Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
2022-03-07 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 3/7/22
Participants learn about Adult Basic Education programming in Minnesota, demographics of learners, instructional content standards, initial and on-going assessment and other accountability measures.

Teaching Online: Support and Idea Swap #3
2022-03-09 14:00 - 15:00
Registration Deadline: NONE; please click the Join Meeting link below to join on the day of the webinar:
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This will be the final of three Teaching Online: Support and Idea Swap sessions. Participants can attend any or all of these sessions; there’s no requirement to attend all three. Participants should be prepared to articulate their current and urgent instructional issues and questions, as well as be willing to provide their expertise and advice, and share resources with others. Consider these sessions as a informal support group for teachers from which you’ll leave with advice, resources, and a productive perspective. Possible topics for support and discussion during these sessions include:

Communication in a blended environment: Google Voice, email, Remind, Whats App, etc.
Integrating approved DL platforms with synchronous instruction (online or in person)
Teaching digital literacy skills to participate in blended and online classes
Prioritizing and setting expectations for hybrid/blended teacher responsibilities and workloads
Setting up and/or best practices for using an online website or class in an LMS (Classroom, Schoology, etc.)
Best practices and tips & tricks using instructional tech tools (EdPuzzle, Jamboard, Flipgrid, Mentimeter, Kahoot, Padlet, etc.)
Making and using instructional screencasts

Adam Kieffer (DL Team/St. Paul ABE) will be facilitating and hosting these sessions.

Phonics in Adult ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources
2022-03-10 10:00 - 12:00
Registration Deadline: THU. 3/10/22
Phonics–the knowledge of the sounds letters make when they are combined to make words–is essential to beginning literacy and beginning level English language instruction. But, many teachers and tutors lack the knowledge, confidence and resources to teach the topic. 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.

CCRS Support Webinar: Building Inquiry in ELA & Math (Rescheduled from 2/24/22)
2022-03-10 14:00 - 15:30
Registration Deadline: THU. 3/10/22
Telling students rules and facts doesn’t always ‘stick!’ When learners discover for themselves how a text operates or how a math problem is unfolding, the real magic happens. Join special guest Mark Trushkowsky as we experience inquiry-based learning and consider ways it helps our students deepen their understanding of both ELA and math.

Responding to Community Trauma in the Classroom (Part 2 of 2)
2022-03-10 16:00 - 17:30, 2022-03-17 16:00 - 17:30, 2022-03-24 16:00 - 17:30, 2022-03-31 16:00 - 17:30, 2022-04-07 16:00 - 17:30
Registration Deadline: THU. 5/27/21
NOTE: If you were unable to attend Part 1 (on May 20), please watch the recording prior to this meeting.
The second part of the training will consist of small group discussions led by ABE teachers that will focus on adapting the practices for adult classrooms to better serve ABE learners of all backgrounds and levels.
If you require ASL Interpretation, please contact Gail Rutan at grutan01@hamline.edu

Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2022-03-11 13:00 - 15:00
Registration Deadline: FRI. 3/11/22
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.

Speak Up! Pronunciation Activities for Remote or In-Person Instruction
2022-03-11 13:30 - 15:00, 2022-03-18 13:30 - 15:00
Registration Deadline: FRI. 3/11/22 (Part 1); FRI. 3/18/22 (Part 2)
English pronunciation is a challenge for teachers and learners alike! In order for learners to be able to add the features of English pronunciation to their speaking toolbox, they need explicit instruction so that they can hear and produce the target sounds and rhythms.
In these two sessions, you will learn about techniques to teach pronunciation that will be helpful for learners from a variety of language backgrounds and ESOL levels, and multisensory activities that can be used during in-person or remote instruction that go far beyond “listen and repeat”. The training will also discuss the importance of focusing on intelligibility as opposed to accent reduction, and provide suggestions for incorporating the techniques and activities into existing curriculum rather than stand-alone classes. Participants do not need to attend both sessions.
In Part 1 (a 90-minute session on March 11 from 1:30-3:00pm), we will dive into ways to teach and practice the sounds of English, including minimal pairs, articulatory settings, final consonant production, and consonant clusters.
In Part 2 (a 90-minute session on March 18 from 1:30-3:00pm), we will go above and beyond the sounds to explore ways to teach and practice the rhythms of English, including word stress, thought groups, and intonation.
Come prepared to try a variety of activities with your teaching colleagues, and leave with ideas that you can implement immediately!
If you require ASL interpretation, please contact Gail Rutan

Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
2022-03-14 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: MON. 3/14/22
Participants develop their personal cultural awareness and learn how expectations around school culture shape how people teach and learn. Motivations and barriers to learning are also covered, as well as guiding principles for effectively delivering instruction to adults. Participants also increase their sensitivity to the challenges of learning English/developing literacy as an adult.

