Mujeres Unidas Avanzando
Classes
At Mujeres Unidas Avanzando (MUA), our mission is to help our students to break the barriers that stand in the way of their social and economic growth. We strive to provide our students with the tools and resources they need to empower themselves and to participate more actively in political, social and economic life in the United States.
We offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes; High School Equivalency preparation in Spanish (HiSET); computer classes; Home Health Aide, Phlebotomy, and Clinical Medical Assistant trainings; Citizenship Preparation; counseling and referrals; one-on-one tutoring; and on-site childcare.
Routines
Collaboratively Build a Collection of Resources and Knowledge Using Presentation Creation Software
Mujeres Unidas Avanzando
TAGS: #InstructionalRoutine #Presentation #Collaborative #GoogleSlides #MUA
WHAT | Collaboratively Build a Collection of Resources and Knowledge Using Presentation Creation Software: Students add key content to a skeletal class slide presentation as it is covered from class to class, including images, answers to exercises completed in class, materials from projects/group work, links to resources, questions, comments, and more. In this way, the class ends the instructional unit with one collection of resources that was built collaboratively by all members of the class, not solely the instructor.
WHY | Create content materials: The goal of this routine is for students to increase their content knowledge as well as their digital literacy skills by playing a direct role in the creation of class materials. By the end of the unit, all students have access to this one collection of slides with the essential information and objectives of the unit, resources, completed exercises, and projects that they helped to build. These slides can be used as a study reference moving forward, and they can also be shared with students who join the class later in the year. Similarly, if a student is absent, they know to refer to the slideshow so they can see what they have missed.
Alongside learning the unit’s content, students also work on their digital literacy skills as they edit slides, copy text and images, format text, share links, and more. They are asked to reflect back on learning from previous lessons, and by having the outline of the unit all in one place, they are able to self-monitor their learning and their progress toward meeting the objectives of the unit.
Connected Evidence-Based Strategies | This strategy connects to the following evidence-based strategies:
Note-taking: Learners will be asked to add information to the slidedeck from the class content, as a form of note taking.
Debriefing: Creating summary slides or referring back to slides is an opportunity to debrief/reflect at the end of each lesson.
Experiential learning: Students are directly involved in the creation of the slidedeck and in editing and finalizing of the class unit materials on the slidedeck.
HOW | Google Slides: Google Slides is the easiest way to put this routine into practice, because it is free and syncs easily to Gmail, Google Classroom, and all other Google applications. Additionally, multiple users can collaborate on the same presentation and they can see one another’s edits in real time. Starting with a skeleton of an instructor-created slideshow (a general outline of the upcoming instructional unit), students edit the slides as the class moves through the unit. Instructors will model the various ways to add content to the slides in early units and gradually release responsibility to the class.
Digital Skills | Implementing this strategy connects to the following digital skills:
CR.4*: Design Digital Content: Students will be assisting their instructor in building the slidedeck for a particular instructional unit. This involves designing individual slides by adding and formatting text, adding images and links, integrating slide backgrounds, and more.
WO.6: Create Slide Presentations: The entirety of this project will be done in Google Slides.
MO.6: Collaborate Using Mobile Tools: Google Slides is collaborative and students will be able to edit the files alongside their classmates and instructor in real time.
Schedule and Update Appointments via an Online Calendar
Mujeres Unidas Avanzando
TAGS: #ProgramPractice #Collaborative #Calendly #MUA
WHAT | Schedule and update appointments via an online calendar: Learners use a digital calendar to see staff availability and schedule appointments for advising sessions, intake interviews, pre/post-assessments, and more. Learners can also go back to the calendar to change or cancel existing appointments.
WHY | Learner Ownership: Learners take ownership of their schedules by selecting appointments on the agency’s digital calendar. In doing so, they not only build digital literacy skills but also goal-setting and time management skills necessary for the workplace. The ability to cancel or reschedule appointments, as needed, encourages self-monitoring (keeping track of their appointments, their availability, their priorities), as well as learner choice (providing them with as many options for appointment dates, times, and formats as we are able).
Connected Evidence-Based Strategies | This strategy connects to the following evidence-based strategies:
Goal-setting and monitoring: The first step for our students in reaching their goals is choosing to show up! This routine helps them take those first steps in terms of scheduling an intake appointment, meeting with a coach, scheduling an exam, and so on.
Learner choice: Learners select the appointment date, time, and format.
Self-monitoring: Learners evaluate their own schedule when choosing an appointment, ensure the appointment is fulfilled, and take the steps necessary to reschedule, if needed.
HOW | Calendly: Instructors and advisors provide students with a link to a specific calendar where they can view all appointment options and schedule appointments such as pre-/post-assessments, advisor meetings, or technology tutorials. Staff provide assistance to students as needed. The calendar generates confirmations and reminders for students via email and text. It syncs to Zoom, our preferred meeting platform, and a Zoom link will automatically be created and sent to all parties for virtual meetings. Students can add a message to the host of the appointment and change or cancel appointments. The webpage is clean and easy to navigate.
