ATLAS ABE

How the Hotline Supports Your ABE Program
2026-03-26 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 3/26/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

The Adult Literacy Hotline helps connect learners to ABE programs across the state—but referrals are just one part of our work. In this session, Caspian from Literacy MN will explain how to see what kinds of requests are coming from your area, how we support outreach efforts like sharing hotline flyers with local libraries, and tips for directing students to your program effectively. Jenny and Mary from SiD Support will also review tips for how to keep your program information up to date and will answer your questions live.

Volunteer Core Training Module 4: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Materials
2026-03-30 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 3/30/26
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.

Teaching Reading Vocabulary
2026-04-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 4/1/26
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.

Teach Basic Skills with Socially Relevant, Standards-Aligned Content
2026-04-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/7/26
When content is relevant and impacts students’ lives beyond basic skills, engagement soars. Their interest becomes the scaffolding that lifts them to higher levels of complexity.
Come learn about a FREE source of powerful, student-written stories in multiple levels and formats. The Change Agent provides inspiring content with standards-aligned activities: reading for evidence, writing for different purposes, identifying point of view, comparing information, learning grammar, and using context clues.
Thanks to ATLAS’s bulk subscription, teachers will leave with log-in credentials for immediate access to classroom-ready activities for reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Minnesota ABE Leadership Book Club: Cultivating Genius
2026-04-08 12:00 - 13:15, 2026-05-13 12:00 - 13:15 | Online
Registration Deadline: By each meeting date
DATES: (YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH DATE)
Meeting 1: Wednesday, March 4 – 12-1:15 pm (CST) – REGISTER
Meeting 2: Wednesday, April 8 – 12-1:15 pm (CDT) – REGISTER
Meeting 3: Wednesday, May 13 – 12-1:15 pm (CST) – REGISTER

Join fellow Minnesota Adult Education leaders for a three-part book club exploring Gholdy Muhammad’s Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Together, we’ll reflect on how Muhammad’s four learning pursuits—identity, skills, intellect, and criticality—can inform leadership and instructional practices across ABE programs. Each session will blend discussion, reflection, and application to our unique adult learning contexts.
Where can I read more about this book?
Scholastic Website: https://shop.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/teacher/books/cultivating-genius-an-equity-framework-9781338594898.html
Is there a digital or audio version available?
Yes, this book is available on Kindle and Audible, as well as other platforms. NOTE: ATLAS is not providing digital or audio versions of the book, only physical copies to those who complete the form.
Who is invited to this Leadership Book Club?
All current or aspiring ABE administrators, coordinators, teacher-leaders
What is the format for the book club?
Three online sessions (do please come to all three if you can, but we understand if you can only come to one or two).

For March 4, read Part 1, through pg.61
For April 8, read Part 2, through pg.133
For May 13, read Part 3, through the end of the book, p.171.

Antiracist Praxis Study Circle
2026-04-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Online
Application Deadline: FRI. 2/13/26
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 (2017) and Culturally Responsive Teaching by Zaretta Hammond (2015) provides us with tools to change the way we approach teaching. Participation in this activity is by application only.

Learn more about the study circle >>
APPLY NOW >>

Questions? Contact Patsy Egan, pegan02@hamline.edu

Study Circle Dates:
Wed. 2/25/26 – 2-4 pm (CST)
Wed. 3/4/26 – 2-4 pm (CST)
Wed. 3/11/26 – 2-4 pm (CST)
Wed. 3/18/26 – 2-4 pm (CST)
Wed. 4/8/26 – 2-4 pm (CST)
If you require ASL interpretation, contact Gail Rutan at grutan01@hamline.edu

Minnesota State/ABE Corequisite Affinity Group Meetings
2026-04-09 14:00 - 15:15, 2026-04-10 10:00 - 11:15 | Online
Registration Deadline: Day of Event (see below)
Developing and advancing effective College and ABE co-req classroom partnerships is the business of ABE and Minnesota State educators working together through periodic Affinity Group (AG) meetings. The Affinity Group’s composition by role includes ABE Educators, Faculty, College Deans and Administrators, anyone with co-req reporting responsibility, and ABE Regional Directors. The Affinity Group sessions bring together all these practitioners who wish to explore and promote effective partnership models for student success in the co-req environment. All voices are welcome to help shape local and statewide collaboration strategies.
Additional information about the Affinity Group >>
Meeting Dates:

