Community, Language, and Literacy: A Practicum Spring 2010
Janet Isserlis, M.A.T. , MA Phone: 863-2839
Required Texts and Resources:
Auerbach, E.R. (1992). Making meaning, making change: Participatory curriculum development for adult ESL literacy.
Washington, DC and McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems. full text online at
http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED356688
&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED356688
Bell, Jill (2002). Teaching multilevel classes in ESL. San Diego, CA: Dominie Press.
Bell, Jill and Barbara Burnaby (1984). A Handbook for ESL Literacy. Toronto, Ontario: Dominie Press Inc.
Curtis, Andy, and Mary Romney (eds). (2006) Color, Race and English Language Teaching: Shades of Meaning Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Nash, Andrea, Ann Carson, Madeline Rhum, Loren McGrail and Rosario Gomez-Sanford (1992). Talking Shop: A
Curriculum Sourcebook for Participatory ESL. McHenry, IL: National Clearinghouse on Literacy Education. pp. 1- 67
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/recordDetails.jsp?searchtype=advanced&pageSize=10&ERICExtSearch_Sea
rchCount=1&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=%22talking+shop%22&eric_displayStartCount=11&ERICExtSearch_Operator
_1=and&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_1=kw&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=kw&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&objectId=09
00019b800a1bb0&accno=ED356687&_nfls=false
(out of print: available online to purchase, or to download at no cost (direct link): http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED356687.pdf
Parrish, Betsy (2004). Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill
Rivera, L. (2008) Laboring to Learn: Women's Literacy and Poverty in the Post-Welfare Era by Lorna Rivera
Wrigley, Heide and Literacywork International http://www.literacywork.com/Literacywork/Resources.html
Course Description
This course examines adult language and literacy learning and approaches to teaching in community settings. It is designed to
support students’ work teaching language and literacy to immigrant adults. Working with the Swearer Center and its community
partners, students will explore theories informing educational practice, and will gain skills and practice in providing language and
literacy instruction to adult learners. This practicum specifically addresses issues of language acquisition, acculturation, and broader
contexts framing adult education. It is primarily designed for students currently engaged in adult literacy/language work in the
community; priority will be given to students working in such programs.
Course Objectives
1. This course seeks to examine theories and practices underlying adult English for speakers of other languages
(ESOL) learning and instruction. This course combines direct participation in teaching ESOL with reflection
and analysis in order to imbue fuller meaning to the concepts and theories.
2. Students should acquire an understanding of the meaning, evolution, and significance of key concepts and
controversies relevant to teaching adult immigrant populations (including issues of culture, social class, language,
ethnicity, ethnocentrism, racism, prejudice, discrimination, stereotypes, white privilege and negotiating gender roles).
3. Students will become confident in designing curriculum for adult ESOL classes and have the ability to teach others in a
modified train-the-trainers model.
Course Format
This course is designed to support undergraduates’ community-based ESOL teaching experience, is flexible in structure and
participatory in practice. While the syllabus provides a general framework for the course, students will be encouraged to raise and
pursue issues and questions as they arise within their teaching experiences. Classroom instruction will occur primarily through smallgroup discussions, oral presentations, and exercises and activities designed to be replicable in adult language learning contexts. The
course is built around exploration of observation and intensive theoretical, classroom-based groundwork, with attention to individual
questions (and concomitant readings) as they emerge.
Course Requirements
A. Attendance
B. Teaching Experiences
C. Documentation of weekly classroom practice
D. Participation in electronic discussion forums
1
E.
F.
Readings as assigned
Participation in semester-end final presentation
A. Attendance
Students are expected to participate in class discussions, and to make every effort to attend all sessions.
B. Teaching in an adult education ESOL Setting
Each member of the practicum will offer at least 4 hours weekly teaching and.or observing adult ESOL classes in
community-based programs in Providence.
C. Documentation of one class per week
Each student will document at least one class taught or observed each week. This documentation will include observations, lesson
plan content, reflection on class, evaluation of class (what did and didn’t work), and subsequent lesson planning directions.
