ADULT ESL AND LITERACY: ISSUES AND OPTIONS

Central Thesis: Adult ESL programs serve diverse immigrant populations with different needs and goals. A One-Size-Fits-All approach limits the effectiveness of services and “cheats” groups at either end of the educational spectrum – those without literacy in their native language at one end and those with higher levels of education in their native country at the other. If we adapt and vary adult ESL services to differentiate instructional programs according to literacy needs and previous schooling experience, we will have a more educationally sound system.