DIGITAL SKILLS | Implementing this strategy connects to the following digital skills:
EF.9* Send & Receive Email - Sending and receiving an email including using attachments
Students will practice with receiving confirmation and reminder emails after booking an appointment for a number of important tasks they must complete while enrolled in their adult education program. They will also practice with locating the Zoom link, address, and other key information in the body of those emails.
IS.5 Use Search Strategies - Info search strategies [including search and browse skills]
Students will navigate the calendar to find available appointments on a given day.
WO.9 Manage Professional Networks - Using professional online networks and communities
By practicing navigating the digital calendars, evaluating their own schedules, and keeping appointments, learners will be better prepared to collaborate with their networks in a professional setting.
Share Feedback and Opinions Via an Online Form
Mujeres Unidas Avanzando
TAGS: #ProgramPractice #Survey #GoogleForms #MUA
WHAT | Share Feedback and Opinions Via an Online Form: Online forms (such as Google Forms) are utilized for students to submit mid-year evaluations, end-of-year evaluations, and general feedback, complaints, and inquiries. Via these Google Forms, there is an open line of communication between the student and the program at any time. The pressure of a face-to-face conversation is removed, and students also have the option to remain anonymous when completing a form.
WHY | Student Voice The goal of this routine is to encourage and facilitate student voice in the organization. The opinions and the experiences of all students are valuable, but some students will be more comfortable than others in voicing those opinions. By providing a scaffolded online form and explaining to the student that providing their name and contact information is optional, more students will be comfortable sharing their thoughts.
Connected Evidence-Based Strategies | This strategy connects to the following evidence-based strategies:
HOW | Google Forms: Google Forms is the simplest way to accomplish this task. Google Forms are easily accessible by links that teachers can share with their students, and various question types can be used, such as multiple choice, checklist, short answer, and more. Mid-year evaluations and end-of-year evaluations should be administered at a set time to the whole class, and a separate, ongoing feedback form should be available for students throughout the year on Google Classroom. In this way, they know that they can submit a form whenever they have a specific inquiry or issue, not just at these two points in the year.
The forms are scaffolded for English learners of all levels. This is done by providing images alongside the text (such as emojis, thumbs up/thumbs down icons, etc.), as well as sentence stems to help get students started. Through short answer questions, students are asked to elaborate on their opinions. Sentence starters are provided as a scaffold for those who may need them. This is to ensure that students from all classes are able to provide meaningful feedback, not just those in upper-level classes.
DIGITAL SKILLS | Implementing this strategy connects to the following digital skill(s):
CO.1: Communicate Effectively: Students practice providing feedback digitally. They have the opportunity to ask questions, voice complaints, praise a staff member, and more.
CO.7: Share Information with Others: Via these forms, students provide valuable information and insights to the program.
Use a Messaging Application for Speaking and Pronunciation Practice
Mujeres Unidas Avanzando
TAGS: #InstructionalRoutine #MobileDevice #WhatsApp #MUA
WHAT | Use a Messaging Application for Speaking and Pronunciation Practice: Students send voice messages to their instructors or classmates to complete speaking exercises, such as responding to a question, reciting vocabulary words to practice pronunciation, or to ask questions. A messaging application such as Whatsapp can be used for this so students can send and receive the messages directly from their phones.
WHY | Frequent Pronunciation Feedback: The goal of this routine is for learners to increase the time spend speaking the target language and to receive more frequent, accurate feedback from their instructors and classmates on their pronunciation. Particularly in an online classroom, the amount of time a student has to speak and practice their pronunciation can be quite limited. By sending these specific, recorded messages, students have more opportunity to speak in the target language and receive feedback from their instructor or classmates. Instructors can give more targeted feedback using this method since they can replay the recording to listen for specific sounds. Additionally, students have the opportunity to play back their own recordings and assess their own pronunciation and progress with their speaking skills.
Connected Evidence-Based Strategies | This strategy connects to the following evidence-based strategies:
Instructor accessibility: Students can send these voice messages to their instructor via Whatsapp at a time convenient for them and receive feedback when the instructor is available.
Self-monitoring: Students can play back their own recordings to listen to their pronunciation, as well as track their growth over time by listening to prior recordings.
Text chats: Most adult learners are already using Whatsapp in their personal lives and they are familiar with how to send and receive voice messages. By utilizing this software, instructors can encourage students to increase their speaking time in a comfortable setting.
HOW | WhatsApp or other similar tool: Students record and send voice messages in a messaging application, such as Whatsapp. In recording these messages, students may be responding to a direct question from their teacher, reciting a list of vocabulary words, responding to a classmate, or asking a question of their own. These voice recordings allow for the instructor and the students to to listen and respond at a time convenient for them, to listen more than one time, and to track progress over time, from recording to recording. This is a simple, effective way for the instructor to provide feedback, but also to elicit peer feedback and self-feedback.
Digital Skills | Implementing this strategy connects to the following digital skills:
CO.8 Use Messaging Tools
Whatsapp is not the only option, but it is a messaging tool that most adult learners are already familiar with, it is user-friendly, and it is free.
CO.1 Communicate Effectively
By regularly utilizing this routine with learners, they will have the opportunity to increase their speaking and listening skills, thus improving their communication and interpersonal skills in the target language.