online - Dona Ana Community College - New Mexico State University

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Noncredit Programs
D O Ñ A A N A C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E
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Adult Basic Education
A winner of two awards from the U.S. Secretary of Education in
1985 and 1992 and recognized as the New Mexico Adult Education
Association Program of the Year in 1993 and 2000, this program
offers adults the opportunity to begin and/or complete a basic
education through the twelfth grade. It also provides a variety of
educational programs that can help you achieve your goals. A basic
education will improve your opportunities for obtaining or retaining
employment or going to college and can provide you with a sense
of accomplishment.
Included in the adult basic education instructional programs are
basic literacy, English as a second language (at various levels), GED
(High School Equivalency Diploma), U.S. citizenship, computer
literacy, practical living skills and work readiness. Student-support
services, which promote student success, include assessment, student
orientations, self-paced studies, advising and referral services,
student success skills, and help from tutors on an individual and
small-group basis. In addition, classes are offered each semester.
There are no charges or fees for ABE classes, services, or textbooks.
At each learning center, textbooks may also be checked out for
home-study.
Free, Noncredit Instructional Programs
GED-HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY. If you are 16 years of age or
older and do not have a high school diploma, you can attend a
GED class or any adult learning center in preparation to successfully
pass the mathematics, reading, writing, social studies, and science
high school equivalency tests. Sixteen-year-old students are
accepted into the program with an official withdrawal notice from
the public schools. Workbooks for additional study may be checked
out.at each center. Upon completion, you will be awarded a New
Mexico High School Diploma. You can become one of the hundreds
of adults in southern New Mexico who earn a high school diploma
each year through Adult Basic Education. Each May GED graduates
are invited to participate in the DACC commencement ceremony
and also are assisted with college enrollment as desired. The GED
is also taught in Spanish and also offers intensive mini-mesters and
for advanced GED students, a fast track program. GED graduates are
encouraged to continue on to college.
ESL—ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. Our English program helps
improve English language abilities for nonnative speakers. Students
will be pre-tested in order to be placed at the appropriate level. They
learn reading, writing, and conversation skills while also increasing
listening comprehension, building vocabulary, and enhancing life
skills. Videos, cassettes, computer programs, and small group instruction
are available at each center to support leaning. Workbooks
for additional study may be checked out.
U.S. CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION. Those eligible to become U.S. citizens
can receive help to pass the citizenship test. Knowledgeable
instructors teach U.S. history, government, citizens’ rights, duties
and responsibilities, requirements for U.S. citizenship, civic participation,
basic reading and writing, and conversational English. They
also provide practice testing. At the centers, citizenship workbooks,
sample questions, U.S. CIS application forms, and information about
U.S. citizenship are provided. Citizenship application workshops
are offered occasionally. Depending on need, classes also may be
taught in Spanish for those who qualify to interview in Spanish.
COMPUTER LITERACY. To be eligible to take this class, students must
be enrolled in at least one other ABE class, such as GED or ESL
(levels 4-6). Computing classes include basic keyboarding, how to
format a diskette, how to create, save, edit, and retrieve documents,
and much more. Students will gain confidence working with a computer
in preparation for college or employment.
Reading Improvement Program for Adults:
Literacy Volunteers of Doña Ana County
It is estimated that 30 percent of the adult residents of Doña Ana
County have less than a twelfth-grade education. Literacy Volunteers
of Doña Ana County, in alliance with ABE and the New Mexico Coalition
for Literacy, is a program that gives adults an opportunity to
learn basic reading, writing, and numeracy through the sixth-grade
level. Trained volunteers are matched with students most in need on
a one-to-one or small-group basis. The program also offers opportunities
for free tutoring at other locations.
All student information and records are regarded as highly confidential.
Those interested in volunteering to teach, or in referring
someone for help with reading, are encouraged to call 527-7544.
Literacy volunteer tutors generally are available at all learning center
locations.
Enrollment in the Classes
Beginning each fall, spring and summer session, classes are offered
in English as a Second Language, General Education Development
(GED) for a high school diploma (offered in English and Spanish),
U.S. Citizenship, Practical Living Skills, and Computer Literacy. Both
intensive and regular classes meet at Doña Ana Community College
and at several other locations throughout Doña Ana County. Students
must first be pre-tested at the nearest Learning Center in order to be
placed in classes according to learning level and need. No exceptions
will be made. Aside from learning center locations, classes also
are offered in outlying communities throughout Doña Ana County.
Pre-registration starts one month prior to the beginning of each
semester. Students can also register in the classroom during the first
three weeks of class. Students are required to complete pre-assessment
at any learning center prior to enrolling in a class. Although
college credit is not given for Adult Basic Education classes, students
receive the Doña Ana Community College Adult Basic Education
Certificate of Attendance, upon completing a class. Students
passing the post test receive a certificate of level gain or program
completion. Semesters are ten to thirteen weeks in length. Letter
grades are not given and no student fails.
Tutoring Services
Doña Ana Community College has four adult learning centers offering
students individualized tutoring, small group instruction, and
self-paced instruction to supplement classroom instruction, or as an
alternative to the ABE classroom program.