SW ABE’s “Reading Skills for Today’s Adults” Just Keeps Getting Better!

Many of you know that Marshall’s Reading Skills for Today’s Adults (https://www.readingskills4today.com/) was revamped, with updated texts and pics and CCRS-aligned activities in adaptable Word supplements. This past summer, over 40 ABE instructors across the country volunteered many hours for a dual purpose: 1) to learn how to create content using online tools such as Quizlet, Google Forms, and Wakelet, and 2) to create over 1000 additional FREE resources to enhance the revamped Reading Skills for Today’s Adults. This effort was the first project of the EDTech Maker Space, a part of CrowdED Learning, where ABE instructors learn how to use edtech tools effectively while producing free, quality online content for everyone!

The result is an open leveled library—The Marshall Leveled Reading Program—with  over 1,000 engaging, mobile-friendly resources now ready for all educators to use. Never did I imagine when I started the revamping project with SW ABE that the free resources for this content would grow to the extent it has!

Some of the highlights:

• Learners can now access the stories and activities from a mobile-friendly app.
• Teachers can assign Google Form quizzes and Quizlet vocabulary practice for every text selection.
• Texts are organized by topic.
• Learners can keep track of the stories they’ve completed.
• Teachers can easily use a link to a Google Doc that allows them to access, copy, share, and customize the entire resource library

According to Jeff Goumas, the Founding Director of CrowdED, the crowdsourcing organization responsible for coordinating this project, here is a quick summary of what is available to you in addition to the already free website of stories and activities:

• Leveled Wakelet Library: These mobile-friendly Wakelets (scroll down the page slightly) each include an original reading from Reading Skills for Today’s Adults, along with a Quizlet for practice with the vocabulary from the story and a Google Forms quiz to check comprehension. Each Wakelet can be shared as is or copied and customized by teachers. Stories are organized by CCRS Levels A, B, C, and D (TABE Levels L, E, M, D).
• Mobile App: This free app allows learners to explore these very same stories and the supporting resources on their own by topic and level, while allowing learners to track which stories they’ve completed.
• Resource Library: This Google Sheet gives teachers URLs for all 345 of the stories along with the Quizlets, Google Forms Quizzes, and Wakelets, all in one place. Teachers can use the COPY link of the Google Forms Quizzes to get their own personal version, allowing you to track the performance of your learners.

Even better news? The “Marshall Reading Program” is now approved in MN ABE for proxy hours! Learners can  receive 1.5 proxy hours per story with completion of accompanying activities. Check out the MNABE Distance Learning website here (http://mnabe-distancelearning.org/other-platforms) for more information and stay tuned for any updates on using all the new resources in the open leveled library.

For more information, contact See Moua-Leske, SW ABE Marshall Director, at [email protected]

Originally published 10/12/20