CATESOL24

Adult education demands expansion outside of traditional classrooms. So how can we create more spaces for adult L2 learners to learn in? This presentation is a call-to-action for ESL professionals who want to step out of the traditional settings and use their expertise to build ESL programs within their communities.

EL student writers come to believe writing (especially in the target language) to be demonstration of mechanics. As EL student writers shift from noncredit ESL (or secondary ELD) to college classes for credit, transitioning the purpose of writing from demonstration of language comprehension to authentic communication is often under-considered and disadvantages transitioning EL student writers. This lightning talk will review a writing task which focuses on this shift to a communicative writing focus via centering student experience (schema) and the civic value of this experience for the writing's audience, creating an opportunity to perform writing, and reflecting on the writing process.

Explore the long-standing collaboration between an adult school and community college, aimed at enhancing career pathways through specialized English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs in childcare and food careers. This session examines initiatives to equip learners with industry-specific language skills and cultural competencies crucial for success. Highlighting program and curriculum design, instructional strategies, and student outcomes, it showcases models of integration and partnership that help students transition from noncredit to credit coursework leading towards degree attainment. Gain insights into the impact on workforce readiness and best practices for preparing diverse adult learners for gainful employment in childcare and culinary professions.

Adult learners in California have benefited in so many ways by participating in the EL Civics program. From civics lessons to workforce prep as part of Integrateed English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE), the EL Civics program has offered a flexible and culturally responsive framework to meet the needs of students as needs arise. Agencies have developed civic objectives and addtionally assessment plans (COAAPs) to address the great digital literacy divide exacerbated by the pandemic and an entrepreneurial COAAP to empower ESL learners to start their own businesses. This session will inform about cutting-edge ideas developed by your colleagues, how agencies might expand Integrated Education and Training (IET) beyond IELCE, and potential changes in funding.

How can language teachers best facilitate this win-win situation: students improve their language skills and increase their knowledge of community issues, social justice strategies, and U.S. culture, while community-based organizations gain from the time and energy of student volunteers? Whether called service-learning, community-based learning, or community-engaged education, this practice has a long tradition in language classrooms. Learn strategies for crafting effective community-based learning projects that are respectful of the diverse backgrounds, needs and goals of all involved. A case study from a noncredit community college class will be described, as well as lessons learned from two semesters of implementation.

Educate our world through Peace Corps service. Education and English-teaching specialists are needed to address global education and training needs at grassroots levels. Learn how you can collaborate with teachers overseas to bolster a community's education levels, teaching methods, and language competencies, while gaining transferable skills for your career.

Community Reading Groups embody civic learning through student-developed materials and active, student-centered participation in small group discussions based on readings. Working with peers and teacher, students select readings, compose discussion questions, lead & participate in discussions, build knowledge and vocabulary, increase confidence, and much more. Join this workshop for a simulated lesson and copious resources. Come today! Try it in class this week!

Participants will learn about the new USCIS Form N-400 Application for Naturalization (2024) structure, contents, and vocabulary, how to re-arrange our curriculum to address these changes, and how to adapt current published and Gen AI materials to prepare our students for their naturalization interview and empower them to be active citizens.

Critical democratic literacy (CDL) plays a pivotal role in empowering students to become engaged and informed community members. Individuals equipped with CDL understand political and civic systems, allowing them to navigate these systems effectively and contribute meaningfully to the improvement of their communities.
Join this workshop to find out about how to incorporate the 4 civic guiding concepts-civic virtue, civic engagement, civil discourse, and civil disobedience- into your ESOL lessons, and discuss how educators can help bridge the civic engagement gap. Finally, we will highlight professional development opportunities available through CALPRO for a more in-depth exploration of the subject.

Immigrants often experience verbal, behavioral, or environmental actions that communicate hostility. Teachers can support their adult English language learners with direct instruction in the language learners need to address these microaggressions at school, work, and in the community. Participants interact with the strategies, scaffolds and routines that enhance students' ability to manage these difficult conversations.

Identity labels can be confusing for international student writers, even at the university level of academic writing programs in the United States. This presentation highlights teacher and student experiences with a collaborative podcast writing project on identity labels. The multimodal writing project was designed to help students explore the intersections between identity and language via a critical language awareness lens. Come learn how to empower and guide your students toward accurate and effective language to discuss identity, power, and social justice. The assignments and rubrics will be shared and presenters will share future goals and adaptations of this project.