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Reading Skills Stories
This section of the Literacy Centre of Expertise website offers both interactive (with audio) and downloadable (PDF) student and teacher materials. There are phonics stories, "Interactive Foundational Stories" (dealing with oral language, vocabulary and comprehension), and stories dealing with word families and sight words, all written for adult language learners.
Adult ELL Pathway to Literacy
Find the Adult ELL Pathway to Literacy curriculum and online assessment tools here. These resources were developed by a team of literacy level teachers, and piloted with in-person and online classes of literacy level learners.
Tar Heel Reader
This collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces. Teachers can write their own books using pictures from the huge collection at Flickr or pictures they upload.
Arlington Education and Employment Program
This site has extensive resources for teachers and learners, including a full life skills-based curriculum, interactive story links for beginners, and collections of links on a variety of topics including typing, pronunciation, and citizenship.
BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental Readers
Find readers and accompanying course packets written specifically for adults. The six levels of readers range from low beginner to the equivalent of grade 9 in the K-12 system. Use the readers and course packets online, or download them as PDFs.
Health Literacy Resources
This collection of multi-language health videos, classroom lessons, and support resources was created to support language learners who are new to English and who may have limited literacy skills to reduce barriers to access healthcare and improve health literacy.
ESL Literacy Readers (Bow Valley Readers)
This collection of 40 theme-based readers features adult ESL learners engaging in everyday work and life activities. The learner page provides ESL students with access to seven levels of stories written specifically for adults. Each story focuses on a different learner and has an accompanying listening track so learners can listen as well as read the story.
CCRS in the ABE Classroom: Beginning ESL
This lesson focuses on Shift 2: Evidence; Reading Anchors 1, 3, and 7, Level A; Speaking and Listening Anchors 1 and 6, Level A; and Language Anchor 1. The learners: 1) Ask and answer questions about key details in a text, 2) Describe the connection between individuals, 3) Use illustrations to describe key ideas, 4) Speak audibly, express thoughts clearly and succinctly, 5) Follow rules for discussions & responding to comments/questions in an exchange, and 6) Understand and use question words, possessive pronouns, and the progressive verb tense.
A Digital Workbook for Beginning ESOL
This free online book contains three levels of interactive grammar lessons and reading activities for beginning students of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). The grammar section includes a select set of YouTube videos, and the three original readers include short picture or chapter stories. Each lesson is accompanied by self-correcting exercises.
We Speak NYC – learner activities
Provides videos and practice activities (such as quizzes) for learners to develop listening and vocabulary skills in an independent learning setting. Topics include education, health, emergency preparedness, domestic violence, workforce development, adult education, early childhood education, worker rights, mental health, and immigration legal help. Appropriate for high beginning to high intermediate learners.
We Speak NYC
These videos and accompanying materials (including short stories, study guides, and glosses) develop listening and vocabulary skills in a classroom or independent learning setting. Topics include education, health, emergency preparedness, domestic violence, workforce development, adult education, early childhood education, worker rights, mental health, and immigration legal help. Appropriate for high beginning to high intermediate learners.
Learn English Free: EnglishClub
EnglishClub is a free website designed to help beginning to advanced English Language Learners develop their English skills. Learners can find activities and materials to learn about and practice listening, reading, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Teachers can also find materials and lesson plans.
iPads and Tablets in the LESLLA Classroom
With suggestions of iPad/tablet apps that build reading foundations skills, numeracy, and digital literacy for ESL learners with limited or interrupted formal education, this list can help integrate ABE standards in a targeted, self-paced, and differentiated manner.
Numeracy Units: Beginning Level
The Hubbs Center has created a series of Beginning Level Numeracy Units based on real-life applications such as consumerism, temperature, time, health, and work. Find lessons and handouts (in Dropbox folders) under the Numeracy Units link on the main webpage.
