Poster sessions
Transcription
Poster sessions
Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition 8th Annual Symposium August 30–September 1, 2012 University of Jyväskylä, Finland Table of contents Welcoming words .................................................................................... 5 Programme ................................................................................................ 8 General information ..............................................................................12 Plenary sessions ......................................................................................17 Workshops ................................................................................................25 Paper sessions ........................................................................................37 Poster sessions .......................................................................................61 Research projects on display .............................................................67 Exhibitors .................................................................................................71 Floor plans and Campus map ...........................................................75 List of authors .........................................................................................79 Edited by Taina Tammelin-Laine University Printing House, Jyväskylä 2012 Welcoming words Programme General information Welcome to LESLLA 2012 Conference! For several centuries practically all Finns have been able to read. This was a product of a clever scheme of the Lutheran Church which was responsible for nearly all education until the latter half of the 19th century: you could not be confirmed if you could not read and if you were not confirmed, you could not get married. Thus the incentive to learn to read was strong and clear, and the acquisition and maintenance of the skill was ensured by annual village meetings where the clergy tested the reading ability of every child and adult. Consequently, only very few adults have been completely illiterate in Finland until recently. The rapid change from a country of emigration into a country of immigration in the early 1990’s brought in the issue of adult illiteracy, as many refugees and also family members of other immigrants faced a society where information is often available only in written form and everyone past the primary school age is expected to be able to write at least enough to fill in forms. Finland is not called “a paper country” for nothing, even if reading and writing are increasingly done at a computer screen. Over the past twenty years the initially very heterogeneous groups in integration programs for immigrants have gradually been divided into courses for fast or well-educated learners and those for slower or less experienced learners, at least in larger cities with a significant immigrant population. But even where there are special groups for those who cannot read or write, teachers are facing a huge lack of knowledge and learning materials. How to go about teaching literacy to people who cannot read in their own language and do not know your language? This is also the basic question of this conference. The University of Jyväskylä is the home of applied linguistics in Finland and the research of language learning and teaching is our special focus. Yet we are only starting the effort of producing research-based knowledge for the teachers of the LESLLA target group, not to talk about insights that might be useful for the research 5 community at large. As this is true for many other countries and languages as well, I hope we will all benefit from the presentations and discussions, learn from each other, compare and share our expertise and experiences in order to better understand and promote the LESSLA goals. This conference is organized by the Jyväskylä Language Campus, which consists of the Department of Languages, Centre for Applied Language Studies, University Language Centre and the language section of the Department of Teacher Education. By joining forces across the administrative borders we wish to improve the visibility of our interest and involvement in the multi-faceted study of languages both for the local and international academic community and the general public. On behalf of the organizers of the LESLLA 2012 Conference I hope you will see and hear many interesting ideas and engage in stimulating conversations and enjoy your late summer days in Jyväskylä. Maisa Martin Chair of the Organizing Committee Professor of Finnish as a Second Language 6 Organizing Committee Conference Secretaries Taina Tammelin-Laine (scientific secretary) Department of Languages Jenni Arovaara (finances), Satu Julin (finances) Faculty of Humanities Members Lea Nieminen, Sari Pöyhönen, Sinikka Lampinen (abstract book layout) Centre for Applied Language Studies Hannele Dufva, Minna Suni, Emese Mátyás (web-site) Department of Languages Lassi Paavolainen (technical help) Department of Biological and Environmental Science Taru-Maija Heilala-Rasimov (event coordinator) Faculty of Humanities 7 Programme Pre-symposium study-visit (pre-registration required) Wednesday, August 29 9–12 Preparatory studies for migrant youngsters (Jyväskylä Christian Institute) Language course for adult learners (Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education) Observe classroom teaching of Finnish as a second language for migrant youngsters at the age of 14-18. General information will be provided on the language education of young immigrants in the institute. Observe the teaching of Finnish as a second language to adult learners. General information will be provided on the language education of adult immigrants in the institute. 12–14 LUNCH (not included in the fee) 14–17 Palapeli2 project A general presentation of the Palapeli2 project which consists of Finnish as a second language, basic computer skills and basics of Finnish society for immigrants. Meeting with the staff of the project. “Language day” (Multicultural Center Gloria) In the Multicultural Center Gloria you can meet adult immigrant learners in an informal atmosphere. 18–22 Evening get-together: Finnish sauna evening (Juhlatalo Könkkölä, address: Vesangantie 37) 8 Thursday, August 30 8.30– REGISTRATION (Agora Lobby) 9.30–10.00 OPENING WORDS (Agora Auditorium 2) Matti Manninen, Rector of University of Jyväskylä Maisa Martin, Chair of the symposium 10.00–11.00 PLENARY (Agora Auditorium 2), chair: Maisa Martin Martha Young-Scholten: Acknowledging the new social relevance of generative SLA research 11.00–11.30 COFFEE (Agora Lobby) 11.30–12.35 PARALLEL SESSIONS Ag Gamma, chair: Hannele Dufva Ag Delta, chair: Lea Nieminen 11.30–12.00 Marianne Seppä: Low-literate and low-educated adults’ L2 development: Teachers’ perceptions Mirja Tarnanen: Studying in upper comprehensive school with low L2 writing proficiency 12.05–12.35 Joy Kreeft Peyton: Writing Reflectively Jeanne Kurvers Danielle Boon, and About Teaching: A Way to Engage and Ineke van de Craats: A reading test as entrance criterion Grow 12.35–13.45 LUNCH 13.45–15.30 PARALLEL SESSIONS Ag Gamma, chair: Sari Pöyhönen Ag Delta, chair: Minna Suni 13.45–14.15 Beate Linnerud: Writing your way to reading – on the computer with a sounding keyboard and a speech synthesizer Maisa Martin: Writing at the CEFR level A1 – problems with descriptors? 14.20–14.50 James Simpson: ”Bits here and there” – Fragmented ESOL provision in Leeds Minna Intke-Hernandez: Osaava vanhempi/ A Capable Parent -project in Vantaa 15.00–15.30 Taina Tammelin-Laine: Receptive vocabulary skills and reading in L2: is there a relationship? Hildegard Weidacher-Gruber: Teaching German to illiterate and semiliterate immigrants 15.30–16.00 COFFEE (Agora Lobby) 16.00–16.30 PARALLEL SESSIONS Agora Auditorium 2, chair: Hannele Dufva Ineke van de Craats, Jeanne Kurvers, and Danielle Boon: Journal for (adult) literacy teachers 16.30–18.00 RESEARCH PROJECTS ON DISPLAY AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS (Agora Lobby) 19.30–20.30 RECEPTION HOSTED BY THE CITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ (Aalto-Sali, address: Väinönkatu 7) 9 Friday, August 31 8.30– REGISTRATION (Agora Lobby) 9.00–10.00 PLENARY (Agora Auditorium 2), chair: Minna Suni Susanna Strube: Grappling with the oral skills: The learning processes of the LESLLA student 10.15–10.45 PARALLEL SESSIONS Ag Gamma, chair: Minna Suni Ag Delta, chair: Mirja Tarnanen Aydin Yucesan Durgunoglu, presented by Raichle Farrelly: An exploratory factor analysis of beginning literacy development in a second language Helga Arnesen: Literacy training with mother tongue support – ”I learne better when I understand” 10.45–11.15 COFFEE (Agora Lobby) 11.15–12.20 PARALLEL SESSIONS Ag Gamma, chair: Emese Mátyás Ag Delta, chair: Lea Nieminen 11.15–11.45 Stephen Reder and Heide Wrigley: Bilingualism, code-switching and digital literacy acquisition in LESLLA learners Kamran Khan: Life in the UK test: A multilingual path to British citizenship 11.50–12.20 Sari Pöyhönen and Mirja Tarnanen: Adult migrants with special needs in Finland – authorities’ views on aims and implementation of integration training Jane Allemano: Do reading test results reflect the true ability of low educated ESOL learners? 12.20–13.30 LUNCH 13.30–14.30 PLENARY (Agora Auditorium 2), chair: Sari Pöyhönen Leena Nissilä and Pirjo Immonen-Oikkonen: Literacy training for adult migrants in Finland 14.45–15.15 15.15–15.45 PARALLEL SESSIONS Ag Gamma, chair: Lea Nieminen Ag Delta, chair: Taina Tammelin-Laine Christiane Scheithauer and Stefan Markov: Counseling L2 literacy learners in German integration courses Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant: Literacy Acquisition and Computer Literacy COFFEE (Agora Lobby) Friday continue ... 10 Friday continue ... 15.45–16.45 WORKSHOPS Ag Gamma, chair: Taina Tammelin-Laine Ag Delta, chair: Maisa Martin Nancy Faux: Ineke van de Craats and Oliva Moors: Mark Peeters: Listening eyes The importance of speed encounters museums in L2 reading LESLLA Learning Standards and Teacher Competencies 19.00–22.30 Ag C231, chair: Sari Pöyhönen Evening Cruise (s/s Suomi, departure from the City Harbour) 11 Saturday, September 1 8.30– 9.00–10.00 REGISTRATION (Agora Lobby) WORKSHOPS Ag Gamma, chair: Taina Tammelin-Laine Ag Delta, chair: Minna Suni Helga Gehre: Conditions Elsie Johnson and Karen Bradley: Keeping for learning to read a second language an Eye on Literacy – Literally! 