REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the Basic Skills Committee
Friday, December 6, 2013, SS 104, 9am - 10am
Notes
1. Called Meeting to Order: Present: Erin Wall, Julia Peterson, Sheila Hall, Kristy
Carlsen, Steve Jackson, Tracey Thomas, Angelina Hill, Harry Pyke, Pam Kessler, Mike
Clark-noncredit ESL instructor, Crislyn Parker-notes
2. Approve Notes
3. Action Items
 Added: Two late proposals for funding:
o Approved: Non- credit ESL subject matter expert to work with credit subject
matter expert to create pathways, $18,000 plus.
o Approved: Temporary assistance to review and revise Accuplacer, $ (Unknown
at this time).
o Erin will send out another call for proposal, prior to the break.
o There was some discussion on combining Sections 6 and 7 on the proposal
application, but the committee agreed to leave it as is.
4. Discussion Items
4.1 How to Target Energies and Communicate to the College Community:
 Some discussion of this topic in the discussion notes under Item #5.
4.2 Review Membership:
 Del Norte or Mendocino representative
 Faculty Co-Chair
5. Reports/Other
 Reports:
o Julie Raich accepted the position as ESL instructor at a higher rate than originally
discussed. ESL 302B is on the schedule. Erin will talk to Rebecca Twiss about
ESL 102.
o Suggestion a back-up instructor would be good; possibly Liz Carlyle can be
MQ’d.
o The non-credit Instructor, Mike Clark, attended ESL acceleration training and
reported that both credit and non-credit ESL instructors attended and colleges
approach ESL instruction in a variety of ways.
 Discussion:
o Discussion and clarification on non-credit and credit ESL courses being offered
by CR, and the current numbering system. Discussion on determining the
number of levels that should be available in credit and non-credit ESL courses,
taking into consideration both financial aid and total units issues.
o Spring 2014 ESL courses: Noncredit - ESL 202B; Credit: ESL302B. The college
is hoping to offer ESL 102 (credit) in the spring. It was discussed that the
numbering for ESL 102 should be changed at some point.
o Apparently, ESL 202B (non-credit) is well attended at locations other than the
CR main campus; possibly, many students are uncomfortable being on a college
campus at this point in their academic pursuits.
o Currently, noncredit courses are being marketed with flyers and through
collaboration with HCOE, who has very extensive and thorough networking.
o Marketing the credit ESL is in progress. Information is given out at orientations.
o Discussion on how to track ESL from students’ applications. Accuplacer asks
what language is spoken in the home; this might be used as a trigger. ESL
students have varying levels of learning and skills, which call for parallel
learning, with both college credit courses and continuing non-credit ESL, in
order to be successful. Suggestion that guided tutoring would be good for ESL
students. Right now 202B is open to all skill levels. Conversations are needed on
how to get students, how to determine placement and inform them where to
begin. Communication, definition and intake are important.
o Registering for the non-credit is still a bit of an issue. There is discussion of
building a college preparation certificate for non-credit.
o Suggestion to get survey information (given in Spanish)
o CR faculty will be involved in non-credit curriculum. With the inclusion of adult
education, CR is in the position to prepare adults and develop curriculum.
Establishing Math and English curriculum for non-credit will be a huge task.
o Running Read 260 for two weeks, in the jail, as a test (captive audience).
o Considering LEA grant for supplemental financing.
Adjourn.
Next meeting: TBD