LINCS Coffee Talk: Equity Action Planning in Adult Basic Education
2022-09-21 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
In honor of Adult Education and Family Literacy week, join the career pathways and program management groups for a Coffee Talk: Equity Action Planning in Adult Basic Education. Guest speaker, Maribel Ojeda will share some of the work she is doing around equity action planning in Pennsylvania and participants are encouraged to come share work that is happening in other states.
This event is intended to be an open conversation around how adult basic education programs can identify and address gaps in services that are provided to adult learners and increase the diversity of workers that enter into various career pathway pipelines.

LINCS: Digital Literacy & Technology @ COABE 2023 Live Session
2022-09-22 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Join Rachel Riggs of Word Education and Nell Eckersley of NYC Support and Technical Assistance to revisit the topics and questions that were swirling in the Linking EdTech + Digital Literacy Coffee Break back in May. Let’s learn from one another during National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week as we share new ideas for integrating technology and building digital skills in adult education.

Literacy Minnesota: Math Institute 2022 Virtual Conference
2022-09-23 10:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
This virtual, one-day conference will include a keynote and three concurrent sessions that focus on engaging adult learners with relevant and contextualized math instruction. Visit this website for more information!

Literacy Minnesota: Teaching Reading Vocabulary Remotely or In Person
2022-09-26 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual
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.

VALRC Beginning Literacy Webinar: The Language Experience Approach
2022-09-27 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
This webinar will present strategies for utilizing the language experience approach (LEA) in the ESOL beginning literacy or multilevel classroom as well as during one-on-one tutoring sessions. We will discuss LEA and walk through the steps of implementing it in different ESOL instructional settings. Participants will leave the webinar with an understanding of the language experience approach, how it benefits ESOL beginning literacy instruction, and strategies for implementing this strategy in the adult ESOL classroom.

Literacy Minnesota: Phonics in Adult ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources
2022-09-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual
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.
This session will be most useful to tutors and teachers working with beginning literacy, low beginning and high beginning English language learners.

SABES: Introduction to Digital Literacy: Where to Begin!
2022-09-29 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
In this workshop, you will learn about WIOA’s definition of digital literacy, ACLS policies, and the Digital US definition of digital resilience. You will review ACLS’s recommended digital literacy standards for students and consider how they can serve as a framework for planning and instruction. You will explore what these concepts look like in real life, including examples from Teaching Skills That Matter (TSTM).
As part of this interactive workshop, you will explore the EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit to find ideas for activities that fit your class routines and work in small groups to begin drafting an activity to use with students. Visit this website for more information!

National Digital Inclusion Alliance: Digital Inclusion 101 Webinar
2022-10-04 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
Digital Inclusion practitioners have been working to end the digital divide for decades, creating their own community, definitions, resources, and gaining knowledge of what works and doesn’t. Digital Inclusion is a multifaceted issue that takes time to understand and NDIA is here to help!

LINCS: Strategies in Providing English Language Acquisition and Family Literacy Services to Afghan Refugees
2022-10-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Adult education can be critical for individuals and families from other countries trying to navigate in a new country, culture, and language. Please join us for an interview with Kimberly Tate, Savannah Technical College’s ESL Program Coordinator, who has been working with Afghan refugee families. She will share program strategies for orienting, instructing, and retaining Afghan refugees.

VALRC: IET & IELCE PLC Fall 2022 Session 2
2022-10-11 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual
The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center is facilitating a Professional Learning Community (PLC) on Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) for practitioners who are currently implementing or planning to implement IET programming, including IELCE and PluggedInVA.
This session will focus on supporting learners into and through an IET.

ILA: Using Dungeons & Dragons to Scaffold Writing Instruction
2022-10-11 17:00 - 18:00
Third in a series sponsored by the International Literacy Association and Wizards of the West Coast, this webinar explores how role-playing gaming can build students’ writing and language skills. Teachers will “not only learn how D&D can be a powerful motivator for student writing but also leave with practical ideas for incorporating the fantasy world into your scaffolded writing instruction.”