10.15–10.45 10.45–11.15 11.15–12.15 Ag C231, chair: Emese Mátyás Kristiina Spolander ja Sanna Markkanen: Nettimateriaali aikuisen luku- ja kirjoitustaidon oppijan tukena PARALLEL SESSIONS Ag C231, chair: Emese Mátyás Ag Gamma, chair: Taina Tammelin-Laine Ag Delta, chair: Maisa Martin Patsy Vinogradov: Developing LESLLA Teachers through Study Circles Eveliina Sirkeinen: Louise Shepperd: Is Testipiste hitaan oppijan There Reason in the jäljillä Rhyme: Is Rhyme an Effective Tool for Creating Accessible and Engaging Fiction Books for A0-level Adult Learners? COFFEE (Agora Lobby) WORKSHOPS Ag Gamma, chair: Lea Nieminen Ag Delta, chair: Taina TammelinLaine Ag C231, chair: Emese Mátyás Ag C232, chair: Hannele Dufva Jean Marrapodi: Lowest Literacy Learners: What Doesn’t Work and Why Larry Condelli: Defining Effective Teaching: Competence and Induction for LESLLA Teachers Debra Tuler and Susan Erno: Adaptation: Responding Systematically to Low-Level Adult English Language Learners with a Literacy Support Program Marja Huttunen: Nuorten maahanmuuttajien lukuja kirjoitustaidon koulutusmalli Tampereen ammattiopistossa 12.15–13.30 LUNCH 13.30–14.30 PLENARY (Agora Auditorium 2), chair: Hannele Dufva 14.30–15.00 CLOSING WORDS (Agora Auditorium 2) Raichle Farrelly: Converging Perspectives in the LESLLA Context 12 General information Coffee breaks Refreshments are available for conference participants during the scheduled coffee breaks. They are included in the conference fee, and served in the Agora lobby. Cloakroom There is a cloakroom on the ground floor of the venue. It is not guarded, so please do not leave your valuables there. Computer and internet access Conference participants can use computers and access the Internet free of charge in the computer lab AgB211.1 (Sovjet) which is located on the first floor. The lab is open daily 8.00–19.00. Please contact the Conference Info Desk for the necessary username and password, and also if you wish to access the WLAN-connection jyuguest, throught your own device. Conference badge You find your name badge in the conference package. The badge entitles you to enter all conference rooms and attend the academic events arranged for the participants, as well as coffee breaks, lunch, and the reception by the City of Jyväskylä (Thursday). We kindly ask you to wear the badge at all times during the conference. Conference Info Desk The Conference Info Desk is located on the ground floor of the venue. The desk is open on Thu 8.30–18.00, Fri 8.30–17.00, and Sat 8.30–15.30. You will recognize the members of the conference staff by their blue name badges. Conference assistants will also wear a patterned scarf. Electricity The electric current in Finland is 220V (230V), 50 Hz. 13 Evaluation questionnaires/feedback on the conference arrangements To let us know your opinion about the conference, please fill in the questionnaire that will be sent to you via e-mail after the conference. Language policy English is the official language of the conference. However, we encourage the use of other languages in slides, handouts, etc. Unfortunately, no interpreting services can be provided for any session. Lunches Lunches are included in the conference fee, and served in Restaurant Piato, which is located in the Agora building. You will find your luch tickets in the Conference package. Maps and floor plans You find the Campus map and the floor plans of the conference venue (the Mattilanniemi campus) at the end of the abstract book. Messages for participants All messages for participants will be placed on the notice board on the ground floor of the venue close to the Conference Info Desk. Notice board A notice board is located on the ground floor of the venue, next to the Conference Info Desk. Possible changes and updates to the programme will be announced on the notice board at the start of each day. On the notice board, you will also find the registration lists for the workshops. Smoking policy Smoking is prohibited indoors in public places and in public transportation in Finland, i.e. in the campus area you are only allowed to smoke outdoors. Please take notice of the signs TUPAKOINTI KIELLETTY (No smoking). Social programme The conference fee includes the reception by the City of Jyväskylä at Aalto-sali, on Thursday 30th at 19.30–20.30. Street address: Kauppakatu 30. There will be guided walk from the conference venue to Aalto-Sali. Evening Cruise with an opportunity for a dinner on board will take place on Friday, August 31st at 19.00–22.30. There will be guided walk from the conference venue 14 to the harbour. If you did not book a ticket yet, please check at the Conference Info Desk for availability of tickets (22 €). Staff assistance There will be several assistants: they are responsible for taking care of the practical matters during the conference. They will be wearing blue name badges and a patterned scarf. Tipping Tipping is not expected in restaurants, cafés or bars in Finland. Transportation (local) The venue is within a walking distance from the city centre. You can use local buses to get from the centre to the conference venue and back. In the city centre, buses leave from a street called Vapaudenkatu, and the buses 5, 20, 26, take you all the way to the Mattilanniemi campus. If you are staying in Laajavuori, take the bus 25 or 25K to City Library; from there, walk downhill for about 10 minutes. A single journey costs 3.20€. If you wish to use a taxi, please call +358 100 6900 or hop into one on a taxi stand. University bookstore The university bookstore Kampus Kirja sells books, t-shirts, office supplies and souvenirs, among other things. The store is located at Gummeruksenkatu 6. Venue The conference will take place at the Mattilanniemi campus. The street address of the conference venue is Agora, Mattilanniemi 2. The Conference Info Desk is located in the lobby on the ground floor. 15 Plenary sessions Young-Scholten, Martha Newcastle University, United Kingdom martha.young-scholten@NEWCASTLE.AC.UK Acknowledging the new social relevance of generative SLA research Work on the acquisition of linguistic competence by low-educated immigrant adults can be traced back to studies of migrant workers in northern Europe from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s. These studies mark a decade-long trend in collecting data from naturalistic L2 learners to eliminate the effect of ‘learning’ in response to instruction (Krashen 1985; Schwartz 1993), thus putting adults and younger learners on a more equal footing. In the late 1980s and 1990s, with the Universal Grammar turn, the idea of a social turn (Firth and Wagner 1997) was abandoned in generative SLA. Yet early research (e.g. the Heidelberger Pidgin Projekt) explored the impact of social factors on rate of acquisition of morphosyntactic competence. As others have recently pointed out (e.g. Tarone and Bigelow 2011) the interdisciplinarity of the LESLLA forum means that research inevitably includes consideration of social context. In order to best realise the potential for underscoring the social relevance of generative SLA, coordination is needed to ensure that the next generation of researchers is trained in application of mixed methods, that data emerging from theirs and others’ studies be contributed to open access data banks (e.g. CHILDES) and that they and seasoned researchers contribute regularly to mainstream journals. The EU-Speak partnership project ran from November 2010 until June 2012. The final report to the funder, the Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme, requires submission of results to the European Shared Treasure databank. What have partners in six countries (Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and the UK) learned from the seven 2 ½ day events whose focus was exclusively on the education of low-educated immigrant adults and the training of their teachers? The stated aims of EU-Speak were to identify, share and celebrate best practice in materials, methods, provision, assessment, teacher training/development and policy across the European Union. This presentation describes how the project unfolded and summarizes what was identified, shared and celebrated over the 1½ years of Plenary sessions Finding and sharing European treasure 19 Plenary sessions the project. EU-Speak partners went beyond the aims of the project to formulate a set of best practice statements. Are such statements premature in the light of the still small research base on low-educated adult immigrants? If LESLLA’s international ambitions of influencing policy are to be realised, the most valuable research will be cross-linguistic. This leads to the consideration of what sort of studies are needed, who might conduct them and who might fund them. The usefulness of projects such as EU-Speak is in leading to new cross-linguistic research collaborations. The presentation ends with an example of a research project about to start which draws on relationships established during the EU-Speak project. 