1. Creating Pathways to Prepare Adult
Learners for Successful Transitions
Presented at TESOL Convention
March 25, 2010, Boston
Sara Baldwin
Yilin Sun
South Seattle Community College
2. Presentation OUTCOMES
Become familiar with strategies we
have found useful
Consider how these strategies could be
applied in your program
3. Key Points
Organizational Culture
of Transitions at SSCC
Strategies
Institutional Effects
Application of Strategies
4. Organizational Culture of
Transitions at SSCC
More than 40% of college‟s FTEs are
non-native English speakers
„Tipping Point‟ study from WA
State-issued Momentum Points
SSCC pioneered I-Best model
Two large grants helped fund focus on
transitions
Institutional buy-in to transition
5. Overview of Strategies
Comprehensive Programs cover:
Awareness and Orientation
Activities
College Counseling Activities and
Referral Services
Comprehensive Transition Services
(academic prep and support)
6. Strategy: Transitions Day
Quarterly „Transitions Day‟ program
„College Night‟ participation
College tours
Partnerships formed across campus
Activities infused into curriculum
Students from off-site bused in
Pathways identified
7. Pathways To College
MAT 102 ENG 101
ESL
DEVELOPEMENTAL
TRANSITIONAL
ENG 098
DEVELOPEMENTAL MATH
MAT 098 ENG 096/097/086
103/105/106
ENGLISH
ENG 096
ESL
MAT 085 ESL
INSTRUCTION
ENG 108 094/095/085
RELATED
MAT 084 ENG 094
MAT 110
MAT 083 ENG 080 SERIES
PSY 240
GED
ABE/COMPASS
ESL LEVEL 5 COMMUNICATION
PREPARATION
ABE MATH PREPARATION
COMPASS GED MATH ESL ESL LEVEL 4
PREPARATION PREPARATION MATH
ESL LEVEL 3
Non-Credit ESL
ESL LEVEL 2 ABE LEVEL 4
ABE LEVEL 4 COMMUNICATION
MATH
ESL LEVEL 1
ABE LEVEL 3
ABE LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATION
MATH
8. Strategy: Transitions Day
Presentations
Fall: Goal Setting & College Procedures
Winter: 8 Program Areas
Spring: Support and Pathways to
College
(Faculty incorporate transition focus into curriculum.
http://www.newmanix.com/toolkit/lo.php)
9. Strategy:
College Counseling and Referrals
• B&TS Student Advisor:
• Helps students create Career and Education Plans
• Provides transition workshops during class visits
• Plans activities with Transitions Task Force
• Collaborates with Basic Studies faculty
• Form important alliances across campus
• Outreach office
• Tutoring/disability services
• Career development services center
• Financial aid office
• Testing office
10. Strategy: Transitions Portfolios
Faculty developed content
Travel with the student
Content can be re-visited often
Serves as a helpful document when
student meets with an advisor
URL: http://www.successatsouth.org/resources
11. Strategy: More access to
Assessment
Both college-wide and divisional practices
needed to change.
Students in upper levels of ESL tested for college
placement without cost
Testing process was demystified – important
especially since the test is computerized
Relationship between testing and the divisional office
improved
Testing office could become a conduit, bridging
students between basic skills and college-level
12. Strategy: Provide instructional
support during early transition
• Additional non-credit skills classes
including ESL Math and Computer Skills
• Reading/writing blocks in credit ESL
• ELL Learning Lab (WALL) to support
pre-college and college level work
• I-BEST model of embedded ESL
• Healthcare Pathway
13. Strategy: Provide instructional
support during early transition
HEALTHCARE PATHWAY
Developed with director & faculty of Nursing and ESL
and its implementation was the focus of a FIG
• Students contract to do pre-requisites as
cohort.
• Get conditional admission if they maintain 3.0
in each class.
• Attend a support class taught by ESL faculty.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.indivi
dual&videoid=10570923
14. Strategy: Provide instructional
support during early transition
The WALL (ELL Learning Lab)
Supports diverse students in credit and
non-credit classes
Supported cooperatively by
Immigrant, International Programs and
Tutoring Center
Faculty, tutors, group work and
computer access
15. Provide instructional support during
early transition - Computer Skills Courses
Develop basic computer skills and
information literacy based on the state
technology competencies
Bridge gaps for students to complete
transition portfolio activities
Integrate case studies which teach
Excel and quantitative reasoning
16. Strategy: Faculty Learning
Communities and FIGS
College faculty need support
to work effectively with
non-native speakers
Faculty-identify issues and
solutions
Cooperative faculty development is key to changing the ways we
view and work with diverse students. We strategically developed
opportunities that focused on transition and academic support
while encouraging collaboration among content and ESL faculty.
17. Strategy: Faculty Learning Communities:
Information Literacy for ESL Students
Collaborate with Librarians
Create Content-based Info. Lit activities
Assess Students‟ learning-rubric
Encourage critical thinking and
transferrable skills
18. Institutional Effects
This had to be campus-wide to be effective
Administration mandated (critical since basic skills costs
revenues of about $2.75 million)
Change in how the college views basic skills students - moving
from deficits to assets model
Change to expect that students will transition
Change in the expectation that the college will provide ongoing
support of students beyond transition
Faculty and staff own the process of change
The VESL model with successful short-term training programs
Imagining a lattice for students with stopping and starting
points
Increase from 12% in 2000 to 29% in 2006
to 34% in 2009
19. What Students Say:
“Attending these workshops really helped me understand
better and it gave me and orientation to what I need to do
to reach my goal. It answered all my questions. I am glad
the school do stuff like these to help students succeed.”
“The most important thing that I learned from the
workshops was Education is the key of life.”
20. Application of Strategies
Discuss in groups of five or fewer:
Which of these strategies would be
feasible to implement in your program?
What would be the benefit to your
students?
What issues or concerns need to be
addressed?
21. Thanks for coming and
participating!
Yilin Sun
ESL Faculty, Basic & Transitional Studies
South Seattle Community College
ysun@sccd.ctdc.edu
Sara Baldwin
ESL Faculty, Basic & Transitional Studies
South Seattle Community College
sbaldwin@sccd.ctdc.edu