Bunker Hill Community College

ESL Department News

Hello with E-mail # 6:

 Our next Department meeting is scheduled for THURSDAY April 2 from 1:15 – 2:15 in B 135 B with the Self-Study on the agenda. 
 Attached please find the G.I.F.T. It’s late but a gift is a gift. Please consider using it.

 ·         The Gift

 Also attached:

 ·         Self Study Questions

 The 11 questions for which I hope you will provide feedback -  really needed. At some point I’ll beg for your input but for now a simple request.

 I prefer your input in electronic format but pen/pencil and paper will also work. Let me know if you want to meet and we can discuss the self-study.

 Also attached:

 ·         My third draft with the Self Study

 If you need a hard copy, please let me know and I will print them back to back and save some paper.

 I’ve been saving e-mails with various faculty members’ comments about how we do business here in the ESL Department for a few years. I’ve included them in this draft.

Be honest! How can we improve? A self-study is not all about patting ourselves on the back but more importantly identifying how we can better serve our students.

For the 5^th time:

We meet tomorrow (1:15 – 2:15 in B 135 B) to discuss our 2008 – 2009 SELF-STUDY.

• I’ve attached the most recent draft and look forward to your feedback.
• I began the self-study with an INTRODUCTION and review of the 27 recommendations we made with the 1996-1997 self-study.
• I will put hard copies of the attached under office doors (full-time faculty and those who I know will attend). If you want a hard copy let me know. I will copy back to back and save some paper.

Alan Shute was ESL Department Chair when we worked on our last Department Self-Study (2002 – 2003), but that study was not completed due to work to rule.

• Work to rule happened because our contract had not been renegotiated so faculty voted work to rule = no extra work.  

 Thanks to Alan, who electronically filed the 2002 – 2003 self-study, we will be able to incorporate the 2002 – 2003 into the 2008 – 2009 self-study.

 For the 4^th time:

 For those of you new to BHCC, this is the last time I’ll use anyone’s personal e-mail, so PLEASE check your BHCC e-mail. GRAZIE!

 CONVERSATION and DISCUSSION GROUPS

 See attached for TASC led Conversation Groups – Encourage your students to attend.

• Organized by the Language Lab, I lead a discussion group for not more than 10 students from all levels on Fridays from 10:00 – 12:00 in B 135 B. We read and discuss myths and folk tales from around the world. There are always 6 – 8 participants. We started this last semester and keep it very quiet; it’s been successful.

NEXT ESL DEPARTMENT MEETING

We are on for Thursday March 5,   1:15 – 2:15   in B 135 B   and our agenda is full with the self study. It’s attached. I will bring copies to the meeting. Don’t bother printing it as I expect to work on it more over the weekend and into early next week.

For the third time:

DEPARTMENT MEETING

We met on 2 – 5 – 09 and discussed:

New course numbers for:

ESL 517 History and Culture of Boston

The decision was to put this in as an ESL course with a below 100 number. We began to discuss the other courses with 500 numbers that will have to go to curriculum committee soon but did not come up with a plan. ESL 514, 517, 518, 519.

SELF STUDY

We need to come up with 10 – 15 questions from the attached. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. We also need an outside evaluator. Any recommendations?

LEARNING COMMUNITY SEMINAR

One LCS for all ESL students has been accepted. The other LCS proposals can be included in the master schedule as Integrated Theme Based Courses. Here is what we have so far:  

Integrated and Theme Based Courses
Community Service Theme = Volunteerism: History and Practice. These courses must be taken together.
ESL-078-03P				TTH	10:00AM 11:15AM			Lindsay Naggie		TBA
ESL-079-03P				TTH	11:30AM 12:45PM			Lindsay Naggie		TBA
Integrated and Theme Based Courses
US History Theme - Top Ten Moments in US History. These courses must be taken together.
ESL-088-03P			TTH WCR			10:00AM 11:15AM	Elizabeth Seabury  SMR		TBA
ESL-089-03P			TTH WCR			11:30AM 12:45PM	Elizabeth Seabury SMR		TBA
Poetry and Literature Theme - Searching for the Truth. These courses must be taken together.
ESL 088 04 P			TH			8:30 - 11:15	Joanne Holdridge		Own Materials
ESL 089 04P			T			8:30 - 11:15	Joanne Holdridge		Own Materials

