Accessible Distance Learning for Beginning English Learners

What is “distance learning,” and how can it benefit beginning English learners?

“Distance learning” is a bit of a misnomer. In Minnesota Adult Education, distance learning (DL) actually refers to asynchronous learning activities, regardless of the learner’s physical location. DL often, but not always, involves the use of online platforms or tools.

It can definitely be challenging to offer meaningful DL opportunities to beginning English learners. Not only are these learners developing basic English proficiency, they may also be learning to read and write for the first time (or for the first time in a language with the English alphabet, even if they are already literate in other languages with non-Latin scripts). When digital literacy skills and vocabulary are added to the mix, you’ve got a very complex instructional context!

Despite the challenges, we would argue that DL for beginning English learners can still be beneficial and worthwhile. In addition to the beginning English, literacy, and numeracy skills described in the CCRS, DL helps learners develop and apply essential skills described in the other two sets of content standards: Northstar Digital Literacy and the Transitions Integration Framework. DL options for learners can also:

• increase the intensity of instruction provided by your program;
• reinforce, differentiate, and extend in-class learning;
• offer flexibility and choice to learners; and
• result in more DL proxy hours being entered in SID for your program!

Minnesota Adult Education has three pathways for distance learning proxy hours. DL platforms are the most commonly used and may be easiest to implement if you are new to offering DL. TVM lessons are another promising option for beginning English learners, and they are discussed below.

Approved Distance Learning Platforms

All of the platforms that have been approved for distance learning proxy hours are listed in the DL Platforms Library section of the Digital & Distance Learning website. Please refer to the DL Platforms Library or email the DL helpdesk when you have questions about how to use or enter proxy hours for specific platforms.

You can search for platforms in the library by name, keyword, topic, literacy level, and cost.

Here are some of the platforms that are appropriate for beginning ELs:

*Note to 2026 Summer Institute attendees: Burlington English (JennaRose Dahl), Ellii (Kylie Kumar), and USA Learns (Alisa Takeuchi) will present concurrent sessions and attend the Vendor Fair! This is a great opportunity to meet them and ask questions about the platforms.

Teacher Verification Model (TVM) Lessons

Minnesota teachers who have completed the TVM Certification process can create their own asynchronous lessons and enter distance learning proxy hours in SID when learners complete the lessons. TVM lessons can be online in an LMS (e.g., Google Classroom), online without an LMS (e.g., materials emailed to learners), completely paper-based, or a combination of online and paper-based. Although they can be time consuming to create, once created, TVM lessons can be reused as many times as you’d like. This is a highly flexible option that allows teachers to create lessons customized to their specific learners and teaching context.

How do I become TVM Certified?

A new TVM Certification course for 2026-2027 will be available in the Minnesota Adult Education Canvas Course Index very soon! If you can’t find it, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

Examples of paper-based TVM lesson packets for Beginning EL

Rebecca Jarvis has developed 11 (to date) complete TVM lesson packets for learners at NRS ESL Level 1 (CASAS STEPS 160-183). More lessons are in development! Each lesson packet has several QR codes; learners scan the codes with a mobile device to access instructional videos.

• View these slides for an overview of the lessons.
• Access the folder of lessons here.
• Find TVM lesson titles and proxy hour details here.
• Note: If you are not TVM Certified, you can still use these lessons! You only need TVM Certification to enter DL proxy hours in SID for the lessons.

Additional resources

• Digital & Distance Learning website
• Distance Learning Basics course
• DL helpdesk: [email protected]