From Classroom to Computer Screen: NWLP Software. A Set of Computerized Garment-Related Bilingual (English and Chinese) Literacy Lessons.

This document describes how National Workplace Literacy Program (NWLP) software was developed for Chinese garment workers in New York City. First, it discusses the goal of the workplace literacy program and the nature of the population served. Then, it indicates how NWLP software was designed to supplement the NWLP curriculum and to reinforce the classroom instruction. The program consisted of three 18-week cycles. Each cycle comprised of 50 hours of classroom instruction in garment-related English and English as a Second Language. Because there are limited garment-related teaching materials designed for teaching second-language speakers, the program had to adopt, tailor, and create teaching materials to meet the needs of the target population. Lesson plans include the following: (1) job titles and job descriptions; (2) men's and women's clothing; (3) seasonal clothing; (4) different parts of a garment; (5) measurement and size; and (6) safety at work (signs). On the average, each lesson consists of 35 computer screens and takes about 45 minutes for the participants to finish. Each lesson contains garment technologies, reading materials, self-test questions and self-scoring. An analysis of the original curriculum was made and a set of computerized garment-related bilingual lessons directly printed out from the computer are attached. Computer system requirement, configuration, and software installation procedures are included. (JL) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)