Welcome to the ESL Preservice Introduction

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Welcome to the ESL Preservice Introduction
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• Tacoma Community House is an organization that
  began in Tacoma in 1910 as a settlement house to
  welcome newcomers to Tacoma.

• TCH offers
• Adult education
• Employment assistance
• Immigration services
• Trainings (like this one through Literacy NOW)

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Literacy NOW is a division of Tacoma Community
House.

• The workshops are funded by
• Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance
• Fees to individual programs
• Tacoma Community House

• Literacy NOW provides a variety of workshops
• For ESL Tutors
• For Literacy Tutors
• Intercultural Communication for the Workplace or
  Library

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What will you get from this training?

• The purpose of this training is to
• Give you information about immigrants and
  refugees
• Give you an introduction to needs of English
  language learners
• Provide background information and strategies to
  aid in communication with your learners

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• This information is divided into three sections.
  At the end of each section, there will be brief
  quiz for you to complete.

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• Washington State is home to a variety of people
  who come from all over the world.

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History of Immigration in WA

• Most influxes of immigration have occurred during
  times when immigrants have felt the push away
  from their home countries due to wars, famines,
  and poor economic situations or the pull of
  America in terms of providing opportunity.

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• 1770s
• First Asian Immigrants came in large numbers from
  Hawaii
• 1840-1880
• Europes First Wave Migrations to WA
• From Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, the
  Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark,
  and Iceland
• 1860s and 70s
• Japanese and Chinese recruited for industrial
  work

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• 1880-WWI
• Europes Second Wave Migrations to WA
• Westward expansion encouraged the East Coast
  (Italy, Greece, the Balkan States, Poland, Russia
  and Austro-Hungary) to head West.
• 1903
• Korean immigrants recruited for labor from Hawaii
• About 1,000 came, forming a core Korean community
  in WA

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• 1940s
• Middle Eastern Communities Emerged in WA
• Immigrants were from Arabic speaking countries

• Large numbers of Mexican Americans immigrated
  from southern states
• This is credited as beginning the migrant
  agricultural workforce in WA and came in response
  to the labor drain at the beginning of WWII

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• Post WWII
• Smaller Third Wave of European Immigrants
• Settled among core groups of immigrants from
  their home countries
• 1960s and 70s
• Influx of non-Mexican Latino immigrants
• Were granted refugee status by the US government
  in response to the multiple military coups that
  occurred during this period across South America

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• 1970s
• WA sponsors the first groups of Vietnamese
  refugees from the Vietnam War
• This created an enclave of Vietnamese immigrants
  that form the base of a strong Vietnamese
  community still in WA today
• Post 1970s
• Since the 1970s, immigrants have come from the
  following areas
• Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos)
• Poland (Russian Jews)
• Former USSR
• Somalia/Sudan

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When you hear the word immigrant what do you
think of?
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According to the US government, foreign born
individuals are separated into groups

• US Citizens
• Immigrants
• Legal Immigrants
• Illegal or undocumented immigrants
• Refugees/Asylees

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Immigrants

• Legal Immigrants apply to live in the US through
  work or family connections
• Illegal or undocumented immigrants do not have
  permission to reside in the US

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Legal Immigrants

• Are sponsored they have a connection here
  whether by work or by family
• Are on their own timeline to learn English and
  get a job
• Allowed to apply for citizenship after 5 years
  residence in the US
• Cannot (typically) access social services

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According to US law refugees are

• People unable to live in their own country due to
  reasonable fear of persecution for reasons of
  race, religion, nationality, political opinion,
  or social grouping

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Refugees

• Are on a timeline in terms of getting a job
• Have access to social services and employment
  assistance (Temporary Assistant to Needy Families
  -- TANF)
• BUT must be in class or work at least 32 hours
• Can receive TANF benefits for 5 years
• Allowed to apply for citizenship after 5 years of
  residence in the US
• May have a highly traumatic background and
  experiences

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Refugee Resettlement Three Government
Priorities

• Priority 1 Compelling Protection cases
• Refugees for whom no other durable solution
  exists.
• Priority 2 Groups of special humanitarian
  concern, subject to change every year
• Burmese in Thailand
• Iranian religious minorities in Austria
• Meshketian Turks
• In-country processing Former Soviet Union, Cuba,
  and Vietnam
• Priority 3 Family Reunification
• Spouses, unmarried children under 21 or parents
  of persons admitted to the U.S. as refugees

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According to US law

• Foreign born citizens have the same rights,
  responsibilities, and expectations as native born
  citizens EXCEPT that they cannot become
  President.
• Whether an immigrant or refugee upon arrival, all
  foreign born individuals can apply for
  citizenship after 5 years residence in the US.

