Archive
Recent Newsletter Articles
Cracking the Code: The Wilson Reading System
The materials developed and presented on the English Reading Demystified website were based on the Wilson Reading System. Learn more about the Wilson Reading System here. Read More
English Reading Demystified – ESL
The content for this multi-modal resource stemmed from work done by several adult English teachers, who noticed similarities between the difficulties experienced by English learners and those experienced by learners in another field of literacy: dyslexia. While the two contexts are different in many ways and these language learners were likely not dyslexic (there is currently no way to diagnose ELLs), they found much that overlaps. By purposefully learning more about instruction for learners with dyslexia, they enhanced their own teaching of adult language learners across all levels. Read More
CUNY HSE Social Studies Curriculum Framework: Integrating Reading & Writing
The Social Studies: Integrating Reading & Writing Curriculum Framework is a free resource that incorporates social studies content with various reading and writing skills. The curriculum is designed for HSE teachers but lessons and activities could be adapted for other levels. Units 1-3 all include lesson plans and supporting materials and cover the colonial period, the Constitution, and westward expansion. Each provides topical social studies content and then uses it to reinforce reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. For Units 4-12, while there are no lessons or materials, there is a curriculum map with guidelines. Also included is a comprehensive resource guide for HSE social studies. Read More
ESL Literacy Readers (Bow Valley Readers)
This collection of beloved theme-based readers for beginning levels of ESL literacy has been discontinued (in late 2024). They are no longer available at the Bow Valley College site. However, colleagues at the Immigrant Welcome Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, have a number of the readers posted (with permission) on their Adult ELL Pathway to Literacy website. This document outlines the changes and how to find these materials. Read More
CollectEdNY.org – ELA
This site hosts resources in all content areas, including English Language Arts. Some of the materials are taken from K-12, but they are all framed and explored in the context of adult education classrooms. The site is divided into four main parts: 1. Resource Reviews Find free, quality teaching resources… Read More
Ideas for Providing Distance STAR Instruction
This March 2020 document provided early ideas from STAR trainers across the country for implementing distance STAR instruction. Not all may be appropriate or reasonable for your ABE program; however, they were intended to inspire creative thinking about how to "carry on" with evidence-based reading instruction (EBRI) during the pandemic and school closings. Read More
Promoting Collaborative Accountability to Text Evidence
Participants in this workout will collaborate with peers to practice and reflect on a routine to hold learners accountable for supporting text-dependent questions with evidence from the text. Read More
Emergent Readers
This website contains instructions for scaffolding reading texts and speaking activities for literacy level learners, resource lists, and videos of literacy level classroom instruction. Read More
iPads and Tablets in the LESLLA Classroom
With suggestions of iPad/tablet apps that build reading foundations skills, numeracy, and digital literacy for ESL learners with limited or interrupted formal education, this list can help integrate ABE standards in a targeted, self-paced, and differentiated manner. Read More
Activities for Tutoring a Beginning ESL Literacy Student
Find activity ideas for Beginning ESL Literacy level learners in phonics, pattern based reading, meaning-based reading, checking comprehension, and vocabulary in this handout. Read More