Companies across the United States provide workplace English classes to non-native-English-speaking employees to increase productivity, retention, and on-the-job safety. Institutions that financially support the programs often require evidence of learning through standardized tests as a prerequisite for continued funding. However, the tests…

Learning English through vocational courses can be successful because the subject matter is related to personal experience and learners have some control over content, as evidenced by I CAN (Initial Caring and Maturing Course), designed by parents for parents. (SK)

Based on a needs analysis of 47 prisons, 6 pilot sites in the Michigan correctional system tested an innovative teaching method. The pilot resulted in adoption of a short-term, intensive, open-entry/open-exit program of vocational English as a second language. (JOW)

This study investigated hospitality students' responses toward their learning experiences from undertaking group projects based upon a College web platform, the "Ubiquitous Hospitality English Learning Platform" (U-HELP). Twenty-six students in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages participated in this study. Their attitudes toward…

An exploratory study conducted at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada between 2007 and 2009 investigated language learning with mobile devices as an approach to augmenting ESP learning by taking learning outside the classroom into the real-world context. In common with findings at other community colleges, this study identified inadequate…

The Bilingual Vocational Training model delivers vocational education to limited-English-proficient students through recruitment, intake and assessment, bilingual instruction, support services, and job placement. The Perkins Act expands the mandate for serving this population, focusing on accessibility, quality, and coordination. (SK)

Suggests a comprehensive bilingual program evaluation model, emphasizing assessment of bilingual vocational training (BVT) programs, that expedites the collection of useful program development data. Four phases include (1) review of program objectives, (2) review of BVT program design, (3) review of BVT program implementation, and (4) review of…

A tuition-free, vocational, English as a second language (ESL) program offered at a large community college suffers from high attrition as well as student dissatisfaction with curriculum. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, longitudinal study was to assess the effectiveness of a specific ESL curriculum supplement as an intervention to…

This is a bibliography of materials for use in resettling and educating refugees and/or immigrants, including new materials added to the general Refugee Materials Center (RMC) collection since the publication of the Refugee Materials Center Bibliography in December 1984. The bibliography lists textbooks for teaching English, other curricular…

The International Refugee Center of Oregon is a community-based organization that offers employment counseling and job placement to refugees. The Preemployment Training course helps refugees adapt to cultural differences in the U.S. workplace and teaches vocational English-as-a-Second-Language. (SK)

The vocabulary-building curriculum is designed for students, teachers, coordinators, and curriculum developers in vocational English as a Second Language. The curriculum gives high intermediate to advanced students background for a course in beginning carpentry, surveying the essential tools and materials used in the carpenter's workplace.…

Describes special vocational education programs in New York City and San Francisco for adult immigrants. The programs offer English as a second language, office skills, survival training, counseling, and job search skills. (JOW)

The development of "English for Occupational Purposes" (EOP) by a team of seven authors and two project directors for EOP classes at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore is described. Aspects included the prewriting stage; analyses of the teaching, learning, and target situations analysis; writing and editing; and postwriting stage. (LB)

This guide provides the curriculum materials used in a program designed to provide English as a Second Language (ESL) life-skills or vocational instruction for refugees in the Chicago metropolitan area, concentrating on the general vocational ESL skills to be taught. An overall introduction to the program is followed by a section on work English…

Examines the growing demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in business and industry. Presents study findings on the characteristics of six ESL programs offered in Fortune 500 companies, identifying factors that commonly facilitate or impede ESL program design. (DMM)