ATLAS ABE

Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
2024-02-01 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 2/1/24
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.

DevEd-ABE Partner Affinity Group Meeting
2024-02-02 10:00 - 11:15 | Online
No registration necessary: Contact Russ Fraenkel, rwfraenkel@gmail.com, to receive the direct Zoom link.
February 2024 dates:

February 1 from 2:00-3:15pm
February 2 from 10:00-11:15am

NOTE: The meetings on February 1 and 2 cover the same topics. Participants have the option to attend either one of the similar sessions.
All are welcome to participate in the engaging presentations and discussions of the DevEd-ABE Partner Affinity Group. This year, the Affinity Group’s 75-minute virtual meetings (in November, February, and April) will focus attention on the co-req classroom format within Guided Learning Pathways. Minnesota State campuses are required to implement the co-req format in stages of partial implementation to full implementation by fall 2026.
Affinity Group background
2023-24 marks the fourth academic year in which Minnesota State Developmental Education and Adult Basic Education teachers and administrators join ranks to ensure college enrolled students are academically ready for the rigors of credit-bearing coursework at Minnesota State campuses. Many students are in need of additional math, English, organization, navigation, and study skills to thrive in college. The DevEd-ABE Affinity Group was formed three years ago to focus on the effectiveness of new and existing classroom partnerships to support Dev Ed enrolled students. To this end, numerous tools and resources have been created and utilized.
Contact Russ Fraenkel, rwfraenkel@gmail.com, for further information.

Antiracist Praxis Study Circle
2024-02-02 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-02-09 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-02-16 15:00 - 17:00, 2024-02-23 15:00 - 17:00 | Online
Application deadline: FRI. 1/19/24
Many of us have heard the terms antiracist and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), but how do we actually implement these large frameworks into our adult English classrooms? This study circle goes beyond defining antiracism and explores how the research around Translanguaging by Ofelia García and Culturally Responsive Teaching by Zaretta Hammond provide us with tools to change the way we approach teaching.
The study circle is not intended to be a basic “what is racism” professional development activity, so we have some working assumptions and hope those interested in joining can agree to start with these foundational beliefs:
Racism is systemic. White supremacy and systemic racism are leading problems in our education system. These systems are especially harmful to people of color and the English language learners we serve. Identifying and addressing implicit bias is paramount to this work. It is a personal journey, and we all enter this work together from different places. It is not enough to be “not racist” but we have to be intentionally antiracist. We are willing to work in a collaborative environment and to hold each other accountable.
Facilitated by: Wendy Vang-Roberts and Erin Cary
DATES: You are required to attend each date.

Fri. 2/2/24, 3:00-5:00 PM
Fri. 2/9/24, 3:00-5:00 PM
Fri. 2/16/24, 3:00-5:00 PM
Fri. 2/23/24, 3:00-5:00 PM
Fri. 3/8/24, 3:00-5:00 PM

Participants earn 15 CEUs plus a $100 stipend for completing all the requirements of the study circle, including attendance at all 5 meetings. Priority for slots is given to current paid staff of MN ABE programs.
GET MORE DETAILS >>
Meet our facilitators:
Wendy Vang-Roberts (she/her) is a first-generation Hmong American from the Twin Cities who is dedicated to taking action to dismantle racism and inequities through training, storytelling and creating spaces for meaningful dialogue. As the Program Manager of Federal Strategies at Race Forward, she project manages professional development for federal agencies to advance racial equity. Wendy holds a B.S. in Business Management and a Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration from Metropolitan State University. Currently, she serves on two working boards – the Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP) Board as Board Chair and the Antiracism Community of Transformation (ACT) Board.
Erin Cary (she/her), has worked in MN ABE since 2009, as teacher, administrator, and in curriculum writing and professional development. She currently teaches beginner ELLs for Metro North ABE in Brooklyn Center, and in her role as CILIA-T Project Coordinator, she coordinates development of a digital skill-building adult ELL civics curriculum project through the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She is a co-founder of the teacher/learner self-advocacy movement #IamABE, which supports equity work and activism in MN adult education. Erin holds a Master of Arts in ESL from Hamline University.

