ESOL Basics - Course Schedule

Each lesson addresses a topic in adult education. Course activities include readings, assignments, and discussions. The lessons are sequential. The schedule below lists the dates that assignments are due. Posts to discussions may be made at any time within the week in which the topic is being presented. Please be sure to adhere to the schedule. Lessons are self-paced within the week. Return as often as you wish to the activities and discussions.

If you choose to participate on the weekends, be sure to post your assignments during the weekend that falls within the scheduled week. Each week's discussion boards are opened on the Friday which begins the scheduled week.

Participants who do not post to the discussion board within the first week of the course will be removed from the course. This will then place you on waiting list only status for future online courses and trainings.

If you do not post for more than one week at any time during the course or if you fall more than one week behind in your assignments, you will be removed from the course and will be placed on waiting list status only for future online courses. If you find that you cannot post for more than two weeks, please contact your technical facilitator at courses@valrc.org or 1-800-237-0178 as soon as possible to discuss the situation and your further participation in the course.

	Lessons	Assignments	Due
Week 1 9/17 - 9/23	Characteristics of Adult ESOL Learners	Introduce yourself Write a learner profile Reflect on our four learners Post a participation post	Thur 9/23
Week 2 9/24 - 9/30	Methods and Needs Assessments	Complete and discuss Language Learning Questionnaire Conduct a needs assessment and report your findings Post a participation post	Thur 9/30
Week 3 10/1 - 10/7	Virginia's Adult ESOL Content Standards	Discuss your opinions of standards Evaluate an activity for standards correlations Post a participation post	Thur 10/7
Week 4 10/8 - 10/14	Lesson Planning	Discuss Issues in Adult Language Learing Observe an ESOL classroom and report on your lesson observation Post a participation post	Thur 10/14
Week 5 10/15 - 10/21	Teaching Speaking and Listening	Discuss speaking and listening techniques that you have used or observed Choose a speaking OR listening activity for your learner(s) and report OR Read and reflect on How Should Adult ESL Reading Instruction Differ from ABE Reading Instruction? Post a participation post	Thur 10/21
Week 6 10/22 - 10/28	Teaching Reading and Writing	Discuss a favorite reading or writing activity from the lesson Choose a reading OR writing activity for your learner(s) and report Post a participation post	Thur 10/28
Week 7 10/29 - 11/4	The Integrated Lesson Plan	Share something that you have learned from your students Plan an integrated lesson for your learner(s) Post a participation post	Thur 11/4
Week 8 11/5 - 11/11	Professional Development and Farewell	Make any last comments to the discussion Post your professional development plan Complete an online evaluation form Check all discussions and assignments for completion Post a participation post	Thur 11/11