Working with Volunteers in   Publicly Funded ESL ProgramsPublicly Funded ESL Programs

Lia Lerner and Yanira ChavezBurbank Adult Schoollialerner@burbankusd.org

BackgroundBackground

• 18‐month project funded by ProLiteracy18 month project funded by ProLiteracy America and the UPS Foundation

• Collection of promising practices from 10• Collection of promising practices from 10 exemplary programs

3 il h• 3 pilots chosen: – Crowder College, Missouri 

– Burbank Adult School

– English Language Center, Logan UT

Purpose of Using VolunteersPurpose of Using Volunteers

• Challenge of serving a larger and largerChallenge of serving a larger and larger number of ESL students

• One on one attention: individualized• One‐on‐one attention: individualized instruction

C ff i i d i d• Cost‐effective way to improve education and persistence

Program Planning and BudgetingProgram Planning and Budgeting

• Assess program needs and prioritize themAssess program needs and prioritize them

• Create action plans with specific objectives and timelinesand timelines

Staff Involvement and DevelopmentStaff Involvement and Development

• Staff “buy‐in” (teachers and classified)Staff  buy in  (teachers and classified)

• Clarify staff roles

id i i d id li f ff• Provide training and guidelines for staff

• Create clear job descriptions and volunteer manuals

• Develop ways to evaluate volunteersp y

Community Outreach & Public ImageCommunity Outreach & Public Image

• Advertise in the communityAdvertise in the community

• Build on relationships with other agenciesLit N t k f G t L A l– Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles

• Create/update contact list of potential partners

RecruitmentRecruitment

• Design and implement a focused recruitmentDesign and implement a focused recruitment plan

• Create inquiry process and information• Create inquiry process and information packets

C hi i• Create hiring process

Volunteer Training and DevelopmentVolunteer Training and Development

• Maintain volunteer handbookMaintain volunteer handbook

• Create volunteer orientation

id i i i l d i i i• Provide initial and ongoing training

Volunteer AssignmentVolunteer Assignment

• ESL classesESL classes– Literacy (level 0)

Beginning Low (level 1)– Beginning Low (level 1)

– Multilevel (typically levels 0‐3)

C t i d ESL– Computerized ESL

• ABE classes– Math

– Language

Students Served at BASStudents Served at BAS

• Total number of students in target classes: 484Total number of students in target classes: 484– Adults (20 – 55): 121

Seniors (55+): 36– Seniors (55+): 36

– Hispanic/Latino: 105

C i 55– Caucasian: 55

– Male: 55

F l 77– Female: 77

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

• Increase in persistence

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

• Increase in learning gainsIncrease in learning gains

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

• Increase in learner goal completionIncrease in learner goal completion

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

• Fewer complaints (especially in ML classes)Fewer complaints (especially in ML classes)

Volunteer RecognitionVolunteer Recognition

• Recognize and celebrate volunteersRecognize and celebrate volunteers

• Recognize staff who work effectively with volunteersvolunteers

Evaluation of projectEvaluation of project

• Collect data on volunteersCollect data on volunteers

• Collect data on students

ll d h• Collect data on teachers

• Compare baseline data with current data

ChartsCharts

Q & AQ & A