VALRC

Literacy Minnesota: Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2024-06-04 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | 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.
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COABE: Accelerating Literacy Acquisition for Multilingual Learners
2024-06-06 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Discover the transformative power of scientific research in English language instruction. This webinar delves into two crucial areas of study, the science of reading and the science of learning, offering invaluable insights for educators working with multilingual learners. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of evidence-based practices and explore practical strategies to accelerate English acquisition in adult education and correctional settings. Join us in unlocking the potential of scientific approaches in enhancing language and literacy development.
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Literacy Minnesota: Essential Zoom Skills for Online Instruction
2024-06-07 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Join this hands-on session to learn and practice essential Zoom skills for the virtual classroom that may not be in your repertoire if your experience with the platform is limited to meetings with friends and colleagues at work.
The workshop will cover:
1. Turning off participants’ cameras and microphones.
2. Re-naming participants.
3. Sharing your screen.
4. Annotating your screen.
5. Setting up and visiting breakout rooms.
Please note that you may be asked to participate in discussion groups during the webinar. Please plan to join us from a quiet setting where you can see the PowerPoint slides and use your audio.
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LINCS: Adult Numeracy Network, an interview of the outgoing president, Heidi Schuler-Jones
2024-06-11 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Join LINCS for an exclusive interview with Heidi Schuler-Jones, Director of the Adult Numeracy Center at TERC and outgoing President of the Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) as she shares her insights, experiences, and expertise in the field of adult education, particularly in math and numeracy instruction. In this engaging interview, Heidi will discuss effective strategies, best practices, and innovative approaches to enhancing math instruction for adult learners. Whether you’re a seasoned math educator or new to the field of adult education, this event offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the leading experts in math instruction for adult learners. Don’t miss out on this chance to gain valuable knowledge, connect with peers, and be inspired to elevate your math teaching practices.
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Literacy Minnesota: Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
2024-06-12 14:00 - 16:00 | 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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Literacy Minnesota: Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices for Adult Learners
2024-06-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual
Learning new languages and skills as an adult is a challenge for most people, and that challenge grows when trauma and stress are present. Trauma and chronic stress can come in many forms, and impact people’s ability to learn new skills and process information in a variety of different ways. In this webinar, learn how stress and trauma can manifest in the adult education classroom, and learn about healing-centered teaching practices that can help to support positive learning behaviors and increase retention and learner comfort.
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LINCS: Microcredentialing
2024-06-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Can micro-credentials inform employers about prospective and incumbent employees? Join a live Zoom discussion where LINCS moderators, Chrissie Klinger, and Jacki Korengel and guest presenter Sarah Goldammer, Director of the Southern Illinois Professional Development Center, answer your questions about micro-credentialing, such as: (1) How can employers use micro-credentialing to grow their workforce and include it in succession planning?; (2) How are professional developers designing and delivering Micro-credential programs that resonate with practitioners’ needs and aspirations?; (3) Do learners value micro-credentials?; (4) Do they aid learners in demonstrating their acquisition of in-demand skills and/or enhance your career prospects? Don’t miss this one!
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LINCS: Understanding Assistive Technology for Adult Learners: A Conversation with the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
2024-06-17 15:30 - 16:30 | Virtual
Join this conversation with the National Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training (AT3) Center to learn what “assistive technology” means and the devices it includes. Our guest presenters are Kellie Blackwel, Marty Exline, Linda Jaco and Lyssa Prince will discuss the types of services offered by Assistive Technology Act Programs and how to access their services. Participants will identify several ways digital content can be designed with an approach to promote access for all learners and receive guidance on how to take courses on digital accessibility through the AT3 Center.
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LINCS: Discover In-Class Journaling: An Exciting Way to Enhance Learners’ English, Mindfulness & More
2024-06-18 15:30 - 16:30 | Virtual
“Journaling with English Learners? How does that even work?” Find out during this LINCS event with our guest presenter, ELA teaching expert Trish Udell. We will discuss the health benefits of journaling, ways to start journaling and keep it going with students, particularly with beginning-level English learners.
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Literacy Minnesota: Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2024-06-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Research shows that explicitly teaching a set of comprehension strategies is a great way to help intermediate-level readers maximize their understanding of texts. Come learn a handful of great comprehension tools that will help students develop critical thinking skills and comprehension skills.
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Literacy Minnesota: Teaching and Tutoring with Northstar Digital Literacy
2024-06-25 19:30 - 21:30 | 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.

