ATLAS ABE

Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
2024-11-19 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 11/19/24
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.

NOVEMBER TUESDAYS FOR TEACHERS - AI Literacy: Preparing Students for Success in a Digital Age
2024-11-19 14:30 - 15:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 11/19/24
Explore the critical role of AI literacy in modern education. We enhance digital competency and foster critical thinking by helping students and educators distinguish between AI-generated and human-created content. The session includes interactive activities such as image and text analysis, creative writing, and real-world applications of AI. Participants will leave equipped with practical strategies to integrate AI tools responsibly into the classroom, encouraging innovation, ethical use, and continued learning in an AI-driven world.

Fall North Regional Follow-Up
2024-11-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 11/19/24
Join your northern Minnesota colleagues for an informal opportunity to share how you’ve applied something you learned at the regional event on October 3-4. Anyone who attended a session related to digital literacy, online/HyFlex teaching, or distance learning is invited! Contact Elizabeth (ebennett@literacymn.org) with any questions.

Volunteer Core Training Module 4: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Materials
2024-11-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 11/25/24
Participants will engage in a couple of classroom activities to experience scaffolding, checking comprehension and the gradual release of responsibility. These aspects of teaching and tutoring are then defined, explained further and participants get opportunities to practice them.

HSE Testing Coffee Talk Series
2024-11-26 13:30 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: Register up to the date of each Coffee Talk.
This past year, we have added a new option to our testing services, making us a two-test state. We have had and continue to need help with connectivity issues, online proctoring, scheduling availability, student identifications, accommodation issues, etc. This series is intended to begin creating a space for us to come together, discuss, share, and problem-solve.
Coffee Talks will take place from 1:30-2:30 pm on every 4th Tuesday of the month in the 2024 calendar year.
Questions?
Please contact mde.abe@state.mn.us

AI Playgroup
2024-11-26 13:30 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 11/26/24 (for the final session)
How are generative AI tools (like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, MagicSchool, Khanmigo, and many others) affecting you, your colleagues, and adult learners? Are you using AI all the time, curious about it, worried about it, or just confused?
Wherever you are, join Nick Houlson, Jason Brazier, and Elizabeth Bennett from Literacy Minnesota for an informal AI playgroup! Each Tuesday, we’ll learn a little about an AI tool, play around with it, and explore implications for our practice. Everyone is welcome: teachers, administrators, support staff, and volunteers.
Please note the following:

After registering, you’ll receive an email from “MNABE Staff” with a link to join the meetings.
Attendance at all three sessions is NOT required. Register for the series, and you can join on the day(s) that work for you.
NO prior knowledge, preparation, or homework is necessary! Please just bring yourself (and a sense of humor).
We are not planning to record these sessions, but we will share a Padlet with resources to explore on your own.
We promise that you won’t break anything. This will be fun!

ACES/TIF Foundations Webinar Series
2024-11-26 14:00 - 15:30, 2024-12-10 14:00 - 15:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: Date of each webinar
Get Acquainted with ACES/TIF! Are you the kind of person who believes that 2’s company and 3’s a party? Are you new to ABE in MN and looking to connect with colleagues in a supportive environment? Maybe you’re not new, but you’d still enjoy a chance to collaborate, learn, and get inspired by other ABE professionals. If this sounds like you, please join us this fall for a 3-part webinar series in which we will learn about ACES/TIF, one of the 3 sets of MN ABE Content Standards. This webinar series is geared towards ABE professionals who have enrolled in the ACES Foundations online course in Canvas, but who haven’t yet completed it.
Two ACES/TIF veterans will help you to navigate and process the course content in a short, defined timeframe with colleagues. We will spend time discussing instructional routines and learning activities that can be used to build ACEs skills at a variety of levels. Even if you have previously completed the course or are still considering registering, this webinar series is an opportunity to get fresh ideas to use with your students.
Webinar 1: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 from 2-3:30 pm (CST) – REGISTER
Webinar 2: Tuesday, November 26, 2024 from 2-3:30 pm (CST) – REGISTER
Webinar 3: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 from 2-3:30 pm (CST) – REGISTER
If you require ASL interpretation, please contact Gail Rutan at grutan01@hamline.edu.

