanguage is evident as adult
students try to express complex thoughts although they may have only a
beginning command of English language structure. Over-correction of mistakes at
this point will retard fluency and prevent expression of those complex
thoughts. It is often better to “accept” the learner’s thoughts as expressed in
“interlanguage” and then respond back using more standard forms to focus the
learner’s awareness on structures or lexical problems that need attention
without overtly correcting mistakes.
5. Language learning requires risk-taking.
Adult learners will benefit from a classroom community that supports them in
taking risks in authentic communication practice.
Learning
and using a new language is an inherently risky process. Both in the classroom
and in the community, limited English speakers will make mistakes as they try
to communicate in their new language. Outside the classroom, learners may face
impatience or prejudice from native speakers and this may increase their
reluctance to use English.
Because
of this, it is crucial that the teacher provide a safe and supportive
environment that will allow--and encourage--students to take risks, first in
the classroom and then out in the community. Students need to understand that
mistakes are a natural part of language development. Teachers should avoid
over-correction, which can hinder the development of fluency and will
discourage students from taking chances. Learners should be given ample
opportunities in the secure environment of the classroom to use language
creatively and experimentally.
Many
teachers work with their learners to set ground-rules for the class (e.g. no
laughing at classmates' mistakes) and use a variety of approaches (such as
cooperative learning) to build a supportive classroom community. Teachers
should also provide students with tools they can use to get meaning across when
they feel frustrated by limited vocabulary or difficulties with pronunciation.
As students learn how to ask for clarification or how to find more than one way
to express a particular idea, they will become more confident about using
English and will thus be more willing to experiment.
Teachers
not only need to create safety and develop students' confidence but they must
also actively promote risk-taking and plan activities in a way that gradually
diminishes students' cautiousness. The teacher can build a series of
activities that move from the relatively safe to the more threatening in order
to help students develop skills and confidence. Teachers should plan time to
have students share their experiences as they venture into the English-speaking
community: How did the person react when you asked your question? What did you
do when they told you they didn't understand?
Students'
boldness in trying out their new language skills may be affected by individual
personality, cultural background, their personal support system (i.e. whether
they have spouses, children, or friends who serve as translators), and their
immediate need for using English. Teachers need to assess their students' willingness
to take risks in using English and build curriculum and lessons that will help
students move forward in this area.
6. Learning about cultural norms and
institutions in the United States is an integral aspect of learning English.
While individual learners must make decisions about the extent of their own
acculturation into US culture, they will benefit from knowing how these systems
work and how to engage and advocate for themselves within these systems.
Teachers
and learners need to appreciate the complexity of US culture and society. It is
often difficult to define the norms of American culture. Americans include
people with a wide variety of values, political perspectives, racial and ethnic
backgrounds, customs, and traditions. As much as possible, classroom materials
should reflect the diversity of our students and those of the range of groups
who live in the US without oversimplifying and stereotyping.
As
students learn about American culture, their own culture needs to be validated.
They should understand that they don't have to lose the personal identity and
values they came here with and change themselves into a new “American” person.
Students need to gain enough knowledge to compare and contrast cultures and
decide how much they want to integrate themselves into their new culture.
Teachers should be sure that the materials they use are non-judgmental and that
they don't present one set of “American” ways as better or more advanced in our
pluralistic society.
Knowledge
about a culture includes understanding its attitudes and values, but it also
includes conveying meaning through body language (gestures, facial expressions,
and proximity). Students need to learn the cultural significance of body
language to prevent misunderstandings or miscommunications. For example, the
symbol for "okay" used commonly in the U.S. is an obscene gesture in
some countries, and direct eye contact is important here but is a sign of
disrespect in other cultures.
Students
need to learn how American systems work and practice interacting with these
systems. They need to learn how to access services such as medical care,
community services, and the legal system. In addition, they need to be able to
advocate for themselves and/or family members within the system. This might
range from being able to represent and advocate for their children’s school
needs when talking with their teachers, or in responding to discrimination in
their work and daily lives. Teachers need to provide opportunities for students
to share resources and help each other learn to interface with various
institutions.
7. Second language acquisition for adults is a
process that typically takes more time than most learners can spend in an ESOL
classroom. Therefore, an important priority of ESOL instruction is to help
students become autonomous language learners so they can continue the learning
process on their own.
