Professional Development
Integrating the Library into a Family Literacy Program (Conference 2010)
A library component integrated into a family literacy program enhances the four required program components of adult education, child education, parenting and Parent and Child Together activities (PACT). We integrate five components offering new literacy experiences for our ESL and ABE/GED families. The program integrates weekly pre-k child education, a weekly PACT theme based on prekindergarten readiness skills, and a weekly children’s library time. The weekly adult library sessions integrate into the adult education and parenting components. All is completed during six hours a week for both parents and children at local libraries.
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STAR Training
The National STAR Training Network (NSTN) offers training and technical assistance packages that:
increase teachers' knowledge and use of evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI); and
improve the capacity of adult education systems to support EBRI.
NSTN leverages the skills and knowledge of an expert team to deliver:
training institutes;
onsite technical assistance; and
online technical assistance.
States that have completed a full cycle of STAR training can enroll trainers in the National STAR Trainer Certification process. States will have the opportunity to develop certified trainers equipped to provide STAR training and technical assistance.
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Web Tools for Administrators (Conference 2010)
Gain working definitions of Web 2.0
Learn about blogs for administrators
Determine when to use a Wiki
Learn about online tools and documents
Utilize social networking tools
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Health Savvy (Conference 2010)
Health Savvy is a framework for using the resources of adult education to address key areas relevant to improved health literacy in both ABE/ASE and ESL classes. The focus of Health Savvy is to promote students’ awareness of health issues and individuals’ role in their own health, with primary attention to wellness and critical thinking/decision making. Empowerment -- to stay well, make appropriate use of the health care system in the U.S. for both preventive and sick care, and recognize and overcome barriers in the health context -- is the goal of the framework. The framework is a demonstration project funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health and carried out in cooperation with Health Literacy Missouri. Evaluation of the project includes both student assessments and teacher reporting.
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ProLiteracy Has Three Free Online Courses
With support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, ProLiteracy is offering field-tested strategies that can be adapted to a program's accountability needs. This is a three-part series of self-paced online courses. The courses are described below. You can access these courses here:
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Mile Wide, Inch Deep, No More (Conference 2010)
Kentucky's changing approach to professional development
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Adolescent Literacy and Technology (Conference 2010)
Adolescent literacy has emerged in the past decade as a unique focus of literacy development with specific concerns and practices. The topic has attracted the attention of educators, service providers, researchers, and policymakers alike as a key to ensure that youth have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in 21st century postsecondary education and the workplace. Researchers have documented what works and best approaches for reading and content area instruction for secondary youth and returning young adults.
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Changing the Odds (Conference 2010)
Informing policy with research on how adult learners succeed.
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Webinars and Distance Learning (Conference 2010)
Learning together: Using webinars to build a community of distance learners.
“Managing” distance learning integration: Using a managed instruction approach for distance learning.
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Maine's Adult Education Association's website portal project (Conference 2010)
Learn how Maine launched a website network for its 100+ programs. The project has increased awareness of adult education in the state and features online course and program searches. In this presentation, learn how Maine accomplished this and how a website network can work for your system
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Supporting Emergent Literacy for English Language Learners (Conference 2010)
This workshop discusses ways to improve the English literacy of parents and support the literacy development and academic success of their children.
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Volunteer Literacy Program Improvement (Conference 2010)
This presentation demonstrates that standards for all learning modalities serve as effective tools for volunteers to foster confident, competent tutoring of adult learners. Student goal-setting and progress toward transitions into higher education, better jobs, and the attainment of life-long learning goals is made transparent. Volunteer tutors request practical teaching tools. Learning standards, our user-friendly web page, and the Student Progress Report developed by our staff foster success. Complete standards for reading, writing, listening, and speaking for all levels of ESL are currently available to our tutors at www.kitsapliteracy.org.
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Coalitions as Hubs for Professional Development (Conference 2010)
Despite substantial efforts in service provision and resource development, adult literacy programs struggle to meet the increasing need for high-quality instruction. Literacy Coalitions address this need by providing centralized professional development for the network of service providers in their communities.
Coalitions that provide low-cost, evidence-based training and teaching resources can optimize the scale and impact of services. By centralizing training, and fostering a collaborative professional learning community, Coalitions ensure the more efficient and effective use of staff and organizational resources—often the most important role a Coalition can play.
This workshop provides two models of how coalitions in Texas and Maryland have organized their diverse networks and leveraged the necessary resources to implement wide-scale professional development programs.
