Polytech Adult Education, Delaware

At a Glance: Polytech Adult Education, Delaware

Back in fall 2020, Polytech Adult Education (DE) encountered a problem faced by countless education institutions across the world – how to deliver reliable online instruction during pandemic lockdowns. Then they found Off2Class. 

“We had to find a better way,” said Maryanne Grau, ESL Coordinator at Polytech, “When we found Off2Class, it met all our criteria.”

Polytech Adult Education (Polytech), located in Woodside, Delaware, offers General Educational Development Test (GED) preparation, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs, and trades and career training in an environment conducive to adult learners. More than 2000 learners benefit from Polytech’s robust training programs annually – of which 341 enrolled in ESL/ABE programs in the 2021 financial year.

“It’s just amazing what some exposure, language, and confidence can do for our students of all ages,” said Grau, “there’s a place for everyone here.”

Many Polytech adult learners are newcomers from Latin America or the Caribbean, striving to advance their English skills for two main reasons: career and family. 

“They realize that with more language comes more [job] opportunities for them,” said Grau. Polytech also partners with several school districts in the state to encourage parents of newcomer kids to attend their program. This allows school teachers to communicate with newcomer families.

Challenges for the English Program at Polytech Adult Education

1. Online Instruction

Before COVID-19, Polytech had used books to teach ESL English. When the pandemic hit in 2020, effectively teaching with books through online instruction posed a significant challenge. “We were all on Zoom in the fall of 2020, and that was really hard to do with English Language Learners,” said Cecilia Robinson, ESL Beginning Instructor. At this time, Polytech began sourcing the internet for programs that fit their criteria.

2. Empowering Teachers

Most Polytech Adult Education classes are held outside the work day, meaning Polytech ESL instructors also work a job during the day.

“They were being bombarded all day with new platforms and all these new things that they needed to learn, so we needed something that was easy,” said Grau. “Something that offered support from the product.”

3. Ease of Use for Students

Steady internet and accessibility were also major pain points for students. Many students either didn’t have access to wireless connectivity at home or were not proficient in computers. Hence, when choosing a platform of instruction for their ESL program, Grau and her team set their sights that would serve the students. First and foremost, the product needed to be phone-friendly, which students could utilize in a community setting outside the home. Secondly, the product should be easy to understand for less tech-savvy students.

4. Finding Suitable Materials for Adult Learners

“You will lose an adult student if it is not engaging – they’ve been working all day long,” said Grau. While on the hunt for a new platform, Grau encountered many learning materials aimed at K through 12 students. However, she and her team recognized the importance of material relevant to adult learners. Material which grabbed their attention, and connected with them on an everyday basis.

The Off2Class Solution at Polytech Adult Education

Since integrating Off2Class into their program, Polytech Adult Education has seen level improvement across students of all age groups. Just this summer, Grau said they have seen “a low beginner class that has now either completed or quickly moved on to an intermediate class, with the help of Off2Class.” 

Through catering ESL classes to each student’s language needs, the Polytech team has seen success across various age groups. This ranged from 67-year-old man working towards his high school diploma to an 87-year-old woman learning English, for the very first time, to connect with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

1. Comprehensive support and easy implementation for teachers

Designed and effectively run with a teacher-centered approach, Off2Class continuously innovates to adapt to the everyday challenges and needs of ESL education. This begins right from onboarding.

“Right from the onset with Chris, he’s like, ‘What can I do, we have this training and this training, some can meet here and some can meet there,” said Grau, “and it’s just been very flexible in terms of support.”

(Chris is an English Tutor and the Head of Customer Support and Community at Off2Class. He provides guidance to ESL educators via our online community, on our Youtube channel, and through the app platform)

With this additional support, Polytech hired seven new teachers for their program this year.

“Using Off2Class as a framework is not intimidating and gives them [teachers] a starting point,” said Grau. “Their prep is less in terms of figuring out where they’re going.” 

2. Age-appropriate content for adult learners

Individualized assessment assignments and topics created with the adult learner in mind offer appropriate materials for older age groups, no matter their English level.

“There’s a lot of K through 12 material out there for an ELL, but to find something that is more adult-based, real photos, content that is relevant to an adult – Off2Class hit all of those marks,” said Grau.

Just in the past two years, Robinson has seen the positive results of age-appropriate content in her very own classroom.

“I like using Off2Class [with adults] because the pictures they [students] see [in the lessons] are adults,” said Robinson. “They have real jobs, and they’re in real places, and they’re having meaningful conversations. And we can bounce off those [in class].”

3. An all-inclusive platform

Off2Class is a tool that combines over 1000 teacher-led ESL lessons with a student management system, homework, placement test, and games. These five functions are typically disparate across an ELL district team and offer districts and organizations a cohesive user experience.

Robinson was impressed with the nuts and bolts that comprise the digital platform: reading and writing, lesson plans, homework, interactive feedback, and more. “I like the piece that has all of the components,” said Robinson. “The listening, the speaking, the reading, the writing – and then you can enhance it any way you want.”

Off2Class’ interactive platform also allows teachers to track student progress and provide valuable feedback instantly. “For homework, they [the students] see it, they do it, I check it, and I send messages to them,” Robinson added, “and I like the fact that it’s all within the system and they benefit from our comments.”

4. Data collection helps grow the program on an administrative level

From the start, Grau recognized the importance of centering the program around Polytech’s core mission to empower students with the confidence and language skills that creates opportunities for them. “Learning English opens up the door for every single possibility that there is,” said Grau. “Education is there if you are committed and able to do it.” 

Off2Class is an effective choice because it also collects data that helps administrators understand how a program or a class interfaces with teachers and students. “One of the things I like about Off2Class is being able to look at the data,” said Grau. “This shows how often a teacher is using it, how often students are using it, if they’re doing their homework, if the teacher is looking at the homework. It helps drive instruction and our program is growing and we have 14 teachers now.”

Collaboration is key to supporting English Learners

ELLs represent the fastest-growing student population. Off2Class makes it easy for districts to rapidly adjust to changing student numbers and quickly spin-up supplemental programs to position newcomer students for success.

For this reason, our expert team can help you design a personalized Off2Class system that will empower your teachers and match the needs of the learners in your district. We can also advise on federal funding options. Book a consultation with our friendly advisors.