Research Proposal

Meeting the educational and training needs of adult Spanish-speaking and other minority group immigrants with limited English proficiency (LEP) has been found to be critical in determining the long-term and short-term economic advancement of members of such populations; specifically, mastery of English language skills, including both oral and written skills, is seen as a critical determinant of immigrantsÆ success (Holman, 1997; Rogers & Lyons, 1999). Many, if not most, adult Spanish-speaking immigrants arrive in the united States poorly prepared to move into the economic mainstream, largely as a consequence of limited mastery of English, educational and training deficits, and other potentially or actually disadvantaging variables (Holman, 1997). Because of this, research is needed to determine the effectiveness of adult education programs targeting Spanish-speaking men and women (age 18 and over) who experience difficulties in obtaining meaningful employment (and subsequent economic advancement) as a consequence of linguistic deficits.

Lozada (1998) described a pilot program implemented by Miami-Dade Community College that targeted adult learners for whom Spanish was the primary language. The G.R.E.A.T. (Guantanamo Refugee Education and Training Program) Program offered participants, males and females o

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who did not participate in the program, project participants exhibited higher levels of academic achievement, mastery of English, and enhanced vocational outcomes. Shoemaker (1996) surveyed 180 colleges across the United States regarding ESL programs and problem areas. Some 60 programs responded, and the study revealed that only 51 percent were semi-intensive (offering 10 to 19 hours per week) while 20 percent were intensive (offering 20 to 25 hours per week). The colleges reported that as the length of immersion and the number of hours in class per week increased, student achievement outcomes also tended to increase. This tends to support the view that non-English speaking adult learners do benefit from immersion and intensified programs that include vocational as well as language activities. Finally, Fitzgerald (2000) as well as Brisk and Harrington (2000), have contended that a major thrust in bilingual education in coming years will be upon improving the skills of adult learners. More and more non-English speaking adult immigrants are electing to move to the United States, increasing the need for such programs in order to facilitate meaningful participation in the economic mainstream. For this reason, evaluation of
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Project BRIDGES, Community Colleges, Portes MacLeod, Rogers Lyon, Assumptions Previous, Educational Process, Program Program, Rogers Lyons, United Improving, Guth Wrigley, adult learners, english language, adult education, adult esl, participate program, english language skills, esl programs, fitzgerald 2000, language skills, proposed study, shoemaker 1996, rogers lyon 1999, dade community colleges, york city board, miami dade community,
Approximate Word count = 2018
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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