20 Strube, Susanna Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands svenemastrube@casema.nl Grappling with the oral skills: The learning processes of the LESLLA student Teachers of LESLLA students already know the difficulties their students have in learning to speak and read in an L2; most often their rate of learning is slow, attainment level is low, and cognitive strategies are inadequate. Research is gradually responding to these observations. In this presentation the LESLLA classroom in the Netherlands will be highlighted. Starting with a description of LESLLA immigrants, I will extend the discussion to my own area of research – the learning of the oral skills by non-literate and low-literate L2 learners in a classroom situation. To achieve a better understanding of the students’ spoken language development, classroom processes of six adult L2 literacy classes were observed during a period of eight months and students were pre- and post-assessed. Notable differences in class gains in morphosyntactic features as well as aspects of relevance and coherence in discourse surfaced. I will focus on these differences by taking a closer look at (1) learner characteristics such as age, L1 literacy, L1 schooling, L2 literacy, length of residence, and previous DSL schooling; (2) factors related to classroom and school context such as program hours and rate of attendance; and (3) teacher characteristics, such as interaction and feedback strategies. Plenary sessions Keywords: oral skills, classroom observation 21 Nissilä, Leena Immonen-Oikkonen, Pirjo Finnish National Board of Education, Finland leena.nissila@oph.fi pirjo.immonen-oikkonen@oph.fi Literacy training for adult migrants in Finland There are currently over 183 000 foreign citizens living in Finland and they constitute 3,4 per cent of the population. There are 250 000 people who speak some other language than Finnish, Swedish or Saami as a mother tongue and this group constitutes 4,5 per cent of the population. Finland receives most of its migrants from nearby areas and the largest groups are citizens from Estonia (34 000), Russia (29 500) and Sweden (8 500). The main reasons for migration are family and workrelated. This is followed by so-called humanitarian migration. Plenary sessions The division of labor in regards to migration issues in Finland is as follows: the Government directs, the Ministry of the Interior includes the Migration Department and is responsible for controlling integration as well as for accommodating the procedures undertaken by different administrative sectors, the Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for the immigration, emigration, refugee statuses and citizenship of individuals. The Border Guard and Police Department are in charge of border checks, identification of people and travel routes as well as issuing permits. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for visa issues and receiving applications for residence permits. 22 The Ministry of Employment and the Economy is responsible for work force migration and it is also responsible for the integrative schooling of adult migrants, for example in the acquisition of literacy skills. The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment is locally responsible for work force policy. The Ministry of Education and Culture is widely responsible for progressing issues related to education and active citizenship. Municipalities have general and complementary responsibility on a local-level for issues related to integration. The Finnish National Board of Education is in charge of developing teaching for migrants. The FNBE creates the basis of core curriculums for migrant education and distributes government subsidies for education and its development. The FNBE also produces small-circulation learning material and support material for teachers. It also manages educational national development ventures and development networks. The FNBE also grants funding for continuing education for teachers and gives teachers and education providers information-counselling in questions related to education and multilingualism. The purpose of education in Finland is to give everyone an opportunity to function as equal members of Finnish society. Other language and cultural groups are to be given equally good opportunities to pursue education as Finns. The education that is needed by migrant adults in working life, as well as the preservation of previously acquired professional skills, needs to be secured. The objective is that degrees, studies and work experience gathered abroad will be the basis for planning and complementing education in Finland. Finnish or Swedish language instruction will be arranged for migrants of all ages. At the same time they will be supported in preserving their own mother tongue and cultural identity. Plenary sessions Adult migrants will be given integration training as well as literacy training according to their needs. The new curricular basis of literacy training (Finnish National Board of Education 2012:2) as well as objectives and contents of the training will be presented in the lecture. Literacy education is developed in Finland together with different educational institutes. The Finnish National Board of Education funds the Literacy Network (www.lukutaitoverkosto.fi) that is administrated by Turku’s Adult Education Center. Finland is also involved in the Nordic Alfarådet-cooperation network (www. alfaradet.net). 23 Farrelly, Raichle University of Utah, USA raichle.farrelly@utah.edu Converging Perspectives in the LESLLA Context The surge in LESLLA learners and the push for professionalization in the field of adult education are shaping conversations among many language teacher educators, program administrators, teachers and researchers. We are seeking mutual understanding and collaboration in an effort to target the needs of both teachers and learners. Uncovering those needs is complicated and requires considering our respective roles from various vantage points. It requires negotiation among all stakeholders and demands that the voices of the learners be entered into the conversation. But what is the best approach for considering these multiple perspectives? How do we consider the inherent tensions in order to promote expansive learning? This presentation will suggest activity theory (Engeström, 1987) as a theoretical framework that allows us to study various LESLLA activity systems. We will consider an ethnographic case study that explored the knowledge and practices of ESL teachers of adult emergent readers through the perspective of activity theory. Findings highlight the contradictions that exist within and between various actors involved in the activity of teaching and learning in the LESLLA context. This presentation concludes with a discussion of implications of the findings and suggestions for further applications of activity theory in the LESLLA context. Plenary sessions Keywords: Second Language Teacher Education, Activity Theory, Professional Learning 24 Workshops Faux, Nancy Virginia Commonwealth University, USA nfaux@vcu.edu LESLLA Learning Standards and Teacher Competencies The Commonwealth of Virginia, USA, uses a set of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Adult Content Standards for planning instruction and assessing students’ level of knowledge and skills. The progress indicators for each level define what a learner needs to learn to advance to the next level. This information can be very helpful to the teacher, however, what more does a teacher need to know in order to help LESLLA learners progress? This workshop will discuss three essential aspects that are not included in the bare outline of beginning literacy level standards. 1) How does a progress indicator translate into an example of student performance? 2) What instructional activities can a teacher provide? 3) What knowledge and skills does a teacher need to work with LESLLA learners to achieve these standards? After a presentation of the standards, examples, and sample activities, a possible list of teacher competencies appropriate for the LESLLA level of instruction will be presented for general discussion. Participants will work in groups to review teacher competencies. Each group will debrief their contributions. This activity’s results will be an initial step in the future EU-Speak project to define international standards for teaching competencies for LESLLA learners. Workshops Keywords: LESLLA, teacher, competencies 27 van de Craats, Ineke Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands inekevandecraats@casema.nl Peeters, Mark Albeda College, Netherlands m.peeters@albeda.nl The importance of speed in L2 reading Adult first time readers often succeed in acquiring a very basic level of reading. They understand the grapheme-phoneme relationship and can read simple words and very short sentences, not fluently, but with (many) restarts and errors. They often do not succeed in understanding the meaning of what they read. In the first part of the workshop we will discuss what might be the cause and therefore focus on the different components of the reading process of a beginning L2 reader. It often turns out that sufficient speed (in analysis and blending of sounds) is lacking for building up the phonological representation of a word or a sentence and meaning as well, as working memory has a limited capacity. This hinders the transition from pure decoding to reading comprehension. In the second part, it will be shown how to gather speed (or automation) in the subsequent steps of the reading process and how this can be done in the classroom with simple tools: from an egg timer to (simple) computer programmes, even with Powerpoint. This will be illustrated with examples, good practices and video clips from a Dutch L2 literacy classroom using those tools. Workshops Keywords: gathering speed, literacy instruction, working memory 28 Moors, Oliva KOCA VZW, Belgium oliva@luisterogen.be Listening eyes encounters museums Listening eyes’ concept has a unique trilogy: • literacy component (enlarge functional vocabulary) • artistic component (kamishibai) • social integration component (encourage information & accessibility) To introduce and stimulate cultural education Listening eyes collaborated closely with Plantyn Museum (linked to 300 years of printing activity) and MAS ( themes about the essential connection between Antwerp and the world) Objectives: In four interactive learning action, and tactile workshops the low educated (adult) population discovers the collection of the museum. It turns a museum visit into an adventurous discovery, with stories and assignments. Every one build confidence by creating a book and pratice various social skills. And not only those who don’t have easy access to information. Museums develop besides their regular offer a tool to savour the atmosphere of a real printing business, where the smell of paper and ink blends with the sound of the thick slabs, fiercely pushed on the press, which cannot be conveyed in a regular visit or explore in an impressive building, an innovative story about Antwerp. At the end of the project the museums will be able to interact and be more accessible to rather more complicated groups such as Listening eyes’ target group. Workshops Keywords: literacy, museums, access 29 Johnson, Elsie Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, Canada ejohnson@emcn.ab.ca Bradley, Karen Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, Canada kbradley@emcn.ab.ca Keeping an Eye on Literacy - Literally! Adult ESL learners who have limited literacy and limited formal schooling in their first language face exceptional challenges when learning another language in their newly adopted country. When instruction, techniques and materials are suitable for the