Literacy Education and Second Langauge Learning for Adults (LESLLA)
This website provides information about current research with low literacy level adult English language learners, as well as numerous resources for teaching and supporting beginning level learners.
Adult ESL Beginning Level Instruction Videos
Find Low-Literacy Instruction and Classroom Activities videos that feature Minnsota teachers working with low literacy and beginning level learners on a wide variety of activities and skills, including phonics, TPR, speaking skills, and numeracy.
Adult ESL Pronunciation Activities Videos
Find six different Pronunciation Classes videos that feature teachers delivering integrated pronunciation instruction in beginning and intermediate adult ESL classrooms. Some of the topics covered include word stress, intonation, and voice quality settings.
Our School Garden
This project-based unit of instruction leads students through a process of writing, filming, editing, and showcasing their own videos about a community garden they have tended all summer.
Diana’s ELL Writing Practice
This website is used as a companion to classroom writing instruction for Low Intermediate ELLs. Each of the 3 sections (Parts of Speech, Verb Tenses, and Sentences) has multiple lessons; all include a voiced-over video (based on class handouts) and quiz (multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank) with immediate feedback.
Diana’s ELL Writing Practice – Grammar
This website is used as a companion to classroom writing instruction for Low Intermediate ELLs. Each of the 3 sections (Parts of Speech, Verb Tenses, and Sentences) has multiple lessons; all include a voiced-over video (based on class handouts) and quiz (multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank) with immediate feedback.
New Resources
Tapping into Diverse Perspectives and Teaching Materials
This video discusses what “diverse perspectives and teaching materials” mean, and why this is important to learner success in the classroom. Using diverse materials makes class more relevant to learners’ lives and helps them bridge information they already know to new information. Utilizing diverse perspectives in class content is also key to building up critical thinking skills. We take a look at numerous resources that can help each of us diversify the visuals, videos, audio, and written materials we use.
Being a Warm Demander
This video takes a look at a spectrum of different kinds of teachers and asks you to reflect on where you would place yourself. We argue, based on Zaretta Hammond’s work, that the “warm demander” is the sweet spot of the spectrum which focuses on building trust with learners while also holding them to high standards to meet their learning goals. We then discuss tools to practice building relationships with learners, creating a learning partnership pact, and giving quality feedback so learners can meet their goals.
Discovering Learners’ Funds of Knowledge
In this video, we define and discuss the terms “funds of knowledge” and “an asset-based perspective.” A key element of equity in the classroom is acknowledging learners have a wealth of knowledge based on their own experiences, and we should provide opportunities for learners to be the experts in the room. Once we learn what students’ assets are, we can weave this information into class content, which helps learners be more successful. We take a look at an example lesson.
Presenter Information
Get information about stipends, reimbursements, and other instructions for presenters.
MN ABE YouTube Channel
The MN ABE YouTube Channel is a free online PD resource that you can use to explore teaching techniques and classroom ideas in action! Find out more in this MN ABE Connect newsletter article.
Upcoming ABE Events
August 6, 2024
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Online
Racial Equity 101 Presented by Jimmie Heags
Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/6/24 Join presenter Jimmie Heags, Jr., MA, LSC, LPCC, LADC, ACS, for this session that exposes how race is defined and how racism impacts individuals and institutions. The session will provide learners with a framework for understanding and disrupting the attitudes and structures that perpetuate… Learn More
Online
August 6, 2024
6:30 pm–8:30 pm
Online
Volunteer Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/6/24 Participants learn about Adult Basic Education programming in Minnesota, demographics of learners, instructional content standards as well as initial and on-going assessment. This session wraps up with learner motivations, barriers and persistence. Learn More
Online
August 13, 2024
6:30 pm–8:30 pm
Online
Volunteer Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/13/24 Participants develop their personal cultural awareness and learn how expectations around school culture shape how people teach and learn. Guiding principles for effectively delivering instruction to adults are also covered. Finally, participants increase their sensitivity to the challenges of learning English and developing literacy… Learn More
Online