Program Types

The most common contexts in which adult ESL instruction is offered include the following:

Lifeskills or general ESL classes focus on developing English language skills in the context of topics or functions of daily life, such as going to the doctor, getting a job, shopping, or managing money.

Family ESL literacy programs address the family as a whole, providing English language and literacy instruction for adults and children. Often these programs include parenting elements and information that parents can use to further their children's literacy and general educational development. Some programs, such as Even Start, are collaborations between K-12 and adult education programs.

English literacy/civics (EL/civics) programs integrate English language instruction with opportunities to learn about civic participation, civil rights and responsibilities, and citizenship.

Vocational ESL (VESL) programs prepare learners for jobs. These programs may concentrate on general pre-employment skills such as finding a job or preparing for an interview, or they may target preparation for jobs in specific fields such as horticulture or hospitality.

Workplace ESL classes are offered in work settings and focus on development of language that is directly relevant for employees in that setting.

Pre-academic ESL programs concentrate on preparing learners for further training and education in postsecondary institutions, vocational education classes, or ABE and GED classes.

For more information about types of programs see National Center for ESL Literacy Education, 2003; Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages [TESOL], 2003.

Open Entry/Open Exit Programs

One choice that all types of programs must make is whether to have an open or closed entry and exit system for students. Open entry and exit programs allow students to enter and leave when they can or need to. Some programs (e.g., in community colleges) provide self-paced courses, designed for students to progress through the course content at their own pace without attending regularly scheduled classes. Students meet with instructors and mentors and work at home or in a computer lab. However, open entry systems make it difficult for programs to gather information on learner progress in English. Furthermore, educators report that adult learners themselves prefer structured programs with stated beginnings and ends and clear criteria for completion and promotion (Marshall, 2002; Sticht, 1999). For these reasons, some programs have chosen to follow a closed entry and exit system (also referred to as managed enrollment), where students can enroll and enter classes only at specific times (for example, in a 12-week course at the beginning, after 3 weeks, and after six weeks).