Literacy Minnesota: Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2023-10-18 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. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers.
Register here.

ELPS for Adult Educators Online Course
2023-10-19 - 2023-11-15
ELPS for Adult Educators is a four-week online course designed to give participants a deep dive into the English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education or ELPS. The course is geared toward teachers who are new to the standards and who currently teach English language learners (ELLs) at any level, including ESOL, ABE, and ASE.

LINCS: Exploring Workplace Adult Education and Literacy Activities
2023-10-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
What is workplace education and literacy? Join special guest KayLynn Hamilton to learn ways adult education programs can support workforce development and how it aligns with WIOA. (This live Zoom event was originally scheduled in August.)
Register here.

Effective Communication and Access for Job Seekers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, WorkforceGPS
2023-10-19 15:00 - 16:30
This webinar is a presentation of the best practices, resources and technology available at the American Job Centers for job seekers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
There is no inclusion without accessibility. With October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), it provides the opportunity to have a discussion on how the workforce system can be more inclusive to the job seekers from the deaf and hard of hearing community.

VALRC: Multilevel ESOL Classes Webinar Series, Session 2
2023-10-19 15:30 - 17:00
Do you want to tackle the challenges of teaching multilevel ESOL classes? Are you looking to address the varied learning needs of individual students within one classroom and become an effective multi-level teacher?
This 3 part webinar series will present strategies for effective multi-level instruction and planning for ESOL classes or multi-level classrooms. We will discuss the characteristics of a multilevel class, planning for differentiated instruction and implementing different classroom management strategies for effective instruction. Participants will leave the webinar with an understanding of what multilevel classroom needs consist of, how to prepare and plan for individual students needs, and strategies for implementing differentiated instruction in the adult ESOL multi-level classroom. The resources will include articles, videos and supplemental materials.
Objectives:

Understand the factors of a multilevel classroom and how to identify the needs of all students.
Identify strategies to effectively differentiate instruction in both multi level classrooms as well as leveled ESOL classes while accommodating literacy learners and more advanced students.
Discuss next steps for implementation, including adaptation of materials and strategies with a specific group of learners.

Session 2 will focus on a deep dive of differentiation by the process and the product.
Register Here

VAACE Conference
2023-10-23 08:00 - 2023-10-26 17:00 | Virtual
Register for the 2023 VAACE Conference: Pathways Forward!

GED Testing Service: Shared Strategies for Student Success with Debi Faucette
2023-10-24 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
GEDTS writes, “The 2023 Annual GED Conference in NYC was an opportunity for GED Testing Service to provide a robust slate of concurrent and plenary sessions to provide learning and networking opportunities with colleagues. It was also an opportunity for GED Testing Service staff to listen and learn from our colleagues so that we can better serve you, and in turn, better serve our adult learners. You were heard. We appreciated the thoughts and comments regarding professional development and in the months since the conference we have taken action to create a framework to respond to what we have learned to date. We will share our initial ideas to move ‘Back to the Basics’ in professional development and reveal how we can collaborate to set the stage with Tuesday for Teachers to build to the 2024 GED Annual Conference.
“We are also excited to share that GED Testing Service has partnered with WithYouWithMe, a social impact tech company, to provide students with access to resources and services that can open doors to new opportunities and careers. Adult educators will have an opportunity to learn more about this partnership and how it can help their students.”
Register here.

Literacy Minnesota: Essential Zoom Skills for Online Instruction
2023-10-27 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:

Turning off participants’ cameras and microphones.
Re-naming participants.
Sharing your screen.
Annotating your screen.
Setting up and visiting breakout rooms.

Register here.

Career Pathways Open Conversations
2023-10-30 12:00 - 13:30, 2023-11-27 12:00 - 13:30
Join us for important networking, updates, and sharing for career pathways planning and programming. This three-part open conversation series focuses on connecting career pathways practitioners with resources, colleagues, and policy updates to support the growth of their programming to connect learners to training, higher education, and careers. Come and learn what your colleagues are doing across the state and share your best and promising practices with us!
ALL adult education practitioners who are interested in learning more about planning and implementing career pathways programming, including integrated education and training (IET), PluggedInVA, workplace learning, etc., are welcome to attend! Please consider inviting multiple members of your teams to attend (e.g., instructors, data specialists, regional specialists, program managers, occupational training partners). All perspectives are welcome and are important to the conversation!
These conversations will occur on Mondays from 12p to 1:30p. We will record and archive the presentation portions of each session and will share notes from the breakout and whole-group discussions.
Fall dates are October 2, October 30, and November 27.
Register for one or all sessions with this link.