If you are not familiar with Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments, please go to digitalliteracyassessment.org and take the Computer Basics assessment prior to the training.
Register Here

COABE: Sparking Conversations about Race and Equity with Adult English Learners
2024-06-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
English learners with basic conversational skills are often eager to discuss and learn about racism, equity, and justice. However, few opportunities exist to explore these topics in safe, structured settings, and language teachers are sometimes unprepared to effectively facilitate these conversations. This webinar will provide teachers with tools and ideas to encourage critical conversations about race, equity, and justice in their adult English classes. Access to materials to use in the classroom will be shared.
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VDOE 2024 Data Office Hours
2024-07-02 14:00 - 15:00

Literacy Minnesota: Phonics in Beginning ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources
2024-07-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual
Phonics–the knowledge of the sounds letters make when they are combined to make words–is essential to beginning literacy and beginning level English language instruction. But, many teachers and tutors lack the knowledge, confidence and resources to teach the topic. Attend this session to learn why phonics instruction is important and leave with several ideas for phonics activities and resources to bring back to your teaching and tutoring sessions.
Register here.

edWeb: Phonemic Awareness in Older Learners: Bridging the Gap
2024-07-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
Designed for K12 educators, reading specialists, and literacy advocates, this session will explore how phonemic awareness instruction can be a game-changer for older students who need support with word reading. Despite its critical importance in early reading stages, phonemic awareness remains vital for remediation in older readers, providing a foundation for improved decoding, spelling, and comprehension skills.
Learn more and register here.

COABE: Case Management for ITP Students: A Tiered Approach for Multi-Level Participants
2024-07-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Internationally Trained Professionals as a subset of English language learners have specialized needs compared with the generalized population. Providers can start to serve these individuals where they are through case management by providing customized advising, career exploration, workplace preparation, digital skills, document translation and evaluation along with other intensive services.
Register here.

EdTech Center@World Education: A Framework for Integrating AI in Adult Education
2024-07-11 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
What questions should we be asking about new AI tools? What questions should we ask ourselves when we leverage those tools? Join this discussion to explore considerations for humans and technology in education and workforce development. Classroom teachers, education leaders, industry experts, and adult learners—ALL are welcome to join and participate in the conversation live on LinkedIn.
Register here.

LINCS: A Virtual Professional Learning Community Example
2024-07-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join this live Zoom event with guest presenter Joanna Botts, Director of Morehead State Adult Education, as she delves deeper into Kentucky’s use of virtual learning communities to facilitate professional development opportunities
Register here.

COABE: IELCE in Action: Preparing Adult Multilingual Learners for High-Demand Machining Jobs
2024-07-16 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Designing an Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) program can be daunting. Learn how Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s Workforce Preparation and Introduction to Machining program is preparing multilingual language learners for entry-level employment in the high-demand field of machining. This engaging, visual-rich webinar will provide an overview of a successful IELCE program, including program design, recruiting, onboarding, and employer partnering.
Register here.

LINCS: Cross-Cultural Approaches to Digital Literacy
2024-07-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
If viewed as a new language, digital literacy is similarly impacted by the cultural and social needs that a learner brings into the classroom. Join our guest presenter, Sarah Haroon Sualehi, PhD Candidate, Texas A&M, to explore what English language instructors can do to understand the social and cultural needs of your students and bridge gaps between learners and content from different cultural backgrounds.
Register here.

LINCS: Storytelling as an Instructional Strategy
2024-07-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Join the LINCS Community Teaching and Learning group for a presentation by Dr. Natalia Balyasnikova from York University, as she delves into the transformative power of storytelling in the realm of adult learning. Dr. Balyasnikova’s research focuses on the English language learning experiences of older immigrants in community-based settings, utilizing innovative narrative ethnographic methods. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore new frontiers in instructional strategy and community engagement.
Register here.

