Peer Exchange and Learning

Sharing experiences, insights and ideas with peers in the adult ESOL field is invaluable. Attending meetings and conferences organized by your local TESOL branch can be very helpful. But even if your budget doesn’t allow this, sharing notes with other adult ESOL programs in the area can be extremely useful, particularly since program administration training options are limited. While you may worry that others may see you as “competition,” most program managers are willing to share information about their programs. 

Over the years, program managers in the MCAEL provider network have consistently ranked networking opportunities as one of the most valued aspects of MCAEL’s work. As a coalition, one of MCAEL’s main roles is to convene an annual series of six provider meetings, which bring together program administrators of many different types of programs together for learning opportunities and information sharing. These meetings usually focus on TESOL standard areas such as assessment, learner retention, and selection of teaching materials. More recently, at the recommendation of MCAEL’s Provider Advisory Group, meetings have also addressed topics related to supporting adult ESOL learner communities such as citizenship and immigration, and the GED. As program managers work to improve their programs from session to session, they share their learning with peers in the network, and all programs benefit and build upon each others’ work.