The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center

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Publications

Most recent publications

• New Promotional Materials Available for Download!
• 2007 Foundations & Grants for Community-Based Literacy Organizations in Virginia
• The 2007-2008 Race to GED Outreach Guide: Virginia's GED Success Stories
• GED Career Bridge to Health Care Curriculum
• GED Career Bridge to Hospitality Curriculum

All publications

New Promotional Materials Available for Download!

Promotional materials for the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center's new programs and initiatives are now available online on the VALRC website. These attractive brochures, posters, and flyers are provided in pdf format (with printer's lines) so you can easily print and distribute as many of them as you like to your program's teachers and students. These publications can help you promote the new eLearn Virginia distance learning program, the GED® On Demand program for digital cable subscribers.

To access these printable pdf files, click here. If you have any questions about content, file formats, or technical issues, please contact the VALRC's Assistant Instructional Technology Specialist, Christopher Poole at cpoole2@vcu.edu.

2007 Foundations & Grants for Community-Based Literacy Organizations in Virginia

The 2007 edition of Foundations and Grants for Community-Based Literacy Organizations in Virginia consists of corporate, private, online, and other organizational funding sources for CBLOs in Virginia. Also listed are funder tips, grant match rubrics, and other grant-seeking sources.

The 2007-2008 Race to GED Outreach Guide: Virginia's GED Success Stories

In addition to introducing the new GED Success Story materials, this guide provides a comprehensive resource for programs trying to reach out to potential learners and to the wider community. Find information on how to target groups and develop outreach strategies, create a communications strategy, establish relationships with the media, use promotional items, and gain publicity.

GED Career Bridge to Health Care Curriculum

The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center was contracted by the Virginia Department of Education, Office of Adult Education & Literacy, to produce this teacher-friendly, career-focused GED instruction guide based on WIN's GED Learning in the Workplace Curriculum Guide for the Health Care Industry and to tailor it specifically for the Fast Track GED Learner. The guide includes GED as Project Inquiry Activities adapted to health care contexts, current health care vocabulary lists, a variety of career briefs in the health care field, health care-related lesson plans and reading material, guidelines for implementation, and a complete student handbook.

GED Career Bridge to Hospitality Curriculum

The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center was contracted by the Virginia Department of Education, Office of Adult Education & Literacy, to produce this teacher-friendly, career-focused GED instruction guide based on WIN's GED Learning in the Workplace Curriculum Guide for Hospitality. The guide includes GED as Project Inquiry Activities adapted to hospitality contexts, current hospitality industry vocabulary lists, a variety of career briefs in the hospitality field, hospitality-related reading material and lesson plans, guidelines for implementation, and a complete student handbook.

Building Basics: ESOL Toolkit for General Construction, Landscaping, Painting, and Plumbing

Building Basics is a multi-level curriculum for teaching students that have expressed a need to learn English within the context of the construction trades. It has been organized into four modules which should be downloaded separately due to their large size: General Construction, Curb Appeal (Landscaping), Painting, and Plumbing. Each module is further divided into five units/lessons. These lessons provide a facilitator guide with step-by-step instructions for implementation, facilitator materials, and learner handouts. The facilitator materials contain copies of all the worksheets, transparencies, drawings, cartoons, handouts, etc., that the teacher will need. Hundreds of original drawings that have been created expressly for this curriculum provide visual support to each lesson.

The 2004-2005 Race to GED Implementation and Marketing Guide

This comprehensive workbook was designed to help adult education and literacy programs market the Race to GED. However, the publications and marketing principles, information, materials, and tip sheets can be easily adapted to any adult basic education and literacy program. Find information on how to target groups, developing marketing strategies, communication strategies, tailoring your message, creating media contact lists, press releases, public service announcements, and strategies for publicity.

Teacher Observation Project

This website contains a set of tools to be used by instructional leaders - regional specialists, program directors, lead teachers - for a process of teacher observation and feedback for professional development. The process is designed to help the observer better understand the teacher's classroom practice and to give the teacher objective input and the opportunity to examine and improve particular aspects of her/his practice.

Teaching Reading to Adult English Language Learners (Adobe PDF)

This 15-hour training will acquaint participants with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to teach reading effectively to adult, nonnative speakers of English. The content is based on research on the reading process in general, on the process of learning to read as an adult, and learning to read in another language. The training is designed to be delivered by ESL instructional specialists at the local level or by trainers from the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, most typically in workshop settings with a practicum component. That is, between workshop sessions, participants apply what they have learned in the previous sessions to their own classroom instruction.

