VALRC

ProLiteracy Conference
2024-10-06 - 2024-10-09 | Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 700 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD, United States
We are passionate about leading the adult literacy field to the best practices for program and student success. This is why every two years we host our national conference to share the latest instructional trends, up-to-date research, and expert-led panel discussions on policy and innovation to influence practice and build program capacity.
Join us in Baltimore, MD, on October 6-9 and immerse yourself in this vibrant community of adult literacy practitioners and leaders for four days of open dialogue, idea sharing, and collaboration with peers from around the country.
The ProLiteracy Conference on Adult Education brings together a diverse range of individuals from organizations of all sizes to address the most pressing adult literacy and basic education issues today.
Join us and gain perspective on new technologies, innovative instructional tools and strategies, and leadership skills that you can take back to build the capacity of your program.
Register Here

Literacy Minnesota: Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
2024-10-07 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Teaching intermediate alphabetics (syllables, prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools.
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VALRC: Integrating Digital Resilience Skills Development Into Daily Lesson Plans
2024-10-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Online
Is your class time split into separate English practice and then digital literacy skills practice? Are you challenged by using technology throughout a lesson plan to support instruction?
This webinar will introduce strategies for seamlessly integrating standards-based activities, aligned with the Seattle Digital Equity Initiative Digital Skills Framework, throughout a lesson. You’ll also explore how to use AI to differentiate content and design effective lesson plans.
After a brief overview, participants will select and discuss one of the unit, collaborating on ways to integrate a specific objective into a contextualized lesson. You’ll learn how the same AI promptcan be used across various tools and utilize the Digital Skills Glossary to support your objective. Participants will review lesson plans that combine contextualized objectives with digital literacy skills practice.
This webinar is meant for anyone supporting learners developing digital resilience while improving their English skills. Attendees will receive valuable resources, including links to the framework and glossary.
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Literacy Minnesota: Teaching and Tutoring with Northstar Digital Literacy
2024-10-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
You don’t need to be a computer expert in order to teach computer skills! Come learn how help students build their digital literacy skills using Northstar Digital Literacy.
In the webinar, participants will learn:

The features of Northstar Digital Literacy.
How to help learners navigate Northstar digital literacy assessments.
How to use the Northstar instructor-led curriculum.
How to guide learners through the Northstar Digital Literacy Online Learning Modules.
Additional digital literacy resources.

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VALRC: Disabilities and the Adult Learner Webinar Series, Session 1: Introduction to working with adult learners who have disabilities
2024-10-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
It is important to keep in mind that learning disabilities are life-long. Children with disabilities grow-up to be adults with disabilities. Although, many adult learners go undiagnosed. Learning disabilities affect the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention. This session focuses on how adult educators can help their learners by better understanding the different characteristics of learning disabilities, implementing universal designing for learning (UDL), and utilizing partnerships.
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Literacy Minnesota: Refining Your Teacher Talk
2024-10-16 19:30 - 21:30
Many tutors know they should limit their talking time, but struggle to do so. In this webinar, revisit the importance of reducing teacher talking time and learn ways to improve it to maximize learner engagement and comprehension.
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LINCS: Building Inclusive Teams
2024-10-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
This live event is for you! Whether you are helping adult learners learn how to work effectively in teams or if you’re struggling to build and maintain strong internal teams. Our guest speaker, Andrea Horton-Meriçli from Diversifuse will share useful strategies for “Building Inclusive Teams”.
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LINCS: Artificial Intelligence for the Adult English Language Acquisition Classroom
2024-10-17 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
What questions do you have about artificial intelligence and its practical applications to your work supporting English learners? In what ways have you already used AI in your program and specifically in your teaching?
AI is likely the most consequential technology to become available to all of us. How can we teachers draw upon artificial intelligence to enhance our work teaching English? Join us for this LINCS event with guest expert Rachel Riggs, Technical Advisor, AI and Emerging Technologies at World Education. Rachel will provide a brief orientation to the topic of artificial intelligence and its impact and use in adult education. Participants will gain and share practical ideas, tools, and perspectives to support the ethical, effective, and equitable use of AI in ESOL classes.
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LINCS: Teaching Math to Non-native English Speakers
2024-10-17 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
LINCS is excited to invite you to a special webinar titled “Teaching Math to Non-native English Speakers,” featuring an exclusive interview with esteemed adult educator, Connie Rivera, Professional Development Specialist, SABES. In this webinar, we aim to inspire and equip math practitioners in adult basic education with practical strategies, insights, and resources for teaching non-native English speakers. Discover ways to enhance engagement and improve learning outcomes for adult learners in math education. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and tools to support your teaching practice.
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EconEdLink: Teaching Economics Using Rockstar Current Events Resources & Strategies
2024-10-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Teachers are super busy and do not have a lot of time to keep up with current events to use in the classroom the next day. Yet, current events are an important and effective way to contextualize secondary subjects for real-world learning, including economics. This webinar, sponsored by the Council for Economic Education, features three presenters who share free resources and strategies for successfully teaching current events in real-time with minimal teacher preparation and maximum student engagement. Mr. Joel Miller will present the timely “Monday Morning Economist” newsletter and accompanying Foundation on Economic Education (FEE) teacher resources that easily integrate current events and pop culture into economics lessons. Ms. Ariel Slonim will share Marginal Revolution University’s (MRU) “Econ in the News” subscription that combs through the news to find relevant current events for teaching economics on a regular basis as well as how to structure related productive student discussions. Dr. Cheryl Ayers will share her research-based, economic-way-of-thinking instructional strategies and tools for making any current event more accessible to students. Join the webinar to enhance your teaching toolkit!
Register here. (A free EconEdLink account is required to register.)

