During the summer of 1996, Albert Trostel Packings sponsored a participatory workplace ESL program targeted at beginning speakers in entry level positions: press operators and inspectors. Company management and employees were enthusiastic about the approach. Since the 1990 census, the southeastern Wisconsin workforce has undergone demographic changes. Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development estimates the number of Hispanics in the Walworth County labor force to be about 1,700 people. Many are immigrants who do not speak English as a first language. This number, although small, represents a growth rate of about 34 percent over the last four years. Because of the labor shortage in this part of the state, employment opportunities are steadily growing. Local employers have realized that the labor pool is becoming multicultural and multilingual, and they are interested in helping all employees improve communication skills. Such was the case with Albert Trostel Packings, Ltd., a local employer of over 700, with one of their plants staffed to 65% by employees who speak English as a second language.
An in-depth, comprehensive ONA usually takes three to six months to complete. Because of the limited time frame available, a modified assessment was conducted by Ms. Johnson for Albert Trostl Packings, Ltd. It included conferences with Ms. Cathy Meseberg, the Human Resource manager at Trostel’s target facility in Whitewater, Wisc.; a facility tour; supervisor questionnaires; and language and needs assessment of the learners. (See Appendix A.) Conferences with Ms. Meseberg produced information about production operations, the responsibilities and job descriptions of the employees, the number of workers and supervisors for each shift, workday schedules, and an overview of the communication channels within the workplace. The following decisions resulted from these conferences:
The educator used questionnaires as a tool for gathering information from supervisory personnel that would assist in curriculum development and goal-setting. The answers from the questionnaires confirmed that oral communication had the highest priority, particularly on the factory floor. Other elements identified as needing improvement were reading and writing reports, completing charts, math skills, health and safety information, social language skills, and communication between workers and management.
Two tours of the Trostel work site were included in the ONA. The initial tour provided the instructor with an overview of the facilities and job duties. During the second tour the Production Manager described equipment and job processes into a tape recorder, while Ms. Johnson photographed workers completing job tasks, specific work areas, equipment, and signage posted in the work areas. The transcription of the tape recording and the photos were later used in the classroom. This observation of the factory provided the instructor with important information about work conditions, communications requirements, and job responsibilities that affected the learner’s needs.
Individual learner assessment was also conducted in order to assist in learner placement and curriculum development. The learner needs assessment can be conducted in several different ways. One-to-one interviews with each prospective learner or small group discussions can be conducted before the classes begin. However, because of the timeframe involved, in-class assessment was chosen for this program. Some of the discussion was in Spanish to ensure that all learners understood the objectives of the exercise. The in-class assessment was done on the first day of classes and began with the learners viewing an overhead transparency of a Mexican worker and his Anglo-American boss. In print, the worker explained that he lived in New Mexico, his boss spoke to him in Spanish, and he spoke a little English in the community. Consequently, the worker stated that he did not have any language problems. From this scenario, the learners were asked these and similar questions:
As the learners cited specific examples of their English needs, the consultant recorded them on the board. At the conclusion of the discussion the learners were given note cards to record five situations in the community and five situations at work that required English. These were then compiled and recorded on the board. It was explained to the learners that some of these selections would be used in the development of the curriculum.
As a result of conferences between the service provider and management is was confirmed that classes would be held in a conference room and the instructor would have access to a copy machine, flip chart, TV, VCR and overhead projector. The size of the conference room afforded ample space for small group activities or paired practices, both common techniques used in teaching. It also allowed the learners to spread out their materials and to work on in-class assignments or projects. During the conferences the collection of printed company materials listed below, or realia, were also selected. The realia portfolio collected by Ms. Meseberg contained:
Lesson plans were developed around these items addressing both the language and social skills needed in the work situation. For example, a lesson on alphabetical and numerical order included time cards and the following activities:
At Trostel, language assessment was used to place learners in the program. Three pre-course tests were administered on three days to all non-native English speaking employees: the oral Basic English Skills Test (BEST), the English Literacy Skills Assessment (EL), and the Reading and Writing Skills Assessment (RAW). Twenty-eight Trostel LEP employees, from all three shifts, took the examinations, and results of the testing were more positive than expected. None of the workers tested at 0 level proficiency of the MELT performance level guide, and nearly one-third of the workers tested at the highest level of proficiency. Based on the range of scores fifteen workers were place in the program, resulting in a multi-level class.
A learner needs assessment was conducted on the first day of classes to identify the student’s perceived language needs and to help establish a sense of ownership in the class.
Ongoing assessment was conducted by means of a weekly Checklist For Learning which allowed learners to identify vocabulary words which they had learned, and language tasks they had accomplished (e.g. ask someone to repeat something). The instructor produced a curriculum report at the end of the first and last five week periods of the course. These reports evaluated such categories as social exchanges, job-related language, grammar, and oral skills. In addition, learners completed a Mid-Course Learner Self-Assessment indicating their level of effort and progress in the four language skills, and including comments about their portfolios.
As part of the final report managers and supervisors were asked to complete an evaluation form indicating whether or not they had observed improvement on the part of the learners in the areas of conversation, self-confidence, and job skills, and whether they would recommend that the language class be continued.