The document summarizes an English as a Second Language (ESL) program offered at Henrico County Regional Jails in collaboration with Henrico County Public Schools Adult Education. The majority of students in the program are male immigrants from Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala with 0-14 years of schooling who are employed or charged with driving/identification offenses. Retention is challenging due to factors like student release, deportation, or transfer to prison. The program utilizes peer tutors, text-to-speech software, daily writing prompts and exercises, and formative assessment of student writing progress to improve English literacy skills.

1. English as a Second Language
at Henrico County Regional Jails
A collaboration between Henrico County Public Schools Adult Education and the Henrico Sheriff’s Office
With post-its and on laptops -
based on most-missed items from
CASAS Class Competencies.
Example:
time work do What ? start you
Managed enrollment
Avg. 40 hrs. in class
Beg. Lit. – Proficient
Most Hi. Beg. reading
Male 18-50
Honduran
Salvadoran
Mexican
Guatemalan
About 1/3 indigenous
0-14 years of school
Employed
Charges:
Driving-and ID-related
Juvenile & Domestic Relations
Undocumented
Expired documents
Legal Residents
U.S. Citizens
Retention issues:
• Release
• Prison
• Deportation
• Institutional
Bilingual peer tutors
Using text to speech word
processing program, w/help of
tutor or student ≥ Hi.Int.
Instructions change daily.
Example prompt from most
missed items on CASAS Class
Competencies:
“Please sign-in with your first
initial, last name, and the time
you arrived.
Example response:
M. Rodriguez, 9:07 a.m.
Pair of current students interviews new arrivals using Oral Screening
Script, takes notes and transcribes to Word document, names and saves to
folder. Learners read paragraph aloud to class, followed by choral reading.
This is formative assessment as learners reflect on their writing progress
by viewing previous biographical intake paragraphs they wrote.
Early draft example before tutor and teacher troubleshooting:
Da new estuden name. miguel he fron es honduras have 4 .year
en USA He wana learn da hingles for find better job he read
espanish little bit no to much En Honduras he work in da farm
now work construccion go school 5 year leave .because go work
thank. u god bles u
0.1.6 Clarify or request clarification
0.2.1 Respond appropriately to common personal information questions
Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
(SL.1.A.c)
2.3.1 Interpret clock time
4.5.2 Demonstrate ability to enter information using keyboards, keypads, and other
devices
Print all upper- and lowercase letters. (L1.A.a)
Understand and use question words (interrogatives) (e.g., who, what, where, when,
why, how). (L.1.A.k)
7.2.1 Identify and paraphrase pertinent Information Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to,
and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal
simple relationships (e.g., because). (L..6.A)
7.4.2 Take notes or write a summary or an
Outline
With guidance and support focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions
from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed. (W.1.5)
7.7.2 Demonstrate basic skills in using a computer, including using common
software applications
With guidance and support, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish
writing, including in collaboration with peers. (W.1.6)
Student ≥ Hi.Int. creates Q for
class based on work/time/day
theme.
Example:
When do you get off from work?
Iterative process as learners write
and respond to Q on board,
editing each other’s writing until
all correct.
Example:
wehn you get for tha work
sontine 5:30
When you get off work
Sometime 5:30
When do you get off from work
Sometimes at 5:30
When do you get off from work?
I Usually get off work at 5:30 p.m.
(Round of applause for all)