Professional Development

State Activities: Oklahoma

In a rural state such as Oklahoma with large geographic distances between adult ESL programs, the CAELA Network team has developed innovative ways of delivering professional development and providing key information to both new and experienced adult ESL instructors. Through their participation in the previous CAELA grant, Oklahoma trained five state trainers to provide ESL Essentials for Beginning ESL Teachers workshops. This foundation continued in the CAELA Network project with an updated needs assessment of adult ESL instructor backgrounds and professional development goals. The results of the needs assessment and each program's "Professional Development Plan for Adult Education" have led to face-to-face trainings and online Webinars on EL/Civics, as well as the use of video-conferencing to deliver targeted professional development on significant topics in the state such as assessment, standards-based instruction, and goal-setting.

Oklahoma continues to look for ways to meet their underlying goal of overall program improvement by examining program data and expanding
their professional development offerings. Current work is focused on developing cost-effective online learning in the form of Webinars and study circles on topics such as second language acquisition, multilevel instruction, and content standards. Links to resources on adult ESL instruction are posted and regularly reviewed at the Oklahoma State Department of Education Web site. A guidebook for adult ESL teachers is also being created for new teachers that addresses important topics related to instruction and assessment.

Professional Development Activities

Survey practitioners working with adult English language learners on their background and professional development needs, in order to update the state's database and plan for professional
development.
Populate the state's adult ESL resources Web site with content based on professional development needs identified through the survey and other feedback from the field.
Develop Webinar and other online trainings to supplement face-to-face trainings for practitioners who are geographically isolated.
Develop an ESL teacher guidebook that contains important information and resources that teachers need (e.g., lesson planning, adult learning theory, classroom management, state policies, assessment,
etc).

Desired Outcomes

Needs assessment findings are used to inform professional development planning.
Practitioners working with adult English language learners request and access online resources to inform their instruction, assessment, and programming.
Webinar trainings for EL/Civics are designed, piloted, and delivered in order to provide access to training for programs that are not EL/Civics funded.
ESL teachers use the teacher guidebook to access and use information.
Teachers and program directors take ownership of personal and programmatic professional growth.

State contact

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
pam_blundell@sde.state.ok.us
Phone: (405) 521-3321
Fax: (405) 522-5394
1-800-405-0355

Resources and Tools

Professional Development

State Activities: Oklahoma

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