1. Thursday, October 30, 2-3:15 pm – REGISTER
2. Friday, October 31, 10-11:15 am – REGISTER
3. Thursday, January 15, 2-3:15 pm – REGISTER
4. Friday, January 16, 10-11:15 am – REGISTER
5. Thursday, April 9, 2-3:15 pm – REGISTER
6. Friday, April 10, 10-11:15 am – REGISTER

Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
2026-04-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: MON. 4/13/26
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.

Statewide Virtual Conference
2026-04-17 08:30 - 14:45 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 4/17/26
What? A statewide virtual conference on Friday, April 17! See complete flyer for the program with all workshop titles and descriptions HERE.
Where? Anywhere! This event is virtual.
Why? To catch timely, informative sessions (including re-licensure areas) from your colleagues across Minnesota Adult Education.
AGENDA (FULL FLYER HERE)
8:30-9:00 – Welcome & State Updates
9:15-10:15-Session 1 (4 concurrent sessions, 60 min)
10:30-11:30 -Session 2 (4 concurrent sessions, 60 min)
11:30-12:30 LUNCH
12:30-1:30 Session 3 (4 concurrent sessions, 60 min)
1:45-2:45- Session 4 (4 concurrent sessions, 60 min)
If you require ASL Interpretation, contact Lindsey Pust at lpust01@hamline.edu

Teaching and Tutoring with Northstar Digital Literacy
2026-04-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 4/22/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
2026-04-28 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/28/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Volunteer Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
2026-04-28 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/28/26
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.

SiD 25–26 Contact Hours Year-End Prep
2026-04-30 09:00 - 10:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 4/30/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

Time to get your SiD data in shape—no last-minute scrambling required. Join us for a webinar on preparing your Contact Hours Year data for your consortium’s 25–26 Annual ABE Grant Application submission. We’ll cover key steps to help you review your data, make updates, and head into reporting season with confidence. We’ll save 15-20 mins at the end to answer your questions.

Engagement and Interaction in the English Language Classroom Presented by Andrea Echelberger
2026-04-30 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 4/30/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

Developing community and creating opportunities for engagement are essential ingredients for a successful learning experience. But what does this look like in an English language class where there are multiple languages spoken and/or people at the very beginning of their language learning journey? In this training, learn classroom management strategies and instructional approaches that provide multiple opportunities for adult language learners to interact with one another, practice their language skills in a variety of ways, and help people to stay engaged and interested throughout the entire class time.

South Spring Regional Event 2026 - Mankato, MN
2026-05-01 08:00 - 15:00 | Country Inn & Suites – Mankato, 1900 Premier Dr., Mankato,, MN, 56001, United States
Registration Deadline: TUE. 4/15/26
(Hotel reservation deadline through ATLAS has now passed)
[*Note: To register, click on orange “Reserve a Spot” button]
See full agenda here! FLYER FOR SOUTH REGIONAL 2026
LOCATION: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Mankato Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 Premier Dr, Mankato, MN 56001

Are you traveling over 50 miles to the South Regional Event? You are eligible for a hotel room paid for by ATLAS! Look for that registration option in Eventbrite, and be sure to register by Thursday, April 9, at 5pm. (Hotel reservation deadline through ATLAS has now passed).
Don’t need a hotel room? You can register through Wednesday, April 15.

Join us in Mankato to connect with colleagues and explore practical strategies, from ESL best practices to online teaching strategies, and much more! Full agenda will be available by early April.
If you require ASL interpretation, contact Lindsey Pust at lpust01@hamline.edu

Integrated Pronunciation Instruction for Increased Intelligibility Presented by Suzanne Gilchrist McCurdy
2026-05-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/1/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

Volunteer Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
2026-05-05 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/5/26
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.