VDOE 2024 Data Office Hours
2024-07-22 13:30 - 15:00 | Online
An (optional) Office Hour for discussing how programs might incorporate the Portal into their student intake and data flow will be held July 22, 1:30-3 p.m. Join at this link, passcode: [REDACTED]

edWeb: Scaffolding: The Key to Engaging ALL Families in and Out of School
2024-07-22 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Family engagement requires parents and caregivers to navigate a wide range of new systems and experiences, with very little support. As educators, we often aren’t aware of how caregivers experience the school environment and may take for granted that everyone understands the processes, procedures, and expectations that are commonplace to us. This can create unintentional barriers for many families.
During this interactive and resource-rich edLeader Panel, we’ll share ways to scaffold family engagement so that families have what they need in order to access resources, navigate systems, and partner in their child’s learning. Attend this session to:

Understand how scaffolding helps adults create agency and supports incremental and sustainable engagement with families
Discover the often-invisible foundations necessary for families to engage, including trusting relationships, access to basic needs, language support, and technology
Learn practical strategies for scaffolding family engagement across a wide range of environments, including school and community

Register here

2024 GED Conference
2024-07-24 - 2024-07-26 | California
GED Testing Service®‘s annual conference offers opportunities for learning, inspiration, and new perspectives. The 2024 Conference will be held in Long Beach, California. Offerings include a Train the Trainer session, information on the GED® mobile app and GED® analytics, Spanish language sessions, celebrations of GED® graduates, and a focus on Integrated Education and Training.
Learn more and register.

edWeb: Enhancing Literacy Outcomes for Struggling Readers: Strategies, Challenges, and Future Directions
2024-07-24 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
This edWebinar will focus on specific strategies or programs that school districts have found effective in closing the literacy gap in adolescent and secondary education.
It highlights effective strategies and programs utilized by school districts to address the literacy gap among struggling readers, alongside ongoing challenges. The focus extends to professional development opportunities aimed at equipping secondary teachers with essential literacy skills to support struggling students. Additionally, it examines state-level initiatives targeting low literacy rates among students, detailing specific interventions implemented in districts with at-risk learners affected by factors like unemployment and low educational attainment.
Register here

LINCS: Contextualizing Employability Skills
2024-07-31 15:00 - 16:00 | Online
Would you like to learn more about contextualizing employability skills for deeper learning? During the month of July, LINCS encourages adult educators to complete the 1.5 hour online/on-demand course Workforce Preparation Activities in the Classroom: Contextualizing Employability Skills for Deeper Learning. At this live event, we will further discuss what we learned in the course and will also share some examples of contextualized activities and lesson plans.
Register here.

LINCS: Aphasia: What it is and Accommodations to Support Learners
2024-08-01 12:30 - 13:30 | Online
A National Institutes of Health survey found that 84.5% of Americans have never heard the term “Aphasia”, yet there are 180,000 new aphasia cases a year in the U.S. Join us to learn about this language-based disorder and gain some instructional best practices and resources to support learners both in and outside of the classroom.
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LINCS: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for IET (Integrated Education and Training)
2024-08-05 15:00 - 16:00 | Online
With IETs expanding all over the United States in community and correctional programs it’s a great opportunity to “scream” about all the great work everyone is doing.
ADVANCE IET subject matter experts Chrissie Klinger, Wendy Scheder Black, Kate Daly Rolander will be ready to discuss how to blend all those components of IET together effectively AND how to get that “cherry on top” with key partnerships.
Register Here

LACES Data Training - Invitation only
2024-08-06 - 2024-08-08 | The Arboretum, 300 Arboretum Place, Richmond, VA, 23236
By invitation only, more information is forthcoming. Please be sure to visit the LACES resource page for updates.

COABE: Improving Adult Learners’ Attitudes and Odds for Workplace Success
2024-08-06 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Participate in thought-provoking discussion and activities that introduce habits, skills, and strategies your students need to get a job and succeed. Discover how you can incorporate activities like these in your classroom to equip your students for the workplace.
Register Here
