The goal of ACES (Academic, Career & Employability Skills) is to support teachers in teaching the hard-to-define, yet make-or-break skills needed to succeed in the workplace, college, and community.
The Transitions Integration Framework (TIF) is the cornerstone of ACES, and it is one of three documents comprising the state-adopted content standards for Minnesota ABE. Visit the CCR Standards page to see how ACES fits into the broader content standards for ABE, including the College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS).
The TIF was designed to provide ABE programs and instructors with guidance on the effective integration of transitions skills (also known as soft skills or professional skills) into instruction at all levels of ABE.
The TIF includes six categories of skills:
Want more information on implementing the TIF in your own practice? Check out the ACES/Transitions resource library!
ACES Foundations is a free online course that provides a wonderful overview of ACES and how it can give teachers the tools they need to help students reach their goals.
This is an online networking community of practice using the Schoology platform, with a designated facilitator. The group was established as a place to share resources and ideas for integrating ACES/TIF (Transitions Integration Framework) in the classroom.
ACES professional learning communities (PLCs) provide teachers with the opportunity to examine their roles as adult educators in a “transitions” landscape; explore and practice integrating transitions (TIF) skills into their lessons, materials and instructional settings; and work collaboratively with colleagues to reflect on and develop their teaching practice.
The Content Standards Integration (CSI) Cohort is a 4-month professional development activity designed to help instructors build confidence and familiarity with integrating all three sets of MN ABE Content Standards into their curriculum and instruction.
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Problem-based learning (PBL) scenarios give students relevant, meaningful situations to read, write, think, and talk about, thus keeping them engaged and motivated. This allows for combining basic skills, soft skills, and digital literacy - the focus of our MN ABE Content Standards - into one lesson or unit. Learn more about PBL and the new Content Standards Integration (CSI) Cohort kicking off in January 2020! Read More
Looking for ways to integrate all three sets of MN ABE Content Standards (CCRS, ACES/TIF, Northstar Digital Literacy Standards) into your instruction? Join us for an exciting new Cohort experience where you will adapt and create student tasks, lesson plans, and units aligned to the three sets of standards! Read More
Registration Deadline: TUE. 11/19/19 Registration is now open for the Fall ABE Managers’ Workshop. The expectation is that every Minnesota ABE consortium send at least one representative to this workshop. Registration and morning refreshments are from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Workshop begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. Learn More
Registration Deadline: WED. 11/20/19 Teachers of adult ESL learners often hear stories of learners trying out their new English skills in the community, and being ignored or rebuffed because of their accent. In this workshop, learn about the politics of accent in the United States. Participants… Learn More
Registration Deadline: THU. 11/21/19 Join us for the next in our distance learning webinar series, where we explore the free website Khan Academy. Learn how to set up classes, enroll learners, assign content, pull distance learning hours, and more! This session will be led by Susan Wetenkamp-Brandt from… Learn More
