The Introduction to Curriculum Frameworks and Curriculum Development is a 12-15 hour mini-course developed by SABES and designed for delivery to teams of ABE teachers or programs as a whole. This training model used by the Curriculum and Assessment Coordinators (CACs) incorporates program and practitioner needs into a rigorous multi-session training to help integrate new skills into practice. We accomplish our investigation of needs through surveys with the field, workshop evaluations, technical assistance requests, workshop pre-assessment questionnaires from participants and input from program directors and Adult and Community Learning Services at the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Multi-Session Training Model
A multi-session training model was designed in part because research has indicated that "the greater the amount of time that teachers attend [training].the more they learn on the topic of the professional development." (Smith, Hofer 2002 Pgs 5-6). Participants apply new skills in the training session as well as to project work between sessions. Curriculum development requires team-based, on-going collaboration and full program participation. This three-part training provides an intensive introduction to the Massachusetts ABE curriculum frameworks and provides the skills to develop good curriculum. The focus of the training is to supply participants with the tools to help them define "curriculum" and to identify and understand specific components of the curriculum frameworks documents such as habits of mind, guiding principles, core concepts, and the strands and standards of each of the frameworks. Participants will also be able to describe elements in the curriculum development process; develop a curriculum unit or lesson plan that incorporates learner goals and assessments, and to articulate how they plan to use what they've learned in their practice.

The process employed by SABES to deliver this training promotes a true change in practice. To ensure success, we have discovered that it is essential to:

• introduce new information or skills in a hands-on format;
• provide opportunities for practice, both in the training session and in the classroom, and
• establish a collegial atmosphere where participants receive constructive feedback from experienced SABES staff as well as peers.

Prior to the first day of training, a required reading assignment is mailed to participants: a pre-assessment and the Common Chapter of the frameworks. This pre-reading assignment provides a platform on which to build or scaffold the skills and knowledge they will acquire through the mini-course. Participants spend a significant amount of time during the first session perusing the curriculum frameworks. From the initial activity where participants are asked to summarize their experience with and knowledge of the frameworks until the very end of the training, the curriculum frameworks documents are explored and used so practitioners will have more familiarity with them by the end of the training.

Several curriculum development activities are designed to make sure that the wants and needs of our ABE/ESOL learners are always in the foreground, since we consider students' needs an integral feature of curriculum development. We focus on:

• goal setting in the classroom;
• expertise needed to break goals down into teachable skills;
• connecting those skills to the frameworks and proficiency levels.

Learner goals and assessment, along with curriculum frameworks, form a circular path for ongoing curriculum development. Practitioners are then introduced to thematic unit planning as a component of curriculum development.

Participants are expected to do a small curriculum development project, as well as a substantial reflective piece on the process using the frameworks. A preliminary draft of the project is due on the second session. During this second session, participants receive constructive feedback from peers and facilitators on the work they have done through the use of a rubric developed specifically for this training. Participants are asked to incorporate feedback into the final project and to share their project and documentation during the final session.

"Just as adult learners benefit from the support of other learners" (Keegan et al., 2001), "Teachers greatly value and learn from colleagues—and want feedback from—those [who] have knowledge of the craft of teaching" (Smith, Hofer, 2002, page 7).

Practitioners also participate in discussions on the use of assessment in the curriculum development process and are asked to incorporate feedback into the final project. Participants will share their project and documentation during the final session.

We have anecdotal evidence of the success of our approach based on our follow-up interviews with participants. One practitioner noted that she is "much more aware of pinpointing skills within the content areas of the frameworks," and she has incorporated the use of rubrics into her assessments. In the six-month follow up one participant reports that his program has begun monthly curriculum development meetings among all the teachers. Because they all participated in the training they "understand what each other is referring to when using the common language of the frameworks" and have developed a means for an ongoing dialogue around curriculum development in their program. In addition, they have been able to develop curriculum for various skill levels in the same content areas using a thematic approach to curriculum development. Another teacher reports that she is adjusting the plans she used last year by dialoging with her colleagues and using common themes to develop new content to teach skills. She further reports that the lesson plan format that her program uses "has been changed to include a reflection piece and habits of mind."

Several components in this research-based training model foster successful staff development, including team-based collaboration; multi-session content exploration; project development with feedback; application to practice, and follow-up on action plans to evaluate the impact of the training on both staff and ultimately learners. From the very beginning and throughout the training, participants are encouraged to engage in a reflective process that continues beyond the end of the training sessions. "Reflection and action are integral to the process of teacher growth and renewal" (Smith, Rose, 2002, page 15). In our experience, these components foster effective practices that bring about positive change in individual and program practice.

References

Smith, Christine and Hofer, Judy (June 2002). "Pathways to Change: A Summary of Findings from NCSALL's Staff Development Study." Focus On Basics.

Smith M., Cecil and Rose, A. D. (June 2002). "Using a Learning Organization Approach to Enhance ABE Teacher's Professional Development." Focus On Basics.

Kegan, R. and The Adult Development Research Group (2001). "Toward a New Pluralism in ABE/ESOL Classrooms: Teaching to Multiple 'Cultures of Mind'." NCSALL Reports #19a. Boston, MA: NCSALL.

Annemarie Espindola is the associate coordiantor/curriculum and assessment coordinator for Southeast SABES. She can be reached at: aespindo@bristol.mass.edu

Merilee Freeman is the curriculum assessment coordinator for Central SABES. She can be reached at: mfreeman@qcc.mass.edu

Janet Fischer is the associate coordinator/curriculum and assessment coordinator/ESOL specialist at Northeast SABES. She can be reached at: jfischer@necc.mass.edu