HyFlex Community of Practice
2022-03-15 14:00 - 15:00
Registration Deadline: NONE; please click the Join Meeting link below to join on the day of the webinar:
JOIN MEETING >>
Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) classes (classes that are taught synchronously in-person with a remote synchronous option) offer students the opportunity to participate online or in the classroom, but can be intimidating for teachers to implement. Literacy Minnesota and the Support Services Distance Learning team would like to invite you to join a new HyFlex Community of Practice facilitated by Cathy Grady from Hubbs Center (Saint Paul Public Schools) and Kirsten Collins from Literacy Minnesota.
This informal group is a fun place to share and build on our collective knowledge and experience in this new and growing area. We will decide as a group areas for future exploration, but some options are: exploring HyFlex technology options, hearing from teachers currently using HyFlex and classroom management tips for the HyFlex class.
This group will meet online periodically throughout the school year and our next meeting is set for March 15 at 2:00 pm CST and will focus on sharing resources and include a “show and tell” from teachers using HyFlex in the classroom.
All meetings will be held in Google Meet and are open to both teachers and managers. No need to sign up, just use the link above to join! We look forward to seeing you then!

How to Help Students Navigate the U.S. Immigration System
2022-03-15 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: TUE. 3/15/22
The U.S. immigration system is complex, and it impacts the lives of many learners in adult education. In the first part of this interactive two-hour webinar, attorney Erin Schutte Wadzinski will provide a general overview of immigration law and answer your questions about the complexities of the U.S. federal immigration system. In the second hour, Erin will share guidance on how teachers, volunteers and community members can support immigrants as they navigate their personal immigration journey.

MobyMax: New User & Refresher Training
2022-03-17 15:30 - 16:45
Registration Deadline: THU. 3/17/22
In this session, we will cover what new teachers need to know to get up and running with MobyMax, one of Minnesota Adult Education’s state-supported distance learning options. New teachers can request an account using the request form on the Distance Learning website at: https://www.literacymn.org/distancelearning/dl-platforms/moby-max.

Core Training Module 3: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
2022-03-21 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: MON. 3/21/22
Participants learn how to apply teaching practices that support language and skill development for all learners. These practices include checking comprehension of all learners, using an appropriate level of teacher talk, delivering error correction and feedback, facilitating learner questions, and ensuring that instruction is learner centered.

MN Lunch and Learn: Exploring the New Grammar Section
2022-03-22 12:30 - 13:15
Registration Deadline: TUE. 3/22/22
In this session, we will explore the new Grammar section in Burlington English and ideas for how to incorporate it in your classroom.
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Q&A Session for Potential HiSET Test Centers
2022-03-22 13:00 - 14:15
Registration Deadline: NONE; please click the Join Meeting link below to join on the day of the webinar:
JOIN MEETING >>
Join HiSET staff for a discussion on adding the HiSET exam to your test portfolio or the logistics of setting up a HiSET test center. We know that many organizations are starting their work on their 2022-23 budgets; this session is especially for program managers and potential test administrators to help address their initial planning and budgeting questions. We’ll talk about what to expect when offering the HiSET exam. We’ll have time to answer questions during this session. Staff from the Minnesota Department of Education will also be attending and available to help answer questions during the session.
Presenters:

Adriana Wells, Senior National Director, HiSET Operations
Tanya Haug, Senior National Director, HiSET
Adam Springwater, Senior Client Relationship Manager, HiSET

Tutoring with Northstar Digital Literacy
2022-03-22 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: TUE. 3/22/22
The last year has shown just how vital digital literacy skills are in society. Northstar Digital Literacy provides a wide-range of tools and resources to help learners develop their digital literacy skills. This training will focus on how tutors and teachers can guide learners through these resources. In the webinar, participants will learn:

The features of Northstar Digital Literacy.
How to access and use the Northstar Admin Portal.
How to set up and proctor a Northstar assessment (remotely or in person).
How to find and use the Northstar curriculum.
How to guide learners through the Northstar Online Learning units.
Where to find and how to use Northstar’s External Resources.