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What percent of WA State is Foreign Born?

• Between 1990 and 2000 alone, the foreign born
  population increased by 90.

• Year Total Number of
  Population
  
• 1990 322,144 6.6
• 1999 434,957
  7.7
• 2000 614,457
  10.4
• 2005 763,059
  12.2

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Where do US Immigrants come from?
Nationally, the vast majority come from Mexico.
Top Ten Countries Represented by Immigrants in
the US
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• WA State has a higher percentage of immigrants
  from Russia and the Ukraine than the US average.
• WA State also has a higher percentage of
  immigrants from East Asian countries like Laos
  and Taiwan.

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In Washington, immigrants come from
Top Ten Countries Represented by Immigrants in WA
State
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• The refugee population is very different from the
  immigrant population.
• Because refugees only come from government
  approved countries, the countries they come from
  can change every year.

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Where do US Refugees come from?

• About 80,000 refugees come to the United States
  each year
• The number of refugees accepted from each country
  changes each year.
• In 2009, the biggest numbers of refugees are
  coming from
• Iraq (16,695)
• Burma (16,000)
• Bhutan (11,992)

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In Washington State, refugees come from

• Top 3 Refugee Countries
• Somalia17.8
• Ukraine16.6
• Russia10.3

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Quiz (click for Answers)

• What are the three groups into which the US
  government separates foreign born individuals?
• Answer US Citizens, Immigrants (legal and
  illegal) and Refugees/Asylees.
• True or False Refugees are sponsored by a family
  member or workplace.
• Answer False, legal immigrants are sponsored by
  a family member or workplace.
• True or False The countries which refugees are
  from can change every year.
• Answer True.
• True or False One major difference between the
  United States and Washington State is that WA
  State has more immigrants from Southeast Asia.
• Answer True, Vietnam and Laos are among the Top
  Ten Countries Represented in Washington State.

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• Whatever the immigrant status refugee, asylee,
  legal immigrant, undocumented or illegal
  immigrant, all will struggle with differences
  between their home country culture and US
  culture.

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There are three levels of culture to understand
A Model to Understand Culture
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The Sensory Level When we think about culture,
these are the areas that we can easily see and
predict might be different from culture to
culture.

• Examples
• Language
• Architecture
• Food
• Money
• Vegetation
• Density of Population
• Modes of Transportation
• Clothing

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Conscious Rules These are the things we teach our
children. Although we can name these behaviors,
the meaning of the behaviors is obscured because
they are automatic and we do not have to think
about them.

• Examples
• Greetings
• Eating
• Punctuality
• Eye Contact
• Space

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Unconscious Rules Our beliefs, values and
behaviors which are so automatic and natural
that we hardly stop to think that someone else
might see the world differently.

• Examples
• Importance of work
• Attitudes about mens/womens roles
• Communication Styles
• What makes a good parent, spouse, boss

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• Culture shock happens when a person experiences
  the confusion and discomfort of having everything
  culturally familiar replaced by unfamiliar
  cultural norms.

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• People living in a different culture adjust
  through a process of integrating their native
  culture with the new culture in a form of
  bi-culturalism.
• There are five stages of
• Cultural Adjustment

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Stage 1
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• This person is in Stage 1
• I come to the US and I go to the grocery store
  and there is so much food! Also, there are cars
  everywhere everyone has a car! America is so
  exciting!

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Stage 2
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• This person is in Stage 2
• I was a college instructor in Afghanistan and I
  had many things, and I still dont have those
  things here like I had there. And I wont be able
  to have those things here the standard of
  living. I dont even have a backyard here so that
  my children can play, and in Afghanistan I had
  over 1,000 acres of farmland, fruit gardens, and
  houses.

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Stage 3
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This person is in Stage 3 I changed my values
and attitudes in this country. In my country I
didnt talk to my children very much, but in this
country I try to play with them. I try to change
to that relationship where we can share
everything. I love them.
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Stage 4
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• This person is in Stage 4
• I'll never get used to how Americans say hi,
  but dont really stop to talk. I miss how in my
  country we say hi to everyone and stop to talk
  with friends or neighbors we meet. But, I am safe
  and my children have opportunities to build a
  future here.

