But it's what I want." "But it can't be done." These "buts" were part of the conversation between me, an ABE educator, and a manager who wanted an ESOL program at her hotel. The manager knew the constraints of the business situation: she could provide one hour a week for ten weeks to improve the ESOL workers' language abilities. That's all the time she would allow the workers to take off from their jobs. I knew the time needed to improve ESOL language proficiency: four hours a week for a minimum of 32 weeks, according to research.

The manager and the educator each had a very different idea about language and what it takes to learn it. To make this collaboration work, my educator's view had to shift. The moment I walked through the door of that business, I had to adopt a different view—a business view. Why? Because if we are serious about workforce development in this round of DOE-funded ABE programs, we need to understand the business viewpoint.

"What exactly do you want your employees to learn?" I asked. "Specific vocabulary and functional communication. I want better customer service and increased productivity," she answered. Her an- swer reflected the workplace language training view, not the educator's perspective, which might sound like: "I want the workers to develop the ability to internalize and use language in new situations and to become more empowered." Still, the two views do not have to be polarized.

Partnerships between businesses and educators can be successful if we change the notion of workplace partnerships to an active word: "partnering." A partnering model works because it combines the best of education methods with the best of training principles. It develops a collaborative work environment. It creates a positive and supportive atmosphere. It empowers and energizes both the business and the workers. Everyone benefits.

So, this is the partnering model that I designed, and have pilot-tested with an experienced workplace instructor, Kate Wampler.

Partnering: ESOL Work- place Communication Training
Each instructional module (one hour a week for ten weeks) is focused on one department and its needs for improving specific targeted language and vocabulary. (For example:the Housekeeping Depart- ment might want to focus on "Communication with Guests.") The workers are paid 100 percent release time during their regular working hours. The design maximizes the limited classroom instructional time and gives the reinforcement, practice and review to the managers and supervisors. It requires the closest integration of classroom instruction with the workplace environment and it is firmly rooted in learning theory. Even though it's only t10 hours, it provides relevant, focused, contextualized curriculum; a variety of interactive learning activities; plenty of review practice; reinforcement in real-life situations; continuous measurement of learning and improvement; and encouragement of confidence and accomplishment.

Before Classes Start
The instructor meets with the department supervisor/manager to plan the module. The supervisor gives the instructor the exact vocabulary, functional language, and communication patterns she wants the class participants to learn. She also shows the instructor the work site and job tasks. The instructor explains the supervisors' role in reinforcing the language after each class; gives strategies and helpful hints in communicating with limited-English speakers, and ways to informally but regularly help review the learning. The supervisor's role changes. This is the partnering dialogue‐each helping to understand and become more skillful with the others' expertise. The instructor meets with each worker individually to assess his or her language skills and needs: 15 minutes out of their work time, scheduled by the supervisor—not too disruptive. So the instructor is not spending valuable class time getting to know each student/worker.

First Class
A bilingual staff member (if the instructor is not bilingual) joins the class to obtain input from the workers about what language they need and to explain the expectations of practicing the new language on the job. She gives the participants specific strategies for learning, practice and review outside of class time to maximize the retention of the targeted language. These strategies stay with the worker/students long after the ten weeks of classes. They have been taught how to learn.

Subsequent Classes
The instructor designs the contextualized curriculum and pre- and post-test assessment with nine more discreet units. The instructor first post-tests and reviews the previous week's targeted language. This gives the worker/students immediate feedback on how well they have learned the language during the week. They compare the post-test to the pre-test scores. They become very confident and motivated with the learning success of the specific language. The teacher then pre-tests and teaches the next unit. Active Learning: ESOL Communication Training Guides is used as the model. (See citation below.)

After Each Class
After each class the instructor gives the new targeted language that has been taught to the department. This is posted. The participants are expected to practice the language with their managers, supervisors, and coworkers between classes. The managers and supervisors are required to reinforce the vocabulary and language patterns intentionally. This is the active verb—partnering—at work.

Last Class
The bilingual staff member conducts a program assessment, asking workers and supervisors: "What difference have these classes made for you and the business?" "What more is needed?" "How can we improve future classes?" A celebration, acknowledgement, and/or bonuses are a great way to wrap things up.

A partnering model works because it combines the best of education methods with the best of training principles. It develops a collaborative work environment. It creates a positive and supportive atmosphere. It empowers and energizes both the business and the workers. Everyone benefits. So, it can be done. It has been done. I invite you to do some partnering, too.