ORTESOL Adult Education Special Interest Group

March 6, 2007

Don Prickel and Doree Dennis

Statement of Purpose:

The ORTESOL Adult Education Special Interest Group serves the interests of adult students in ESL programs across community colleges, workforce development organizations, private agencies, and other adult-oriented settings, their teachers and administrators. Among our concerns are the following

A.   Professional Concerns:

• To increase the awareness among educators, the general public and legislators of the impact that adult ESL instruction has on improving the quality of life of its students, their employment, , and roles of citizen and family member.   
• To provide opportunities for ESL educators to engage in continuous professional development that result in exemplary teaching   and   instructional practices in the ESL classroom.
• To assist new and continuing members to navigate through respective hiring and employment procedures, wage scales, and benefits at various adult ESL workplace settings across the state of Oregon.

B. Academic Concerns:

• To encourage college administrators, legislators, and funding agencies to enact fairness and consistency in hiring practices, salary, and benefits to both full-time and part-time personnel within adult ESL programs across the state of Oregon.
• To provide support,   direction and recommendations to meet the demanding challenges of the ESL classroom: multiple levels of learners, irregular attendance of the working adult, open entry-open exit issues, diversity in social, economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds, material resources and equipment, budget constraints, to name a few.
• To create opportunities for adult ESL students to advance academically, professionally, and personally through the educational system.

C.   Activities (include but not limited to…)

• Use the ORTESOL WEB site and the Adult Education SIG Forum to expand knowledge, understanding of, and communication on issues related to adult ESL teaching and instruction.  

Address priority topics and issues of its members through timely and regional workshops, demonstrations, mentoring/coaching opportunities, to

 

Let us know what you think....