learners, are related to their real needs, and promote involvement in their own learning, there is a greater chance for success. We believe wordless picture books can be a valuable resource for the adult ESL literacy classroom. In support of much of the research that has been shared on adult ESL literacy, this interactive presentation will introduce authentic adult picture books that have been professionally created to develop key second language adult literacy practices in the classroom; schema activation, phonological processing, and vocabulary recognition. Each participant will receive a copy of the book, “Where Are You From?” Presenters will then demonstrate lessons where meaningful text can be created, capitalizing on oral language skills that provide opportunities to take the learner from the oral to the written word. Workshops Keywords: Classroom Practice 30 Gehre, Helga Centrum voor Basiseducatie Antwerpen, Belgium helga.gehre@cbe-antw.be Conditions for learning to read a second language There are similarities in the way children and adults learn to read. However, there are also differences. Specialy in the situation where adults can’t read in their motherlanguage and learn to read in a second language that they don’t speak as well. This is due to an number of reasons. We will go into the most important reasons in this workshop. Apart from this, we should not forget that our illiterate trainees need to learn a lot to be able to listen, speak, read and write Dutch or any other language. Therefore we must be aware of the crucial learning conditions, that is, the various elements needed for listening, speaking, and especially reading and writing. In this workshop, we go into these learning conditions. We will give information about what research learns us and what this means in the classroom practice. We also give examples of how we pay attention to these learning conditions in our everday practice. Workshops Keywords: learning conditions, illiterate adults 31 Spolander, Kristiina Markkanen, Sanna Axxell Utbildning Ab, Finland kristiina.spolander@axxell.fi sanna.markkanen@axxell.fi Nettimateriaali aikuisen luku- ja kirjoitustaidon oppijan tukena Työpajassa esitellään Vilua eli virtuaalista luku- ja kirjoitustaidon materiaalia aikuiselle luku- ja kirjoitustaitoa opiskelevalle maahanmuuttajalle. Lukutaito-opettajina olemme huomanneet, että luku- ja kirjoitustaidon oppiminen aikuisena ja vieraalla kielellä on työlästä. Sähköinen materiaali tarjoaa hyvän mahdollisuuden itsenäiseen harjoitteluun ja toistojen moninkertaistamiseen. Tietotekniset taidot ovat nyky-yhteiskunnan kansalaistaitoja, joita myös luku- ja kirjoitustaitokoulutuksissa täytyy harjoitella. Oppimateriaali on osa Opetushallituksen Aikis-hanketta, jossa tuotetaan suomen ja ruotsin kielen oppimateriaalia verkkoon. Hankkeessa tuotettavat materiaalit ovat valmiit keväällä 2013. Workshops Oppimateriaalissa tutustutaan suomen kielen äännemaailmaan ja harjoitellaan äänteiden yhdistymistä tavuiksi ja sanoiksi. Toisaalta kieltä lähestytään temaattisesti. Opittua suomen kielen sanastoa hyödynnetään äänne-, luku- ja kirjoitusharjoituksissa. Ohjelmassa oppija pääsee tutkimaan kirjallista maailmaa sekä äänteiden että sanojen ja tekstien tasolta. 32 Oppimateriaali sisältää myös tietokoneenkäyttöharjoituksia sekä osion numeerisista taidoista. Numeeristen taitojen harjoittelussa keskitytään arkipäivän matematiikkaan. Työpajassa pääsee tutustumaan materiaalin sisältöihin ja tehtävätyyppeihin. Lisäksi pohditaan, miten virtuaalista oppimateriaalia voi käyttää opetuksessa. Keywords: luku- ja kirjoitustaito, virtuaalinen oppimateriaali, aikuinen oppija Marrapodi, Jean Applestar Productions, USA jmarrapodi@applestar.org Lowest Literacy Learners: What Doesn’t Work and Why When we encounter low-literacy learners (pre-literate, illiterate and semi-literate) there are many assumptions that must be rethought in planning a curriculum. Much of the material available for low literacy students begins at a level far above the skills of these students. In this workshop we will explore a variety of approaches in light of the research in place for limited English speaking low literacy learners and see why many of the traditional approaches for teaching reading are ineffective. Attendees will learn a methodology of task analysis helpful in breaking down components that are prerequisites for items assumed as givens with learners from literate cultures, and leave equipped with a better understanding for working with this needy group. Workshops Keywords: reading, literacy, research 33 Condelli, Larry Fedele-Mcleod, Mariann American Institutes for Research, USA lcondelli@air.org mfedele-mcleod@air.org Defining Effective Teaching: Competence and Induction for LESLLA Teachers The authors are conducting a national project in the USA to define competencies for adult literacy teachers. Project staff have developed the competencies based on a research review and are conducting a validation process to obtain field input. We will conduct a field test of the model teacher competencies and a teacher induction model as a training approach for new teachers. The project includes development of a “toolkit” of resources to support implementation of the competencies and induction model. The model for using the competencies is based on the Buiskool, Broek, van Lakerveld, Zarifis, & Osborne (2010) model, where application depends on the context and activities of the teacher and student. In this workshop, participants will discuss the model as it applies to LESLLA learners and review the competencies and their application to the teaching of LESLLA students. For each competency, participants will suggest performance indicators and examples of classroom use and will define application in terms of the context (e.g., instructional environment) and student characteristics. Participants will also review the induction model and its relevance to LESLLA teachers. The results of the workshop will contribute to the development of competencies and professional development for effective teaching of LESLLA learners. Workshops Keywords: Competencies, professional development, LESLLA teachers 34 Tuler, Debra Erno, Susan Charlottesville City Schools, USA Debra.Tuler@ccs.k12.va.us Susan.Erno@ccs.k12.va.us Adaptation: Responding Systematically to Low-Level Adult English Language Learners with a Literacy Support Program The Charlottesville Adult Learning Center, based in a city of 40,000, offers 14 onsite ESOL classes, ranging from literacy beginning through advanced. Most classes meet 6 hours/week. We serve 800 adults per year, originating from 63 countries and having formal educational levels ranging from 0-16+. Our challenge: moving ESOL beginning literacy students (from various native language backgrounds) within a classroom setting from pre- or non-literate abilities to emergent literacy. Our solution: Replicating the literacy pull out program developed at the Arlington Employment and Education Program to address the needs of students with limited literacy, while continuing their participation in mixed ability beginning level classes. Benefits: Students receive explicit top-down-bottom-up instruction in smaller groups with greater individual attention, and volunteers have the opportunity to “teach”. The end result: learner persistence increases and reading skills improve. The presenters will provide an overview of ALC’s literacy support program and outcomes, including training of volunteers, materials, and lesson process. Keywords: classroom practice, second language literacy acquisition, volunteers Workshops Our literacy support program uses trained volunteers. Materials are high interest, meaningful, and grounded in explicit phonics and whole language approaches. Volunteers are provided with lesson instructions (process) and expected to write up notes after each session for the next day’s volunteer. 35 Huttunen, Marja City of Tampere, Finland marja.huttunen@tampere.fi Nuorten maahanmuuttajien luku- ja kirjoitustaidon koulutusmalli Tampereen ammattiopistossa Nuoret heikon luku- ja kirjoitustaidon omaavat maahanmuuttajat ovat erityisryhmä, jotka tarvitsevat räätälöityä kielikoulutusta heti maahanmuuton alkuvaiheessa. Tampereen ammattiopistossa kehitetään 17–25 -vuotiaille maahanmuuttajille kohdennettua koulutusta, jossa painotetaan erityisesti seuraavia näkökulmia: Luku- ja kirjoitustaidon oppiminen perustuu kielen suulliseen käyttöön, mitä tulee painottaa erityisesti opetuksen alkuvaiheessa. Oppiminen on tilanteista ja tapahtuu sosiaalisessa yhteydessä muihin. Kieltä opetetaan mahdollisimman autenttisten tilanteiden kautta laajentaen näkökulmaa omasta lähipiiristä vähitellen kauemmas ympäröivään yhteiskuntaan. Myös luku- ja kirjoitustaidon opettelu rakennetaan aitojen tilanteiden ympärille. Opetuksessa käytetään paljon ns. ”pistetyöskentelyä”, missä opiskelijat opiskelevat ja suorittavat tehtäviä pienryhmissä, toisiaan tukien. Koko prosessi on näissä tilanteissa opiskelijoiden omissa käsissä, aina ohjeiden lukemisesta lopputuotokseen asti. Workshops Opetuksessa käytetään kahden opettajan mallia, jonka avulla opiskelijoita saadaan jaettua tarpeen mukaisiin tasoryhmiin. Kahden opettajan työskentely samojen oppilaiden parissa tukee myös opiskelijoiden yksilöllisten tarpeiden huomioimista: vaikka oppilasryhmä on iso, on jokaisen opiskelijan oppimisprosessissa mukana kaksi toisiaan tukevaa näkökulmaan. Opettajien jaksamisen, innovatiivisuuden ja valmistelutyön näkökulmasta kahden opettajan malli toimii hyvin. 