From: "Kennedy, Sheila" <s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**UCSD.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] English learners in Lab
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2019 23:38:53 +0000
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: CO2PR04MB23417CD87ADEFFE7BCB15C3995720**At_Symbol_Here**CO2PR04MB2341.namprd04.prod.outlook.com


We give a lab safety exam for incoming students in General CHEM & other introductory lab courses.

One of the groups who has trouble passing the exam has historically been second language learners. We have figured that anyone who couldn’t handle the safety exam would have trouble reading/understanding warnings and was not ready to take a lab course.

 

I don’t know how this fits into your program, but it has been a good filter for us.

 

Sheila Kennedy, CHO,

...until April 1, Safety Coordinator

Teaching Laboratories

Chemistry & Biochemistry | UC San Diego

La Jolla, CA 92093-0303 | 858-534-0221

 

After that, I’ll be lost in the pathways of retirement…

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> On Behalf Of Pam
Sent: Tuesday, March 5, 2019 3:19 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] English in Lab

 

I was wondering if anyone might help me with this issue. I have a number of English language learners in my classes. Recently there was a near miss accident that was in part due to the student not understanding me and me not being able to catch the issue as their conversation in lab is not in a language I understand. 

 

I want the class to be inclusive but it is hard monitor issues when the conversations among students are not in English.

 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to handle this?

 

Thanks

 

Pamela Auburn, PhD

2041 Branard

Houston TX 77098

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