Adult
ESOL learners’ long-term goals often hinge on their ability to communicate in
English. Learners may feel dependent on their teachers to supply the necessary
language proficiency. Language learning is a skill in its own right, and one
that the curriculum implicitly addresses. What is perhaps less obvious is the
necessity of making techniques of language learning an explicit part of the
curriculum.
In
order to develop greater autonomy as language learners, students need help
understanding that the enormous task of learning English consists of a variety
of activities, each targeting one or more specific language skills. Teachers
can develop this awareness by introducing each classroom activity with a
statement about its language acquisition objective and by periodically
reviewing with the class the catalog of learning activities and the skills they
target.
A
second aspect of cultivating learner autonomy involves teaching the students to
monitor and evaluate their personal study habits. How much time do they spend
studying outside of class? How are they studying? What is working for them and
what is a frustrating waste of time? At which language skill is a particular
study habit aimed? Can classmates or the teacher suggest other techniques for
learning that skill? Class sessions that focus on self-evaluation and
goal-setting help learners make the most of their current language learning
efforts; they also teach the students techniques for managing future learning.
Along with English, the Habits of Mind such as persistence and reflection are
important to teach learners.
Teachers
should also encourage learners to take advantage of learning opportunities
outside the classroom. Where possible, instructors should plan class activities
or assign homework that give students practice in learning on their own. These
could include “eavesdropping” on the conversations of native speakers, by
talking to people at work or their children's school, by watching TV or
listening to the radio, or by reading magazines and newspapers. Teachers should
make time in class for students to share their experiences and reflect on what
they are learning from these different sources. In this way, learners will
become more independent and effective language learners while they are in
class, and will gain the skills and confidence that will allow them to continue
to build their English skills once they have left the program.
Dispositions, tendencies or practices
that strengthen and support life-long learning for English Language Learners
Perseverance is the foundation for all
learning. Anyone can pick up a skill quickly and rapidly develop a certain
level of proficiency, but no one learns a subject in depth without struggle.
Perseverance is the ability to work through that struggle and recognize that
the frustration of the moment will yield rewards.
For
adult learners whose earlier educational experiences were difficult,
perseverance is a hard habit to develop. Anyone who has repeatedly struggled
and failed, often without understanding why, will feel some reluctance to take
up the struggle again. If the rewards seem very distant, it is hard for any of
us to push forward. It is important to recall that a reluctance to persevere
in the classroom does not necessarily indicate that a learner is unable to
persevere. Many adult students work long hours, often at two jobs, raise
families, and take part in the activities of their communities. We must
acknowledge the skills and habits that learners demonstrate in other areas of
their lives and respect their choices if we hope to convince them that the same
kind of effort is worthwhile in our classrooms.
While the ability to persevere serves as the foundation for
learning and progress, it is important that it be teamed with reflection.
We want students to maintain their efforts, but we need to explain why, and to
what end. Perseverance is not mere repetition and dogged effort. Balanced
with opportunities for reflection, the student who learns to continue through
challenges also learns to discern when more effort is needed, when a different
kind of effort may be needed, when to get help, and when it is time to move
on. Reflection also helps students to connect their efforts in the classroom
to their larger life goals and ambitions. Teachers who always have a
thoughtful answer to the question, “Why are we doing this?” are modeling the
thoughtfulness and reflection that will help students make deliberate,
thoughtful judgments about how to direct their efforts in order to achieve
their selected ends.
Patience supports
and extends the ability to persevere and to reflect. For many learners the
first hurdle will be to have patience toward the subject being studied, and
with themselves, particularly when they first return to school when everything
is new and to some degree unfamiliar. Many students are quick to berate
themselves when they don’t grasp a concept quickly, or have difficulty
remembering rules of grammar, or can’t figure out the logic behind long
division. It is important that these students learn to treat themselves with
patience and consideration. It can be helpful to ask adult students who are
feeling angry with themselves how they would treat a friend or family member
who had difficulty with the same task. Realizing how much harder they are on
themselves than they would be on someone else can give them distance,
perspective, and see the value of patience. Sometimes, even students who are
making rapid progress and want to move on to one new thing after another will
resist suggestions that some repetition and rehearsal will help to build a
skill.