Administrator Networking Webinar: Computer-Based Testing
2024-12-03 14:00 - 15:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 12/3/24
Do you want to get started with computer-based testing in your program? Or maybe you’ve started and are running into challenges? Come share your experiences, challenges and questions about implementing computer-based and remote testing with other program adult education managers. Linda Keller, ABE Accountability Coordinator at Metro North and state assessment trainer, will answer questions and share some tips, tricks and lessons learned.
If you are an administrator, coordinator, or otherwise hold a leadership role in an MN adult education program, please plan to attend.
If you require ASL Interpretation, please contact Gail Rutan at grutan01@hamline.edu.

Working with Literacy and Beginning Level English Language Learners
2024-12-04 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 12/4/24
Learners with limited English and literacy skills have unique needs for in-person and remote instruction. Participants will learn best practices and tips for success at this level. They’ll also get several ideas for routines, activities and resources to use in their classes and tutoring sessions.

BurlingtonEnglish/Prepare for CASAS STEPS Overview
2024-12-05 07:30 - 08:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 12/5/24
Come join our session to learn about how Burlington English can help prepare your students for the new Prepare for CASAS STEPS assessment. In this session, we will cover the new Burlington English Reading CASAS STEPS feature and how you can use Burlington Core to help your students achieve skill gains. We will answer any questions you might have!

One-Room Schoolhouse Community of Practice
2024-12-05 14:00 - 15:15, 2025-01-15 12:30 - 13:45 | Online
Registration Deadline: Day of each session
Join seasoned one room schoolhouse educators from Project for Pride in Living in Minneapolis and Lakes Area Adult Education in Detroit Lakes for this final Community of Practice meeting on Friday, Feb 28, 1:30-2:45pm. Presenters will be sharing their strategies for tracking student goals and progress, which is always a challenge in this context! Following the panelists there will be time for open questions and sharing as well.

Presenters: Genna Hart & Denise Goldman, Project for Pride in Living; Staci Landsem & Jen Hellekson, Lakes Area Adult Education

Register for any or all of this year’s meetings!

Meeting 1: Thursday, December 5, 2024 – 2-3:15 pm – REGISTER
Meeting 2: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 – 12:30-1:45 pm – REGISTER
Meeting 3: Friday, February 28, 2025 – 1:30-2:45 pm – REGISTER

Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2024-12-10 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 12/10/24
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.

2024 VIRTUAL Literacy Volunteer Management Conference
2024-12-13 08:30 - 14:45 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 12/12/24
The Volunteer Management Conference (VMC) is a one-day professional development opportunity that brings together Adult Basic Education staff who work with volunteers: coordinators, teachers and managers alike. This year, the conference will be virtual, on Zoom.
Cost: FREE for participants in Minnesota; $20 for participants outside of Minnesota. Registration is not refundable, but recordings and materials will be available to registrants after the conference.
Get Ready To:

Learn new strategies and ideas through a keynote presentation and nine concurrent session offerings.
Get practical resources you can use right away.
Be inspired by this year’s award winners for Excellence in Volunteer Engagement.
Network and share your professional wisdom with colleagues.
Earn CEUs.

Questions? Contact Sophie at sphan@literacymn.org or 651-251-9063.

Conference Schedule
8:30-9 a.m. | Kickoff and awards ceremony
9:15-10:15 a.m. | Keynote presentation:
Now What? Emerging Strategies for Leading Volunteers in a Post-Pandemic World
Polly Roach, MAVA
10:30-11:30 a.m. | Concurrent sessions
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch break
12:30-1:30 p.m. | Concurrent sessions
1:45-2:45 p.m. | Concurrent sessions

Racial Equity 201 Presented by Jimmie Heags
2024-12-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 12/16/24
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.
Learning Objectives:

Explore global caste systems of oppressions.
Define and explore the origins of the white supremacy class and caste system in America.
Examine the origins of internalized racial reflexes and trauma.
Develop a mental model for disrupting class systems of oppression.
Practice mindfulness activities for processing internalized racial embodied reflexes and trauma.

