Features of Transition Programs

Several successful college transition programs are featured in the February 2004, issue of Focus on Basics, an online publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL). The main NCSALL Web site address is http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/. The transition programs are highlighted here as encouragement for all ESL and family literacy programs to initiate steps to develop their own transition program. The major activities of transition programs fall into three categories — awareness and orientation activities, counseling and referral services, and comprehensive programs (Alamprese, 2004).

Awareness and Orientation Activities. Adult education/ESL programs often invite guest speakers to bring awareness of higher education to students. A college recruiter might make a presentation stressing the long-term financial benefits of a postsecondary education and explain matters such as costs, financial aid, and programs of study (Lombardo, 2004). The adult education practitioner might keep a supply of transition program fliers and brochures on hand and distribute them to students who have recently arrived in their classes. (See Figure IV-7). Former students might return to speak to classes, urging students to continue in postsecondary education (Dann-Messier & Kampits, 2004).

Raising awareness is often followed by a motivational field trip to a college campus for an official guided tour. Such tours serve two purposes. First, they expose students to the college culture and raise their goals to include postsecondary study (Johnson, Haas, Harrell, & Alameida, 2004). Second, they help students find their way on campus and meet with individuals they will need to consult with before and upon entering a college program. Many family literacy programs include the children of the adult students on campus tours. This helps set the expectation for the children that someday, they too will enter college (Dann-Messier & Kampits, 2004). It is important to include other family members, because they will be a major influence on whether or not adult learners persist in their program (Lieshoff, 1995).

College Counseling and Referral Services. Once potential students have been oriented to college procedures and have taken tours of one or more college campuses, counseling and referral services are important to keep students' interest up and anxiety down. While still enrolled in the ESL program, students begin a one-on-one advisement process the semester before they enroll in the college. The first meeting includes a discussion of the student's goals and the development of personal action plans that include setting timelines and allocating resources needed (RMC, 2001). The student and advisor complete the initial enrollment paperwork together, and then the student takes the college entrance exam. The transition advisor in the ESL program helps with class selection and guides the student through the college registration process (Lombardo, 2004).

Comprehensive Transitional Programs. In addition to providing awareness and orientation activities and offering counseling and referral services, comprehensive transition-to-college programs offer academic preparation, often with a specific focus on developing students' academic vocabularies. Programs may also offer study guides for entrance exams, writing workshops, and materials for independent study with reading and writing assignments (Lombardo, 2004). One program adds a conversation club as a means for students toi mprove their oral and aural fluency (Tacelli, 2004). Upgrading math skills to include algebra may be important if it is not covered in GED preparation classes (Transitions and Math, 2004). Finally, computer skills courses are made available to ESL students through Learning Resource Centers.