36 Kielen opetuksen lisäksi opetukseen sisältyy matematiikan, ATK:n, oman äidinkielen sekä terveystiedon opetusta. Yhteiskuntatiedon opetus limittyy opetuksessa muuhun opetukseen. Opetuksen tukena toimii moniammatillinen verkosto, jonka jäsenet osallistuvat ryhmän normaaliin toimintaan ja antavat opiskelijoille yksilöllistä tukea ja ohjausta. Erityisryhmässä opiskelu kestää opiskelijasta riippuen 1–4 lukukautta, minkä jälkeen nuoret siirtyvät eteenpäin muihin kielikoulutuksiin. Keywords: youth literacy, young immigrants Paper sessions Allemano, Jane The Institute of Education, United Kingdom j.allemano@ioe.ac.uk Do reading test results reflect the true ability of low educated ESOL learners? An exam is fundamentally a testing device but what does it test? In order to have construct validity, a test should test what it purports to test, be it history, biology or mathematics. However, if the target knowledge and skills of an examination are also embedded in the very structure upon which the examination is built, the position changes. This is the case with examinations in basic literacy for low educated ESOL learners, with no previous experience of exams, little or no training in literacy and rudimentary command of the language. This paper will summarise an ongoing doctoral research project into the reasons for wrong answers given by such learners in reading examinations and explore how the process of testing is affected by the structure and format of the examination itself. It will present data from learner performance and the findings resulting from interviews with the learners about reasons for their answers to the questions. The emergent findings are that significant causes of wrong answers are failure to connect the questions with the texts, misunderstanding of the concept of the tasks and, less frequently, failure to understand the language of the question. Paper sessions Keywords: reading, assessment, effectiveness 39 Arnesen, Helga Gregersen, Kari Vox, Norwegian agency for lifelong learning, Norway helga.arnesen@vox.no kari.gregersen@vox.no Literacy training with mother tongue support - “I learne better when I understand” Vox,the Norwegian agency for lifelong learning, wants to present a project where the main goal is that all adult learners without basic reading and writing skills understand what is going on in class; the subjects, how they work and why. Through using their mother tongue the learners can participate with their own experience and knowledge. The mother tongue support is given by participants at a higher level (peer) or by mother tongue teachers. That way they get good knowledge about the Norwegian language and culture through comparing Norwegian to their own language and then help others learn it. The learners without basic reading and writing skills, get 2–4 hours extra reading and writing instruction with mother tongue support per week. This comes in addition to their ordinary language course. Paper sessions The mother tongue supporters get a course 2–4 hours per week in addition to their ordinary language course. The content of the course is reading and writing instruction, study methods and written language socialization. They practice this knowledge in basic reading and writing classes 2–4 hours per week. 40 Keywords: Literacy, Peer support Crevecoeur-Bryant, Edwidge University of Central Florida, USA edwidge.crevecoeur@ucf.edu Literacy Acquisition and Computer Literacy The city of Petit-Goave is located in the commune of the district of Leogane in the western department of Haiti. Agriculture remains the prevalent sector of the economy of the twelve section of the commune of Petit-Goave. But because of the erosion of the grounds, the lack of physical and financial assistance to those living there has been a declined in agricultural practices. The annual income for the majority of the farmers in Leogane and Petit-Goave is about four thousand (4500) Haitian gourdes, which is equivalent to 150 US dollars and the adult illiteracy borders 80%. Therefore, a literacy and computer project where adults are learning how to read and write with a focus on agriculture and technology has been developed. This research examined the effectiveness of the audio and visual components of Coursesites(Blackboard)in teaching these second language learners to acquire Haitian Kreyol and technology in five literacy centers (Sant Alfa)in Petit Goave. The research also examined the use of agriculture as a content area to teach LESLLA students. Paper sessions Keywords: Haitian Kreyol, Technology, Agriculture 41 Durgunoglu, Aydin Yucesan University of Minnesota Duluth, USA adurguno@d.umn.edu An exploratory factor analysis of beginning literacy development in a second language The literacy and oral language skills of sixty-three women who have completed an adult literacy course in their second language was examined. The women had very limited schooling although their self-reports indicated that they had some proficiency in their L2 and they could follow the instruction in L2. The participants were given the same measures at both pre and posttest. The measures included letter and word recognition, spelling, writing numerals, listening comprehension and giving word definitions. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on pre and post test scores to determine the components of literacy development in a second language. The three factors extracted through Primary Analysis Factoring included Factor 1 reflecting the existing letter and recognition, spelling and numeral writing levels at pretest; Factor 2: reflecting posttest letter and recognition, spelling and numeral writing levels and Factor 3: both pre and posttest oral language skills of listening comprehension and word definitions. These patterns as well as the changes in literacy skills can be interpreted by examining the characteristics of this particular adult literacy program. Paper sessions Keywords: literacy, program development 42 Intke-Hernandez, Minna University of Helsinki, Finland minna.intke@helsinki.fi Osaava vanhempi/ A Capable Parent -project in Vantaa When working with illeterate adults I have noticed that they have huge life experience and silent knowledge. Could we transform all this into resource in the learning and integration process? In my research I have been very much inspired by the dialog-based pedagogy of Paolo Freire. A dialog is based on trust and consideration of the students` experiences. Freire`s pedagogy opposes adaptive and passivating education and aims instead to action and change – not only to construe information. I am doing ethnographic research in the project called ”A Capable Parent” which is being implemented in Vantaa (the Helsinki metropolitan area). The target group of my research are the illiterate immigrant housewives who participate in the Finnish language lessons and have their children taken care by organised daycare during the course. My research aims to find out how their previous knowledge and skills are utilised in the framework of the Finnish education system. And how does an illiterate and minimally educated adult experience his daily life and language studies in our text-oriented society? Paper sessions Keywords: life experience, dialog-based pedagogy, illiterate immigrant housewives 43 Khan, Kamran University of Birmingham and University of Melbourne, United Kingdom KXK987@bham.ac.uk Life in the UK test: A multilingual path to British citizenship Since 2001, Britain has required new migrants to pass the English/citizenship Life in the UK (LUK) test in order to become British. This has been viewed as imposing a monolingual ideology and the perception of multilinguals and multilingualism as problematic to integration. Through an ethnographically informed case study, this paper follows the last 11 months of the citizenship application process. The participant (W) is from Yemen and passed the monolingual LUK test by translating the test preparation materials into Arabic. However, due to socioeconomic conditions and low educational levels, members of W’s community ask W for his help with the test. W becomes a multilingual language planner and guides all of this ‘students’ to successfully passing the LUK test. This is despite possessing very little in the way of English linguistic resources. The study shows that members of the local Chinese community also adopt the same practices as they too grapple with this linguistic challenge. In both the Yemeni and Chinese cases, educational levels are essential to test preparation. In conclusion, despite a monolingual top-down English requirement, W must create multilingual language planning to compensate for a lack of linguistic resources. Paper sessions Keywords: Citizenship, Test, Multilingualism 44 Kurvers, Jeanne Boon, Danielle Tilburg University, Netherlands j.j.kurvers@uvt.nl daanboon@uvt.nl van de Craats, Ineke Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands inekevandecraats@casema.nl A reading test as entrance criterion Some foreigners wishing to settle in the Netherlands will first have to take a civic integration exam while still abroad. This exam consists of three parts: Spoken Dutch, Knowledge of the Dutch Society, and – since April 2011 – Reading (comprehension), examined at A1 level of the Common European Framework. This third part implies that only literates can enter the Netherlands, and those capable to teach themselves how to read in the Roman script and those helped by a Dutch partner or relative who is literate in that script. Non-literates can no longer be dispensed because the government has published a package of self-study materials (i.e. a workbook, CDs, a DVD with exercises and an e-learning component) that is supposed to lead to the required level. Keywords: reading assessment, phone pass test, integration exam Paper sessions Examples from the reading test and the self study package will be shown. We will also discuss the question whether a non-literate adult abroad can learn to read Dutch with the 20 lessons in the self study package, as the government suggests. The last issue presented is the way of testing: a phone pass test for reading aloud words and sentences, answering questions, etc. 45 Linnerud, Beate Gregersen, Kari Vox, Norwegian agency for lifelong learning, Norway beate.linnerud@vox.no kari.gregersen@vox.no Writing your way to reading – on the computer with a sounding keyboard and a speech synthesizer The background for this project is the need for increased knowledge of and improved quality of our literacy training. The method includes using a computer with a sounding keyboard and a speech synthesizer connected to the keyboard. When you write a letter, you will hear a voice pronouncing the sound, not the name, of the letter. When the word is completed on the keyboard, it is read out. Paper sessions Vox is piloting “Writing your way to reading” with learners who have not acquired literacy skills in any language. 