Volunteer Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
2024-02-05 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 2/5/24
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.

Burlington English Lunch and Learn: How to Lead Student Orientations for Your Own Class
2024-02-06 12:30 - 13:15 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 2/6/24
In this session, we will go over tools and resources for how you can lead your own student orientations for your class/program when onboarding new students to using Burlington English. We will go over important features to focus on and common Q&As.
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Dyscalculia in the Math Classroom
2024-02-06 15:00 - 16:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 2/6/2024
Suspect you have a student with a math learning disability? Join us for this session on dyscalculia, a specific learning disability that makes numerical reasoning and comprehension challenging for our learners. This session will give an overview of dyscalculia, what it is, and how to identify that a student has it. The bulk of the time will be spent discussing routines, accommodations, and modifications to support learners with dyscalculia in the math classroom.

WebChat with MDE
2024-02-07 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 2/7/24

If you need ASL interpretation for this event, please contact Wendy Her at info@literacyactionnetwork.org by Monday, January 29, 2024.

Web Chat 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.
Topics will include:

Initial results from the Federal Monitoring Visit
Local, regional, state WIOA plan
HSE Updates
Professional Development Resources
Upcoming Professional Development

For those unable to attend, the meeting and materials will be available on the Literacy Action Network website after the meeting: http://literacyactionnetwork.org/supplemental-service-activities/web-chat-with-mnabe.

Teaching Reading Vocabulary Remotely or In Person
2024-02-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 2/7/24
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.

Essential Zoom Skills for Online Instruction
2024-02-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 2/9/24
Join this hands-on session to learn and practice essential Zoom skills for the virtual classroom that may not be in your repertoire if your experience with the platform is limited to meetings with friends and colleagues at work.
The workshop will cover:

Turning off participants’ cameras and microphones.
Re-naming participants.
Sharing your screen.
Annotating your screen.
Setting up and visiting breakout rooms.

Building Success: An Overview of Establishing a HiSET Test Center
2024-02-12 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 2/12/24
Speak with Tess Yuirk, HiSET Adult Education Manager, during this webinar. We will look at testing modalities for student testing, discuss the reasons for test center set-up, look at the types of test centers, walk through the process of setting up a test center, and have time for Q & A at the conclusion.

Volunteer Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
2024-02-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 2/12/24
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.

CCRS Support Webinar (2 of 3): Keys to Unlocking the Treasures of Academic Content
2024-02-13 14:30 - 16:00 | Online
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: TUE. 2/13/24
Looking for some concrete strategies to help your learners access academic language/content in multiple subject areas? Join our four panelists, interact with strategies they use in their teaching and reflect on how you might incorporate one or more into your instruction. Our panelists will be Amber Delliger (Metro North/ARCC), Kori McKibben (South Suburban Adult Education), Susan Clark (Metro North) and Jessica Jones (Literacy MN).

More than Alphabet Soup: ACES/TIF 2.0 Lessons and Strategies (Part 2)
2024-02-15 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 2/15/24
All the many Adult Education acronyms can feel like swimming in alphabet soup! Join Stephanie Sommers and Carly Voshell to learn more about ACES (Academic, Career and Employability Skills), which are part of the MN ABE Content Standards, and the TIF (Transitions Integration Framework). We will explore 2023 TIF 2.0 revisions and lessons that align to three of the ACES categories: self management, developing a future pathway and navigating systems. These lessons are ready-to-use and available now on the ATLAS website. No matter what level you teach, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of ACES-TIF and some fresh ideas for integrating these important skills into instruction. Note: This is part 2 of an ACES-TIF webinar series with part 1 held January 11, but you can come to one or both!
Objectives:
Participants will be able to:

Understand how ACES skills can be implemented at various levels and educational settings

Articulate TIF 2.0 revisions involving DEI and social emotional learning

Locate lessons on ACES categories available on the ATLAS website Comment end

Volunteer Core Training Module 3: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
2024-02-19 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 2/19/24
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.