New Teacher Training Handbook (Adobe PDF)

The New Teacher Training Handbook 2005 includes an overview of the field of adult education in Virginia for the new teacher or teachers who may need a refresher. Topics range from “What is Adult Education?” and “Who is our Adult Learner” to basics on assessment, learning issues, and sample lesson plans. The handbook ends with a section that can be filled with information specific to your local program, and more resources for new teachers to explore further. Training and a self-assessment CD are available upon request.

GED as Project

With the recent changes in the GED's format, it is now more important than ever for test-takers to use higher-level thinking skills. GED as Project uses flexible Inquiry Activities that stress both cognitive and metacognitive skills. Learners attain more than just the skills they need to pass the GED 2002. The focus on small group communication and “learning how you learn” are vital workplace skills that will serve the learners long after they have achieved their primary goal—the GED.

Content Standards Report by Roberta McKnight, PhD, RN

In 2003, Dr. Roberta McKnight, of the Virginia Literacy Institute, conducted a thorough review of the literature to prepare a comprehensive report regarding the development of content standards. The report summarizes current developments across the United States, discusses issues related to content standards, and provides an interactive matrix of links to each state's website.

Health Literacy Toolkit by Kate Singleton

The Virginia Adult Education Health Literacy Toolkit is a valuable resource designed to help adult education instructors and administrators better understand the problem of health literacy as it affects their learners. It supports creative approaches to helping learners increase health literacy as they engage in sound, productive adult basic literacy, GED preparation, and ESOL instruction. Information and resources are provided to educate the educator about health care in the United States and cultural issues relating to health, and to simplify creation of health lessons and curricula for teachers and programs. The Toolkit includes extensive web and print resources, including links to health curricula created by and for adult literacy and ESOL programs, reproducible teaching materials, and information on accessing affordable health care in Virginia.

Fairfax Family Literacy Curriculum by Betsy Lindeman Wong

With four modules to choose from (introductory, government, health, and consumer), this curriculum is designed to be used in a multi-level adult ESOL family literacy class. Each module provides easy to follow lesson plans and activities for adult English language learners at the literacy through intermediate levels and includes parent/child activities, computer/internet activities, and reproducible worksheets.

Guide to Workplace Literacy: Knowledge Under Construction (Adobe PDF) by Matt Hart

In this guide, Matt Hart offers practical “how-to” suggestions for developing a workplace literacy program. Topics include: “Developing a Workplace Literacy Program,” “Readiness Checklist,” Identifying Resources, Training, Marketing, Contracts, and Workplace and Business Vocabulary.

Practitioner Research as Staff Development

A Facilitator's Guide is a resource for programs and organizations interested in using inquiry groups and research methods in their program-improvement efforts. In practitioner research staff development, participants systematically conduct inquiries about their work and their students' learning, reflect on their findings, and make informed decisions about implementing changes in their practice and improving their program. This guide provides the basic materials and information to implement practitioner research as staff development.

Virginia Energy Choice Curriculum Guide (Adobe PDF)

Soon Virginia consumers will have the opportunity to choose their energy suppliers. Making these choices will require knowledge of the issues and options. This guide offers a place to start for teachers and tutors who want to build basic skills and English-language lessons for adult learners around this important need. The lessons and other materials in this publication were developed by experienced teachers in Virginia and tested in their classrooms. We encourage other teachers and tutors to use, adapt, and expand upon these resources to meet their learners’ needs. Funding for the curriculum guide was provided by the Virginia Corporation Commission.

Fairfax EL/Civics Curriculum by Kate Singleton

The Fairfax County EL/Civics Curriculum is now available, with complete high intermediate/advanced curriculum, consisting of modules on government/civic participation, health, and consumer awareness. The high intermediate/advanced curriculum is designed for use in upper level ESOL classes and adult high school classes. Additionally, the Health Awareness modules from the Fairfax County EL/Civics ESOL Low Beginner, High Beginner, Low Intermediate, and Family Literacy curriculum levels are available within the Virginia Adult Education Health Literacy Toolkit, Section D. These learner-centered modules stress problem-solving and learner interaction around many life skills topics which are needed and requested by learners but not often found in textbooks, such as using credit, making long-term financial plans, accessing community services, making change happen in one's community, finding affordable health care, and advocating for oneself within the U.S. healthcare system. Units at all levels contain complete lesson plans, reproducible handouts, and optional computer-based activities.

