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Recent Newsletter Articles
Texting with Talking Points: Supporting Communication and Retention for Multilingual Learners
From reminders about assignments to checking in on a student who’s been out sick, finding the right text messaging tool has not only saved me precious time but has also strengthened my relationships with my students. I’ve tried a number of different tools, especially during the pandemic, but Talking Points is my favorite so far. Read More
Our Journey to Integrated Education and Training (IET)
The MN Department of Corrections has a long history of providing adult basic education and career technical education to individuals who are incarcerated; thousands of men and women have graduated from our programs. Looking back on 35 years of education programming, we see the overall successes of our students as fuel enough to keep the development and implementation of new Integrated Education & Training (IET) programs moving forward. Read More
IDEAL 103: Building an EdTech Strategy
While platforms such as Khan Academy or LinkedIn Learning host vast repositories of educational content, it can be a challenge incorporating them into the classroom. If you’ve struggled to digest and master a platform’s content, or how to meaningfully include such tools in the classroom, then the IDEAL 103 course is for you! Read More
Combatting the Churn: Exploring the Spiral Model of Instruction
In this special, full-length feature article, Corrections teacher Adam Kuehnel explores the spiral model of instruction in a low-level ABE mathematics classroom. While his subject matter is math, this successful instructional model can be applied to any adult education class. (See the synopsis for a summary of main points.) Read More
New Antiracism Instructional Resources Posted!
"Antiracism in ABE" is a large section of the Cultural Competency resource library on the ATLAS website. We have recently been adding new resources to the Antiracist Instruction category, since we know busy teachers are looking for specific things to use in their classrooms. Learn about a few of these great new resources! Read More
You Just Never Know
How did a Minnesota adult education instructor and two of her students – a husband and wife who escaped from Afghanistan with assistance from a USDA official from Minnesota – end up in an Associated Press story that went global? Read on to find out! Read More
Attention ESL Teachers: a Fall Conference for YOU!
Do you teach adults whose first language is not English? Interested in connecting with others who work with immigrants and refugees, across all ages of learners and contexts for ESL? ATLAS is providing scholarships to attend the state ESL conference (MELEd), live and in-person under strict COVID precautions, at the St. Paul RiverCentre on November 18-19, 2022! Read More
Routines That Foster Constructing Viable Arguments and Critiquing the Reasoning of Others – Part 2
Regardless of the subject matter, there is a skill/practice that is central to any learning: the ability to construct viable and valid arguments, and to engage in critiquing the reasoning of others - the reasoning of both students and teachers. There are routines you can put in place to help develop this skill/practice. Read More
Check Out What’s New in the Antiracism in ABE Resource Library!
"Antiracism in ABE" is a large section of the Cultural Competency resource library on the ATLAS website. This summer we have been working to revamp the Antiracist Instruction category, since we know busy teachers are looking for specific things to use in their classrooms. Learn about a few of these great resources, including presentations by our own MN Adult Ed colleagues! Read More
What is Pear Deck and How Can I Use it in My Classroom?
Pear Deck is a digital tool that allows teachers to create interactive activities for students in online and in-person classes. It is accessible as an add-on when using Google Slides and works seamlessly with Google Suites, allowing teachers to use it as an asynchronous or synchronous teaching tool. Pear Deck offers a paid version and a free version; this article focuses on the free version and using Pear Deck as an online teaching tool, even though it is perfectly adaptable to in-person teaching as well. Read More