Resources
Results
Spotlight on Total Physical Response
See how Total Physical Response (TPR) connects language to physical movement, helping learners understand and remember new vocabulary. By pairing actions with words, TPR lowers the affective filter and reduces anxiety, making it especially helpful for beginning learners. This approach can be used as a short warm-up activity or as part of a lesson to reinforce meaning and support long-term retention.
Once Upon a Picture: The Thinking Collection
This website provides a collection of images, photo and illustrations, with prompts to inspire learners to write or speak using critical thinking skills about the image.
Once Upon a Picture: The Thinking Collection
A collection of images, photo and illustrations, with prompts to inspire learners to write or speak using critical thinking skills about the image.
ESL Conversation Questions
Find conversation questions grouped by topic or by grammar point. The site also contains ideas for icebreakers and additional online resources for teachers.
Print Discuss
This relatively new website contains printable lists of conversation questions arranged by topic or grammar point. Most conversation lists contain simple warm-up questions and a vocabulary word list.
Clear English Corner with Keenyn Rhodes – for learners
This channel is dedicated to helping learners speak American English with clarity and confidence. Video resources are uploaded weekly. This channel is a great resources for learners, and can also be used by teachers as supplemental resources for class, and can help teachers gain a greater understanding of English pronunciation.
Clear English Corner with Keenyn Rhodes
This channel is dedicated to helping learners speak American English with clarity and confidence. Video resources are uploaded weekly. This channel is a great resources for learners, and can also be used by teachers as supplemental resources for class, and can help teachers gain a greater understanding of English pronunciation.
Rachel’s English YouTube Channel – for learners
Americans speak fast and conversation can be hard! This channel is a great resource for learners, where they can unpack pronunciation features with videos on all aspects of spoken English – from dropped sounds and linked words to idioms, phrasal verbs, and conversation study. It can also be used by teachers as supplemental resources for class, and can help teachers gain a greater understanding of English pronunciation.
Rachel’s English YouTube Channel
Americans speak fast and conversation can be hard! On this channel, unpack pronunciation features with videos on all aspects of spoken English – from dropped sounds and linked words to idioms, phrasal verbs, and conversation study. This channel is a great resource for learners! It can also be used by teachers as supplemental resources for class, and can help teachers gain a greater understanding of English pronunciation.
Baruch College: Tools for Clear Speech – for learners
"TfCS offers a variety of practice exercises and online resources for remote access. From individual English sounds to overarching features like intonation and stress, these exercises are an excellent way to preview, practice, and maintain what you learn." The tools are made to support learners taking classes at Baruch College, but anyone can access and learn from their excellent Tools to Go!
Baruch College: Tools for Clear Speech
"TfCS offers a variety of practice exercises and online resources for remote access. From individual English sounds to overarching features like intonation and stress, these exercises are an excellent way to preview, practice, and maintain what you learn." The tools are made to support learners taking classes at Baruch College, but anyone can access and learn from their excellent Tools to Go!
The Pronunciation Doctor YouTube Channel
Marsha Chan demonstrates how teachers can use multiple textbooks to improve language learners' pronunciation through a variety of techniques. Teachers will also find videos of professional development workshops on pronunciation instruction, and examples of adult ESL learners engaging in pronunciation activities in the classroom.
Getting Started with Effective Math Talk in the Classroom
Using mathematical discussions in the classroom is a powerful way to increase our students’ critical thinking and communication skills. This article explores ways to get your students thinking and communicating mathematically from the very first days of school. The article is written for K-12 teachers, but the language and strategies work well with adult learners.
Activities for Tutoring a Beginning ESL Literacy Student
Find activity ideas for Beginning ESL Literacy level learners in phonics, pattern based reading, meaning-based reading, checking comprehension, and vocabulary in this handout.
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.
The Teachers’ Room: Correcting Errors
This video shares different things teachers should to take into consideration when correcting errors, and gives suggestions for ways to do learner-friendly error correction in the classroom.
Ten ESL Activities to Teach Perfect Pronunciation and Get Mouths Moving
This article from the FluentU English Educator Blog provides ten activities for teachers to use when students have difficulty differentiating between two sounds (known as minimal pairs).
- Assessment
- Beginning ESL
- Beginning ESL Literacy
- Listening
- Reading
- Speaking
- Teaching Strategies
- Writing
Making It Real: Teaching Pre-Literate Adult Refugee Students
This book is a great place reference for both new and experienced teachers. It covers a variety of effective practices for teaching low-literate adult refugees, and describes techniques and activities that support these practices.
New Resources
EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit
The EdTech Integration Strategy Toolkit is a searchable collection of instructional routines and strategies created and shared by adult educators. The routines integrate educational technologies and digital skill building into core content classroom instruction, either in-person or online.
Digital Access & Resilience in Texas (DART)
Digital Access and Resilience in Texas (DART) is a foundational digital literacy curriculum for beginning English learners that incorporates digital literacy skills, foundational print literacy skills, and conceptual understanding of basic digital literacy topics, beginning with letter recognition and keyboard knowledge through going online, searching the internet, and using email. All 20 units and their instructional resources are available to download for free either separately or as a complete document.
Presenter Information
Get information about stipends, reimbursements, the MN Adult Ed policy on use of images in presentations, and other instructions for presenters.
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.
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.
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.
Upcoming ABE Events
May 14, 2026
3:00 pm–4:00 pm
Online
Integrating AI Literacy Across Adult Education Classes and Levels – Session 1
Online
Registration Deadline: THU. 5/14/26 Venue: Online (see details below) Integrating AI Literacy Across Adult Education Classes and Levels Across adult education, AI literacy is a critical skill for navigating the modern workforce and daily life. This two-part webinar series moves beyond the “what” of AI… Learn More
Online
May 15, 2026
10:00 am–11:00 am
Online
Support Staff Coffee Break – Using AI to Analyze Data
Online
Registration Deadline: FRI. 5/15/26 Venue: Online (see details below) The Support Staff Online Coffee Break Series continues with Susan Wetenkamp-Brandt and Elizabeth Bennett sharing about using AI and explaining how your program can take advantage of this technology to analyze your data. For more information, contact Chrysti Nielsen… Learn More
Online
May 19, 2026
1:00 pm–2:00 pm
Online
Career-Focused and Specialized Online Statewide Classes Webinar
Online
Registration Deadline: TUE. 5/19/26 Venue: Online (see details below) Join us for an informative webinar on offering FY27 Career-Focused and Specialized Online Statewide Classes. This session will walk participants through key information from the promotional flyer, including what qualifies as a career-focused or specialized class, examples… Learn More
Online