Welcome to “The Why, What and
How of Promoting Learner
Transitions” with Sylvia Ramirez
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The Why, What and How of
Promoting Learner Transitions
Presented by Sylvia G. Ramirez
MiraCosta College Noncredit ESL Department Chair and
Ventures Author
Today we are joined by 125+ attendees
in 25 states.
• Community Colleges
• Adult Ed Programs
• Community Based Organizations
• Job Training Centers
• Language Centers
Webinar Objectives:
• Discuss WHY transition programs have become
increasingly important.
• Describe WHAT are key components of a successful
transition program.
• Identify HOW academic skills are taught in a transition
class.
Why Transitions?
POLICY
“ . . . Adult education should be redesigned to
promote postsecondary and work-place
readiness for all learners . . .”
National Center on Education and the Economy (2009)
Why Transitions?
POLICY
“…Tonight, I ask every American to commit to at
least one year or more of higher education or
career training. This can be community college
or a four-year school; vocational training or an
apprenticeship. But whatever the training may
be, every American will need to get more than a
high school diploma.”
President Barack Obama (February 2009)
Why Transitions?
ECONOMIC
“….there will be 2.7 million “middle skill” job
openings for Californians. Middle skill jobs
require more than a high school diploma and less
than a Bachelor’s degree.”
Skills2Compete – California’s Forgotten Middle-Skill
Jobs: Meeting the demands of a 21st century economy.
(2009)
Why Transitions?
• Our programs need to prepare students for the
future.
• If our programs fail to provide students with the
skills needed to be successful in postsecondary
education, then we have increasingly relegated
our students to the “working poor.”
Why Transitions?
STUDENT
Dear Teacher Ramirez,
It has certainly been a long time since we
last touched base with each other. I am
emailing you to share with you the news of my
PhD graduation.
Former ESL Student, Alfredo Martinez-Morales
Questions
• To ask a question, go to the
“chat” section on the righthand side of your screen.
• Next to the “Send To” pick
list, select “Cambridge”
• Type your question in the
box below “Send To”
• Then hit send (on the right)
What do you think?
Key Components of
Transition Programs
•
•
•
•
Program structure
Formal or informal agreements
Curriculum Alignment
Transition Support
Where Do Students Transition To?
•
•
•
•
ABE/GED classes
Academic credit and career technical courses
Job-skills training programs
The workplace
Program Structure at
MiraCosta College
• We implemented 8-week terms and student
learning outcomes for each level.
http://www.miracosta.edu/noncreditESL
• Advanced level students exit the program when
they meet level 7 SLOs. (100 – 150 ESL
students exit per year).
Know Where You Are
Transitioning Students
•
•
•
•
Placement tests, course pre-requisites
Course catalogue – sequence of courses
Course syllabi and books used
Meetings with college instructors
Faculty at MiraCosta College
• Hired full-time credit and noncredit faculty
members
• Meet regularly to discuss curriculum and
student needs and goals
• Piloted credit portfolio assessments with
noncredit students
• Visited Level 7 students regularly
Transition Support
Counseling, Advising, Coaching
– Students create an education and career plan
– Students make personal connections
Transition Support
• Provide presentations on financial aide,
registration, academic support services.
• Select additional activities such as college tours
class visits, college activities, student success
workshops.
• Provide onsite testing and assistance in
completing applications
What do you think?
How Academic Skills Are Taught?
Some common skills identified in multiple
studies are:
a Writing
a Reading
a Vocabulary Building Skills
a Critical Thinking/ Problem Solving
a Listening/Note taking
College / Career Success Skills
• Goal Setting
• Career Exploration
• Time Management
• Stress Management
• Problem Solving
• Self Advocacy
• Study Skills
MiraCosta Curriculum
MCC Faculty Agreement on
Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success
1) Writing
• Writing Process
• Portfolios
2) Reading
• Vocabulary strategies
• Identifying main ideas
• Skimming and scanning
3) Critical Thinking
• Making inferences
MiraCosta Curriculum (cont.)
4) Study and Learning Skills
•
•
•
•
Graded homework and end of term grades
Encouraging self efficacy skills
Group work
Class participation
5) Grammar and Usage
MiraCosta Curriculum (cont.)
6) Oral Communication Skills
• Individual and group presentations
7) Listening
• Note taking (guided handouts)
MiraCosta Curriculum
• El Civics Education Unit - complete credit
application and select courses
• Collaboration among credit and noncredit faculty
meet to align curriculum
• Portfolio Assessments
See Portfolio Assessment at:
http://www.miracosta.edu/noncreditESL
“The skills learners need in order to transition
successfully to higher levels of education or
employment should be integrated at every level
of instruction ….”
Betsy Parrish and Kimberly Johnson
Promoting Learner Transitions to Postsecondary Education
and Work (2010)
Writing Skills
• Text organization
(rhetorical style)
• Summary skills
Text Organization
Ventures
Transitions
P. 60, Ex. 1C
Text Organization
Ventures
Transitions
P. 21, Ex. B
Text Organization
Ventures Transitions P. 101, Ex. 1D
(Text Organization: Problem / Solution)
Summary
Ventures Transitions P. 31, Ex. D
Reading Comprehension Skills
• Predicting
• Ask Questions
• Use Graphic Organizers
.
Predicting
P. 18, Ex. 1, question 1
P. 56, Ex. 1, question 1
Reading Comprehension:
Ask Questions
P. 7, Ex. A
Use Graphic Organizers To Analyze Text
Ventures
Transitions
P. 30, Ex. 1B
Vocabulary Building Skills
• Use contextual clues to define vocabulary
• Draw on grammar to determine meaning
• Use a dictionary
Use Contextual Clues
To Define Vocabulary
P. 87, Ex. 3B (positive & negative words & clues
to help students find them)
Draw On Grammar
To Determine Meaning
P. 89, Ex. 3B: (parts of speech)
Use Dictionary for Various Purposes
P. 27, Ex. 3B
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
• Analyze & apply information learned
• Articulate and support points of view
• Solve problems
Critical Thinking Skills:
Analyze & Apply Information Learned
P. 9
Ex. 3A
Critical Thinking Skills:
Analyze & Apply Information Learned
P. 19
Ex. 3A
Critical Thinking Skills:
Articulate & Support Points of View
P. 13, Ex. 2D
Critical Thinking Skills: Problem Solving
P. 101
Ex. 1D
Critical Thinking Skills: Problem Solving
P. 70
Ex. B, C
Listening Skills
• Listening for
main ideas
• Note taking
Listening For Main Idea
Main Idea: All Lesson As, Ex. 2A
Listening: Note Taking
Details:
all Lesson As
Ex. 2B
What do you think?
Questions
• To ask a question, go to the
“chat” section on the righthand side of your screen.
• Next to the “Send To” pick
list, select “Cambridge”
• Type your question in the
box below “Send To”
• Then hit send (on the right)
For additional Ventures Transitions
resources, please visit:
www.cambridge.org/transitions
Webinar Materials
www.cambridge.org/ventures/webinars
• Post-webinar email
- All handouts
- PowerPoint Slides
- Webinar Recording
- Q&A
• Access to recordings of previous webinars
Q&A
Thank you for attending,
and good luck with your ventures in
transitioning students!
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