Integrated and Theme Based Courses
News On The Hill Theme - Students write a BHCC newsletter. These courses must be taken together.
ESL-098-02C		MW	08:30AM 09:45AM	Mike D'Entremont	The Writer's Selection
ESL 099 -08C		MW	10:00AM 11:15AM	Michelle Schweitzer	TBA
This section of 099 was LCS 509, which is no longer an LCS. Same time block so no problem!
Essays, Poetry and Literature Exploring the Immigrant Experience. These courses must be taken together.
ESL-096-04C		MW	10:00AM 11:15AM	Lynne Anderson	TBA
ESL-097-03C		M/W	08:30AM 09:45AM	Lynne Anderson	TBA
Health Related Careers Theme. These courses must be taken together.
ESL-098-H1C		TH	06:00PM 08:45PM	Deborah Barrett	TBA
ESL-099-T1C		T	06:00PM 08:45PM	Deborah Barrett	TBA

 We are moving in the right direction.

 REEP ASSESSMENT

 I will be out of town until the 22^nd of February so if you have writings to be reeped please drop them off in Lindsay Naggie’s mailbox # 283 and she will reep them or get in touch with the other GRIM REEPER.

Hello for the 2^nd time:

DEPARTMENT MEETINGS and AGENDA

1^st Thursday of the month from 1:15 – 2:15 in B 135 B so

Feb 5

• Mike D will discuss History and Culture of Boston Course.
• We need to discuss the department self – study: Read attached.
• I will review the 4 Learning Community Seminars; we await approval or rejection as LCS courses but the idea of moving to theme based, integrated skill courses such as the History and Culture of Boston is a curriculum revision we should discus and it might be part of our self – study.
  • The proposed 4 LCS courses are:
    • Voices from the Dyaspara – Literature theme for level 3 students
    • Top Ten – History theme for level 2
    • Searching for the truth – Poetry and Literature theme for level 1
    • Community Service – Community service theme for level 1
• Michelle and SLOAP??
• Jackie and the Lab??

March 5

• Dept self – study should keep us busy most of the semester.
• Anybody know an outside evaluator?

April 2

May 7

REEP TRAINING

Deborah Barrett is organizing a session for about 7.
If you’re interested, let me know.
I’ve attached the most up to date documents.

First E-Mail Spring 2009

Hello ESL faculty members: 32 part-time and 11 full-time
Another semester begins next week and here is our first e-mail.
For the 2^nd semester, we use BHCC e-mail addresses only. THANKS!

• There are 4 new ESL faculty members and you will have a BHCC e-mail account soon.

ESL DEPARTMENT WEBSITE

Please check it out and let me know what you think.

www.bhcc.mass.edu/esl

COURSE SYLLABI

• To Nicole Flecha in electronic format, please.  nflecha@bhcc.mass.edu

• The WHAT EVERY SYLLABUS NEEDS document is attached as there is a new piece – Classroom Behavior. Last semester’s Professional Development Day focused on civility and classroom behavior and expectations. The professionals who presented recommended that we include a component on our syllabi concerning classroom behavior.

USEFUL BEGINNING OF SEMESTER INFORMATION

• This is attached and gives you all you need to know from photocopying to TAP, and this is not what is on TAP at the local pub.

• The GRAMMAR X CURRICULUM document is attached and lists which structures ought to be taught in our courses.

• If you have to move a student down or up, there is a form and it is attached.
  • There have been few student level changes over the past few semesters.

REEP RUBRIC

The ESL Department teaches writing and reading across the curriculum and uses the REEP Rubric to assess student writing. If you do not use it, please do so; our students will benefit and be able to reach the cutoff scores for each level. If we only expect the writing teachers to use the REEP and to teach writing, our students will not be able to reach the REEP cutoff scores.

• If you teach 079, 089 or 099, use the REEP to assess in-class writings at least 3 times during the semester.
• If you teach other courses, use the REEP at least twice.

• If you want to be REEP trained, let me know.
• If you want to use the outside REEP assessor to assess your students’ writings, let me know.
  • The OUTSIDE REEPER, also known as the Grim Reeper, will provide REEP scores with a quick turn around time.
  • You should also REEP these writings to see if your scores are calibrated = within 1. point.
• Let me know if you need any of the REEP handouts; they are also available on our website.

WHO IS TEACHING WHAT?

• See attached excel and let me know if there are mistakes with book orders.
• 2 courses canceled, ONLY! Not Bad!
• Those of you, who are teaching the same course will be connected soon. Hang on!

YOUR GUIDE TO SUPPORT SERVICES

You can pick this guide up in the Assessment Center B 118. Please distribute to your students as soon as possible as the most important support service areas are listed.

ANY QUESTIONS?

You know where I am.