ATLAS ABE

Working with Literacy and Beginning Level English Language Learners
2025-05-14 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 5/14/25
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.

Burlington Boost: Keeping Students Engaged Over Summer Break with BurlingtonEnglish
2025-05-15 13:00 - 13:45 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 5/15/25
In this session, we will brainstorm ways to keep students engaged and working on independent practice over the summer season. Please come prepared with ideas that you do with your students and we will also share ideas from various programs that also use Burlington English.
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Support Staff Coffee Break - TABE 13&14 Updates
2025-05-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/16/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
Join us virtually on Friday, May 16, 10:00-11:00 am, for a session focused on TABE 13&14. State assessment trainers Linda Keller of Metro North and Marty Olsen of SW ABE will share the latest TABE 13&14 updates. They will focus on transition and implementation topics including:

TABE 13&14 Administrator Certification webinars
Converting TABE Online 11&12 to TABE Online 13&14
Ordering Paper tests
Scoring options for paper tests
TABE online resources
Creating records in DRC INSIGHT

How Adult Brains Learn Languages Presented by Andrea Echelberger
2025-05-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/16/25
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.

Refining Your Teacher Talk
2025-05-19 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 5/19/25
Many tutors know they should limit their talking time, but struggle to do so. In this webinar, revisit the importance of reducing teacher talking time and learn ways to improve it to maximize learner engagement and comprehension.

Burlington Boost: Keeping Students Engaged Over Summer Break with BurlingtonEnglish
2025-05-20 15:00 - 15:45 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/20/25
In this session, we will brainstorm ways to keep students engaged and working on independent practice over the summer season. Please come prepared with ideas that you do with your students and we will also share ideas from various programs that also use Burlington English.
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2025-05-20 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/20/25
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.

Hmong 101: An Introduction to Hmong History and Culture Presented by Hmong Cultural Center
2025-05-23 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/23/25
Participants will be provided a basic introduction to Hmong history and culture. Topics covered will include Hmong population around the world, Hmong role in the CIA’s secret war in Laos, Hmong refugee movements to the U.S., Hmong American population and demographics (2020 census), Hmong American educational status, Hmong American socioeconomic status, diversity in the Hmong community, Hmong clans and their functions, traditional Hmong religion and shamanism, Hmong marriages and funerals, the Hmong language, and cultural etiquette and communication strategies for service providers who work with Hmong populations.

Integrated Pronunciation Instruction for Increased Intelligibility Presented by Suzanne Gilchrist McCurdy
2025-05-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/27/25
Effective pronunciation instruction that prioritizes intelligibility can greatly support learners both inside and outside the classroom. Yet, many teachers struggle to identify which pronunciation features to focus on and how to seamlessly integrate them into their lessons. This session will help participants refine their pronunciation diagnostic skills, determine key pronunciation features to address, and explore practical ways to incorporate pronunciation instruction into everyday classroom activities.

AI Playgroup & Makerspace
2025-05-27 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!

Completing the Annual Volunteer Report
2025-06-04 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 6/4/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
Have you recently joined Adult Basic Education? Are you filling out the annual volunteer report for the first time or need a refresher? Literacy Minnesota and SiD are returning for the 4th year to help you navigate completion of your annual volunteer report. It is important for programs to complete this report to gather essential information for the state of Minnesota. We’ll also go over the Volunteer Required Training report.
Target audience: MN ABE staff who assist in completing the Annual Volunteer Report

Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2025-06-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 6/6/25
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.

Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Chronic Stress, Part 1, Presented by Andrea Echelberger
2025-06-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 6/11/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
Trauma and chronic stress can take many forms and affect how people learn, process information, and engage with others. These experiences often show up in adult education settings in ways that can be challenging for both learners and instructors. This training will cover the impact of stress and trauma on the adult brain, explore how they may manifest in the classroom, and how they can interfere with learning and retention.
This is Part 1 of a two-part series entitled Creating Healing-Centered Spaces for Adult Learners. Taking both sessions is not required, nor is it essential to take Part 1 before taking Part 2.
https://www.literacymn.org/understanding-impact-of-trauma-chronic-stress-part-1-presented-by-andrea-echelberger-webinar

Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
2025-06-16 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 6/16/25
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.

MobyMax Site Administrator Training
2025-06-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 6/18/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
Please attend this training to learn how to assign (and re-assign) learner seats on this state-supported distance learning platform. After July 7, each learner at your site/program will need to have a seat (license) assigned to them in order to access MobyMax content and earn distance learning proxy hours. When a learner leaves your program or stops using MobyMax, you can re-assign their seat to a new learner.
This training is REQUIRED for designated MobyMax administrators (1 or 2 staff members per site). These individuals received an email from the DL Team on May 29. Any staff member or volunteer is welcome to attend this training to learn more, but only designated MobyMax administrators will have the ability to assign MobyMax seats to learners.
The training will be recorded for staff who are unable to attend on June 18. Designated MobyMax administrators who do not attend the full training on June 18 will be required to view the recording and pass a quiz before being able to assign seats.
Please contact support@mnabedistancelearning.zendesk.com with questions and to request ASL interpretation or other accommodations.
After registering, you’ll receive an email from “MNABE Staff” with a link to join the Zoom meeting.