Toolkit items:
1. Presentation Handout
2. Matrix of Professional Development Modes and Modalities
3. Evaluation Tools – Logic Models and Sample Surveys
4. Instructor Career Lattice
5. Evaluation Tools
6. MCAEL Institute for Professional Development Flyer
7. Sample Grant
8. LCCT Training of Trainers – Overview
9. Oregon Program Quality Standards introduction
10. MCAEL Teacher Toolkit (available at http://www.mcael.org/FCKEditor/File/MCAEL%20Teacher%20Toolkit.pdf)
11. Framework for Quality Professional Development for Practitioners Working with Adult English Language Learners (available at http://www.cal.org/caelanetwork/profdev/framework/index.html)
Additional Resources:
- Download “Coalitions as Hubs Summary Handout”
- Download “2. Matrix of PD Audience and Modalities”
- Download “Guskey's 5 Levels of PD Evaluation”
- Download “MCAEL Program Logic”
- Download “MCAEL PD Logic”
- Download “Logic Model Literacy Advancement”
- Download “Volunteer Survey”
- Download “Instructor Career Lattice”
- Download “Sample Grant”
- Download “LCCT Training of Trainers”
- Download “Oregon's Indicators”
- Download “Coalitions as Hubs”
- Download “Instructor Survey”
- Download “MCAEL Post Training”
- Download “Post Training Provider Survey”
- Download “ESL Student Focus Group”
- Download “ESL Instructor Focus Group”
- Download “Instructor Focus Group Report”
- Download “PD Fall Flyer”
You Too Can Implement Fast-Track GED (Conference 2010)
GED Express Fast-Track GED Programming at Kishwaukee College
Success-based: utilizes past knowledge and experience of what works and what doesn’t work
Student-centered: incorporates elements of student accountability and responsibility
Team-driven: relies upon a team of staff members who have all caught the vision of the program
Well-structured: identifies structures and processes supported by clearly defined reasons; streamlined
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Adult Transitions Curriculum: A UDL Project (Conference 2010)
With funding from the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities, CASAS, a not-for-profit research organization in assessment and curriculum management, has developed Adult Transitions Curriculum modules targeting youth and adults with low-level literacy skills in transition to community settings and postsecondary education. The modules follow principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and provide roadmaps for multi-skill levels as well as multi- and differentiated instructional strategies and materials. This session explained how this no-cost online Web delivery model was developed, its UDL features, and how to access the modules.
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Literacy Programs - Collaborating for Success (Conference 2010)
Four geographically-adjacent literacy organizations formed The Literacy For Adults Partnership to improve volunteer recruitment and increase awareness of literacy in their 80 suburban communities. Since 2005, they have received funding to conduct research, develop a common visual identity and messaging, and launch a media campaign to recruit volunteers. Their priority was to recruit enough volunteer tutors to serve the increasing number of learners on their waiting lists. They hope it will strengthen their organizations and their ability to raise more funds in the long term. The presenters will describe the resources, steps, strategies, challenges, and benefits of the collaboration.
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Bringing Numeracy to You! (Conference 2010)
We're bringing numeracy to you. How? Find out about new online courses you can use as professional development to build your skills in teaching math concepts that prepare your low level students for working with GED level materials.
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FREE! LINCS Resources and Trainings (Conference 2010)
The National Institute for Literacy has free publications, trainings, and online resources to enrich your programs. The session will highlight publications for educators related to reading and using research. Online LINCS resources will be demonstrated. Participants will receive copies of some Institute publications. Come and meet the LINCS staff!
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Understanding and Applying Research in the Classroom (Conference 2010)
Are you willing to seek out information and use what we know from research when making instructional decisions? What is your stance toward research? How do you recognize effective research? We’ll explore these questions and share online resources for understanding and using research in this session.
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Sure-Shot Recipe for Tech Integration Training (Conference 2010)
The goal of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative is to transform teaching using project based, constructivist, inquiry-based methods and strategies powered by technology to improve student engagement and student products.
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Building a Bridge To Manufacturing Together (Conference 2010)
The presenters discuss the collaboration among Township High School District 214, Harper College, local business partners, and Illinois wokNet Center to develop and implement an ABE/GED and ESL "bridge to career pathways in manufacturing" program using contextualized curricula in reading/writing, math, and employment skills.
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Building Bridges and Supporting Transitions to College Success (Conference 2010)
The presentation featured two successful models:
a contextualized healthcare career bridge partnership with a community organization, an adult education department, and a continuing education department that has achieved a 90% completion rate, and
a college transition program that provides transition advisement and tuition waivers that support college success for both GED and ESL students.