EdTech: Digital Literacy for Families + Media Literacy in the Age of AI
2024-10-18 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual
This month’s EdTech Strategy Session features two lightning talks by:

Cassandra Kramer
Dr. Sangeeta Mahapatra

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Literacy Minnesota: Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2024-10-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Come and review the important role of fluency in reading instruction. We will discuss the three key components of reading fluency and look at a variety of activities tutors and teachers can try. We will talk about the mechanics of doing fluency practice via Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or any other remote tutoring tool (including the phone!). Participants will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share resources.
This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers.
Register Here

VAACE
2024-10-21 - 2024-10-23
Save the dates! This year’s annual VAACE conference will be in person in Charlottesville, Virginia. Check back often for updates!

GEDTS Tuesdays for Teachers: Critical Reading and the RLA Extended Response
2024-10-22 15:30 - 17:00 | Online
Previous Tuesdays for Teachers sessions on the GED® RLA Extended Response have focused on many aspects of writing including grammar skills, the writing process, and creating effective arguments. Yet the extended response is just as much a reading task as it is a writing one.
In this session, participants will discover strategies for critically reading the source text arguments and using a T-chart to gather evidence. Participants will also learn an effective method for analyzing evidence and where to find other resources to help students practice this task. There will be time at the end to process thoughts and pose questions.
Register here for October’s webinar.
Tuesdays for Teachers is GEDTS’ free professional development series designed for educators. This bi-monthly series takes a deeper dive into classroom strategies and techniques for the GED® test. Find previous webinar recordings on ged.com.

LINCS: Introducing Navigating Today’s Media: A ProLiteracy Student-Facing Course
2024-10-23 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Get ready for Media Literacy Week (October 21-25, 2024) with ProLiteracy’s new course, “Navigating Today’s Media.” Join our guest presenter, Maribel Ojeda, ProLiteracy Director of Professional Development to learn how this course equips adult learners with the essential skills to navigate the complex media landscape. Students will learn how to define media, analyze messages, recognize perspective, evaluate sources, and share media responsibly.
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International Literacy Association: Differentiating Phonics Instruction to Support All Learners
2024-10-23 17:00 - 18:30 | Virtual
Differentiation in education is crucial for meeting the diverse needs of students, particularly in the early years of building foundational knowledge. Join Wiley Blevins in this ILA Webinar, where participants will explore innovative strategies to adapt and scaffold phonics instruction for all learners, ensuring access to grade-level content for every student.
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LINCS: How West Coast Higher Education Institutions are Removing Barriers to Correctional Education
2024-10-24 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
The Office of Correctional Education in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) invites you to participate in the Correctional Education Professional Learning Series. This series focuses on delivering relevant, engaging, and innovative experiences where participants learn about strategies, techniques, initiatives, and programs that advance the educational opportunities and outcomes of confined, incarcerated, and justice-involved individuals. The series will include diverse sessions that discuss existing and emerging policies, practices, and resources that provide incarcerated and justice-involved individuals with advanced correctional education opportunities that offer seamless transition processes to postsecondary education or training.
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LINCS: Media Literacy, Making Sense of It All
2024-10-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Media literacy education provides tools to help people develop receptive media capability to critically analyze messages, offers opportunities for learners to broaden their experience of media, and helps them develop generative media capability to increase creative skills in making their own media messages.
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Literacy Minnesota: Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2024-10-29 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual

Literacy Minnesota: Reading Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners
2024-11-01 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL readers can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this webinar to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective reading activities.
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LINCS: Taking a Multilingual Approach to English Language Acquisition Instruction and Program Design
2024-11-04 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Everyone knows being bi- or multilingual is a wonderful asset! How can adult English Language teachers create the opportunity for English learners to draw upon their primary language to support learning English?
Join the guest presenters, Xavier Muñoz, Director of Academic Programs and Student Services, The English Empowerment Center, Katie Donoviel, Executive Director, English Skills Learning Center, and Alexis Cherewka, Senior Technical Advisor, World Education to learn ways to design and implement a multilingual approach with adult English learners. The presenters will address misconceptions about multilingualism and feature examples of effective strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on how to adapt these ideas to their own context.
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edWeb: 5 Practical Strategies Connecting Science of Reading to Science of Writing
2024-11-04 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
The number one concern of almost all teachers is time. So how can we fit everything that literacy research shows to be positive for students into our already busy school days?
Join literacy experts Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift and Leah Mermelstein in this engaging edWebinar as they explore effective handwriting, spelling, and writing strategies that save instructional time and enhance literacy learning. You’ll learn how to seamlessly integrate these vital components to help students become automatic, engaged, and fluent writers and readers, and leave with practical routines and practices to boost engagement and skill integration.
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Career Pathways PLC #2
2024-11-07 13:00 - 14:30
The second installment of the 3-part 90-minute Professional Learning Community (PLC) series (2nd of 3) for ALL IET, IELCE, workplace literacy, and workforce development practitioners. This PLC will focus on targeted topics related to program design, using data to communicate needs and successes, locating and adapting instructional materials for all skill levels, and engaging employers and other partners to secure supportive services for all learners. Breakouts will focus on targeted topics for specific types of career pathways programming. Details and guest speakers will be announced on the listservs and on the Event Calendar.

LINCS: An Open Discussion Coffee Break
2024-11-07 15:30 - 16:30 | Virtual
Adult educators say they seldom have the chance to talk with their colleagues in a relaxed setting. This open discussion, facilitated by LINCS Moderators Steve Schmidt (LINCS Community Reading and Writing Group) and Erin Vobornik (LINCS Community Teaching and Learning Group) will provide adult educators an opportunity to talk with your professional colleagues about adult education issues in a relaxed setting.
Come prepared to share and learn challenges, successes and valuable resources you use in the classroom. This session rests on the premise that “none of us is as smart as all of us.”
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Learn About SPOTLIGHT
2024-11-07 17:00 - 18:00 | Online
This webinar will provide an over of the SPOTLIGHT publication, with information for teachers, tutors, and program administrators about how their learners can be part of our next issue. Educators interested in SPOTLIGHT, teaching writing, and elevating adult learners’ voices should attend.
Register here.

EdTech Strategy Session: Digital Tools for Integrated Education and Training (Sponsored by Ellii)
2024-11-08 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual
Join EdTech every month on the second Friday to hear practical strategies and innovative approaches to the use of educational technology and the implementation of digital inclusion in education. Each EdTech Strategy session includes:

two lightning talks
a breakout room for small group discussion

Register Here

LINCS: Tribal Cultural Services and Support: Responsive Approach Working with Indigenous Individuals with Disabilities
2024-11-12 16:15 - 17:15 | Virtual
Join the guest speakers, Wendy Parent-Johnson, Executive Director of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center and Professor in the Department of Counseling and Special Education at Virginia Commonwealth University, and R. Joshua Drywater, Training and Technical Assistance Associate at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for a discussion of the cultural considerations of working with learners with disabilities from native and indigenous communities. Wendy and Joshua will share best practices for supporting full inclusion of learners in their education, as well as culturally sensitive strategies and resources for supporting access and providing accommodations.
Register Here

Literacy Minnesota: Teaching Reading Vocabulary
2024-11-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual
Vocabulary is everyone’s favorite reading component! And helping students master reading vocabulary is a key to helping them master comprehension.
But how many words should you teach? And which words are the most important? What strategies are best for helping students learn new words? How do you get students to make new words part of their receptive and productive vocabularies? This webinar will focus on the theory and best practice behind choosing, teaching and reviewing reading vocabulary. You’ll get a chance to learn about (and practice) a variety of activities that can be done remotely or in person. Links to great online resources will also be provided.
This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers.
Register Here

VALRC: Disabilities and the Adult Learner Webinar Series, Session 2: Instructional strategies for working with adults with disabilities
2024-11-13 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Disabilities can occur across the lifespan, affecting academic performance, work, and daily living. Individuals with disabilities can have challenges with learning but can exhibit strengths in some areas. This session will provide instructional strategies for working with adults with disabilities, with a focus on incorporating evidence-based strategies into reading instruction.
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Switchboard: Bridging the Gap: Strategies and Insights for the Career Advancement of Internationally Educated Newcomers
2024-11-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Join this insightful webinar on supporting internationally educated newcomers in navigating career pathways in the U.S. World Education Services (WES), a nationally recognized credential evaluation agency, will facilitate a discussion alongside grantees of ORR’s Refugee Career Pathways (RCP) program in Idaho. Speakers will discuss how RCP-funded programs are supporting internationally educated ORR-eligible clients by helping them navigate career pathways that leverage their existing education, skills, and experiences.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how skill underutilization impacts refugees and immigrants, as well as learn about federally funded programmatic solutions that seek to promote successful outcomes for internationally educated newcomers.
Register Here
