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Vocational ESL (VESL) for Auto Technology/Diesel Program - Santa Ana College |
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Program Components: Academic/remedial supports Curriculum development Business-community partnership
Limited English Proficient Students Title: Vocational ESL (VESL) for Auto Technology/Diesel program College: Santa Ana College 1530 West 17th Street Santa Ana, CA 92706 College Contact: Mary Walker, Program Coordinator714-241-5749 Target population: Bilingual/bicultural students who want to gain employment inautomotive/diesel mechanics occupations. Goals : To enable students to understand and effectively communicate using Englishlanguage terms specific to the automotive and diesel mechanics occupations, and to effectively communicate with customers at auto/diesel service sites. Description: The Santa Ana College VESL program in Auto Technology/Diesel is a notfor-credit program for students wanting to improve academic success and employment opportunities in the automotive and diesel mechanics occupational areas. The program is completing a yearlong planning phase, and has an implementation date of Fall 2005. Faculty will refer automotive technology/diesel students to the program, which will run concurrently with for-credit courses. Plans are also underway for establishing a VESL computer lab with self-directed modules in automotive/diesel technology and, in the future, other vocational occupational areas. Staffing: Auto Technology/Diesel and ESL facultyFacilities, equipment, materials: Facilities: Classroom, labCosts, funding source: VTEA and Continuing Education fundingOutreach and marketing : When the program begins in Fall 2005, faculty will identifyand refer Auto Technology/Diesel students who need assistance with vocational English language skills. Other marketing and outreach efforts are under development. Evidence of effectiveness: Curricula focuses on improving academic success andretention rates of English as a Second Language learners in the college's Auto Technology/Diesel program; and transitioning graduates into high wage and high skill occupations. Program planning has been a collaborative effort, involving representatives from Ryder Systems Inc.; ESL, Workforce/Career Development, and Student Services and Instruction Deans; and Auto Technology/Diesel faculty members. 102 Suggestions for replication: Start early! Planning and implementation takes a lot longerthan you think. For example, selecting curricular modules took 3 months. Do a needs assessment as part of the planning process. For this program, faculty could accurately document the VESL reading, writing, comprehension needs of students enrolled in the Auto Technology/Diesel program; and employers could provide information on English language skill sets that graduates or non-students were lacking when they entered the workforce. LosAngeles/Orange (7/8) Career area: Engineering/industrial technology
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