ATLAS provides professional development around numeracy instruction that centers on implementation of the College & Career Readiness (CCR) Math Standards and preparing adult learners for the daily math demands of work, college, and community.
Both literacy and numeracy are critical skills for adults in order to fully engage in their communities. To further define the work of adult numeracy instruction for ABE and with the goal of achieving equitable math instruction for adult learners, the Minnesota Numeracy Instruction Advisory Team (MNI A-Team) holds that:
See the full MNI A-Team statement regarding math instruction in Minnesota ABE >>
Math Institute is offered annually, generally in early fall. While the focus of the institute changes from year to year to respond to current math needs of teachers and programs, the core of all content is grounded in the CCR Math Standards, Mathematical Practices, and Key Instructional Shifts (see the CCRS Math Resources section of the CCR Standards resource library for more information). Content includes tenets of effective numeracy instruction to adults at all levels, as well as more advanced math content for those working on high school equivalency or adult diploma requirements.
Check the Events calendar for upcoming dates and information!
ATLAS has built a partnership with Minnesota’s math teachers’ professional organization, MCTM (Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics), and MinnMATYC (Minnesota Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges). The annual MCTM Spring Conference in Duluth is a statewide event for math educators in K-12 through college contexts; when funds are available, ATLAS provides scholarships for ABE practitioners across the state to attend, in addition to coordinating a core group of math practitioners to present at the conference.
Webinars and regional event workshops are offered throughout the year to deepen practitioners’ math content and pedagogical knowledge around adult math instruction. In addition, two webcast series are archived for instructors’ viewing and use at any time: the Mathematical Practice series and the E-quip Math series, both described in more depth below.
The Teaching Numeracy to Adults initiative focuses on the actual teaching of math/numeracy (rather than pure standards implementation); it involves an online course via Canvas as well as live webinars and partner work for a robust professional learning experience for participants. It was designed with a wide audience in mind: administrators and instructors, both those who identify as math teachers and those who do not; those who currently teach math/numeracy in their classrooms and those who do not.
The purpose of this study circle is to advance Minnesota Adult Education teachers’ ability to effectively and confidently integrate numeracy instruction into English language classes. It is appropriate for teachers of all levels of EL learners within MN Adult Ed, as teachers adapt tasks for their own levels and classrooms. Study circle participants explore relevant research and its implications for best practices in the classroom, as well as engaging in both at-home reading and reflective classroom tasks that inform and deepen discussions and allow for maximum professional growth.
The purpose of this webcast series is to give adult educators a better sense of each of the 8 Mathematical Practices of the CCRS (College & Career Readiness Standards) and to suggest ways to encourage using the Practices with their students. Each webcast offers an explanation of the highlighted Practice as well as facilitation questions to ask students, sample activities at multiple levels, and classroom videos that demonstrate the Practice.
Designed and facilitated by some of our most experienced numeracy leaders in MN Adult Ed, the archived E-quip math webinars have the dual purpose of providing 1) a math content refresher for teachers, and 2) related teaching strategies. Beyond each webinar, the E-quip series offers “pre-work” – readings and/or web activities that teachers can access in order to build their background knowledge before attending the webinar, as needed.
This online networking community of practice was established to connect adult education instructors teaching math in any capacity, and it serves as a forum for discussion as well as a hub for announcements, resources, and webinar and in-person event information.
The Minnesota Numeracy Instruction Advisory Team (MNI A-Team) is an ATLAS-sponsored team designed to strengthen math and numeracy teaching and learning in Minnesota ABE through relevant, meaningful, and effective professional development for practitioners.
The A-Team is responsible for visioning and implementing a long-term strategic plan for numeracy PD in Minnesota, as well as specific tasks yearly to support established PD efforts, such as the September ABE Math Institute, regional workshops, etc.
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The folks at the Adult Numeracy Network (ANN) have built a collection of resources to help adult education teachers bring instructional routines into their math classes. Learn about instructional routines and how they benefit both instructors and students! Read More
At Math Institute last November, we had the pleasure of welcoming Amy Vickers, former MN math leader and current math teacher at Nicolet College, to lead us in an engaging workshop around an important topic: Students Need Your Conceptual Understanding. Read More
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… Learn More
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… Learn More
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… Learn More
