Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> 3 <br /> Hispanic population in San Marcos has been difficult to reach <br /> through traditional library services it is likely that the <br /> ESL population has been even more difficult to reach, <br /> Statistics from the library's Lifelong Learning Project <br /> show that the demand for adult tutoring services by the ESL <br /> community is very high. For example, in November 1988 <br /> the project provided over 600 hours of tutoring to 68 adults. <br /> 60% of the tutoring provided was for English as a second <br /> language, 33% was for GED preparation and 7% was in basic <br /> literacy. 84% of the students who attended the tutoring <br /> sessions were Hispanic. <br /> Demand for our tutoring services has grown dramatically <br /> since we began receiving LSCA funding for our project, In <br /> the first five months FY 1988-89, we have experienced a 275% <br /> increase over hours of instruction provided for the <br /> equivalent period in 1987, We attribute this growth to <br /> increased public awareness of our program and improvements in <br /> our ability to provide these services, We want to build on <br /> this success and expand our services to the ESL community by <br /> obtaining a third year of LSCA funding for the Lifelong <br /> Learning Project. <br /> Students in our tutoring program who come from the ESL <br /> community have differing needs, abilities, and short term <br /> goals. However, nearly all of them have the same long term <br /> goal: to improve their English language skills and obtain the <br /> educational credentials necessary to gain employment <br /> sufficient to provide security and a better standard of <br /> living for themselves and their families, <br /> It is the goal of the library's Lifelong Learning Project to <br /> assess the needs and abilities of its students and to help <br /> them reach their goals through a combination of in-house <br /> services and appropriate referrals. In order to accomplish <br /> this we plan to expand the job description of our Project <br /> Coordinator to include the role of resource person for the <br /> ESL community. He will work individually with each student <br /> in the formulation of short and long term goals and guide the <br /> student in achieving those goals. <br /> In addition we intend to expand our GED tutoring program to <br /> encourage ESL students to make the transition to GED <br /> preparation. Specifically, we intend to have a tutor <br /> training workshop which will focus on special problems <br /> encountered by ESL clients when preparing for the GED exam, <br /> Finally, we will establish a Job Information Center (JIC) as <br /> part of the Lifelong Learning Collection, Historically, the <br /> English as a second language population has been at a <br /> disadvantage in the local job market, Their lack of <br /> proficiency in English has been a disability in the <br /> development of job search skills such as resume writing and <br />