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Recent Newsletter Articles
2026 Language & Literacy Institute: Registration Now Open!
Join us for the 2026 Language & Literacy (virtual) Institute on January 29-30, 2026! This two-day conference offers language and literacy-related workshops that you will NOT want to miss, including featured presentations by Jayme Adelson-Goldsten, Betsy Parrish, and Michelle Benegas. If you teach any aspect of language and literacy—at any level—this event is for you! Read More
The Human Library Experience at LESLLA 2025: Centering Learner Voices Through Identity Texts
At the 2025 LESLLA Conference in Québec City, attendees took part in a Living Human Library, where LESLLA learners from Québec shared identity texts created with support from their teacher and a Université Laval research team. Learners presented personal stories highlighting their languages, backgrounds, and lived experiences. The space became a lively hub of dialogue, curiosity, and cultural exchange. Read More
Breaking Barriers: The Unexpected Benefits of a Discussion-Based ESL Class
An Advanced ESL discussion class at Metro North in Blaine began as a way to help adult learners strengthen their academic English skills but evolved into something much more meaningful. The experience fostered empathy, challenged stereotypes, and demonstrated the power of conversation in bringing people together. Read More
Mastering English Conversations: Practical Dialogues for Adult Learners
Teaching conversation skills to EL adults can prove successful through fostering communication skills with interactive dialogue practice, cultural nuances exploration, and targeted language acquisition strategies. Read More
50 Shades of Meaning
Explicit vocabulary instruction can often be a neglected vein of ESL instruction. This article provides research-based, user-friendly ideas to grow students beyond a surface level knowledge of words to deeper vocabulary comprehension and usage. Read More
A Walk in My Shoes: Videos to Help Everyone Have a Place at the Table
This documentary video series features stories from first-generation college students and aims “to create awareness about the diversity, the challenges, the opportunities and the benefits each student brings to campus.” Watching the videos would be an excellent way to begin a conversation about a number of important topics, such as the barriers that first-generation college students face, the value of persistence, and the importance of “making room at the table” for diverse voices in educational spaces. Read More
Fun Minimal Pair Activities for English Learners
Where to begin with easy and effective pronunciation instruction? Read on to learn about two pronunciation activities targeting minimal pairs that are a great starting point for teaching pronunciation, as well as where you can find the recordings and materials from ATLAS’s latest pronunciation webinars. Read More
Resources for Volunteer Tutors Series: Classroom Activities for Adult ESL Learners Video Series
As a part of a brief, weekly series in MN ABE Connect, Literacy Minnesota’s Training Department is back with another valuable resource for volunteers – the Classroom Activities for Adult ESL Learners Video Series. This resource is a veritable treasure trove waiting for you and your volunteers to explore! Read More
Language and Literacy ESL Roundup!
If you’re an ESL teacher who missed this year’s Language & Literacy conference, or if you just weren’t able to make it to all of the sessions, have no fear! All of the conference sessions were recorded, so even though the conference is over, you can still continue to learn with and from your ESL colleagues. Check out the videos and resources from these ESL-focused sessions for ideas to invigorate your teaching this winter. Read More
Stay Warm, and Keep Learning! Winter Webinars from Literacy Minnesota
Winter is here in Minnesota, but you don’t have to brave the snow and cold to participate in training webinars from Literacy Minnesota! Join volunteers and teachers from all around Minnesota for free professional development webinars on a wide variety of topics including low literacy, reading fluency, pronunciation, and remote instruction. Read More