COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
En Español
FIELD’s course offerings include
- Vocational English as a Second Language, Level I, Level II and Level III
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Leadership Development
- Conflict Resolution
- Introduction to Computers (Bakersfield and Porterville only)
- Parental Leadership
Vocational English as a Second Language,
Level I, Level II and Level III
This program is designed for adult participants with various levels of English language skills, from no English skills to pre-GED. The course is designed around the diversity of farmworker communication and vocational needs. Our goal is to see each student increase his or her language skills so he or she can solve individual communication problems they may face each day in their work place and family environments, and to face them with increased confidence. This will also increase their potential to be better informed and productive citizens in their communities.
As part of their training participants are presented with a variety of activities that require classroom participation. The success of these activities depends on the teacher’s ability to adapt and modify the activities and training to the farmworkers students' abilities such as age, intelligence, aptitude, motivation, and student’s individual unique form of learning. FIELD’s instructors are well prepared to use a wide range of training techniques appropriate for farmworkers.
FIELD’s curriculum is culturally and linguistically appropriate, which facilitates the learning process, resulting in higher retention of skills and overall effectiveness. The main difference between this initiative and many traditional English language programs is that FIELD delivers the training in an intensive manner (daily) as opposed to couple of sessions per week as commonly found in other programs. These two features of FIELD’s programs have been anecdotically stated as key reasons for students’ participation and high completion rates.
Methodology:
The academic process is based on best practices taking into account how the farmworkers learn. Our experience has demonstrated that farmworkers learn best when they:
·
Are treated with respect;
· Are treated as partners of the learning process;
· Take responsibility for their own learning;
· Can reflect on theirs and others’ experiences; and
· Are receiving instructions that are clearly related to problems they face daily.
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Descriptors |
Language Proficiency Skills
Level I |
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1) Listening/Speaking |
Functions with some difficulty in situations related to immediate needs; may have some simple oral communication abilities using basic learned phrases and sentences. |
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2) Reading/Writing |
Reads and writes letters and numbers and a limited number of basic sight words and simple phrases related to immediate needs. Can write basic personal information on simplified forms. |
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Descriptors |
Language Proficiency Skills
Level II |
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1) Listening/Speaking |
Can satisfy basic survival needs and very routine social demands. Understands simple learned phrases easily and some new simple phrases containing familiar vocabulary, spoken slowly with frequent repetition. |
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2) Reading/Writing |
Can read and interpret simple material on familiar topics. Able to read and interpret simple directions, schedules, signs, maps and menus. Can fill out forms requiring basic personal information and write short, simple notes and messages based on familiar situations. |
Level II Objectives:
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Descriptors |
Language Proficiency Skills
Level III |
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1) Listening/Speaking |
To be completed |
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2) Reading/Writing |
To be completed |
Occupational Health and Safety
The occupational health and safety series is comprised of modules which are delivered at the job sites in sessions of no longer than 45 minutes each. These modules have been developed by FIELD in compliance with Cal/OSHA standards, and are customized to the specific needs of farmworkers and agribusinesses. Modules currently offered include
- Heat Stress
- Cold Stress
- Slips, Trips and Falls
- Musculoskeletal Injuries
- Insect Bites
More modules are currently in development. Contact FIELD for more information.
Conflict Resolution
Over a period of 40 to 80 hours participants are introduced to basic communication techniques used to resolve conflict. The delivery methodology includes sharing of the basic concepts paired with intensive hands-on experience based upon participants work or life experiences.
1. To raise worker and manager awareness of the traditional approach to conflict resolution, and the conflict resolution process.
2. To give workers and managers a common language for identifying and resolving conflict.
3. To provide practice using the conflict resolution process, customize for the specific workplace.
4. To give workers and mangers a safe and constructive environment in which to practice solving increasingly difficult or emotionally charged problems.
5. To give the members of the conflict resolution resource team the confidence and competence to be effective facilitators of productive working relationships.
Introduction to Computers
The main purpose of this course is to make the students more familiar with basic computer technology.
Parental Leadership
The program is designed to give farmworker parents the information, knowledge, skills, behaviors and personal commitment they need to improve the conditions surrounding the educational and personal development of their children. Parent graduates return to their communities as a powerful collective force of change, committed to improving the well being of their children. They become aware that in supporting their children, they are creating a pathway for success.
Parents are given tools to effectively advocate for better learning opportunities and accountability for their children, pre-K through 12th grade. Parents learn about California's A-G requirements for high school and college.
After this program parent’s attitudes are expected to be as follows:
- Parents become more aware of (a) risks associated with academic failure; (b) need to become involved in children’s education to avoid academic failure.
- Parents feel more comfortable with (a) helping their children with homework; (b) visiting their children’s teacher/class; (c) communicating more successfully with teachers and principals.
Find out what our participants say about FIELD's programs.