D. Participation in electronic forums
Students will post both questions and responses to the class electronic board at least once a week, reflecting on both practice and
insights derived from readings.
E. Readings as assigned
In addition to regular readings from required texts, students will be assigned supplemental readings that address their specific
classroom challenges and discoveries as well as those addressing more general issues relevant to adult language and literacy
acquisition.
F. Participation in semester-end final presentation to Brown community
Students will participate in an event designed to showcase their work within their community-based agency. The event will likely
focus on review of methodologies, products and materials developed and the processes through which they were created.
Grading
Students will take the course for Satisfactory/No Credit grading option.
In addition to those texts listed on the syllabus, ancillary resources are available at
http://swearercenter.brown.edu/Literacy_Resources/efa.html and at
Syllabus
Weeks One - Three: Theory and Practice
Introduction to participatory practice, community based organizations, immigrant culture; approaches to and methodologies
for ESOL instruction. Reflection on language learning experiences as an intro to approaches and methodology and overview
of class processes and expectations.
Week One – Perspectives on adult education providers/organizations and an overview of adult language/literacy
education in Rhode Island
Wallerstein, Nina (1983). “Who Are the Students?” in Language and Culture in Conflict: Problem-Posing in the ESL
Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Pp. 1 - 8.
Wrigley, Heide Spruck and Gloria J.A. Guth (1992). Bringing Literacy to Life: Issues and Options in Adult ESL Literacy. San
Mateo, CA: Aguirre International. Adult ESL Literacy: State of the Art pp.1- 20 and Approaches and Materials, pp 21 – 56.
http://www.cal.org/Caela/esl_resources/BringingLiteracytoLife.pdf or
http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED348896
&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED348896
review resources here: http://swearercenter.brown.edu/Literacy_Resources/npo.html; review and be prepared to comment
on reading demonstration: example of an intake process assessing one learner's speaking and reading abilities, see the
video at http://www.literacywork.com/readingdemonstration
Parrish, Betsy (2004). Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill – Chapters 1 and 2, pp1 - 50
Literacy Centers in Rhode Island – http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/centers.html
Week Two – Theory and Practice
Bell, Jill and Barbara Burnaby (1984). A Handbook for ESL Literacy. Toronto, Ontario: Dominie Press Inc. pp. 1-134
2
Adult learning; an overview, by Stephen Brookfield
http://nlu.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_AdultLearning.cfm
Croydon, Alysan (2005). Making it real: Teaching Pre-literate Adult Refugee Students
http://literacynow.info/Page.aspx?nid=58 (scroll down) ; also choose one additional document to review at
http://literacynow.info/Page.aspx?nid=58
Cunningham Florez, MaryAnn. (2001) Beginning ESOL Learners' Advice to Their Teachers in Focus on Basics, Vol. 5, Issue
A • August 2001 http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu/fob/2001/florez.html
Ellis, R. (2008). Principles of Instructed Second Language Acquisition
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/digest_pdfs/Instructed2ndLangFinalWeb.pdf
Nash, Andrea, Ann Carson, Madeline Rhum, Loren McGrail and Rosario Gomez-Sanford (1992). Talking Shop: A
Curriculum Sourcebook for Participatory ESL. McHenry, IL: National Clearinghouse on Literacy Education. pp. 1- 67
Parrish, Betsy (2004). Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill – Chapters 3 - 5, pp 51 – 158
Wrigley, Heide Spruck and Gloria J.A. Guth (1992). Curriculum modules, in Bringing Literacy to Life: Issues and Options in
Adult ESL Literacy. San Mateo, CA: Aguirre International. Pp. 225-295
review video: Building Literacy With Emergent Readers http://www.newamericanhorizons.org/training-videos
Week Three – Language and Culture
Auerbach, Elsa. Making Meaning, Making Change. Pps. 1-86
Bell, Jill (1991). Teaching Multi-Level Classes in ESL. Toronto, Ontario: Dominie Press Inc. pp. 19-42.