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Stage 5
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• This person is in Stage 5
• I have lots of friends in America. I feel like
  this is my home. I miss my country, but not like
  I used to. Im very happy here.

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Helping immigrants adjust

• Learn about your students culture
• Look for books or movies about that culture
• Recognize the process of acculturation
• Compare and contrast the students culture with
  US Culture and include examples of different
  cultures in your teaching
• Deepen your awareness of your own culture
• Pay close attention to Unconscious Rules
• Be open to differences in perception, your
  Rules may be different

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Quiz(click for Answers)

• What are the three levels of culture?
• Answer Sensory, Conscious Rules and
  Unconscious Rules.
• What is culture shock?
• Answer The intense confusion and discomfort
  produced when adjusting to life in an unfamiliar
  culture.
• What are some different ways you can help
  students experiencing culture shock adjust?
• Answer Learn about your students culture,
  recognize the process of acculturation, deepen
  your awareness of you own culture and be open to
  differences in perception.

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What skills and support do immigrants and
refugees need?

• English skills
• Work or job skills
• Help learning English
• Help finding or applying for a job
• Help finding housing

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Where do they get their skills/support?

• Work
• Interacting in the community
• Going to school
• Working with a tutor
• Sponsors

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• Roles of Learners
• Adults play a number of roles they are family
  members, community members, workers or job
  seekers.

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Family Member Role

• Your students might be home-bound parents with
  little contact with the English speaking
  community. 

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Worker Role

• Your students might have jobs and this may be the
  most important area where they need support in
  English.

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Community Member Role

• Your students may be concerned about becoming US
  Citizens or interacting with the English speaking
  community.   

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We need tutors because

• There are many people in our community who want
  to improve their English skills for work,
  community, or family reasons.

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Why Learn English?

• 4 main reasons
• Voice
• To express ideas and opinions with the confidence
  to be heard and understood
• Access to information
• To access information in order to orient self in
  the world
• Independent action
• To solve problems and make decisions
  independently
• Bridge to the future
• To reflect on past learning experiences and apply
  insights to the world as it changes

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The Tutors Role

• To set up a welcoming learning environment
• To set the tone for learning
• To create timely learning experiences connected
  to what the learner is ready to learn
• To identify and use relevant and purposeful
  materials
• To encourage
• To monitor the learners development

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As a tutor, you can expect

• To receive support your agency will train you
  and provide resources through your volunteer
  coordinator
• To experience a Getting to Know You period
  where you and your learner develop rapport
• To gain a new perspective
• To be an important part of someone elses success

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• By the time you are matched with your learner,
  they will have had their Literacy Level
  determined.

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Levels of Literacy

• Pre-Literate
• Oral tradition, first language not written
• Holding a pen or opening a book are new exercises
  
• Teaching focus on oral skills, then transition
  into reading and writing
• Non-Literate
• Written language in home country but the student
  has little or no exposure to literacy in their
  first or second language
• Teaching emphasize the connection between spoken
  and written language
• Semi-Literate
• Limited schooling in their own language
• Teaching help students become confident in their
  literacy skills
• Non-Roman Alphabet Literate
• Speak and are literate in a language that is
  written with a different script.
• Can transfer skills from one language to another
  even if the script is completely different.
• Fully Literate
• Read and write with ease in English and their own
  language.

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What does your students level mean?

• You students level will indicate their skills
  in
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Listening

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How are their skills measured?

• Through observation
• Through assessment
• Washington programs use CASAS (Comprehensive
  Adult Student Assessment Systems)

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The CASAS Test

• The CASAS Test breaks learners skills into
  levels
• Beginning Literacy/Pre-Beginning ESL Level 1
  Communicates through gestures with a few isolated
  words
• Low Beginning ESL Level 2
• Asks and responds to basic learn phrases spoken
  slowly and repeated often
• High Beginning ESL Level 3
• Simple oral communication abilities using basic
  learned phrases and sentences

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• Low Intermediate ESL Level 4
• Understands simple learned phrases easily and
  some new simple phrases containing familiar
  vocabulary spoken slowly with frequent repetition
• High Intermediate ESL Level 5
• Understands learned phrases easily and new
  phrases containing familiar vocabulary, Some
  limited telephone conversation abilities
• Advanced ESL Level 6
• Can participate in conversations on a variety of
  topics. Has ability to communicate on telephone
  on familiar topics.

