A one semester course for adults who want to enhance their basic writing skills is guaranteed to help you:
- write with greater accuracy, clarity, and style, and
- improve your ability to listen, speak, and read.
The pen is mightier than the sword.
Professional Staff
Ernestine W. Johnson, Lead Instructor, is a recognized professional authority in Adult Education and a Family Literacy Consultant. She has more than 30 years of experience in managing, training, and teaching adult education and literacy development.
Professional consultants who have been trained in the Empowerment Inc. writing enhancement model will help to create a positive, nurturing, and collaborative learning environment for participants.
All professional staff associated with Empowerment, Inc. have degrees in education or related fields.
The Course
During the first session of the course, participants are pre-tested after every 50 hours of instruction. They submit an initial 100-word writing sample, and a 200-word essay monthly, thereafter. All essay assignments are work-related, and are used as class content.
Student-centered instruction is an integral part of this course and is directly related to the participants' needs and interests. Participants are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning in and outside of the classroom.
Writing is primarily the creation of text for a particular purpose and audience. The course includes writing sub-skills and editing skills like handwriting, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
The course also places a great deal of emphasis on listening, speaking, and reading skills as they relate to the writing process. Since each of these communications components reinforces the others, the participants are expected to improve in their overall communication skills.
The course is approved by the New Jersey Department of Education and Continuing Educational Units (CEU) are available to participants.
"...As I was writing my lession plans this week, I looked over my previous plans and saw the mistakes I made. I was not writing complete sentences because it was easier and quicker to do it that way. I made a decision to write whatever I have to write correctly no matter how long, or what it takes."
J. Fields
Teacher
"I am more confident when I write my monthly report, and alert when I speak to others. My improved communications skills help me in my job as Parent Coordinator and union organizer. I plan to take on the new challenge of running for the Board of Education Advocacy Board representing all SIEU members. The WSEC is the best."
R. Maldonado
Parent Coordinator
J. Fields
Teacher
"I am more confident when I write my monthly report, and alert when I speak to others. My improved communications skills help me in my job as Parent Coordinator and union organizer. I plan to take on the new challenge of running for the Board of Education Advocacy Board representing all SIEU members. The WSEC is the best."
R. Maldonado
Parent Coordinator
Principal Instructor
Ernestine W. Johnson is the principal instructor at Empowerment, Inc. with over 30 years experience in providing services in basic literacy and English As a Second Language Instruction, and train-the-trainer. Ms. Johnson provides consultant and training services to several service corporations throughout Newark and greater Essex County. She worked for 9 years as Adult Education/Family Literacy Manager for Newark Preschool Council, Inc., the largest Head Start program in New Jersey, and the 27th largest in the country. She has presented literacy development workshops in local, state, and national adult education & family literacy conferences, as well as taught writing enhancement skills to over 120 employees in Head Start during the past few years. Ms. Johnson was presented the Literacy Partnership Award by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1993, for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of literacy in her community.
Course Results
Participants will acknowledge an improvement in their ability to organize and write their required workplace letters, memos, and reports with clarity within the first 36 hours of instruction.
Participants will report improved self-confidence in writing work-related requirements, including term papers, special service agreements, progress notes, lesson plans, anecdotal observations, memos, logging activities, monthly reports, corrective action plans, proposals, etc.
Participants will report an increased ability to effecively speak to others in a clear and precise manner. This aspect of the instruction is specifically designed for adults who use colloquial conversational English, which is unsuitable in formal or business settings.
Participants will become positive role models for co-workers, their children, family members, and friends.
Participants will become more self-confident in their own abilities to achieve higher standards in improving job opportunities, or enrolling in college courses resulting from the motivational teaching.
Participants will acknowledge an improvement in their ability to organize and write their required workplace letters, memos, and reports with clarity within the first 36 hours of instruction.
Participants will report improved self-confidence in writing work-related requirements, including term papers, special service agreements, progress notes, lesson plans, anecdotal observations, memos, logging activities, monthly reports, corrective action plans, proposals, etc.
Participants will report an increased ability to effecively speak to others in a clear and precise manner. This aspect of the instruction is specifically designed for adults who use colloquial conversational English, which is unsuitable in formal or business settings.
Participants will become positive role models for co-workers, their children, family members, and friends.
Participants will become more self-confident in their own abilities to achieve higher standards in improving job opportunities, or enrolling in college courses resulting from the motivational teaching.
No one knows how high you can soar until you spread your wings.
Student Opinions of The Course
"This class helped me to write my observations on the children in a more professional way. I listen carefully to the children, and when they say things incorrectly, I am able to model the words correctly and have them repeat them. The class has changed the way I think, speak, and write; I think about what I am going to say before I say it now. This class has given me the integrity and self-determination to go back to college."
N. Peaks
Special Assistant