Bell, Jill and Barbara Burnaby (1984). A Handbook for ESL Literacy. Toronto, Ontario: Dominie Press Inc. pp. 1-134
Boroditsky, Lera (23 July 2010) Does Language Influence Culture? Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748703467304575383131592767868lMyQjAxMTAwMDIwNjEyNDYyWj.html
Isserlis, Janet (1991) “Dialogue Journals as part if a Learner-Centered Curriculum in Peyton, J and J, Staton (Eds). Writing
our lives: Reflections on Dailogue Journal Writing with Adult Learning English
Parrish, Betsy (2004). Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill – Chapters 6 - 8 pp 163 - 256
http://www.cal.org/ncle/digests - select two digests to review/discuss from each of the following areas: What Works: ESL
Methods and Approaches, Improving Language Skills, Language and Culture, Specific Populations
supplementary:
Developing adult teaching and learning: Practitioner guides – Responding to people’s lives
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/publications_details.asp?ID=128
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Responding-Peoples-Teaching-Developing-Learning/dp/1862013306
Focus on Basics, Volume 3, Issue D December 1999 on Writing Instruction http://ncsall.net/?id=164
Weeks Four - Six: Understanding privilege - ability, class, race, sexual orientation, gender dynamics, literacies
Week Four – Language Privilege
Auerbach, Elsa. Making Meaning, Making Change. Pps. 87 - 140
Curtis, Andy, and Mary Romney (eds). (2006) Color, Race and English Language Teaching: Shades of Meaning Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Chapters 1 - 8
Martin, Rachel and Alejandra Domenzain (1999). Sabemos y Podemos: Learning for Social Action. Washington, D.C.: The
National Council of La Raza. pp. 1-222.
http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED445165
&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED445165
3
McIntosh, Peggy “Unpacking the invisible knapsack http://nunic.nu.edu/~mnatera/assign3.html”
Rivera, K. M. (1999). Popular research and social transformation: a community-based approach to critical pedagogy .
TESOL Quarterly, 33, 485-500.
Pelz, Ruth (1997). “Reading The World: Freirean ‘liberatory education’ promotes literacy, empowerment, and the chance to
rehearse for social change An Interview with Klaudia Rivera”, in The Ecology Of Media (IC#23) Fall, 1989. The Context
Institute. Pp. 42-60. http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC23/Rivera.htm
Wrigley, Heide (2008). Capturing what counts: approaches to assessment (including community assessments) that go
beyond standardized testing. (in Adult Biliteracy (ed. KM Rivera and A Huerta Macias)
http://literacywork.com/Literacywork/Resources_files/Capturing%20What%20Counts.pdf
Week Five – Difference?
Athanases, Steven (1996). A Gay-Themed Lesson in an Ethnic Literature Curriculum: Tenth Graders’ Responses to “Dear
Anita” in Eisen, Vitka and Irene Hall, Eds, Harvard Educational Review: Special Issue: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender People in Education, Vol. 66, Number 2. Pp. 231-257.
http://her.hepg.org/content/q7450vp413tln38q/?p=3a5bd11c2246470a900e5187abf23e6c&pi=4 direct link:
http://her.hepg.org/content/q7450vp413tln38q/fulltext.pdf
Curtis, Andy, and Mary Romney (eds). (2006) Color, Race and English Language Teaching: Shades of Meaning Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Chapters 9- - 15
Nelson, C. (1999). “Sexual Identities in ESL: Queer Theory and Classroom Inquiry.” In TESOL Quarterly, Volume 33, No. 3.
Pp. 371-391.
SABES (2000). “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender issues in Adult Education” Bright Ideas, Vol. 9; Number 3. Boston,
MA: System For Adult Basic Education Support, 2000.
http://www.sabes.org/resources/publications/brightideas/vol9/bi93.htm
TESOL Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Friends Caucus (LGBTF) http://www.tesol.org/mbr/caucuses/lgbf.html
Wallerstein, Nina (1983). “Writing a New Curriculum” in Language and Culture in Conflict: Problem-Posing in the ESL
Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Pp. 60-69, 144-145
Week Six – Gender, Ability
Focus on Basics, Volume 6, Issue B February 2003, issue on “isms” http://www.ncsall.net/?id=152
Fridland, Genevieve and Dalle, Teresa (2002), “Start with what they know; Build with what they have”: Survival Skills for
Refugee Women in Community Partnerships, Elsa Auerbach, Ed. Case Studies in TESOL Practice Series pp. 27 – 40.