The
habit of patience can be connected with students’ levels of self-esteem. If
students do not hold themselves in high regard, it is difficult to treat
themselves and their learning with respect, and allow the time and practice
necessary for the development of their skills and content knowledge. Teachers
support the quest for patience when they demonstrate patience in the classroom,
refuse to hurry a student along, and continually find new ways to explain and
demonstrate material so that everyone will reach a deep understanding.
Openness helps us to recognize that there may be more than one right answer, more than
one way to view a topic, and more than one way to assign value to skills and
knowledge. Being open relies on and extends the range of our perseverance and
reflection. When we are willing to entertain new and challenging ideas, to
stay with them until we understand, and then to decide whether to absorb them
into our view of the world, we have both used and increased our ability to be
open. Being open to new ideas and ways of thinking is often the foundation for
critical thinking skills such as analysis, as well as enriching one’s
imagination, communication, and perspective—all critical to building one’s
capacity for lifelong learning. Openness allows adult learners to gain some
distance on a difficult or charged issue.
The ESOL learning standards represent the essential skills
that English language learners need to know and be able to do in each strand.
Guidance for working with learners in different contexts and at different
language skill levels comes through the examples under each standard and in the
benchmarks, from the teacher vignettes in Appendix C, and from learner, teacher
and program assessments of needs and progress.
Each
strand and standard in the document is divided into six proficiency levels that
describe the specific skills that are appropriate for learners working at each
level. The benchmarks describe what the standards look like in more detail at
the six proficiency levels. The goal for these proficiency levels and
benchmarks is to provide programs, teachers, and learners a common language and
understanding of the skills necessary for learning English.
At
first I couldn’t speak English so well because I only knew a few words. I
worked at a
hotel
where customers there asked me questions such as where is the laundry room. I
showed
them
where it was because I was too scared that my answer would not be correct. Sometimes
the
customers wrote what they needed on a piece of paper because it was hard for
them to
communicate
with me…
The Listening
Strand and the Speaking Strand:
These
two strands include the skills that focus on developing fluency and making and
gaining meaning in oral communication. The skills also focus on developing
accuracy in the use of vocabulary, structures, grammar, and conventions of
spoken language. The Listening Strand challenges the notion that listening is
a passive activity and, through the clusters of skills at each level, indicates
the ways that perceptive listening will help learners to participate as
thoughtful contributors in a variety of formal and informal discussion formats.
The Reading Strand:
This
strand includes the skills
necessary to interpret printed material, including charts, graphs, schedules,
and environmental print. Those skills include symbol mastery, phonological
awareness, decoding, word recognition, word analysis, and comprehension.
The Writing Strand:
This
strand includes the skills necessary for both physical and intellectual mastery
of written communication. Arenas of competence include language structure and
mechanics, organization, and fluency. Development of every writer’s unique and
personal “voice” is also valued.
Listening,
Speaking, Reading and Writing have intentionally been broken out into the four
strands in order to highlight the skills specific to each area. The purpose is
not to teach listening skills separately from speaking skills. Oral communication
is a two-way process of listening and speaking. Rather, the oral and written
skill areas are separated out so both teacher and learner can more easily
identify what skills are specific to each skill area. The ability to discern
what a listening skill is as opposed to what a speaking skill is (or a reading
skill as opposed to a writing skill), will help teachers be purposeful about
what they are teaching. This breakdown of skills will also help learners
identify where they are gaining mastery, and where they need more work.
For
this reason, all four strands of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing have
the same three standards. The first standard in each focuses on fluency, and
describes the purposes for which English language learners listen and speak,
read and write. The second standard focuses on vocabulary, language structure,
and mechanics used in oral and written communication, while the third standard
offers strategies specific to developing Listening, Speaking, Reading, or Writing
skills. These four strands also have proficiency Levels One through Six, and
each level contains benchmarks that describe what oral and literacy skills look
like at each level.
The
Intercultural Knowledge and Skills Strand:
I
made a decision to come to the U.S. from China three years before. After this
decision I
left
my homeland that I lived in 43 years. I lost my good job. I left my parents and
relatives. I
came
to a new country. This is a beautiful, free, and developed country. But I
turned my face
to
new people, new language and new culture. This decision changed my life. It
gave me a
big
chance but it also gave me a lot of trouble.