LINCS: Understanding Discrimination: What is it and why does it matter?
2023-10-30 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
What is discrimination exactly, and why should we care about it as adult educators? We will discuss what discrimination is, where it originates , and how we can reduce discrimination by being more aware of our personal biases. LINCS’ special guest, Dr. Adriennie Hatten, will describe what discrimination looks like in educational settings at the student and instructor levels, discuss parent perspectives on the effects of discrimination, and provide strategies to prevent discrimination.
Register here.

Literacy Minnesota: How to Work Effectively with Muslims
2023-10-30 19:30 - 21:30 | Virtual
Join Jaylani Hussein of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) MN for a proactive diversity training that bridges the gap of misunderstanding and provides resources to employers, attorneys, community leaders and educators. First, the presentation will open with a brief introduction on how to effectively work with Muslim learners by bringing awareness and eliminating a potential bias. The second segment highlights Muslim demographics worldwide, in the United States and in Minnesota. The third part of this presentation will include how to provide religious accommodations in an educational setting. It emphasizes: a) the main practices for which school staff should expect a request for accommodation and b) practices to be mindful of when interacting with Muslim learners.
Register here.

CAL’s 8 Fundamental Principles of Effective Adult English Language Instruction
2023-11-09 15:00 - 16:30, 2023-11-16 15:00 - 16:30
Unlock the power of effective adult language instruction!
Calling all passionate educators! Elevate your teaching skills and inspire your adult English learners with two FREE webinars exploring CAL’s Eight Fundamental Principles of Effective Adult Language Education.
Webinar 1: Principles 1–4 Date: November 9, 2023 Time: 3:00–3:45 PM
Delve into strategies for adult language instruction, covering learner-centeredness, leveraging learners’ assets, and incorporating all language modalities. Discover classroom and virtual activities to keep your learners motivated and boost their language proficiency.
Webinar 2: Principles 5–8 Date: November 16, 2023 Time: 3:00–3:45 PM Elevate your teaching with insights on comprehensible input, developing metacognitive awareness in learners, and creating a supportive learning environment. Equip yourself with a toolkit of techniques to create an inclusive, engaging, and immersive language learning experience.

Lessons from the Field with Stan Citron: Strategies to Help Students Become More Fluent English Speakers
2023-11-09 15:30 - 17:00
This webinar will examine how to teach students to speak more fluently (“Fluent English”). Stan will explain the “Fluent English” principles and provide tools to put these principles into practice. These tools are:

“Color Vowels” and syllable-stress to improve word pronunciation,
The Three Sounds of “Ed” exercises to help students use “-ed” verbs with confidence,
“Everyday English” exercises using reductions and sentence stress to speak more naturally,
Songs/speeches that allow students to put the Fluent English principles into practice,
“Listen and Imitate” exercises that allow students to practice mimicking the rhythm and sounds of Fluent English, and
A well-known learning app that can help students improve their accent and conversational skills.

In addition, Stan has developed a Fluent English Handbook and website with classroom-tested practical exercises that will be shared with webinar participants.
Register here.

VDOE 2023 Data Office Hours
2023-11-14 14:00 - 15:00, 2023-12-05 14:00 - 15:00

VALRC: Digital Literacy for Multilingual Learners Webinar Series, Session 3: Virtual Instruction for Beginning Multilingual Learners
2023-11-14 15:00 - 16:30 | Virtual
Do you facilitate online classes for learners who are just beginning to develop their English skills? How can you create language learning opportunities for learners using technology AND English for the first time?
This webinar is designed to provide effective and engaging strategies for English practice during online classes. Participants will discuss features of communications platforms, presentation software, specific apps and websites that can support language learning opportunities in the online classroom. They will collaborate to choose activities for different parts of a lesson plan.
This webinar is meant for online instructors of beginning level multilingual learners. They will receive resources for use with online classes including recommended Open Educational Resources (OER) from CrowdED Learning and Skillblox.
Objectives:

Understand basic features of communications platforms
Discuss presentation software, and a selection of apps and websites
Collaborate to create a an effective lesson plan for beginners supported by a variety of resources

Register Here

Teaching Writing: Giving Feedback
2023-11-15 15:30 - 16:30 | Virtual
How can instructors build learners’ confidence as writers while still providing constructive feedback? This webinar discusses when and how to provide feedback on learner writing.
Register here.

