Resources
Results
The Best Way to Learn Math is to Learn to Fail Productively
Manu Kapur's research finds that students are more successful when teachers allow them to have a period of (teacher-planned) productive struggle with material before the teacher provides direct instruction on the math strategies.
Problem Strings
Problem Strings are an instructional strategy where the teacher facilitates students working through and thinking aloud about a set of math problems (for example: 5 x 6, then 5 x 60, and so on...) as a method for students to learn from each other about math strategies. The strategy offers a way to pack significant math learning into a short time in class.
For Teachers: Please Don’t Teach Exponent Rules
A teacher writes about how he approaches operations with exponents so that the students make meaning and discover the rules for operations with exponents for themselves.
ELL Math
This teacher, who teaches a math class for students who speak very limited English and a variety of primary languages, writes about strategies he is using "so students with a strong mathematical background in their own country can advance while the students with a weak background can get feedback and work on the problems they need."
Writing SMART Goals for English Learners
This blog post from Ellevation provides an overview of a webinar where participants learned how to transform the commonly used SMART goal-setting framework and make it directly applicable for EL educators. The full recording of the webinar is available using Adobe Connect.
Writing Across Borders
Writing Across Borders is a 3-year documentary project whose purpose is to help faculty, writing assistants, and other professionals work more productively with international students in writing environments.
Transforming Grammar Instruction: Moving from a Traditional Practice to a Functional Practice
Sheri Lear, and adult ESL teacher from Minneapolis, MN, outlines her approach to teaching functional grammar in this lesson plan. The plan provides teachers with an explanation of functional grammar as well as a concrete example of how it integrates grammar instruction into the overall context of the lesson.
ThoughtCo: Writing Skills
This website contains articles on English writing skills for a variety of purposes, including essays, formal and informal letter writing, resumes, business documents, that include examples and instructions. The articles can be printed for use in the classroom.
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.
Visible Thinking
Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based approach to integrating the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters. This website provides a convenient way to learn about Visible Thinking as well as thorough descriptions of the ideals, routines and activities that were developed from research in K-12 schools.
Language Experience Approach and Adult Learners
This Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) article explains how the language experience approach (LEA) approach can be used in tutorial or classroom settings with homogeneous or heterogeneous groups of learners to help develop and strengthen English literacy skills.
TEFL Online Tutorial: Teaching Grammar in Context
TEFL Online Tutorial: Teaching Grammar in Context - an example provided by an experienced TEFL teacher of how to teach grammar using context.
Teaching Language Through Content: CAL Resource Guides Online
This Resource Guide provides links to publications, websites, teaching resources, and email discussion groups that offer information about teaching language through content-based instruction in K–12 and adult ESL programs and in foreign language programs.
Teaching in the Multilevel Classroom
This article examines the variety of learner backgrounds that can contribute to a multilevel class; discusses levels of proficiency; and offers concrete instructional recommendations.
Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language Learners: Focus on Form
This brief from the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) provides a research-based rational as to why there is a need to teach grammar within a meaningful context. Teachers who struggle with questions of how much, when, and how to teach grammar will find this brief both informative and thought-provoking.
Tactics for use during the strategy lesson: Feedback is explicit, positive, and corrective
This handout discusses the features of effective and ineffective feedback and offers teaching tips for employing effective corrective feedback strategies when working with intermediate and advanced ESL learners.
Supporting ELLs in PBL Projects
This article from Edutopia outlines how Project-Based Learning (PBL) is valuable for English Language Learners (ELLs) when it teaches academic vocabulary, encourages collaboration, scaffolds structure and function, allows assessment and differentiation, and leverages their native language.
ReadWriteThink
Search the extensive classroom resources section of the ReadWriteThink website to find a wide variety of writing lesson plans and activities. All activities were written and reviewed by educators, and many align to standards-based teaching practices.
Promoting Success of Multilevel ESL Classes: What Teachers and Administrators Can Do
This Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) brief is for teachers, teacher trainers, and program administrators who work with adult ESL learners in mulitlevel classroom settings. The brief covers challenges, instructional strategies, and recommendations for administrator support.
Project-Based Learning: Buck Institute for Education
The Buck Institute for Education (BIE) website was created to show teachers how to use Project Based Learning (PBL) in all grade levels and subject areas. The website provides articles and books, research summaries on PBL, videos, a library of sample projects, downloadable teaching tools, and more.
New Resources
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Adult Foundational Education
This 2023 brief from the CREATE Adult Skills Network sheds light on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility conditions, opportunities, and challenges as they manifest in adult basic education across the country.
Community Interpreter Credential
Resources related to Community Interpreter have been collected by an ATLAS Credential Specialist experienced in this field. The PDF includes information on the credential including testing, ABE and non-ABE providers that offer training, curriculum links, potential participants, Minnesota wage and outlook information and additional certifications on this career pathway.
Certified Nursing Assistant Credential
Resources related to Certified Nursing Assistant have been collected by an ATLAS Credential Specialist experienced in this field. The PDF includes information on the credential including testing, ABE and non-ABE providers that offer training, curriculum links, potential participants, Minnesota wage and outlook information and additional certifications on this career pathway.
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
April 26, 2024
9:00 am–12:00 pm
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CASAS STEPS and Burlington English Prep Virtual Conference
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Registration Deadline: FRI. 4/26/24 Come learn about the new CASAS STEPS assessment and the new BurlingtonEnglish CASAS preparation materials. We’ll collaborate together in person, sharing strategies learned from states who have already adopted the new CASAS Steps assessment, gaining confidence with the English Language Proficiency standards, and receive… Learn More
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April 26, 2024
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Working with Literacy and Beginning Level ESL Learners
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Registration Deadline: FRI. 4/26/24 Learners with limited English and literacy skills have unique needs for in-person and remote instruction. Participants will learn best practices and tips for success at this level. They’ll also get several ideas for routines, activities and resources to use in their classes and tutoring… Learn More
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April 29, 2024
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Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
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Registration Deadline: MON. 4/29/24 Teaching intermediate alphabetics (syllables, prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. Learn More
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