Strategy Session for Edmentum Program Administrators
2024-12-16 14:30 - 16:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 12/16/24
We heard your feedback! Edmentum can be really useful, but it’s…complicated. This strategy session will address housekeeping issues and provide some quick tips to make managing “all the things” on this platform easier. Topics will include:

A brief overview of Courseware and Exact Path – and how to decide which options are best for your context
Program names and locations
Assigning users to the correct location
Naming conventions for users and classes
Deactivating unneeded user accounts and class sections
Helping staff with different roles (teachers, administrators, support staff) navigate the platform
Time for questions and sharing your own pro tips

After the meeting on Monday, you can sign up for a time to meet with our Edmentum representative, Andrew Kappel, on Tuesday, December 17. He can work with you on your program-specific questions or challenges. Multiple staff from your program/site can attend the same meeting; just add all of their email addresses in the Notes field. If that day doesn’t work, please contact the DL helpdesk to arrange an alternative.
Additional information about the meeting:

Any ABE staff member who uses Edmentum, or is interested, is welcome to join. Please note, however, that this meeting will focus on technical and administrative issues, rather than instructional issues.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from “MNABE Staff” containing the meeting link.
You should know your Edmentum login credentials prior to the training. You can use the “Forgot password?” option on the login page, complete the form here under Key Information to request a new account on the statewide license, or contact the DL helpdesk for further assistance.
To request accommodations (ASL interpretation, etc.), please contact the DL helpdesk.
A recording will be available after the training.

Additional information about Edmentum:

Edmentum is a state-supported distance learning platform, so there is no additional cost to you or your program!
The platform offers a wide variety of content to support reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, GED/HiSET preparation, and career pathways classes.
Edmentum is recommended for high-intermediate or above ESL learners and ABE learners. Most content is at a middle or high school reading level, but some elementary content is available.
The platform can be used to supplement in-class learning or for standalone distance learning.

Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2024-12-16 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 12/16/24
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.

Edmentum Office Hours
2024-12-17 08:00 - 16:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 12/17/24
If you use Edmentum Courseware or Exact Path, you can sign up for a time to meet with our Edmentum Customer Success Manager, Andrew Kappel, on Tuesday, December 17. He will work with you on your program-specific questions or challenges. Multiple staff from your consortium/program/site can attend the same meeting; just add all of their email addresses in the Notes field. If this day doesn’t work, please contact the DL helpdesk to arrange an alternative.
These office hours are intended to serve as follow-up support for ABE staff who attended the Edmentum meeting on Monday, December 16, but you may still make an appointment if you weren’t able to attend that meeting.
Additional information:

The person who submits the booking request will receive a confirmation email and further details from Andrew Kappel.
You should know your Edmentum login credentials prior to your meeting. You can use the “Forgot password?” option on the login page, complete the form here under Key Information to request a new account on the statewide license, or contact the DL helpdesk for further assistance.
To request accommodations (ASL interpretation, etc.), please contact the DL helpdesk.

Volunteer Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
2025-01-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 1/8/25
Participants learn about Adult Basic Education programming in Minnesota, demographics of learners, instructional content standards as well as initial and on-going assessment. This session wraps up with learner motivations, barriers and persistence.

Transitions 101 Webinar
2025-01-13 14:00 - 15:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 1/13/2025
Attend this webinar to hear the basics of what is meant by “Transitions” in adult education. ATLAS will provide an overview of relevant work and professional learning options around adult career pathways, IET, transitions to post-secondary entry, and more!

Teaching Reading Vocabulary
2025-01-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 1/13/25
Vocabulary is everyone’s favorite reading component! And helping students master reading vocabulary is a key to helping them master comprehension.
But how many words should you teach? And which words are the most important? What strategies are best for helping students learn new words? How do you get students to make new words part of their receptive and productive vocabularies? 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.
This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers.

Volunteer Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
2025-01-15 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 1/15/25
Participants develop their personal cultural awareness and learn how expectations around school culture shape how people teach and learn. Guiding principles for effectively delivering instruction to adults are also covered. Finally, participants increase their sensitivity to the challenges of learning English and developing literacy as an adult.

Support Staff Coffee Break – Digital Inclusion (Virtual)
2025-01-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 1/17/25
On January 17, the Support Staff Online Coffee Break Series will continue with Elizabeth Bennett helping participants to understand what the word “digital inclusion” means in ABE. Discussion will focus on how access to technology can help learners be more included and empowered in their education, in their careers, and in their communities. This coffee break will help participants gain a deeper understanding of digital inclusion, examine program policies that might support or work against inclusion, and identify resources to advance digital equity and inclusion for learners. All staff are welcome to attend.