Burlington English Lunch and Learn: Modeling an In-Class Lesson
2024-02-20 12:30 - 13:15 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 2/20/24
In this session, we will take a look at a Burlington English lesson plan paired with an In-Class Lesson. Xue will model how to present different strategies for how to complete the activities and how you might complete them in your classroom. Feel free to come with questions and problems you’ve been experiencing and we can brainstorm how you might overcome them!
NOTE: Attendees must have current login credentials for their BE account.

Administrators, Where Shall We Begin? Planning & Budgeting for the Coming Year
2024-02-20 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 2/20/24
Decisions, decisions… It’s that time again; planning for the coming school year is upon us! Join your colleagues and state staff for a time of discussion and learning around making plans and budgeting strategically for the 2024-2025 school year. State ABE Director Brad Hasskamp will be on hand for questions, and administrators from various contexts from around the state – including Deb McDermott-Johnson (Owatonna) and Susie Evans (Great Rivers) – will share their puzzles and strategies, with ample time for conversation.

Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
2024-02-20 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 2/20/24
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.

Phonics in Beginning ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources
2024-02-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 2/21/24
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.

Digital Accessibility Options
2024-02-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 2/22/24
Embracing digital equity, computer companies continue to make efforts to foster an inclusive environment. As users, we must also try to share such technology with students to address individual needs. By exploring these features, we empower ourselves to create a more accessible and equitable digital world. Join us to discover computer and browser features that may benefit your students.

Teaching and Tutoring with Northstar Digital Literacy
2024-02-23 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 2/23/24
You don’t need to be a computer expert in order to teach computer skills! Come learn how help students build their digital literacy skills using Northstar Digital Literacy.
In the webinar, participants will learn:

The features of Northstar Digital Literacy.
How to help learners navigate Northstar digital literacy assessments.
How to use the Northstar instructor-led curriculum.
How to guide learners through the Northstar Digital Literacy Online Learning Modules.
Additional digital literacy 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.

Volunteer Core Training Module 4: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Materials
2024-02-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 2/26/24
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.

Burlington English Lunch and Learn: Xue's Office Hour
2024-02-27 12:30 - 13:15 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 2/27/24
You will be able to join Xue’s open office hour to come with any questions or issues that you have. If you need help with a technical issue, Xue will be able to walk you through and train you in how to resolve the issue. If you need teaching tips or strategies, we can brainstorm in this session. If you need training in a specific area of Burlington English, Xue will be able to help you navigate through the features.

HSE Testing Coffee Talk Series
2024-02-27 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

LGBTQIA+ Topics in ABE Spaces
2024-02-28 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 2/28/24
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.

A.I. Tools for Teachers
2024-02-29 15:30 - 17:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 2/29/24
Are you a teacher? Do you need MORE TIME for prep work, planning, giving feedback to learners, and creating differentiated materials? (If you said “no,” we don’t believe you.) Join this webinar to learn how you can use generative artificial intelligence (A.I.) tools to support all the behind-the-scenes work of teaching. Panelists Kelly O’Brien, Jill Carlson, and Barbara Gorski will share how they use ChatGPT and Magic School to streamline tasks so they can focus more on…well, actually teaching. There will be plenty of examples as well as time for questions and discussion.

Metro ABE 2024 Spring Regional - In-person event!
2024-03-01 08:00 - 16:00 | Double Tree by Hilton – Roseville, 2450 N Cleveland Ave, Roseville, MN, 55113, United States
Registration Deadline: FRI. 2/23/24 – Registration is now CLOSED
Schedule and session descriptions:

PROGRAM FLYER>>

If you require ASL Interpretation, contact Gail Rutan at grutan01@hamline.edu.
COST:

$25/person
$15 late fee will be incurred for registrations submitted after 2/23/24 (deadline 2/27/24)

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

By credit card/PayPal: Have your staff mark “Please bill my organization” when registering, and use this payment form.
By organizational 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.

SCHEDULE:
See program flyer for sessions and descriptions
8:00-8:45 Check-in & light breakfast
8:45-9:45 Welcome, Announcements, and General Session
10:00-11:30 Concurrent Session 1
11:30-12:30 Lunch
12:30-2:00 Concurrent Session 2
2:15-3:45 Concurrent Session 3

Teaching Reading Vocabulary Remotely or In Person
2024-03-04 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 3/4/24
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.