Southeastern TESOL
2022-10-12 08:00 - 2022-10-15 14:00 | Richmond, VA
This conference will take place in Richmond, Virginia (in-person), and the focus of the conference is creating equity – multilingual and multicultural learners in educational settings. Visit this website to learn more!
Register Here

Switchboard: Supporting Afghan Newcomers with Professional Backgrounds: Barriers, Opportunities, & Resources
2022-10-12 14:00 - 15:30
This webinar will discuss specific barriers and opportunities facing Afghans with professional backgrounds as they seek meaningful career pathways and employment. It will share information on available programs and resources to support this population, including an exciting technical assistance opportunity through Switchboard and Jobversity. Participants will have the opportunity to explore case studies and participate in a Q&A session.

EdTech Center: EdTech Strategy Sessions
2022-10-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual
Each EdTech Strategy Session includes two lightning talks, time for Q & A, and a thirty minute breakout session with the speaker of your choice!

Virtual Reality for Workplace Readiness with Erin Vobornik : Erin is going to share how Virtual Reality (VR) could be used in adult education and how it can be implemented in a low-cost, high-reward way!
SkillBlox Learning Playlists with Jeff Goumas: Jeff Goumas, founder of CrowdED Learning and creator of SkillBlox, brings exciting updates to this FREE tool for educators that helps them find and remix OER to create customizable learning playlists.

VALRC: Data Office Hours
2022-10-18 14:00 | Virtual
Data Office Hours is an hour long, ongoing monthly meeting for anyone involved in adult ed data collection and reporting. This session provides support for policy and practice related to NRS data collection.

LINCS: Lessons from an ESOL Literature Circle: Flash fiction, four skills and fun
2022-10-18 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Literature Circles can be a powerful instructional approach to teach language to intermediate and advanced English Learners. This event provides an introduction to Literature Circles featuring testimonials of high-intermediate and advanced English learners and practical suggestions for how to start a Literature Circle, how to find appropriate texts, and how to support student roles.
Margaret Kinsley Johnson will offer a brief review of the research which highlights the pedagogical benefits of Literature Circles and share how she has been implementing circles with groups of advanced English learners with great success.

VALRC: Teaching Writing: Strategies for Organizing & More
2022-10-18 15:30 - 17:00 | Online
This webinar explores how teachers can leverage strategy-based instruction to support learners in organizing their writing and developing their skills as writers.
The Teaching Writing series is targeted at ABE/ASE English language arts instructors, but anyone who teaches writing is welcome to participate.

Literacy Education and Secondary Language Learning for Adults (LESLLA) Virtual Symposium
2022-10-19 | Virtual
The virtual symposium event will feature a live keynote, a roundtable, and opportunities to connect with colleagues from around the globe. The theme of the event is “Focus on the Future: Surprises, Opportunities, and Collaborations”. Visit this website to learn more!
Register Here

Switchboard: Assisting Newcomers with the U.S. Health Care System
2022-10-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual
This training will review U.S. health care coverage options and health-related benefits, including the initial domestic medical screening available to newcomers. This foundational systems knowledge will help providers support newcomers in accessing health care services that align with their strengths and needs. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions of a panel composed of qualified experts on this topic.
Register Here

VALRC: Cultural Competence in Adult Education Webinar
2022-10-20 15:00 - 16:30 | Virtual
This webinar will be an introduction to and overview of cultural competence in the adult education classroom. The goals of the webinar are to provide a framework for cultural competence that can impact the adult education classroom, discuss strategies for developing and self-assessing cultural competence, and present strategies for incorporating cultural competence into adult education classrooms and instruction.
At VALRC we acknowledge that this work is continuous and on-going. Our goal is to start this conversation with the field at this webinar and to continue it through other types of professional development and support. Adult educators who join this webinar will receive information and resources on cultural competence development. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to discuss strategies and practices for developing and integrating cultural competence into the classroom.

Virginia Association for Adult and Continuing Education (VAACE)
2022-10-24 - 2022-10-27 | Virtual
This conference will take place virtually and will focus on staying connected with adult education. Visit this website to learn more!
Register Here

Career Pathways Summit: Research, Practice, and Partners
2022-11-01 09:00 - 12:00 | VCU Student Commons, 907 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23284, United States
Join us on Tuesday, November 1 from 9a to 12p at the VCU Student Commons for a research keynote presentation and respondent panel discussion on new research on workforce development and adult career pathways.