Isserlis, Janet and Kate Nonesuch (1996). “What is a Feminist Curriculum?” http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/Making_C/10.htm and
“Women at the Centre of the Curriculum” in: Making Connections: Literacy and EAL from a Feminist Perspective (Toronto:
CCLOW, 1996). http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/Making_C/13.htm
also, from Making Connections; “Daily Lives” http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/Making_C/28.htm, and “Women and Work”
http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/Making_C/122.htm
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/ld.html
Wrigley, Heide Spruck and Gloria J.A. Guth (1992). Teaching Adult ESL Literacy in the Multilevel Classroom, in Bringing
Literacy to Life: Issues and Options in Adult ESL Literacy. Aguirre International, San Mateo, CA. Pp. 57-78.
Weeks Seven to Nine: Adult learning. Assessment and Policy Concerns
Week Seven - Problematizing ESOL – policy and practice, standards and assessment
Condelli, L., & Wrigley, H. S. (2009). Instruction,language and literacy: What works study for adult ESL literacy students.
Retrieved August 19, http://lotos.library.uu.nl/publish/articles/000176/bookpart.pdf
study summary:
http://eric.ed.goav:80/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED482789&ER
ICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED482789
Massachusetts Adult ESOL frameworks http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/frameworks/esol.pdf
4
Rhode Island adult education content standards http://www.brown.edu/lrri/standards.html
*http://www.cal.org/ncle/digests – read digests within the area of Background and Policy Issues; also review
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/Literacy_Resources/advocate.html
Parrish, Betsy (2004). Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill – Chapters 9 – 10 257-298
Week Eight - Problematizing ESOL – policy and practice, standards and assessment
* Auerbach, E. 1993. “Reexaming English only in the ESL classroom.” TESOL Quarterly , Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 9–32.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/i285089
Adams, H. Hurtig, J. (2010). Demoncracy is in the details: small writing groups prefiguring a new society. in press.
Week Nine: Teaching for social change, and community action – What does it look like? How does it work?
Nash, Andy, Ed (1999). Civic Participation and Community Action Sourcebook: A Resource for Adult Educators. New
England Literacy Resource Center. pp. 1-170 http://tech.worlded.org/docs/vera/index1.htm
Reflect for ESOL resource pack http://www.reflectaction.org/~reflecta/sites/default/files/u6/Reflect%2520for%2520ESOL%2520Resource%2520Pack-1.pdf
*Wrigley, Spruck Heide (1993). “One Size Does Not Fit All: Educational Perspectives and Program Practices in the U.S.” in
TESOL Quarterly, Vol. 27, Number 3. pp. 449-475. http://www.jstor.org/stable/i285089 (pdf:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3587476.pdf)
Additional Readings from TESOL Quarterly, Vol. 27, Number 3 TBA
Weeks Ten to Thirteen: Community and Global Contexts
Week Ten - Broader Contexts
The Change Agent http://www.nelrc.org/changeagent/index.htm
[optional] Cuban, S. et al. (2007) Outside Practices: A Social Practice View of Literacy, Learners and Adult Basic Educational
Policies and Practices in English and the U.S. http://www.literacy.lancs.ac.uk/workpapers/WP18-Cuban_et_al.pdf
Isserlis, Janet (2008). Adults in Programs for the “Academically Underprepared” New Directions for Adult and Continuing
EducationVolume 2008, Issue 120 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ace.312/pdf
Rivera, L. (2008) Laboring to Learn: Women's Literacy and Poverty in the Post-Welfare Era by Lorna Rivera
Weeks Eleven and Twelve – reviewing readings, shared facilitation: students will work in pairs to focus on a key point and
facilitate classroom discussion, using the time as a culminating activity through which to share critical learning and raise
questions to guide ongoing reflection.
Week Thirteen -- Final Presentation to Brown Community
5