WebChat with MN ABE
2026-05-06 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 5/6/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

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, April 20, 2026.

Topics will include:

Information and guidance on the Annual ABE Grant Application for Fiscal Year 26–27
Update on statewide contact hours
Professional Development opportunities
Other announcements and topics TBD

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

Promising Practices for a Multilevel Classroom Presented by Andrea Echelberger
2026-05-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/8/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

English language classrooms feature a wide variety of educational backgrounds, abilities, and learning preferences, which contributes to a multilevel dynamic. This training will highlight promising teaching practices for supporting learners who need additional support, learners who move ahead quickly, and everyone in between. Participants will see concrete ideas for modifying activities to support a range of learner needs and abilities and get ideas for teaching that can be implemented immediately.

CSI Informational Webinar
2026-05-11 14:30 - 15:30 | Online
CSI – Content Standards Integration – A new professional learning cohort, coming fall 2026!
The new Content Standards Integration (CSI) Cohort invites adult educators to explore how CCRS, TIF, and Northstar can work together within meaningful, contextualized instruction. Come to this informational meeting to learn what the upcoming (2026-2027) CSI cohort is all about and how to apply.
Register today for this informational, no obligation webinar.

Volunteer Core Training Module 3: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
2026-05-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/12/26
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.

Administrator Webinar Series (3-part series)
2026-05-19 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: Day of event
Join us for a three-part webinar series for Minnesota Adult Education administrators focused on leadership, program improvement, and state/federal priorities. Whether you’re new or experienced, you’ll gain practical tools, timely updates, and opportunities to connect with peers across the state.

Webinar 1: WED. 9/10/25 – REGISTER
The first webinar in a 3-part Administrator Webinar Series is focused on Building Student Leaders and Incorporating Student Voices into Program Decisions. Hear directly from a panel of Adult Education programs that are putting these ideas into practice—from student councils to peer-led initiatives. You’ll walk away with real examples, fresh ideas, and the chance to share your own experiences. If your program values student leadership, this is a can’t-miss event!
Webinar 2: NEW DATE! (changed from 1/21/26) TUE. 3/3/26 – REGISTER
Planning & Budgeting for the Coming Year: In this annual budgeting webinar, Minnesota Department of Education leaders Brad Hasskamp and Jodi Versaw will kick off the conversation by breaking down the core components of ABE funding, including federal vs. state funding streams, funding formula, contact-hour rates, and other key terms. Then participants will have time to share strategies and concerns regarding their upcoming FY27 budgets. This webinar is appropriate for new and experienced Adult Education Managers alike, with the goal of clarifying the fundamentals and offering practical insights. Join us for this conversation!
Webinar 3: TUE. 5/19/26 – REGISTER

Volunteer Core Training Module 4: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Materials
2026-05-19 18:30 - 20:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/19/26
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.

How Adult Brains Learn Languages Presented by Andrea Echelberger
2026-05-29 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/29/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

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.

SiD Prep for August 2026 Submission
2026-06-25 09:00 - 10:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 6/25/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

It’s almost time to wrap up the 25-26 NRS Program year! Join us as we review the reports due to MDE and share practical tips to help ensure your SiD data is accurate, complete, and ready for the August submission. We’ll also cover changes that go into effect July 1, and how to get a strong start on the 26-27 Program year.
Target audience: Staff responsible for preparing and submitting their consortium’s 25-26 NRS Program Year August Submission to MDE.

WebChat with MN ABE
2026-07-22 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Registration Deadline: WED. 7/22/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

WebChat with MN ABE is a webinar discussion led by state ABE staff from the Minnesota Department of Education. WebChat 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, July 6, 2026.

Topics are to be determined.
For those unable to attend, the recording and slide deck will be available on the LAN and MN ABE websites.

Summer Institute 2026
2026-08-12 08:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-13 08:00 - 16:00 | Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/11/26
Venue: Online (see details below)

Save the date for Literacy Action Network’s annual Summer Institute 2026. More information to come!