This strand
focuses on becoming familiar with the concept of culture, with the
understanding that people exhibit culturally defined behaviors. These
behaviors are further influenced by variables such as race, ethnicity, age,
gender, social class, and religion. The focus in this strand is on developing
an awareness of cultural differences and attitudes and in developing the skills
and knowledge needed to function in a culturally diverse society. Learning in
this strand includes learning the ability to recognize over-generalized
statements and stereotypes and to develop a more complex understanding of
cultural differences in both familiar and unfamiliar situations. This strand
contains standards, but no proficiency levels or benchmarks.
The
Navigating Systems Strand:
I
was driving on the street. The traffic was so bad someone crashed into my
car. He said
was
my fault so that moment I don’t understood English…I called the police…I tried
to
explain
he don’t understood me. He gave me some paper for fill it out, the police
[who]
made
the report gave me other paper too. I called my friend to help me…my friend
explain
what
is going on. My insurance company fought his insurance, my insurance won.
This
strand focuses on helping learners develop the ability to navigate through
systems that influence their lives. This includes knowing what opportunities
exist and acting in accordance with both their rights and responsibilities
within a particular system. It includes knowing about both mainstream systems
(i.e. housing, etc.) and resources that are available to them in advocating
within those systems (i.e. tenants' rights groups, etc.). Some systems impose problems or barriers
on students, some systems (i.e. libraries) are opportunities, and many systems
are a combination of barrier and opportunity.
While
some classes might need an overview of different systems, often the particular
systems that are addressed in classes are ones that develop in response to
learner needs and experiences. Often learners have much more experience and
knowledge of navigating a system than the teacher does, and working through
these standards may be an opportunity for class members to act as
resources to each other. The
four learning standards in this strand address the general skills of being able
to recognize a problem or need in relationship to a system; developing the ability
to navigate and advocate for themselves within a system; assessing their
progress, and determining next steps. This strand contains standards, but no
proficiency levels or benchmarks.
Developing
Strategies and Resources for Learning:
(Translated
from Vietnamese) It’s so frustrating. Yesterday I went to the senior center to
ask
if somebody could help me with my taxes. They told me where to go for help
but I
didn’t
understand what they were telling me.…For young adults it’s easy, but for older
people
it’s really hard. I don’t have anybody to practice with and I can’t remember
what
I’ve
just learned.
This strand
focuses on developing students’ abilities to continue learning beyond their
often-brief time in ESOL classrooms. Starting with teacher-directed activities
that explicitly teach study skills and a variety of learning strategies,
students become more aware of which techniques are effective for them so that
their learning can become more self-directed. This strand contains standards, but
no proficiency levels or benchmarks.
How Do the
Seven ESOL Strands Work Together?
The Listening,
Speaking, Reading and Writing strands have benchmarks, while the last three
strands of Intercultural Knowledge and Skills, Navigating Systems, and Developing
Strategies and Resources for Learning do not. These latter three strands
cannot be measured by benchmarks and proficiency levels in the same way that
oral and literacy skills can be, nor can they be assessed using BEST Plus or
REEP, which measure English oral or writing proficiency.
The skills
described in Intercultural Knowledge and Skills, Navigating Systems, and
Developing Strategies and Resources for Learning, however, are vitally
important to teach and measure informally in the classroom. On the following
page is a graphic of how the skills shown in the center can provide the context
for teaching oral and literacy skills at all levels.
How Do the Seven ESOL Strands Work
Together?
|
Strands
|
Standards
English Language Learners Will…
|
|
Listening
|
- Comprehend
spoken English from a variety of sources for various purposes
- Acquire
vocabulary and apply knowledge of language structure and mechanics to
comprehend spoken English
- Use
a variety of strategies to acquire and comprehend spoken English
|
|
Speaking
|
- Express
themselves orally in English for a variety of purposes
- Acquire
vocabulary and apply knowledge of English language structure and
mechanics to produce comprehensible speech in English
- Use
a variety of strategies to acquire and convey meaning through spoken
English
|
|
Reading
|
- Read
and comprehend a variety of English texts for various purposes
- Acquire
vocabulary and apply knowledge of English language structure and mechanics
to read and comprehend written text
- Use
a variety of strategies to comprehend written English
|
|
Writing
|
