SHOP TALK # 12:
Adult Education’s Response to Rider 82 Moves Forward
Published October 25, 2006
In response to a legislative mandate from the 79th State Legislative
Session, Adult Education in Texas is engaged in developing demand-driven
workplace literacy and basic skills curricula for adult learners. Curriculum
development was preceded by a study that identified Texas industry clusters
providing entry level as well as career advancement opportunities for
adult learners. These industries are among those sectors identified by
the Texas Workforce Commission as experiencing market growth in Texas.
Texas LEARNS initiated its response to Rider 82 by targeting the largest
and hardest-to- serve segment of adult education’s diverse learner
population – those with very limited English language proficiency.
During the fall of 2005, Texas LEARNS began negotiations with three educational
institutions that had experienced success in responding to workforce-related
needs in their local communities: El Paso Community College, Seguin ISD Adult
Basic Education, and Trinity Valley Community College.
Each institution is utilizing a team approach to curriculum development
by including instructors, curriculum developers, and individuals with
experience in healthcare, manufacturing, and sales and service. Skills
standards for each industry sector have been reviewed, and development
teams have set out to determine how to address the standards in curricula
targeting learners at low through high beginning ESL levels
(levels 2 and 3 on the National Reporting System).
A soft launch of the curricular modules developed thus far took place
in the summer of 2006, providing valuable feedback from adult learners,
instructors, and partnering employers. A second soft launch is scheduled
for the healthcare and manufacturing modules. Current plans are to pilot
the curricular modules at five sites across the state early in 2007.
Feedback to date includes the following:
- Designing curricula that balances the
development of both English language skills and workforce-related skills
is a formidable challenge; language learners require optimal opportunities
to practice and improve their language skills while developing their
work readiness.
- Real life scenarios woven into the
curricula and, when possible, use of environmental print and equipment
from employers, ensure a connection to the workplace and optimize opportunities
for learners to apply what they learn.
- In addition to language skills development
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing) curricular responses must
include work-related math, an introduction to employment-related technology,
and work readiness/ life skills such as safety, time management, the
importance of quality assurance, and communication with co-workers
and supervisors.
- Internships offered by employers in
one soft launch provided not only valuable feedback from employers
but critical support for and reinforcement of the learning taking place,
including opportunities for potential employment.
- Internships also enabled learners to
apply problem solving and critical thinking skills, and to identify
additional topics and vocabulary for inclusion in curricular components
such as student orientation and career exploration.
- While the initial intention was to
target learners with minimal English language proficiency, development
teams have confirmed that the topics and learning activities included
in the curricula transcend proficiency levels. This is good news, and
is being taken into consideration as additions and revisions to the
curricula are being made, since many programs provide instruction in
multi-level instructional settings.
- While curricular efforts will provide
a framework and guidance in instructional delivery, team members are
also identifying commercial and non-commercial instructional materials
local programs may use to supplement and extend instruction.
During the course of writing modules, curriculum development
team members have identified some of their own professional challenges:
“Meeting with business and industry representatives upfront and
throughout the curriculum development process is critical; their input
/ feedback is invaluable.”
“What were we thinking? Incorporating into contextualized English
language and basic skills instruction the following components: career
exploration; employment readiness/critical thinking/life skills; introductions
to basic computer literacy and industry-related technology, terminology,
equipment, and applications – not to mention integration with occupational
skills training when partnerships make this feasible. Wow!”
“We bit off enough to choke the proverbial horse. Curriculum development
is an evolving and complex process. Realistic timelines, respect for
the development process, on-going communication and integrated team planning,
editorial guidance, and work flow design are critical.”
“Having instructors involved in both development and instruction
during the soft launch quickly sent us back to the drawing board. There
is no substitute for learning first hand what does and doesn’t
work. The soft launch brought clarity and perspective, and is helping
us pinpoint areas in which we have been too ambitious or haven’t
taken instruction far enough.”
“Maximum opportunities for learners to practice and for instructors to
re-teach and reinforce are essential in language skills development. If a learner
improves his or her work readiness skills but hasn’t improved his or
her English communication skills, are we done?”
What will make these curricular efforts unique and successful? There
are several principles critical to the success of workforce-related English
language instruction:
- Linkages between work-related English
language instruction, post secondary technical training, and job sourcing
are essential to meeting business partners’ needs and adult learners’ employment
goals. This means closing the gap between adult education and technical
training that leads to career opportunities, licensure, and certification
in healthcare, manufacturing, and sales and service sectors. Such “bridge
programs” are not currently funded.
- Contextualized English language
and basic skills instruction must be offered on a continuum, in an
industry-related context, so that learners can continue to improve
their proficiencies while engaged in occupational training or preparation
for entry level employment. Employer-sponsored internships and local
workforce development partners play critical roles in this continuum.
- Professional development opportunities
and technical assistance must be provided to program administrators
and instructional staff implementing workforce-related initiatives.
Questions regarding Adult Education’s response to Rider 82 may
be sent to Joanie
Rethlake, State Director of Texas LEARNS.
*SHOP TALK is a series of informative releases intended to highlight
promising practices and to address issues, concerns, and questions
related to meeting the educational needs of Texas’ emerging,
incumbent, and displaced workers. For additional information
or to request that a particular topic be addressed, please contact
Joanie Rethlake at jrethlake@hcde-texas.org,
or Barbara Tondre at btondre@earthlink.net.