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Quiz(click for Answers)

• What are the three different roles learners play
  outside of the classroom?
• Answer Family, Worker and Community Member.
• True or False Part of a tutors role is to
  create a welcoming learning environment.
• Answer True.
• True or False The difference between a
  preliterate and non-literate is that a
  preliterate has no written language in their
  first language and a non-literate has no exposure
  to written language in their first language.
• Answer True.

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So, why are levels so important?

• Depending on your learners literacy level you
  can expect different levels of understanding and
  communication, fluency and accuracy, and the
  students level can inform your choice of
  materials and activities.

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Heres an example of different communication
levels
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Is this the mother?
Is the father sitting or standing?
In your house, who does the cooking?
Is the mother eating?
Where was the mother before?
What do you eat for breakfast?
Are they in the kitchen or in the living room?
Where do you like to eat?
What is on the table?
Who likes orange juice?
Is there food on the table?
This picture generates a range of questions
How does the father feel?
Is there a spoon on the table?
Who is cooking, the mom or the dad?
How many people are in your family?
What is on the table?
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Is this the mother?
Is the father sitting or standing?
In your house, who does the cooking?
Is the mother eating?
Where was the mother before?
What do you eat for breakfast?
Are they in the kitchen or in the living room?
Where do you like to eat?
What is on the table?
Who likes orange juice?
Is there food on the table?
Which Questions are the easiest to answer?
How does the father feel?
Is there a spoon on the table?
Who is cooking, the mom or the dad?
How many people are in your family?
What is on the table?
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Yes/No Questions The easiest to answer

• Is this the mother?
• Is the juice on the table?
• Is there a glass on the table?
• Is it morning?

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• Often, English Language Learners understand more
  language than they can produce.
• So, the easiest questions are those that require
  the least language response.

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• The Question Hierarchy can guide your choices
  when working with adults learning English.

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• Weve already seen examples of yes/no questions
  from the visual, now lets look at other levels.

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Either/or or Choice Questions

• Are they in the kitchen or in the bedroom?
• Who is cooking, the mother or the father?
• Does the mother have long or short hair?
• Is the father sitting or standing?

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Wh-Questions- for getting factual information

• What is on the table?
• Who is drinking orange juice?
• How many people are in the kitchen?

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Personal Questions

• How many people are in your family?
• In your house, who does the cooking?
• Who works in your family?
• Where do you study?

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Open-ended, interpretative questions the most
difficult to answer

• Where was the mother before?
• How does the mother feel?
• What is going to happen next?

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• Not only is the Question Hierarchy useful in
  structuring conversation, its also a useful tool
  that can be used in many different ways in
  instruction.
• You will learn more about the Question Hierarchy
  in your next Literacy NOW training.

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In your next Literacy NOW training, you will
also.

• Receive information about ESL teaching theory
• Practice using a variety of teaching methods
• Gain confidence to use your newly acquired skills
  in your tutoring sessions

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• Your experience in the next workshop will model
  the learning process that we recommend for your
  students who will come to you with real needs and
  specific purposes for using new language skills
  in their lives.
•  
• Well see you at the next training!

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Sources

• Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems.
  Skill Level Descriptors. 21 August 2009.
  http//https//www.casas.org
• Cultural Orientation Resource Center. US Refugee
  Program Current Fiscal Year Admission
  Statistics. 11 September 2009. http//www.cal.org/
  co/refugee/statistics/index.html
• Ellis, Mark. Immigrants in WA State. 18 August
  2009. Available online http//faculty.washington.
  edu/ellism/wa-immigration.pdf
• Literacy Network of Washington. Teaching English
  Language Learners A Handbook for Volunteers.
  Washington, 2008.
• Malloy, Jennifer. Personal Interview. 31 July
  2009.
• United States. Census Bureau. 2000 Census. 18
  August 2009.
• Washington State. Refugee and Immigrant
  Assistance Program. ESA Program Briefing Book
  2008. 2008.
• White, Sid and S.E. Solberg, eds. Peoples of
  Washington Perspectives on Cultural Diversity.
  Pullman, WA Washington State University Press,
  1989.