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Recent Newsletter Articles
Celebrate National Volunteer Week!
National Volunteer Week in April is a time to honor the many ways that volunteers offer encouragement, optimism, patience and enthusiasm to help adult learners achieve their goals. Read on for ideas for celebrating your dedicated volunteers and their many contributions! Read More
Minneapolis Institute of Art Introduces ESL Tours
We tend to focus on practical, survivalist content in our ESL classes.... [A]rt can seem superfluous, but in truth art is a text that learners can do a close reading of. On art tours we use visual thinking strategies, engage participants in effective communication and critical thinking, and welcome them into our community. Read More
Universal Design for Learning Principles in Action
The “Altered Shoes and Life Journey Project” utilizes the arts to enable immigrant and refugee students to create visual metaphors that reflect their personality and life experiences - and helps them process those experiences. Read More
It’s All About Hitting the Target!
Learning target statements empower students, provide a common focus, communicate what is important, build community and engagement, and increase motivation and confidence. Read More
Managing Stress to Improve Learning: A Self-Management Resource
Some of the biggest obstacles that our adult learners face are often not academic, but social and emotional in nature. The Managing Stress to Improve Learning project has an array of resources to help teachers create safe, stable classrooms and promote positive mental health and stress reduction techniques. Read More
New from Khan Academy: Interactive Grammar Lessons
Khan Academy is a free online learning platform used by students from around the world. Recently, Grammar was added as a topic under Arts & humanities. I found the tutorials and exercises to be highly engaging and quite entertaining! Read More
TABE/CASAS Accommodations
Does your student have dyslexia? Mental health challenges? A physical or chronic health condition? ADHD? If you answered yes to any of the above, the student may qualify for TABE/CASAS testing accommodations. Read More
Integrate Content Standards with Unit/Lesson Planning Templates
Wondering how to weave together transitions skills, basic skills, and digital literacy into instruction? Looking for a way to better organize your thoughts and plans for your students? We now have Lesson Planning Templates available for math and ELA. Read More
S/he Who Does the Most Talking Does the Most Learning
Looking for ways to generate rich mathematical discussion with your students? "Which One Doesn’t Belong?" is a powerful activity that most students can access, and that some may even take to high levels. It's a perfect way to integrate language and numeracy! Read More
What Can I Do? Suggestions from the Allies and Advocates Panel Discussion
Many current ABE volunteers and supporters have been reaching out to ABE organizations and asking for concrete ideas to welcome and support the refugee and immigrant communities in MN. See what panelists suggested at the Minnesota Literacy Council's "Allies and Advocates: Supporting Our Neighbors" gathering. Read More