Volunteer Core Training Module 3: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
2025-01-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 1/22/25
Participants learn how to apply teaching practices that support language and skill development for all learners. These practices include ensuring that instruction is learner centered, using an appropriate level of teacher talk and delivering error correction.

Language & Literacy Institute 2025 - Bloomington, MN
2025-01-23 08:00 - 16:00, 2025-01-24 08:00 - 17:00 | Embassy Suites by Hilton – Minneapolis Airport, 7901 34th Ave S, Bloomington, MN, 55425, United States
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. No additional registrations can be accommodated.
NOTE: Anyone attending the conference, including presenters, MUST register!
HOTEL GUEST ROOMS: ATLAS is holding a block of discounted rooms at the event venue, Embassy Suites by Hilton-Minneapolis Airport; however, space is limited and based on first come, first served. Register by Sunday, January 5 if a guest room is needed! You can reserve a room only through the ATLAS Registration Form.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE (with Session Descriptions)
Note: All sessions are in-person only and will not be recorded.
If you require ASL interpretation, contact Gail Rutan at grutan01@hamline.edu
AGENDA

Thursday, January 23, 2025
Friday, January 24, 2025

8:30
Welcome & General Updates
8:30
Welcome & General Updates

9:00
Break
9:00
Break

9:15
Session 1 (2 hrs) A, B, C
9:15
Session 4 (2 hrs) A, B, C

11:15
Break
11:15
Break

11:30
Information Sessions (45 min)
11:30
Roundtable Discussions (45 min)

12:15
Lunch
12:15
Lunch

1:15
Session 2 (75 min) A, B, C
1:15
Session 5 (75 min) A, B, C

2:30
Break
2:30
Break

2:45
Session 3 (75 min) A, B, C
2:45
Session 6 (75 min) A, B, C

ADDITONAL ALL-DAY SESSIONS:
Thursday, January 23 – 9:15 am – 4 pm:

CCRS Foundations – Math, presented by Amber Delliger and Genna Hart

Amber Delliger (she/her) is a math instructor with Metro North Adult Education at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College: Rapids Campus. She has been active in adult education and adult numeracy for over 17 years and has been active in CCRS implementation work since 2016. In addition to presenting at the local, state and national level for K-16 instructors around adult numeracy and soft skills topics, Amber participates on the MN Numeracy Instruction Advisory Team and the Transitions Professional Development Advisory Team.
Genna Hart, MEd (she/her), has worked in ABE since 2022 as the lead teacher for Diploma Connect program at Project for Pride in Living in Minneapolis. Before starting her ABE journey, Genna worked as a Special Education Teacher for 10 years with a focus on math and transition skills. In the Diploma Connect program, Genna teaches numeracy skills and math to help adults earn their adult high school diploma.

CCRS Foundations – ELA, presented by Erin Cary and Kristine Kelly

Erin Cary, MA-ESL (she/her), has worked in MN ABE since 2009, as a teacher, administrator, and in curriculum writing and professional development. She currently teaches beginner ELLs for Metro North ABE in Brooklyn Center and coordinates development of a digital skill-building adult ELL civics curriculum project through UMD. She is a co-founder of the teacher/learner self-advocacy movement #IamABE, which supports equity work and activism in MN adult education.
Kristine Kelly (she/her) is the ATLAS Literacy & Language Coordinator and serves as the state lead for implementation of the CCR ELA standards. For 24 years in MN Adult Education, Kristine taught GED/high school diploma, reading and writing, and postsecondary transitions. She presents workshops locally and nationally, researches and identifies resources for adult reading and writing instruction, provides ELA instructional coaching and co-leads the MN Language & Literacy Advisory Team (LLATe).

Friday, January 24 – 9:15 am-4 pm:

Beginning ESL Literacy-Level Session, presented by Jennifer Christenson

Jennifer Christenson creates and shares resources for teachers working with adult English learners at the beginning literacy level through her website abc English. The materials are designed to be clear, engaging, and relevant for adult and adolescent English learners from refugee and immigrant backgrounds. Jennifer has taught literacy level adult English learners in a variety of settings including traditional classroom instruction as well as family literacy, onsite workplace education, 1-on-1 literacy tutoring, and remote virtual teaching. She also has 11 years experience as a program coordinator for a medium sized adult English learner workplace partnership program in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jennifer is a certified K-12 teacher, and completed graduate level study in Adult Education and Curriculum Development through Westminster College in Salt Lake City, UT. Jennifer was a runner-up for the 2016 COABE Teacher of the Year Award and was selected as the Utah Adult Education Association’s Outstanding Leader of the Year in 2020. To learn more about resources for teaching adult English learners with emerging literacy skills, visit abceng.org.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Cost: $35 for one day, $45 for both days (after January 17, a $15 late registration fee will be applied)

Need to pay for multiple registrations at once?
Or need to pay for a registration that already was submitted?