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Transitional Jobs and Adult Education (Conference 2010)
Learn how to make critical partnerships to help the hard-to-employ get and keep jobs.
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Warning: Video Will Make Your Classes Exciting (Conference 2010)
With technology at every turn, how do you determine the best use for your students? In this interactive session we shared tools to help determine your students’ learning styles and find tools to meet their needs. We especially looked at tools for the visual learner.
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Theory-Based Multi-Tier Adult Education (Conference 2010)
Each of the 3 tiers is discussed from theoretical basis to implementation, focusing on engaging volunteers. This cost-effective program model is being piloted by a coalition of 6 faith-based non-profits in Cleveland, Ohio called the Learning for Life Program.
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What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Teachers Knew (Comference 2010)
This session will give you an opportunity to listen to video-taped testimonials of ABE students with various disabilities. Participants will gain useful information about different types of disabilities (including stroke, TBI, LD, and ADHD), common symptoms, resources, and instructional strategies to implement in the classroom.
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Accessing Stimulus Funding (Conference 2010)
Learn how to access stimulus funding for your program. Please note the following context for the handouts:
“sfsf_application” is Maine’s Phase 1 State Stabilization Funding Application – reference page 5 that includes Adult Education and Family Literacy as one of the 5 funding categories schools could use their ARRA funding towards. “ARRA-How to Include Adult Ed Fam Lit & IDEA” were ideas sent to school districts to use their funding to support adult ed for family literacy activities and IDEA services – “adult ed Q” was the supporting document that then went to schools on how to serve adult ed students through IDEA.
“Goodwill Services RFP” is the ARRA RFP issued by the Local Workforce Investment Board specifically for adult ed services and “LWIB4-ARRA Awards” is what was awarded. They were so impressed with the quality of requests, they awarded $25,000 more than was originally set aside.
“MOA CommCol” and “MOAUniversity” were the Memoranda of Agreement signed between adult education and our post-secondary systems to support a bridge program through adult ed to prepare students who complete ABE for college and assist with their transition into college.
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Incorporating Health Literacy Into ABE/ESOL Instruction (Conference 2010)
Learn ways to include a highly motivating and relevant component - health literacy – into your ABE/ESOL instruction. What exactly is health literacy? How can health literacy be assessed? We’ll explore these questions and demonstrate how to incorporate health literacy into your current curriculum, measuring both qualitative and quantitative progress.
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Select Bibliography for Adult Education (Conference 2010)
Critical thinking and dialogue are key components of the doctoral study, and so it is appropriate to review key distinctions between master-level study and doctoral-level. Keeping these distinctions in mind as you proceed will help guide your thinking as well as your processes.
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Integrated ELL/CNA Bridge Program (Conference 2010)
Learn about the successful ELL/CNA Bridge program at Northcentral Technical College which contextualizes English Language Learning (ELL) within the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. Carefully designed learning plans, team teaching and a concurrent, supportive ELL course enhance student success by increasing content knowledge, vocabulary and communication and study skills.
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Working Health Literacy Into Tutoring (Conference 2010)
Wisconsin Literacy Inc. presented a workshop on ways to work health literacy into tutoring
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Our Tutors Are Stars (Conference 2010)
This session explored how a volunteer literacy program can enhance an adult education program.
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Limited Budgets, Limited Resources (Conference 2010)
Equipping every conference participant with the knowledge needed to establish creative systems that will provide an avenue for adult educators to teach in a correctional facility (fully prepared) along with methods and strategies related to working with this select population from a realistic perspective. Participants will learn important factors such as:
• What should you know about the employment market?
•How to develop a Follow-up system both internally and externally.
•How to seek additional funding and partnerships to leverage resources.
•Hosting workshops with employers and key stakeholders to best meet the needs of this population.
•Understand the benefit of working with literacy volunteer tutors.
•Galvanizing efforts from community leaders and employers.
•Setting up transition systems with community college
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The Magic of Google (Conference 2010)
In this world of budget cuts, free and well organized resources are even more important to the effectiveness and survival of adult literacy program. Check out these free Google resources.
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Using Moodle: An Online Course Management System (Conference 2010)
Moodle is an open-source course management system to help you create an online or hybrid course. In this ‘walk-through’ you will learn about the many features available including assignments, quizzes, surveys, and more. Discussion on the variety of uses for Moodle in the ABE/ASE/GED adult education environment is encouraged.
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Community Literacy Advocacy (Conference 2010)
Workshop presentation addresses why the adult literacy field still struggles on the sidelines after years of advocacy and public campaigns and what we can do to move beyond our own boundaries to true community literacy.