VALRC: Disabilities and the Adult Learner Webinar Series, Session 3: Making Content Accessible
2023-11-28 13:00 - 14:30
Creating accessible content can feel overwhelming at times, but it is important to remember that not everything has to be done at once. A scaffolded approach to learning and implementation can make the process more manageable. Even a few key changes can make a difference. In the beginning, the aim is not perfection, but improvement. This session covers some of the main accessibility barriers such as headers, images, and hyperlinks.
Register

VALRC: Multilevel ESOL Classes Webinar Series, Session 3
2023-11-30 15:30 - 17:00 | Virtual
Do you want to tackle the challenges of teaching multilevel ESOL classes? Are you looking to address the varied learning needs of individual students within one classroom and become an effective multi-level teacher?
This 3 part webinar series will present strategies for effective multi-level instruction and planning for ESOL classes or multi-level classrooms. We will discuss the characteristics of a multilevel class, planning for differentiated instruction and implementing different classroom management strategies for effective instruction. Participants will leave the webinar with an understanding of what multilevel classroom needs consist of, how to prepare and plan for individual students needs, and strategies for implementing differentiated instruction in the adult ESOL multi-level classroom. The resources will include articles, videos and supplemental materials.
Objectives:

Understand the factors of a multilevel classroom and how to identify the needs of all students.
Identify strategies to effectively differentiate instruction in both multi level classrooms as well as leveled ESOL classes while accommodating literacy learners and more advanced students.
Discuss next steps for implementation, including adaptation of materials and strategies with a specific group of learners.

Session 3 will focus on grouping strategies and building community.
Register Here

Literacy Minnesota: Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2023-12-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Online
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.
Register here.

LINCS: Internationally-Trained Professionals: Workforce Challenges & Innovative Solutions for Integration
2023-12-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
If you work with highly skilled immigrants, you won’t want to miss this LINCS event. The presenter will provide an overview of the unique challenges internationally-trained professionals face integrating into the U.S. workforce. You will hear about a variety of innovative programs working to support the integration of internationally-trained professionals into the U.S workforce.
Register here.

LACES Demo Webinars
2023-12-05 15:00 - 16:30
As part of the statewide transition from SSWS to LACES by LiteracyPro for our adult education data management system, Shannon Stangis will be providing webinars at the days and times below to preview some of the features and functionality of the new system. All are welcome to join the webinars which will be recorded and archived. We hope you can join!

The Zoom link may be used to join both sessions – there is no registration form.

Save these dates:

Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 3 pm EST

Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 3 pm EST

ATLAS: Cultivating Mathematical Literacy for English Language Learners
2023-12-05 15:30 - 17:00 | Online
Wait, I’m not a math teacher! I want to incorporate numeracy into my ESL classroom, but where do I even start?! How do I effectively address literacy and numeracy at the same time? Join Cindy Schultz and Meagan Hymes as they offer insights into these very real questions. You will get to see and experience routines that they have used with their ESL students in addition to hearing an administrator perspective on the hows and whys of supporting numeracy in language classrooms.
Register here.

LINCS: The Never-Fail Writing Method
2023-12-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Are you looking for a way to teach writing that never fails? Join the LINCS Reading and Writing Community for this event to learn more about the Never Fail Writing Method! During this engaging event you will hear from our guest, the legendary adult educator Kate Nonesuch, about how she teaches appreciative writing feedback to her students and how they use what they learn to give positive feedback to others.
Register here.

COABE: Helping Your Students Identify, Develop, and Utilize Their (not so) Soft Skills
2023-12-06 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Adult education students have strong transferable skills (aka, soft skills). They just don’t know it yet! Leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills are being cultivated daily by hard-working adult learners. Employers value and seek these crucial competencies. In this webinar, we’ll share powerful student-written stories and classroom activities that demonstrate simple ways to teach basic skills in a way that enables students to identify and amplify the transferable skills essential for employability. Presented by Cynthia Peters and Jen Denton.
Register here.

LINCS: Creating Accessible and Inclusive Learning Coffee Break: Reflections & Looking Ahead to 2024
2023-12-08 13:15 - 14:15 | Online
As we prepare to wind down 2024, join the LINCS Learners with Disabilities Community to reflect upon your work to serve all learners in your program. What worked well and what could be improved upon as you move into 2024? Come to hear from others about their successes and challenges and share your own. Let’s share our resources to make 2024 even more accessible for adult learners!
Register here.

Literacy Minnesota: Racial Equity 201 with Jimmie Heags
2023-12-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Online
Please note, it is recommended that you take any basic diversity, equity and inclusion class or training before you take this session, but it is not required.
This class will define and explore the origins of the white supremacy class and caste systems in the United States and the racial trauma caused as a result of these systems. The session will provide learners with a mental model for understanding and disrupting white supremacy classism and its impact on mental health. Participants will be introduced to mindfulness activities discussed in Resmaa Menakem’s book My Grandmother’s Hands for processing internalized racial embodied reflexes and trauma.
Register here.

LINCS: Elevating Learning with Infographics
2023-12-13 15:00 - 16:00 | Online
In today’s information-rich world, effective communication of complex ideas is vital. Join the LINCS Science Community and discover the power of infographics as we explore crafting engaging and easily digestible visuals to convey educational concepts and learning outcomes. Explore examples and create your own infographics with us.
Register here.
