[Nesabes] students who do not progress

[nancy coffey]

Hello everyone,
  
  This is a tough one. 
  
  In ESOL we usually give students a year in a level.  If we see no  progress --not just in terms of BEST+ but in terms of teacher  assessments as well --we ease them out.  
  
 If the  student has a specific goal such as citizenship, we try to put him/her  with a volunteer or in a volunteer run group until the goal is reached  or the student leaves on his/her own.. 
  
 The counselor  explains to other students--the ones who are not making progress but  may want the class for social reasons, that our program is not helping  them.  They are not permitted to go back on the waiting list. If  the student is isolated,  the counselor tries to help the student  to become involved in other community activities like church, senior  citizens, etc.
  
 Our ABE classes at the lower levels are  increasingly non-native speakers.  In literacy level classes, is  there is not progress, the same ruling applies--one year in a level. Of  course there are always exceptions. At basic ESOL 1 and 2, a student  may show progress in a year but not enough progress to move up a  level.  If that student has good attendance, he/she is allowed to  stay so long as the progress continues.  We have had some  surprising movement among people with very slow progress.
  
  I hope this helps.  None of it is completely cut and  dried.   I would love to hear from other centers.    Nancy coffey

"Povenmire, Alisa" <apovenmire at necc.mass.edu> wrote:          Hello Carol and all,
   
  I  have a few questions about policy regarding students who do  not progress after years at a certain level.  My concern is for  ESOL students, but this may be an issue in ABE as well.  
   
  1.  How long do you allow a student to remain at a certain level without progress?  Indefinitely? 2 years? 5 years?
  2.  Do you ever decide to deny a student readmittance to a program if they do not progress?
  3.  If you do deny readmittance, how do you do this tactfully?
  4.  Does DOE have a set policy on this issue?
   
  Because  our waitlist is so long, I worry that students who stay so long  (whatever this is generally considered to be) are  over-utilizing a resource that might better be offered to folks who  haven't had opportunity.  But I also know that some students  really derive a community inclusion benefit from participation in  English classes and I do not want to undervalue this aspect.
   
  I would appreciate your comments and suggestions as I am new to dealing with this particular issue.
   
  Thank you,
  Alisa
   
   

    Alisa Vlahakis Povenmire
    ESOL Coordinator
  Adult Literacy and Transition Programs
  Northern Essex Community College
  78 Amesbury Street
  Lawrence, MA 01841

  apovenmire at necc.mass.edu
  978-738-7623

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