Webinars

Major curricular reforms are requiring ESL educators to reexamine their courses of study to ensure there is sufficient development of academic skills, especially in the area of writing. For example, The Common Core State Standards and the more rigorous 2014 GED, are being closely aligned with college and work expectations. Additionally, Federal and State policy emphasize the transitioning of adults to academic and workplace training. This webinar provides an overview of these trends and their implications for instruction.

• An overview of the research and national initiatives that place an emphasis on the development of more rigorous writing skills
• Approaches to integrating reading and writing skills through the use of contextualized writing tasks
• Effective classroom strategies to develop writing skills from beginning levels of ESL instruction

Sylvia Ramierz
Sylvia G. Ramirez is a Professor Emeritus at MiraCosta College. She has almost 40 years of teaching experience in adult ESL including multilevel, vocational ESL, family literacy, and distance learning and transition courses. In addition to teaching, she has worked as a teacher educator, writer and consultant. Sylvia is the 2011 recipient of the Hayward Award for excellence in education, honoring her teaching and professional activities. She is a co-author of Ventures from Cambridge University Press. 

• Webinar Recording

In order for adult learners to thrive in the community, workplace and academic settings, it has become increasingly important for programs to develop and promote transferable academic and workplace skills for all adult learners from beginning through advanced ESL. This is especially critical considering the time it takes to master academic and work readiness skills, including…

• listening, speaking, reading and writing
• organizing information and note-taking strategies
• critical thinking

This webinar, facilitated by presenters Donna Price and Betsy Parrish, will provide participants with research from Teaching Adult ESL and concrete examples from the Ventures series to help students succeed in their transition to academic and career programs.

Donna Price
Donna Price is Associate Professor of ESL and Vocational ESL/Technology Resource Instructor for the Continuing Education Program, San Diego Community College District. She has taught all levels of ESL for 25 years and is a former recipient of the TESOL Newbury House Award for Excellence in Teaching. She is the author of Skills for Success and Ventures, from Cambridge University Press.

Betsy Parrish
Betsy Parrish, Professor/Coordinator for Adult ESL/TEFL at Hamline University, has worked as an ESL/EFL teacher, teacher educator, writer and consultant for nearly 30 years in the US, France, India, Bangladesh, Russia and Vietnam. Betsy wrote Teaching Adult ESL and is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences.

 

• PowerPoint
• Questions & Answers
• Order form for Teaching Adult ESL
• Certificate of Attendance

How do adult education programs promote academic and workplace pathways for all adult ESL learners? This webinar will look at how programs can tailor a solution that first starts with clear student goals that are dynamic, obtainable and measurable.

Melissa Sadler-Nitu
Melissa Sadler-Nitu is the Adult Education Program Director of the Seguin ISD Adult Education Cooperative, serving three Texas counties. She has over 15 years experience teaching and serving all levels of ESL. She is currently working strategically with district leaders and community partners to transition students into the workplace and/or post-secondary instruction.

• PowerPoint Slides
  

To prepare adults to be successful in the 21st-century workplace, current research supports integrating workplace skills in every level of instruction, including general ESL classes whose focus is on language instruction.

In this one-hour webinar, Donna Price will address these timely questions:

•  What skills can be taught from beginning ESL levels?
•  What skills need to be addressed in a workplace transitions program?
•  What does this mean for general ESL instruction?

Donna Price
Donna Price is Associate Professor of ESL and Vocational ESL/Technology Resource Instructor for the Continuing Education Program, San Diego Community College District. She has taught all levels of ESL for 25 years and is a former recipient of the TESOL Newbury House Award for Excellence in Teaching. She is the author of Skills for Success and Ventures, from Cambridge University Press.

This webinar addressed the following questions:

•  Why has it become increasingly important for adult education programs to promote academic and workplace readiness skills for adult learners?
•  What are some components of a successful transition program?
•  How are academic skills taught in a transition class?

Sylvia Ramirez
Sylvia Ramirez is a professor at MiraCosta College, where she is the Department Chair of the large noncredit program. She has more than 30 years of experience in adult ESL including multilevel and vocational ESL, family literacy, distance learning, and teacher training.  She is the author of Ventures, from Cambridge University Press.

 

• Presentation Outline
• PowerPoint
• Transitions Resources
  

Which Comes First, the Grammar or the Outcome?

was originally presented by K. Lynn Savage

on April 16, 2010.

Please find below an outline of the presentation that was given as well as a video recording, PowerPoint, and Question and Answers.  

For additional information on teaching grammar in Adult Ed ESL, you may be interested in the following research booklet, Grammar Matters also available for download below.

• Presentation Outline
• Grammar Webinar Video
• PowerPoint
• Grammar Questions & Answers with Lynn Savage
• Grammar Matters Research Booklet (free)

Please see above for upcoming Webinars, or sign up for the Ventures Community to receive emails about the Webinars as they are scheduled.