If you are not familiar with Northstar Digital Literacy Assessments, please go to digitalliteracyassessment.org and take the Computer Basics assessment prior to the training.

How Adult Brains Learn Languages
2022-03-23 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: WED. 3/23/22
Learn what research has to say about how adult brains learn a new language, how trauma and stress impact learning, and how this influences the teaching practices that we use in the language classroom. Participants will leave the webinar with suggestions for ways teachers and tutors can apply brain-based teaching practices as we are helping adult ESL students develop their language skills.

EBRI Webinar Series: Meeting 3
2022-03-25 13:00 - 14:30
Registration Deadline: FRI. 3/25/22
Join Marn Frank this winter and spring for the EBRI Webinar Series! There are 6 webinars, each on Friday from 1:00-2:30pm CST. Participants may choose to attend some or all of the webinars. The meetings focus on the following topics or questions:
Webinar 3: What are evidence-based incentives, routines, and resources for teaching alphabetics (phonics and multisyllabic word decoding) across ABE and ESL levels?

Core Training Module 4: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Materials
2022-03-28 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: MON. 3/28/22
Participants learn about the types of materials that they may be working with, including prepared texts and realia. Participants also learn about the practice of explicit instruction, how to effectively give instructions, and suggestions for extending worksheets to maximize understanding and practice.

MN Lunch and Learn: Teaching with the Toolbar
2022-03-29 12:30 - 13:15
Registration Deadline: TUE. 3/29/22
In this session, we will explore the different functions of the toolbar in the In-Class Lessons and brainstorm creative ways for you to make each activity more engaging for your students.
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2022-03-30 13:00 - 15:00
Registration Deadline: WED. 3/30/22
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.

Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
2022-04-05 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/5/22
Participants learn about Adult Basic Education programming in Minnesota, demographics of learners, instructional content standards, initial and on-going assessment and other accountability measures.

Google Webinar Series #3: Google Sites
2022-04-06 14:00 - 15:00
Registration Deadline: WED. 4/6/22
Google Sites, part of Google Workspace, is a collaborative way to create high-quality websites for your ABE program, class, or project. Join us to hear how Jason Brazier (Literacy Minnesota), and adult educators Traci Pederson (Northwest Service Cooperative), Mary Kate Lewis (Mankato ABE) and Joyce Evenski (Glacial Lakes ABE) use Google Sites in their programs and classes.

TechChat: Using Nearpod in the ABE Classroom
2022-04-08 14:00 - 15:15
Registration Deadline: FRI. 4/8/22
Nearpod is an interactive classroom tool to engage students by adding interactive activities to your lessons like polls, collaboration boards, and game-based quizzes. Students can interact and submit responses through any mobile device or laptop. It provides an easy and effective way for learners to do group work or work individually. Nearpod has a large selection of premade lessons, covering all subjects and standards as well.

Join ABE teacher Polina Huffman in this webinar for an overview of Nearpod. She will talk about and demonstrate how she has used it in her in-person, virtual classes, and HyFlex classes, plus TVM hours. Then you’ll have a chance to practice and ask questions.

MN Lunch and Learn: Prepare for CASAS Part 1 - Teacher Materials
2022-04-12 12:30 - 13:15
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/12/22
In this session, we will explore how to present the In-Class Lessons in the Prepare for CASAS tile, as well as look at how to navigate through the different teacher functions.
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
2022-04-12 18:30 - 20:30
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/12/22
Participants develop their personal cultural awareness and learn how expectations around school culture shape how people teach and learn. Motivations and barriers to learning are also covered, as well as guiding principles for effectively delivering instruction to adults. Participants also increase their sensitivity to the challenges of learning English/developing literacy as an adult.