The Adult Educator's Guide to Practitioner Research by Suzanne Cockley

Provides an overview of the practitioner research process and discusses the strategies and methods used to conduct a qualitative inquiry. The Guide includes case studies, a sample outline for writing a research report, a list of recommended reading, and information about using the ERIC system.

A Busy Teacher's Guide to EFF Lesson Planning by Mary Kay Alegre, Arlington Education and Employment Program

Helps teachers understand the Equipped for the Future (EFF) content standards and terminology and design an EFF lesson. Contains a sample ESL instructional unit with student handouts.

Charting a Course: Preliminary Needs Assessment Using Equipped for the Future (Adobe PDF)

Presents eight practical classroom activities and materials to introduce the program, set initial goals, and assess needs and learning styles.

ESOL Starter Kit (Adobe PDF)

Helps teachers and program administrators begin or improve an Adult ESOL program, including information on getting organized, assessing students, preparing teachers, understanding adult learners, planning lessons, and integrating technology and civics into the curriculum.

Family Literacy Starter Kit (Adobe PDF)

Presents an overview of the issues in each component of family literacy. This brief volume is a “first stop” for an introduction to program design options, recruitment and retention of families, parenting instruction, parent-child interaction, and program evaluation. Also included in each section is a list of print and web-based resources.

The Learning Disabilities Adaptations and Accommodations Guide

The Learning Disabilities Adaptations and Accommodations Guide helps adult educators to understand and creatively use appropriate adaptations and accommodations to assist adults with learning disabilities in working toward their classroom and real-life goals. This collection of materials includes a framework for planning accommodations and suggests inexpensive devices, tools, and strategies for teaching, learning, and daily living.

Make It And Take It: Computer-Based Resources for Lesson Planning by Tasha Brown, Debby Cargill, Jan Hostetler, and Vanessa Phillips

Demonstrates innovative ways to use your personal computer and the World Wide Web to create interesting learning activities for ESOL students. It includes instructions, lesson plans, and useful websites.

Lesson Plans for Crossroads Café Video Series (Adobe PDF) by Ruth Duncan

These lesson plans support and expand the instructional content of the 26 episodes of the Crossroads Café Video Series. Each half-hour-long video provides intermediate or higher ESL students with practice in the four language skills. The lessons include communicative classroom activities and exercises.

Partners: Students and Tutors Write About Learning Together (Adobe PDF)

Chronicles the experiences of Virginia literacy program participants taking part in a special project to improve services for adults with learning disabilities. Read the students' and tutors' own words, describing their successful learning experiences, challenges, and frustrations. Learn about the strategies and materials they recommend.

Reaching Out: A Starter Kit for Adult Education Distance Learning Programs (Adobe PDF) by Carol Vaughn

Using a combination of the US Mail, the telephone, and occasional face-to-face meetings, the distance-learning program at Eastern Shore Community College proves that this option can help to overcome barriers that keep adults from persisting in their education. This document includes the sample forms, letters, press releases, and suggestions for content needed to construct an adult education distance-learning program based on this model.

Writing from the Heart

Literacy Volunteers of America-Roanoke Valley students write stories about their lives.

The 1999 REEP Family Literacy Curriculum (Adobe PDF)

The REEP Family Literacy Curriculum was developed and field-tested by the Arlington Education and Employment Program (REEP). The goal is to assist parents in improving their English language skills and increasing their involvement in their children's schooling. It can be used as a stand-alone curriculum or as a unit of study in a more general ES0L program. It consists of three levels: beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

Virginia Adult Education Research Network Briefs

Practitioners write about their research processes and findings as a result of this two-year project.

Workplace Skills for the Adult Learner: An Integrated Curriculum

This project was funded by the Verizon Corporation and produced by George Mason University. The six-week curriculum covers the academic and technical skills needed for GED preparation and sustainable employment. The curriculum integrates and reinforces job readiness, office technology, and academic skills. Emphasis is placed on building self-confidence and interpersonal skills through self-assessment, goal-setting, simulations, and team-building activities. The teaching approaches include direct instruction of specific skills and hands-on activities.