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Listen in English

On this website, find short clips of TV shows, movies, news, and academic stories accompanied by vocabulary building activities and listening comprehension questions from beginning to advanced levels. Learners and teachers can make free accounts in order to access expanded discussion activities.
Classroom Activities Learner Activities
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Adult ESL Beginning Level Instruction Videos

Find Low-Literacy Instruction and Classroom Activities videos that feature Minnesota teachers working with ESL Beginning Level learners on a wide variety of activities and skills, including phonics, TPR, speaking skills, and numeracy.
Classroom Activities Videos
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Additional Comprehension Resources

ESL Literacy Readers offers 40 theme-based stories, a learner page, and a teacher's guide with ideas for reading activities and extensions. ESL Yes! offers 1600 stories intended for Beginning and Intermediate level ESL students, supplemented with audios and various kinds of exercises.
Classroom Activities
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The Times in Plain English

This website contains free "Plain English Version" articles about current world and national news or events. All of the articles are edited by Arthur Schiff and grade-leveled according to Flesch-Kincaid. In addition to articles, the website offers Tips for Teachers, which provides text-dependent questions.
Classroom Activities Online Collections
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The Role of Vocabulary Instruction in Adult Basic Education

The author of this chapter analyzes research and theories about vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, and their inter-relationship. She presents proven practices for vocabulary instruction and makes other recommendations for research and policy.
Articles & Publications
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Additional Fluency Resources

These Comprehension resources are also useful for Fluency instruction: * Britannica School Elementary offers non-fiction articles related images, videos, maps, and learning games * The Change Agent includes leveled student-written articles, discussion topics, and lesson plans * The Times in Plain English contains free, leveled articles about current world and national news or events * Center for Adult Literacy Text Library offers over 1600 leveled texts on a range of topics
Articles & Publications Classroom Activities
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Reading Skills for Today’s Adults – Fluency

This website is a source of passages (Levels 0.7 to 8.0) and audios intended “to help adults become better readers and more informed consumers, parents, employees, citizens and community members.” It is useful for Beginning and Intermediate level students.
Classroom Activities
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Reading Skills for Healthcare Workers – Comprehension

This website provides 175 CNA (certified nursing assistant) and general healthcare passages and audios for adult readers at grade levels 5.5 to 8.5 (Intermediate level). All are CCRS aligned and include pre-reading questions, definitions of healthcare or high-frequency vocabulary, and text-dependent questions.
Classroom Activities
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Comprehension Instruction for STAR/EBRI Volunteers

This handout describes what STAR/EBRI volunteers need to know about evidence-based and explicit comprehension instruction. It focuses on teaching five strategies: 1) asking and answering questions, 2) finding topics, 3) identifying main idea sentences, 4) identifying key details or important steps, and 5) writing summaries.
Articles & Publications
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Comprehension – Challenges & Possible Solutions

Common comprehension strategy instructional challenges and solutions developed by Minnesota STARs and Trainers.
Articles & Publications
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Reading Skills for Today’s Adults – ESL

This website was designed to provide an online repository of leveled reading selections that are appropriate for and valued by adult learners. The readings being posted correspond to CASAS 200 - 235, focusing on topics such as Civics, Employment, Housing, Health, School, Money, and Government.
Classroom Activities
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ReadWorks.org

ReadWorks provides a large, high-quality library of curated nonfiction and literary articles, along with reading comprehension and vocabulary lessons, formative assessments, and teacher guidance. Through this website teachers can access curriculum, lesson plans, and free training.
Classroom Activities Lesson Plans Online Collections
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Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab is an online, multimedia listening website designed to help ESOL students improve their listening comprehension skills in English. The website contains over 300 original learning quizzes and activities that cover functional language topics.
Classroom Activities Learner Activities Online Collections
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How Should Adult ESL Reading Instruction Differ From ABE Reading Instruction?

A brief from the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) summarizing the research base on adult English language learners (ELLs) learning to read. It describes how ELLs differ from native English speakers and how these differences should affect reading instruction.
Articles & Publications
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Academic, Career & Employability Skills
Adult Career Pathways

Adult Career Pathways

ACP, IET, Transitions
Adult Diploma / HSE

Adult Diploma / HSE

Adult Ed Program Support

Adult Ed Program Support

ABE Foundations & FAQs
CCR Standards

CCR Standards

College & Career Readiness Standards (CCRS)
Cultural Competency

Cultural Competency

Equity & Trauma-Informed
Dev Ed/ABE Toolkit

Dev Ed/ABE Toolkit

Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy

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ESL

English as a Second Language
Numeracy

Numeracy

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Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning

Reading

Reading

STAR and EBRI
Science

Science

Social Studies & Civics

Social Studies & Civics

Writing

Writing

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PD Catalog

Get an overview of all MN Adult Education professional development (PD) activities in one convenient, searchable place!

PD Catalog

Presenter Information

Get information about stipends, reimbursements, the MN Adult Ed policy on use of images in presentations, and other instructions for presenters.

 

Presenter Information

MN Adult Ed YouTube Channel

The MN Adult Education 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.

 

MN Adult Ed YouTube

ATLAS Announcements & Future PD

Check out the latest list of ATLAS professional development announcements and opportunities! This is the document that is shared at all ATLAS events.

 

Announcements & Future PD

Virtual Meeting Resources

Find resources for conducting online meetings/events/presentations! You are welcome to use and adapt these materials to fit your own needs and context.

 

Virtual Meeting Resources

Upcoming ABE Events

October 19, 2026 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Literacy Minnesota
Online

Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency

Online

Registration Deadline: MON. 10/19/26 Venue: Online (see details below) Come and review the important role of fluency in reading instruction. We will discuss the three key components of reading fluency and look at a variety of activities tutors and teachers can try. We will talk about the mechanics… Learn More

Online
October 19, 2026 2:00 pm–3:00 pm
ATLAS

Ask ATLAS in the ATLAS Lounge – One Room Schoolhouse Office Hour with Carly!

Join the ATLAS Lounge for Ask ATLAS Office Hours. Passcode to join the meeting: lounge2026 Welcome to a new endeavor for ATLAS – open office hours! Join the Zoom on Monday, October 19, between 2:00 – 3:00… Learn More

October 21, 2026 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Literacy Minnesota
Online

The Art of Small Group Facilitation

Online

Registration Deadline: WED. 10/21/26 Venue: Online (see details below) Small group work can be one of the most effective ways to increase student engagement and language practice, but facilitating a group isn’t always easy. Volunteers are often asked to lead discussions, support practice activities, or facilitate group work. Learn More

Online
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