46 Vox’ assumptions are: • The method takes care of the need for adapted training to a greater extent than traditional training of reading and writing skills. • The participants may start from their appropriate level. • Letting a computer do the job of forming the letters saves time for other learning processes • Focus on oral teaching is increased. The method requires the teachers to work systematically with the oral teaching. • The speech synthesizer provides help in reading (decoding) and spelling. • The method creates a linguistic awareness of the relationship between sound and letter. • Writing on a computer increases the digital competence of the participants and the teachers. Keywords: Literacy, ICT Martin, Maisa University of Jyväskylä, Finland maisa.martin@jyu.fi Writing at the CEFR level A1 – problems with descriptors? The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has become a very influential guideline for all language learning, teaching, and testing activity in Europe. Even if based on huge amount of work by researchers and teachers, it can and should still be refined and challenged as empirical evidence is collected. In the presentation some results of the Cefling Project (2007–2009, continuing as Topling project 2010–2013) will be discussed in the light of the Level A1 descriptions of second language (L2) writing in the CEFR. In the Cefling Project several thousand writing samples on 3–5 tasks in L2 Finnish and English were collected from adults and young (12–16 years) learners. These were assessed by 3–4 trained and experienced raters using a set of functional scales collected from CEFR. Approximately the same number of unanimously rated texts per task were chosen to form a basic data set (about 1200 texts per language). These were analyzed for a variety of linguistic measures to establish potential links between the use of linguistic devices and the functional level. In addition, the comments made by the raters were also collected and examined. Cefling Project (2007–2009): https://www.jyu.fi/cefling CEFR 2001: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/CADRE_EN.asp Topling Project (2010–2013): https://www.jyu.fi/topling Paper sessions The analysis revealed some problematic areas of the CEFR scales, especially on the level A1. In the presentation some of these will be discussed with the LESLLA target group in mind. These include the problems of using sentence structure as an indicator, as well as the notions of simplicity and cohesion. 47 Peyton, Joy Kreeft Center for Applied Linguistics, USA jpeyton@cal.org Writing Reflectively About Teaching: A Way to Engage and Grow Reflecting on instructional practice is well accepted as a way for teachers to examine and improve their own and others’ practice and to continue to learn throughout their professional lives. Less known is the importance of writing to support such reflection and learning, particularly among teachers of LESLLA learners. Reflective writing is a sustainable, flexible means of professional learning, because it allows individuals to record and re-imagine their teaching, alone and in interaction with others, and it provides lasting texts for ongoing analysis, conversation, and further learning. It can also help to reduce the isolation that often accompanies instruction. Reflective writing can take the forms of journaling independently, interactively, and online (on discussion boards and in study circles), which can introduce teachers to instructional theory, research, and practice; teacher portfolios, which allow teachers and those they work with to document changes in their writing, classroom practices, and projects; and writing of critical analyses of incidents or case studies, in which teachers focus on specific areas of thought and practice. The presentation describes types of reflective writing that LESLLA teachers might engage in and research methodologies that can be used to examine growth in reflection, learning, and sense of community. Paper sessions Keywords: reflective writing 48 Pöyhönen, Sari Tarnanen, Mirja University of Jyväskylä, Finland sari.h.poyhonen@jyu.fi mirja.tarnanen@jyu.fi Adult migrants with special needs in Finland – authorities’ views on aims and implementation of integration training Finnish migration policy, officially, can be described as tolerant and promoting integration instead of assimilation. The latest Integration Act (2011) emphasizes the responsibilities of authorities in promoting integration by stating that successful implementation of integration policies requires close collaboration between different authorities. The data are of three kinds: 1) written statements by national, regional and local authorities on Integration Act, 2) interviews of Finnish authorities, and 3) national curricula for integration training for adult and illiterate migrants. The results are discussed in terms of how the understandings of authorities and their ways of talking about migrants are related to societal and political discourses. Keywords: integration training, authorities, integration policies Paper sessions This paper examines discourses on the implementation of integration policies of one focus group adult migrants with special needs, which has been labeled as “problematic” and “challenging” in terms of employment and education. The research questions are 1) how are the aims and implementation of integration training discussed by the Finnish authorities, and 2) how are adults represented in curricula of integration education for adults and for illiterate adults? 49 Reder, Stephen Portland State University, USA reders@pdx.edu Wrigley, Heide Literacy Work, USA heide@literacywork.com Bilingualism, code-switching and digital literacy acquisition in LESLLA learners This paper presents initial findings from a large-scale digital literacy project in six states of the U.S. In approximately 100 public computer centers across the country, adult learners (a large percentage of whom are LESLLA learners) are participating in a digital literacy project in which they work with both face-to-face tutors and a self-access web-based learning platform. Learners can talk with tutors in Spanish (L1) or English (L2) as well as code-switch between English and Spanish in the online interface and content. Paper sessions A multi-method approach is being used to study LESLLA learners’ interactions with tutors and the online technology. The research data include observation, interviews, focus groups and extensive system-collected data. Initial results show frequent code-switching between L1 and L2 with both tutors and technology. Interesting relationships are seen between second language acquisition and digital literacy acquisition in L2. The findings have important theoretical implications for the role of technology in mediating the formation of bilingual communities and second language acquisition. 50 In our presentation, we will discuss how, when and why bilingual adults switch between languages – not only while online but in classroom interactions as well. The discussion will be grounded within the wider research on “translanguaging”. Scheithauer, Christiane Markov, Stefan Schramm, Karen Leipzig University, Germany Christiane_Scheithauer@gmx.de stefan.markov@gmx.de karen.schramm@uni-leipzig.de Counseling L2 literacy learners in German integration courses Language learner counseling has been the focus of extensive research efforts during the past decade, but reports on counseling experiences with LESLLA learners are still rare or non-existent. Given the particular challenges of literacy acquisition in a second language, however, non-directive counseling on individual goal-setting, learning strategies, and self-evaluation seems to be a promising way to foster LESLLA learners’ social literacy practice, their self-direction, metacognition, and academic self-esteem. With a particular focus on family and work literacy, the project LeLeBe (Leipzig Learner Counseling, April 2012 until March 2014, funded by the European Integration Fund and by the Robert-Bosch Foundation) therefore aims to develop a LESLLA learner counseling concept that includes diagnostic tools, learning logs, strategy checklists, etc. These instruments will be developed as bilingual products, combining German as a second language with Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish, and Russian as first languages. Paper sessions Keywords: counseling, diagnosis, self-direction 51 Seppä, Marianne University of Helsinki, Finland marianne.seppa@helsinki.fi Low-literate and low-educated adults’ L2 development: Teachers’ perceptions This paper discusses low-literate and low-educated adult second language learners’ study skills and study progress from Finnish as a second language (F2) teachers’ perspective. The main focus is on the development of productive skills that include writing and speaking. The study presented here will be part of my doctoral thesis about organizational and pedagogical challenges in the adults’ L2 development in the immigrant integration training in Finland. The target level at the end of the integration training is the Common European Framework of Reference (CEF) level B1.1. Only part of the immigrants will reach this level. The immigrants with little schooling and low levels of literacy are more likely to stay under the target, which will reduce their educational and employment opportunities. The data of this paper were collected by using semi-structured thematic interviews, and analysed with the methods of content analysis. Tentatively, the results show that learning difficulties are seen to derive from lack of study skills, low educational background and illiteracy. This paper will present fieldwork experiences and give information in which direction system-level solutions should be developed in future to improve low-literate adults’ integration training. Paper sessions Keywords: finnish as a second language, second language development, integration training 52 Shepperd, Louise Newcastle University, United Kingdom lhshepperd@gmail.com Is There Reason in the Rhyme: Is Rhyme an Effective Tool for Creating Accessible and Engaging Fiction Books for A0-level Adult Learners? This study investigates the use of rhyme in writing engaging and accessible fiction books for A0-level adult learners of English. Wilkinson and Young-Scholten (2011) suggest that a tension exists between narrative quality and linguistic accessibility in books for low-literate adults. This paper discusses a study that investigated how the use of rhyme can ease that tension, as it functions as both a phonological decoding tool and a literary device. The study involved nine adults from an A0-level ESOL class in the UK, who participated in three tasks. These tasks examined learners’ awareness of rhyme; the use of rhyme to overcome problems with opaque orthography; and the