Resources
Results
Reading to Learn in Science
The Science Education Research Partnership has developed a number of strategies that facilitate reading science texts. This resource provides strategies for teachers prior to, during, and after reading a science text to maximize student understanding. These strategies come with examples for teachers to view and adapt for their own classrooms.
USGS Water Cycle Image
The US Geological Survey (USGS) produces maps and tables that may be of use in classrooms. This diagram depicts the global water cycle and shows how human water use affects where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is. This diagram is available in English and Spanish.
ELA CCRS Evaluation & High Value Action Alignment Tool
Use this tool to determine a resource’s (curriculum, text, lesson, book, etc.) level of CCRS alignment and to identify specific high-value actions to improve a resource’s alignment to the CCRS. Use the embedded note sheet to record your thoughts.
Coaching for Equity Tools
This website by equity coach extraordinaire Elena Aguilar and her team at Bright Morning is full of wonderful tools and resources that can help both teachers and education coaches. However, you don't have to have an official job as a coach to use her helpful materials!
Math CCRS Evaluation & High Value Action Alignment Tool
Use this tool to determine a resource’s (curriculum, text, lesson, book, etc.) level of CCRS alignment and to identify specific high-value actions to improve a resource’s alignment to the CCRS. Use the embedded note sheet to record your thoughts.
Participatory Curriculum Unit Design Tool
Minnesota Adult Education community member Erin Cary created an amazing tool as part of her capstone project at Hamline University. The key to Culturally Responsive Teaching is making the class more relevant to learners' lives, experiences, and goals, and you can't do that without asking them to participate in the creation of the class. This template is an excellent guide to do just that.
CCRS for Adult Education
The College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRS) is the document that lays out the standards for English Language Arts/Literacy, Math, and Foundational Reading Skills. CCRS is one of the three components - along with the Transitions Integration Framework (TIF) and the Northstar Digital Literacy Standards - of the Minnesota ABE content standards.
Stress Reduction in the Adult Basic Education Classroom
Teachers recognize the value of their classrooms as safe venues for adults to practice healthy coping skills and to develop supports, but they are not always comfortable knowing how to respond to the emotional needs of students. While teachers are not therapists, they can be educated in approaches that promote emotional and psychological well-being, and incorporate strategies into the classroom that help students to learn more efficiently.
Metro South Employability Skills Resource Collection
This excellent collection of resources was put together by Alison Wilcox and Metro South ABE. It contains videos that help students to understand what is meant by the terms "soft skills" and "transferable skills." It also contains links to other resources, such as a transferable skills checklist, a skills inventory, and a list of verbs that can be used for resumes.
Rubrics for Providing Writing Feedback
These two rubrics were created by Stephanie Sommers, Writing Curriculum Team Lead with Minneapolis Adult Education. They are examples of single point rubrics, a format with "at target" expectations in a middle column, a blank column to the left for "below target," and another blank column to the right for "above target." This provides students with specific and valuable teacher feedback for improving their performance.
e-Advanced Alphabetics
NEW SLIDES RECENTLY ADDED! This electronic, screen-shareable resource includes Google slide sets (in PDF format) for remotely teaching compound words, common suffixes, common prefixes, and related word families.
Trello
Trello is an app used for collaboration and project management, allowing users to create virtual boards to manage their workflow, and then customize those boards by adding lists and cards. Users can also attach files, checklists, and comments to the cards, as well as sharing their boards. A student working on her Adult Diploma, for example, could create a board and share it with her teachers in order to get virtual feedback and support.
Teaching with Current Events in Your Classroom
The Current Events Teacher Checklist from Facing History and Ourselves provides a step-by-step guide for teachers looking to incorporate reading and discussion about current events into their classroom. This website also offers a variety of accompanying activity suggestions and a moderated list of online news sources. Appropriate for intermediate level ESL and up.
Great Writing 3: From Great Paragraphs to Great Essays – Evaluation
The resource evaluated here for ELA CCRS alignment is Great Writing 3: From Great Paragraphs to Great Essays from Cengage/National Geographic Learning. This Resource Evaluation was originally completed by a participant in the 2018/19 CCRS Implementation Cohort.
USA LEARNS English Course 1 – Evaluation
The resource evaluated here for ELA CCRS alignment is USA LEARNS English Course 1.
Ventures 1 Workbook – Evaluation
The resource evaluated here for ELA CCRS alignment is Ventures 1 Workbook by Cambridge University Press.
Grammar and Beyond, Level 1 – Evaluation
The resource evaluated here for ELA CCRS alignment is Grammar and Beyond, Level 1 by Cambridge University Press.
The Guardian Newsletter – Evaluation
The resource evaluated here for ELA CCRS alignment is The Guardian Newsletter.
All Star 2 – Evaluation
The resource evaluated here for ELA CCRS alignment is McGraw-Hill's All Star 2.
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
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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
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August 13, 2024
6:30 pm–8:30 pm
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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
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