Dr. Jean DeVard-Kemp
Assistant Commissioner
Office of Adult Literacy

IN THIS ISSUE

For those literacy programs with successful Adult Basic Education and GED preparatory classes in place, English Literacy Programs (ELP) may receive lower priority. The number of ELP students may be lower, and when teachers consider the difficulties in establishing focused classes, the tendency is to concentrate on the more familiar areas.

However, increasing immigration and shifting populations are creating communities that require ELP services to accommodate diverse workforces. To meet this growing demand, the Adult Literacy Program at Altamaha Technical Institute has responded with efforts to provide high quality ELP instruction.

For the four counties in SDA 25, ELP presents a challenge for the teachers. Recruitment is often difficult because many of the adults who need services avoid educational settings for fear of deportation or due to work demands. Women are especially difficult to recruit since some cultures discourage women in activities outside the home. Therefore, "word of mouth" is often the most effective means of recruitment because students hear about the classes from trusted sources.

Once classes begin, poor attendance is the next hurdle to overcome. Many ELP students are migrant laborers with limited financial resources, which presents an impediment to classroom attendance. Although education is valued by the students, it remains a distant second to daily sustenance. Attendance is also affected by transportation difficulties, since a number of ELP students do not own cars. Instead, they depend on friends and family for transportation, especially in rural areas. Many students are eager to attend class but lack of transportation prevents it. ELP instruction presents a challenge for some teachers. Many of them, particularly if they do not have another language experience, find the language barrier intimidating. This challenges teachers to find alternative means of conveying concepts. Compounding the problem, a large number of ELP students have low level skills or are not literate in their native languages. They must learn basic grammar skills along with English language fluency.

On January 25, 2000, the new ELP class overflowed when 58 new students enrolled on the first night of class. Two ELP teachers and a bilingual paraprofessional have been hired to meet the demands of the emerging ELP students.

SDA 25 has found a way to overcome many of the barriers associated with ELP instruction. Bilingual teachers are employed to help overcome these barriers. They address attendance issues with scheduling that takes work and transportation into consideration. Whenever feasible, surveys are conducted to establish convenient class meeting times and sites. Finally, this SDA has enlisted the aid of the Migration Education Program in an effort to identify and overcome obstacles.

Possessed with a positive attitude, the teachers at Altamaha Technical Institute find ELP instruction to be rewarding. The classes offer them the opportunity to teach beyond the standard ABE/GED curriculum by exploring creative strategies in the classroom. Teachers and students benefit from the exposure to other cultures, and both express satisfaction over the progress of the program and the relationships they have formed. ELP students have expressed appreciation to their teachers at Altamaha Technical Institute. Both teachers and students have formed bonds of trust and believe that the relationships they are forming will continue to be mutually beneficial.

April Eason
Adult Literacy TANF Teacher
Altamaha Technical Institute
Jesup, Georgia
SDA #25