effects of rhyme in a short fiction book written for the study. Participants were observed as they performed each task and displayed an awareness of rhyme through self-correction, reading with rhythm and enjoying certain rhyming combinations. Learners’ responses to the book also suggested it was successful in terms of appropriate content and level of simplification. The overall results indicate that rhyme aids learners’ decoding of opaque words in English orthography, and does so in a way that is enjoyable for A0-level learners. Rhyme makes text more engaging by introducing rhythm and encouraging language play. Paper sessions Keywords: Rhyme, Reading, Fiction 53 Simpson, James University of Leeds United Kingdom j.e.b.simpson@education.leeds.ac.uk “Bits here and there” – Fragmented ESOL provision in Leeds This paper concerns the ESOL sector in England outside the ‘mainstream’, following recent changes to funding policy. I draw upon findings from a 2011 study of the provision of ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages – for adult migrants in the neighbourhood of Harehills in the city of Leeds, the Harehills ESOL Needs Neighbourhood Audit (HENNA) project. Non-mainstream ESOL provision is a lifeline for beginner ESOL students, many of whom cannot be accommodated in the large sites of Further Education colleges for reasons including waiting lists, childcare commitments and crèche availability. Funding priorities in the FE sector favour certain types of provision (e.g. jobcentre referrals, vocationally-oriented ESOL), leaving unaddressed the need for discrete English classes for adult beginners, whose only recourse is voluntary and community classes. Yet in ESOL outside the mainstream the general picture is one of fragmentation locally and city-wide, in urgent need of coordination. The HENNA research supported a move to more effectively targeted ESOL provision. The conclusion is reached, however, that following drastic cuts across the public sector, any coordination must come from the disparate range of providers in the city themselves. I end with a discussion of new proposals for addressing this need. Paper sessions Keywords: beginner ESOL, community, policy 54 Sirkeinen, Eveliina Testipiste - Aikuisten maahanmuuttajien kielitaidon arviointikeskus, Finland eveliina.sirkeinen@testipiste.eu Testipiste hitaan oppijan jäljillä Kuinka arvioida ja testata aikuisen S2-oppijan suomen kielen taito ja oppimisvalmiudet niin, että hänet voidaan ohjata itselleen tarkoituksenmukaisimmalle koulutuspolulle ja suomen kielen kurssille tehokkaasti ja kotoutumiselle edullisimmalla tavalla? Millaisilla testeillä ja arviointikriteereillä pääkaupunkiseudun aikuisten maahanmuuttajien arviointikeskus Testipiste pyrkii erottelemaan hitaita ja luku- ja kirjoitustaidottomia oppijoita normaaleista ja nopeista oppijoista? Millainen testitulos johtaa hitaan oppijan jäljille? Pääkaupunkiseudun aikuisten maahanmuuttajien suomen kielen taidon ja oppimisvalmiuksien arviointi ja testaus oikealle kurssille sijoittumiseksi ovat keskittyneet 1.4.2010 lähtien aikuisten maahanmuuttajien kielitaidon arviointikeskukseen, Testipisteelle. Lähtötasotestausta järjestetään Testipisteessä joka toinen viikko. Testin perusteella maahanmuuttajalle suositellaan hänen oppimisvalmiuksiensa mukaan hidasta, normaalia tai nopeaa koulutuspolkua, sekä taitotason mukaan yhtä neljästä moduulista. Luku- ja kirjoitustaidottomalle maahanmuuttajalle suositellaan luku- ja kirjoitustaidon kartoitusta. Alhaiset pisteet matematiikassa ja kielellisessä hahmottamisessa, kirjoittamisen ja lukemisen ongelmat, sekä jotkut haastattelussa saadut tiedot voivat viitata hitaaseen oppijaan. Mikään tulos ei kuitenkaan yksin johda polkusuositukseen vaan arvioinnissa on aina huomioitava testitulosten kokonaisuus. Esitelmän tarkoituksena on esitellä yhtä tai useampaa alkutestauksessa käytettyä testiä, valintojen syitä testin muotoutumisen taustalla, testillä saatuja tuloksia ja mitä näistä tuloksista oikein pitäisi tai voisi päätellä. Paper sessions Testauksen osia ovat haastattelu, lukutehtävä, sanelu, kielellisen hahmottamisen koe ja matematiikan koe sekä jo suomea osaavilla kuvasta kertominen, suomen kielen kirjoittamisen, luetun ymmärtämisen ja kuullun ymmärtäminen testit. Keywords: hidas oppija, maahanmuuttaja, kielitaito 55 Tammelin-Laine, Taina University of Jyväskylä, Finland taina.a.tammelin-laine@jyu.fi Receptive vocabulary skills and reading in L2: is there a relationship? Vocabulary has an important role in the second language acquisition. Finnish is an inflected language with rather long words. However, if someone can speak Finnish, reading is usually quite easy because of the almost perfectly regular phonemegrapheme correlation. This paper is based on the data collected for my ongoing PhD study which focuses on the development of Finnish skills by five adult learners during their first language course of ten months. The participants have no literacy skills in their native language and very low oral skills of Finnish. In my presentation, I will introduce some of the results of my study. The focus will be on the following questions: 1) How did the participants’ oral L2 Finnish receptive vocabulary skills of nouns develop during the data collection period? 2) At the same time, what happened to the L2 Finnish reading skills? 3) Can some kind of relationship be detected between the receptive noun vocabulary and reading skills in L2? Paper sessions The focus will be on the relationship between understanding and speaking: is recognizing the oral form of a word and knowing its meaning enough to be able to read it? 56 Keywords: reading, vocabulary Tarnanen, Mirja Aalto, Eija University of Jyväskylä, Finland mirja.tarnanen@jyu.fi eija.aalto@jyu.fi Studying in upper comprehensive school with low L2 writing proficiency This paper reports a case study on migrant students with low writing proficiency of Finnish as a L2 in upper comprehensive school (grades 7–9, ages 13–16). The study is part of a larger research project Topling funded by the Academy of Finland 20102013. Each student completed four different writing tasks, a total of 100 texts, and a questionnaire to provide background information, self-assessment of writing and literacy practices. Taking a comprehensive approach, this study explores the data of performances using a qualitative content analysis approach which is both data- and L2 writing theory-guided. The questionnaire is used as complementary secondary data and reported as a frequency distribution due to the low number of participants. The study answers the following questions: what are strengths and weakness of low writing performances and how does low writing proficiency resource the learning of academic contents? The findings show that according to their self-assessment the students are relatively pleased with their writing proficiency. Despite their low writing proficiency they do write mainly media texts but also some printed texts in their free time. However, their writing resources are very limited in terms of linguistic and content requirements of theory subjects. Paper sessions Keywords: second language writing, migrant student, text-oriented school culture 57 van de Craats, Ineke Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands inekevandecraats@casema.nl Kurvers, Jeanne Boon, Danielle Tilburg University, Netherlands j.j.kurvers@uvt.nl daanboon@yahoo.com Journal for (adult) literacy teachers Paper sessions In this contribution, we explain the why, what, and how of a journal for teachers in adult literacy education. We will do that on the basis of an existing journal for literacy teachers in the Dutch language area: “ALFA-nieuws”, published in the Netherlands and in Flanders, Belgium. Since 15 years, this journal has been bringing together news on research, policy and practice of adult literacy education, relevant for teachers working with LESLLA groups in this sector. During the presentation, we – the editors – will focus on: 58 Why: • what was and is the rationale for a journal for literacy teachers? • what functions does it have? • what are our target groups? What: Ÿ what can be read in such a journal? • what are the columns • what are the topics? • what is the gain? How: • how to set up a journal like this? • how much time and energy does it take? • how much money is needed? No need to say that all will be illustrated with clear examples from 15 years of ALFAnieuws experience. Keywords: literacy journal, good practices, professional development Vinogradov, Patsy University of Minnesota, USA patsyvino@yahoo.com Developing LESLLA Teachers through Study Circles In the U.S. context in the state of Minnesota, the need for professional development (PD) in working with LESLLA learners has emerged as a top priority (Marchwick, 2010). Yet, the needs of LESLLA teachers are not being met in readily available PD, and teachers struggle to find appropriate resources, materials, and guidance (Vinogradov & Liden, 2009). This session focuses on a promising PD activity to respond to this need: study circles. In this session, the presenter outlines the elements of effective PD for language teachers and the content priorities that shaped her choices in developing a study circle for LESLLA teachers. This study circle was piloted successfully in 2011 and again in 2012. Results from the pilot study circles and evaluation data will be shared, as well as the contents of a facilitator guide that is now available at no cost online. Finally, presenters’ recommendations will be shared and participants encouraged to consider the use of the study circle in their own contexts. Keywords: professional development, study circles, teacher education Paper sessions Marchwick, K. (2010). Charting the Future – Minnesota’s ABE Workforce: Professional Experience, Challenges and Needs. ATLAS report. Vinogradov, P., and Liden, A. (2009). Principled training for LESLLA instructors. Proceedings from the 4th LESLLA Symposium. Antwerp, Belgium. 