Where are they now? Are adult learners advancing in their careers? Is their earning power growing? What do the 10-year trends tell us about program design, job placement, and policy guidance? Bring your questions!

Join us for a presentation on the newly-released national research and decision tools on career pathway 10-year trajectories (learn more at this site) and a respondent panel of adult career pathway providers from across Virginia. This will be an exploration on how we can deepen our career pathway work for adults in Virginia to meet our workforce and economic development goals and help students meet their goals.

For more information, including directions and updates on hotel recommendations, see the Career Pathways Summit page.

This event is co-sponsored by the VDOE adult education and DARS’ Pathways federal grant teams. There is no charge for the event and registrants for in-person attendance will be provided a parking pass. Indicate your preferences below.

Adult education program managers, career coaches, and DARS personnel: complete the form below and also indicate your attendance plans for the additional events IN PERSON on Nov. 1 in the afternoon and Nov. 2 in the morning using this link.

VALRC Beginning Literacy Webinar Series: Contextualized Phonics Instruction
2022-11-09 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
This webinar will present strategies for contextualizing phonics instruction in the ESOL beginning literacy or multilevel classroom as well as during one-on-one tutoring sessions. We will discuss strategies for contextualizing phonics instruction and walk through the steps of implementing this strategy in different ESOL instructional settings. Participants will leave the webinar with an understanding of this approach, how it benefits ESOL beginning literacy instruction, and strategies for implementing this approach in the adult ESOL classroom.

VALRC: IET/IELCE PLC
2022-11-15 12:30 - 14:00 | Online
The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center is facilitating a Professional Learning Community (PLC) on Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) for practitioners who are currently implementing or planning to implement IET programming, including IELCE and PluggedInVA.
This session is going to focus on debriefing the Career Pathways Summit: Research, Partners, and Career Coaching.

Teaching Writing: Argument
2022-11-15 15:30 - 17:00 | Online
This webinar explores how teachers can support learners in developing and writing arguments, including the GED® Reasoning through Language Arts essay.
The Teaching Writing series is targeted at ABE/ASE English language arts instructors, but anyone who teaches writing is welcome to participate.

VALRC: Spanish HSE Open Discussion
2022-11-17 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual
This discussion series is a space for discussion and sharing of best practices for supporting Spanish-language HSE preparation.
Register Here

VALRC: Enhancing Access for Refugees and New Americans - Applying EARN to Virginia Adult Education
2022-11-29 15:00 - 16:30 | Online
The goal of this webinar is to disseminate strategies from the national webinar series on enhancing access for refugees and new Americans to the adult education programs in Virginia. During this presentation, participates will be able to learn about the EARN project and how those strategies can be applied to adult education services in the state of Virginia.
OCTAE’s EARN Project:

Recognizes synergy between Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) programming and immigrant integration efforts
Emphasizes the role that AEFLA-funded practitioners can play to increase the quality of services
Presents an opportunity to improve the quality of linguistic, civic, and economic integration services provided to diverse adult English learners (ELs)

Webinar Objectives:

Understand the goal and scope of the EARN project
Identify the role of IELCE in immigrant integration
Identify strategies for supporting the integration of immigrant learners through partnerships
Articulate the role of IELCE in career pathways
Identify strategies for engaging and supporting international trained professionals and beginning ESOL learners in IELCE programming

Register Here

VALRC: IET/IELCE PLC
2022-12-06 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual
The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center is facilitating a Professional Learning Community (PLC) on Integrated Education and Training (IET) and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) for practitioners who are currently implementing or planning to implement IET programming, including IELCE and PluggedInVA.
This session is going to focus on supporting instructors and instruction and additional PD for this upcoming Spring.

VALRC: Data Office Hours
2022-12-06 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
Data Office Hours is an hour long, ongoing monthly meeting for anyone involved in adult ed data collection and reporting. This session provides support for policy and practice related to NRS data collection.
1st Tuesday of Each month from 2:00–3:00 p.m.

VALRC: Serving Refugees Fall 2022 Open Discussion
2022-12-08 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual
This event allows Virginia adult education practitioners the opportunity to get together to discuss and share what their programs have been doing to reach and serve refugees in their programs. This will also be a time where participants can share what additional support and resources they would like to see from VALRC to continue to effectively serve refugees.
