Conversation Circles

A simple program for your ESL speaking

patrons Presented atNCompass Live March 29, 2017

Elizabeth M. Rivera

Los Alamos County Library

System

Hello!Elizabeth RiveraReference LibrarianLos Alamos County Library System

Big A Japanese mother who brought her baby in to all our baby programs requested a program to help her practice English.

Hello!

こんにちは

Language Other Than English Spoken at Home

New Mexico36%

National20.8%

Nebraska

10.3%

Source: https://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acs-22.pdf

Why do this?× Serving the underserved× Supporting lifelong learning× Building community

1.The PLanning

How we got started

The Research× What is available in the

community?× How are other places doing

this?× What is our primary audience?

What is already available?× Free ESL classes at UNM-LA

× Free one on one tutoring via Río Arriba Adult Literacy Program

How are other places doing this?× Most places are using volunteers.× The programs emphasize a relaxed

atmosphere.× Little to no focus on grammar or other

technicalities , except for what’s necessary to communicate.

The program Cost: Time× We committed to 45 min to 1 hr

sessions once a week.× Prep time varies between 5 and 20

minutes.× We wanted to use volunteers, but used

staff until we could train them.× We used volunteers from our existing

volunteer pool.

How to train volunteers?× Ask volunteers to come

observe / participate first.× Provide them with a volunteer

handbook.

Christa will be

posting a copy!

Training Manual: Highlights× Keep it casual & friendly.× Encourage equal participation.× Have backup topics & ideas.× Make sure they understand you & each

other.× Remember that intercultural

communication is more than just language.

What is our Primary target audience?× Primary caretaker for a small child

or infant, may care for older kids too

× May be in the United States only briefly

× Varying degrees of language proficiency

× Seeking both language development and social connection

Planning & Marketing for our Audience× Cross promotion strategy with other ESL programs

and youth service programs× Used the baby time room, already set up with a

“baby corral”× Planned sessions around the school calendar× Flyers & handouts that clearly welcomed kids

Flyers & Handouts

2.Things that

workedLet’s start with what went

right.

Having a clearly defined target audience× Choosing the right

time & place× Targeted marketing× Word of mouth

Riddles & Logic PuzzlesActing on an anonymous phone call, the police raid a house to arrest a suspect. They don't know what he looks like but they know his name is John and that he is inside the house. The police bust in on a carpenter, a truck driver, a mechanic and a fireman playing cards. Without hesitation or communication of any kind, they immediately arrest the fireman. How did they know which person to arrest?

The Game of ScruplesAt a restaurant you

own, you see a cook drop a lamb chop on the floor, pick it up,

wash it, reheat it and serve it on a plate.

Do you reprimand the cook?

“Would you rather. . .?”

. . . be extremely hairy or completely hairless?. . . work hard at an interesting job or relax at a boring job?. . . be the best dancer in the world or the best singer in the world?

WHY?

Get your partner to guess the word:

PANDA

Taboo Without saying any of these words:

×Bear×Black & White×China×Bamboo×Zoo

What’s Going On In This Picture?

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/column/learning-whats-going-on-in-this-picture

× Food× Places to visit in the area× Health care× What do you love about your

country of origin

Other Topics That Worked:

A great pool of volunteers× Native language

fluency in English× Experienced with

intercultural communication

× Empathy & humor

3.Things that Didn’t work

Let’s look at what could have gone better.

Working with absolute beginners×Conversation Circles cannot substitute formal learning and won’t work for people who don’t have a basic vocabulary.

The group was too big or Too Small×One morning we had about 14 people at the session, plus babies.

×Our evening sessions consistently had only 1 or 2 participants.

2 truths and a lie

4.Our Results

How did we do?

Our participants

Our Library

Honduras

México

Chile

Colombia

China

JapanTurkey

France

Bulgaria

Ecuador

Palau

39Sessions for FY 15-

16

165Total

attendanceSessions for FY 16-17 started

September 13th with a core group of attendees from last year.

26Sessions for FY 16-

17(So far. . .)

96Total

attendance

“This is a safe place where we can express our

opinions”

“It helped me to know that there are more people like me

and that I don’t need to feel

embarrassed”

“It’s a social time for us but it’s also a social time for the

kids- they can make friends and

play”

THANKS!You can email me at:elizabeth.rivera@lacnm.us