59 Weidacher-Gruber, Hildegard Grond, Agnes University of Graz, Austria hildegard.weidacher-gruber@uni-graz.at agnes.grond@edu.uni-graz.at Teaching German to illiterate and semiliterate immigrants In Austria, since 2003 for residence permission immigrants from non EU countries have to pass a language test according to the A2 or B1 level of the CEFR. Language courses for immigrants preparing them for the test are co-financed by the public authorities. However, the outcome is not satisfactory. Therefore the provincial government of Styria has launched a study, done by the Center of Plurilingualism at the University of Graz, to evaluate these German courses and to look at the reasons which hinder learners from finishing the course. One focus of the study is the question of the literate practice immigrants are used to, which differs from the literate practices required in Austria. These different literate practices have a strong impact on succeeding in the language courses because there learners are confronted with teaching materials taking literacy skills for granted. In our presentation we will discuss the impact of different literate practices on course progression and with regard to the learners’ own language- and education biographies, the role of literacy attainment in the Mother Tongue, teaching materials and teachers’ educational background. Paper sessions Keywords: illiteracy, language courses, integration 60 Poster sessions Nickson, Martin University of Hull, United Kingdom M.Nickson@2008.hull.ac.uk Adult ESOL classes in Hull: the relationship between learner needs, teaching strategy and social policy The UK introduced its first national language policy and curriculum in 2001, the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum (AECC). This policy was targeted at economic migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Initially welcomed by ESOL teachers (Rosenberg, 2007 p231), the AECC has been increasingly critiqued by practitioners and researchers (Yvon and Bathmaker, 2006; Roberts and Baynham, 2006; Aspinall and Hashem, 2011). There is an evident tension between the research and teaching agenda and the agendas of Government policy. Potentially isolated between these two agendas are the language learners themselves, whose own agendas are under-researched. This research will investigate whether there is a convergence, or divergence, between the agendas of Government policy, teaching strategy and ESOL learners in Hull. Keywords: language policy Poster sessions Aspinall, P. J. & Hashem, F. 2011. Responding to minority ethnic groups' language support needs in Britain. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 30, 145–162. Roberts, C. & Baynham, M. 2006. Introduction to the special issue: Research in adult ESOL. Linguistics and Education, 17, 1–5. Yvon, A. & Bathmaker, A. M. 2006. The New Skills Agenda: Increased Lifelong Learning or New Sites of Inequality? British Educational Research Journal, 32, 703–717. 63 Pennala, Riitta Martin, Maisa Richardson, Ulla Lyytinen, Heikki University of Jyväskylä, Finland riitta.pennala@jyu.fi maisa.martin@jyu.fi ulla.a.richardson@jyu.fi heikki.lyytinen@psyka.jyu.fi Latvala, Juha-Matti Niilo Mäki Institute, Finland juha-matti.latvala@nmi.fi Graphogame – The Learning game A digital game, Graphogame, developed in the University of Jyväskylä in collaboration with the Niilo Mäki Institute was originally implemented for research purposes to observe reading acquisition process in detail. The purpose of the present versions of the game is to provide an enjoyable learning environment for children who have problems in learning to read. A mobile version has been recently made available for research purposes for local language studies conducted in Africa. Poster sessions The main idea of the game is that the player listens to a good representative of a spoken item at a time via headphones and selects its written correspondent from a group of written items. The game provides only positive feedback and adapts to the skill level of individual players. There are also game versions for training Swedish spoken in Finland. 64 The acquisition of Finnish phonological quantity via Graphogame has also been observed in a case study with Russian L2-learner of Finnish and with a Finnish reading-disabled child (1st Graders). The game is under development also to adults with reading disabilities as well as to L2-learners. The congress presentation will demonstrate new game versions. Keywords: learning game, second language learning, reading disability Stockmann, Willemijn ROC Tilburg wstockmann@roctilburg.nl The Milk road, the milky way in Dutch “De Melkweg” The Netherlands use The DSL literacy framework, which describes three levels: Alfa A, Alfa B and Alfa C. It is linked to the Common European framework of References (CEFr). The level Alfa C is the same level as the level A1. It describes both functional development and phonics in reading and writing in simultaneous processes. Training reading for advanced literacy students is a very important part of finishing the literacy process. When reading is not automated, students always stay a step below literate students in their further education. It is important that students have read so much that they can focus on the meaning of the text instead of its form . In the Netherlands there is not enough material for this specific group; material with challenging topics and interesting information. Reading is fun, interesting and necessary in real life. Poster sessions The material is flexible. The thin booklets can be used teacher independent and also in a classroom. The distribution is on PDF and published on the Internet. The material is free for students. All the booklets have the same structure and consisting of four texts. Every text also has the same structure, so the literacy students know what kind of exercises will come. 65 Research projects on display Cefling/Topling (www.jyu.fi/topling) The focus of the project is to combine SLA research with research of language testing to produce knowledge of how writing skills develop from one CEFR level to next. ConCLIL (www.conclil.jyu.fi) DIALUKI (www.jyu.fi/dialuki) The project studies the diagnosis of reading and writing abilities in a second or foreign language. It seeks to identify the cognitive features which predict a learner's strengths and weaknesses in those areas. The project brings together scholars from applied linguistics, psychology and assessment to engage in multidisciplinary work and to develop innovative ways of diagnosing the development of second and foreign language abilities. The main contribution of the project will be to offer novel, well-grounded theoretical insights and to develop a range of methodologies to study second and foreign language development and its diagnosis. We are exploring the causes underlying strengths and weaknesses in language development, and the relationship between literacy skills in one's first language and the development of second language abilities. The results of the project will also have practical implications by providing a sounder theoretical basis for the development of curricula, pedagogic materials and diagnostic tests. Research projects on display The project is funded by the Academy of Finland (2011–2014) and it brings together a group of researchers from Finland, Austria, Spain and Canada. The aim is to explore the conceptual foundations of content and language integration (CLIL) and to come to a better understanding of how CLIL challenges the often taken-for-granted notions of language and content and especially of their integration. 69 Graphogame (https://www.jyu.fi/erillis/agoracenter/en/ research/projects/aml/graphogame/index_html) Research projects on display GRAPHOGAME is a child-friendly computer game that helps children to learn the basic letters and their sounds. Through a series of levels, gradually, the child is able to construct these letters into small words and then larger words. Importantly, the game incorporates a dynamic element in that it also adapts to the child’s own level of ability and sets further levels in accordance with this ability. This prevents frustration in the context of learning while, at the same time, enjoyable positive feedback sustains the child’s interest in playing for sufficient time for learning to be established. The Graphogame project is funded by the European Commission Marie Curie Excellence Grant, awarded to the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. This research involves the Finnish, English, Swiss and Dutch languages. There have also been simultaneous projects in the US and Zambia. 70 Exhibitors Eye On Literacy (www.eyeonliteracy.com) Eye On Literacy provides quality visual instructional resources that capitalize on oral language skills of adult second language literacy learners. Multilingual Matters (http://www.multilingual-matters. com) Multilingual Matters is an international independent publishing house with lists in the areas of bilingualism, second/foreign language learning, sociolinguistics, translation and books for parents. WordDive Ltd (www.WordDive.com) Exhibitors WordDive quickly learns to know every student and optimizes the learning personally for him or her. This, in addition to a wide range of L1 languages and an exercise mode targeted for low literacy, makes the service ideal for immigrants. 73 Sponsors Federation of Finnish Learned Societies Department of Languages, University of Jyväskylä Centre for Applied Language Studies (CALS), University of Jyväskylä City of Jyväskylä Research Project Transforming Professional Integration – ISIS 2011–2014 (Academy of Finland) 74 Floor plans and Campus map 77 78 List of authors List of authors A H Aalto, Eija 57 Allemano, Jane 39 Arnesen, Helga 40 Huttunen, Marja 36 I B Immonen-Oikkonen, Pirjo 22 Intke-Hernandez, Minna 43 Boon, Danielle 45, 58 Bradley, Karen 30 J Johnson, Elsie 30 C Condelli, Larry 34 Crevecoeur-Bryant, Edwidge 41 K Khan, Kamran 44 Kurvers, Jeanne 45, 58 D Durgunoglu, Aydin Yucesan 42 L E Erno, Susan 35 Latvala, Juha-Matti 64 Linnerud, Beate 46 Lyytinen, Heikki 64 F M Farrelly, Raichle 24 Faux, Nancy 27 Fedele-Mcleod, Mariann 34 Markkanen, Sanna 32 Markov, Stefan 51 Marrapodi, Jean 33 Martin, Maisa 47, 64 Moors, Oliva 29 G Gehre, Helga 31 Gregersen, Kari 40, 46 Grond, Agnes 60 N Nickson, Martin 63 Nissilä, Leena 22 81 P Peeters, Mark 28 Pennala, Riitta 64 Peyton, Joy Kreeft 48 Pöyhönen, Sari 49 R Reder, Stephen 50 Richardson, Ulla 64 S Scheithauer, Christiane 51 Schramm, Karen 51 Seppä, Marianne 52 Shepperd, Louise 53 Simpson, James 54 Sirkeinen, Eveliina 55 Spolander, Kristiina 32 Stockmann, Willemijn 65 Strube, Susanna 21 T Tammelin-Laine, Taina 56 Tarnanen, Mirja 49, 57 Tuler, Debra 35 V van de Craats, Ineke 28, 45, 58 Vinogradov, Patsy 59 W Weidacher-Gruber, Hildegard 60 Wrigley, Heide 50 Y Young-Scholten, Martha 19 82 Notes