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Health Literacy- An Opportunity to Advance the Adult Literacy Agenda (Conference 2010)
Paul Smith, a practicing family physician, and Michele Erikson, Executive Director of Wisconsin Literacy, discussed how linking literacy, health literacy, healthcare costs and patient safety offers a unique opportunity to leverage national attention on healthcare reform and advance the agenda of adult literacy at both national and local levels. Lower literacy and health literacy correlate with decreased health knowledge, decreased health status, increased mortality, increased hospitalizations and increased healthcare costs. A video of people telling stories about how difficulty reading affected their lives was shown and may also be downloaded.
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Recruitment & Hiring Has Changed: Update Your Job Placement Skills & Tools (Conference 2010)
Twenty-first century recruitment and hiring practices have rendered many of the traditional job search strategies obsolete. Attend this workshop to learn how to build new competitive job search strategies that match hiring practices of expanding companies. Learn what staff need to do to design job search resources and services that help job seeking customers find jobs with expanding companies.
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WIA & Adult Education: Opportunities and Challenges (Conference 2010)
A change in administrations always heralds a change in policy direction. Attend this session to learn about the Obama administration’s vision for the reauthorization of WIA. Specifically, this workshop will focus on how Title I and Title II can work together to improve outcomes for the unemployed and the underemployed individuals both serve. Join the discussion to learn how a stronger collaboration between workforce and adult education can help individuals build the skills they need while strengthening the economic recovery in your local area and across the nation.
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National Coalition for Literacy Workshops, Debate, and Preconference Material (Conference 2010)
View National Coalition for Literacy policy strand workshops, the debate, and preconference materials as presented at the COABE Conference.
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GED Testing Services Workshop (COABE Conference 2010)
Presentations from GED Testing Service (CT Turner and Margaret Patterson) are available, as well as several other GED Test-related resources and links.
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Regional Needs Assessment (National Composite)
COABE developed a comprehensive regional needs assessment to better understand and respond to the needs of our membership.
The details of the regional needs assessment survey were discussed at the COABE regional meetings in Chicago, IL.
Click here to view the national composite. Contact our office (info@coabe.org) for regional data.
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Career Pathways Instructional Material
Adults seeking jobs and those currently employed are increasingly encouraged to update and expand skills that will improve their potential for success in the workplace. This Library includes materials to help educators develop and implement work-based education programs and career pathways for adult learners in their Adult Basic Education and General Educational Development programs. Materials are categorized using the U.S. Department of Education’s 16 career clusters or occupational categories that define the skills and knowledge needed to work in particular industries, and are listed by title with a short abstract and link to the resource.
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Change Agent Newsletter
The Change Agent, a social justice newspaper published twice a year in March and September. The Change Agent provides cutting edge resources for teaching social issues, powerful student writing that inspires discussion, and many ready-to-use lesson plans – all oriented toward a multi-level audience.
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COABE/Pearson Longman Partnership (40% discount off cutting edge products)
COABE and Pearson Longman Publishers are partnering to provide COABE members with the tools that they need to continue their professional development.
Teacher Development Interactive, the new Pearson Longman online professional development series, does just that.
Online interactive professional development products are available to both new and experienced teachers at a deep discount of 40% off online purchases!
If you are attending the COABE/ProLiteracy conference at the Chicago Hilton from March 15 -19, we encourage you to attend the Teacher Development Interactive presentation by Pearson Longman.
Title: "Professional Development that Works: Online Anytime!"
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Time: 2:45pm-3:45pm
Location: Room K
Presenter: Sherry Preiss
Abstract: Teacher Development Interactive is a video-based, online teacher development program that gives new teachers and teachers looking for a refresher a strong foundation in teaching methodology for Second Language Learners. This unique program will enhance teacher effectiveness which translates into improved student results. Designed for teachers and teacher trainers ,this workshop will focus on providing teaching and training skills that are engaging, practical and relevant for the adult teacher seeking professional development.
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Systematic Training of Tutors and Teachers of Adult ESL Learners
COABE 2008 incentive grant winner, Cielito Brekke, created an interactive powerpoint presentation to help tutors and teachers of Adult ESL learners without first language literacy skills.
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Tutor Curriculum Guide for Adult ESL Preliterate Learners
This curriculum guide has been developed for tutors as well as instructors of adult refugee and immigrant ESL students who have no or limited literacy skills in their first language. The principles and strategies used in this guide can also be used for ESL students who have low or some literacy in their native language.
The main focus of the guide is to develop initial English literacy skills in basic reading and writing, built upon listening and speaking skills.
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