By credit card/PayPal: Have your staff mark “Please bill my organization” when registering, and contact Marisa Geisler (mgeisler02@hamline.edu) for the appropriate payment form.
By check/PO: Have your staff mark “Please bill my organization” when registering, and ATLAS will invoice your program. Please do not send checks until you are invoiced.

Travel Scholarships:
ATLAS will cover both mileage and hotel costs for Minnesota Adult Ed practitioners traveling over 50 miles one-way to the event. There is no scholarship application to fill out; ATLAS will pay the hotel directly for your lodging IF you choose that option upon registering, and you can simply submit an ATLAS invoice after the conference to receive your mileage reimbursement. Please visit https://atlasabe.org/submit-invoice/ for instructions on submitting your invoice (and Form W-9, if needed). DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: FRI. 2/14/25

Hamline Graduate Credit Available! Would you like to earn 1 graduate credit for attending the Language & Literacy Institute 2025 for the reduced rate of $200? Simply register via this form by February 14, 2025, attend both days of the Institute on January 23 & 24 and submit a summary and application task of something that you learned to the instructor, Kristine Kelly at kkelly01@hamline.edu. For more information about Hamline’s ABE license (this Language & Literacy Institute credit can be applied as an elective!), click here.

LGBTQIA+ Topics in ABE Spaces Presented by Erin Cary and Grayson Betz
2025-01-27 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 1/27/25
What do welcoming spaces in adult education look like? How can we make sure LGBTQIA+ learners, volunteers and professionals feel they belong? In this session, ABE professionals in the LGBTQIA+ community will invite participants to reflect on and discuss topics of gender and sexuality in ESL/ABE classrooms and instruction. Participants will brainstorm how to include more queer representation in adult education curricula, program environments and materials. Presenters will provide lesson examples for teaching gender-inclusive language. It is our intention to create a space where participants are welcome but not required to share aspects of their identity or experiences related to the topic.

AI Playgroup & Makerspace
2025-01-28 15:00 - 16:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: Date of each webinar
You’re invited to our playgroup! Join your adult education colleagues and members of Literacy Minnesota’s Digital Learning team for a fun, informal, and interactive learning experience. Each month, we’ll focus on a different application of generative AI to support teachers and volunteers in their work with learners. You’ll get to see lots of examples, talk about pros and cons, and have “playtime” to develop resources that you can use in your teaching context right away. Most importantly, we’ll share our creations with each other and develop a collection of open resources for adult educators.
Instead of focusing on specific AI tools or platforms, we’ll look at various “use cases” for AI:

January 28: Teaching Academic Vocabulary
February 25: Dialogues and Speaking Practice
March 25: AI and Math
April 22: AI and the Writing Process
May 27: Adapting and Developing Appropriate Texts for Adult Learners

Minnesota practitioners can earn 1.5 CEUs for attending each meeting and additional CEUs for creating, sharing, and evaluating teaching resources outside of the meeting time.
Additional information:

After registering, you’ll receive an email from “MNABE Staff” with a link to join the meetings.
Attendance at all five sessions is NOT required. Register for the series, and you can join on the days that work for you.
NO prior knowledge or AI expertise is necessary! We’ll help you get started with a free AI tool if needed. Just bring yourself (and a sense of humor).
A portion of each session will be recorded.
To request ASL interpretation or other accommodations, contact support@mnabedistancelearning.zendesk.com
This will be fun!

Leadership Book Club FY25
2025-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: Day of Each Meeting
The books have already been ordered for this round (Brene Brown, Dare to Lead). If you already have a copy and are interested in the Leadership Book Club (or might want to join the next book!), please email Patsy Egan, pegan02@hamline.edu.
Please note that all attendees need to register to receive the Zoom link to join.

Meeting 1: WED. 1/29/25 – REGISTER
Meeting 2: WED. 3/5/25 – REGISTER
Meeting 3: WED. 4/9/25 – REGISTER