Strategies for Trauma-Informed Teaching, Part 2, Presented by Andrea Echelberger
2025-06-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 6/18/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
Once we understand the effects of trauma and chronic stress, we can respond with effective, supportive strategies. In this section, participants will learn trauma-informed teaching practices designed to create safe, welcoming environments from the moment adult learners walk in the door. These practices can help reduce barriers to learning, support positive classroom behaviors, and improve learner engagement and comfort.
This is Part 2 of a two-part series entitled Creating Healing-Centered Spaces for Adult Learners. Taking both sessions is not required, nor is it essential to take Part 1 before taking Part 2.
https://www.literacymn.org/strategies-for-trauma-informed-teaching-part-2-presented-by-andrea-echelberger-webinar-advanced

SiD: Prep for August Submission PY 2024-25
2025-06-25 09:00 - 10:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 6/25/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
In this session we’ll go over reports that are due to MDE and share tips for making sure your SiD program year data is current and complete. We’ll also review how to get started with the new 25-26 program year.
Target audience: Staff responsible for compiling and submitting their consortium’s NRS Program Year 24-25 August Submission to MDE

Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2025-06-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 6/25/25
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.

Teaching the Whole Learner: Supporting Mental Health and Neurodiversity in ABE - Presented by Jimmie Heags
2025-07-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 7/11/25
Venue: Online (see details below)
Adult learners bring a range of experiences, learning needs, and emotional challenges. This session helps ABE volunteers and professionals recognize signs of mental health concerns and neurodivergence (like autism or ADHD) without stepping into diagnosis.
You’ll learn practical, trauma-informed strategies and inclusive teaching tools based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support every learner—especially those navigating trauma, language barriers, or unrecognized learning differences.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Recognize signs of mental health challenges and neurodivergent behavior in adult learners.
Understand how trauma, learning disabilities, and language barriers can affect learning.
Use simple, trauma-informed strategies to support all learners.
Create a more inclusive classroom using Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Know when and how to connect students to outside help—without trying to diagnose.

WebChat with MN ABE
2025-07-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 7/16/25
WebChat with MN ABE is a webinar discussion led by state ABE staff from the Minnesota Department of Education. Web Chat webinars provide updates from the state ABE office on new and emerging issues and an opportunity for local ABE staff to ask questions and provide information to the Minnesota Adult Ed state team.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you need ASL interpretation for this event, please contact Wendy Lindblom at info@literacyactionnetwork.org by Monday, June 30, 2025.

Topics will include:

Assessment updates
MSG targets
August Reporting Submission
State and Federal Adult Education Funding

For those unable to attend, the meeting and materials will be available on the Literacy Action Network website after the meeting.

Teaching Reading Vocabulary
2025-07-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 7/21/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Ellii Q&A for Instructional Staff
2025-07-30 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 7/30/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

The Statewide Digital Learning Team will host two Q&A sessions for staff and volunteers interested in using the new, state-supported Ellii account.
Please complete the staff training BEFORE attending a Q&A session. These sessions are intended as a follow-up to the training, not a substitute.
Participants are welcome to attend either session, but each session will have a different focus.

The session on July 30 is primarily for instructional staff (teachers and volunteers with teaching/tutoring responsibilities).
The session on July 31 is primarily for support staff, administrators, and volunteers with non-instructional responsibilities.

The Q&A sessions will be recorded.
After registering, you’ll receive an email from “MNABE Staff” with a link to join the Zoom meeting.
Please contact support@mnabedistancelearning.zendesk.com with questions and to request ASL interpretation or other accommodations.

Ellii Q&A for Support Staff
2025-07-31 09:30 - 10:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 7/31/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

The Statewide Digital Learning Team will host two Q&A sessions for staff and volunteers interested in using the new, state-supported Ellii account.
Please complete the staff training BEFORE attending a Q&A session. These sessions are intended as a follow-up to the training, not a substitute.
Participants are welcome to attend either session, but each session will have a different focus.

The session on July 30 is primarily for instructional staff (teachers and volunteers with teaching/tutoring responsibilities).
The session on July 31 is primarily for support staff, administrators, and volunteers with non-instructional responsibilities.

The Q&A sessions will be recorded.
After registering, you’ll receive an email from “MNABE Staff” with a link to join the Zoom meeting.
Please contact support@mnabedistancelearning.zendesk.com with questions and to request ASL interpretation or other accommodations.

Volunteer Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
2025-08-04 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 8/4/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Online Statewide Courses Webinar - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED
2025-08-06 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: EVENT POSTPONED
Due to the delay of Federal funding, this webinar will not be held at this time.

Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2025-08-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 8/8/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Volunteer Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
2025-08-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 8/11/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

2025 Summer Institute (in person)
2025-08-12 12:00 - 2025-08-15 12:00 | Park Event Center – Waite Park, 500 Division St, Waite Park, 56387
Registration Deadline: TBD
Events Cost: TBD

Volunteer Core Training Module 3: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
2025-08-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 8/18/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Volunteer Core Training Module 4: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Materials
2025-08-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 8/25/25
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.
