FREE!
Adult Education Professional Development Opportunities for
October 2024
VALRC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS MONTH
The following professional development opportunities are offered to Virginia adult education practitioners as well as adult education partner organizations.
For an overview of VALRC's planned PD opportunities for Fall 2024, see VALRC's Fall 2024 PD Planner.
OCTOBER
10
3–5 p.m. EST
VALRC: Integrating Digital Resilience Skills Development Into Daily Lesson Plans
Is your class time split into separate English practice and then digital literacy skills practice? Are you challenged by using technology throughout a lesson plan to support instruction?
This webinar will introduce strategies for seamlessly integrating standards-based activities, aligned with the Seattle Digital Equity Initiative Digital Skills Framework, throughout a lesson. You’ll also explore how to use AI to differentiate content and design effective lesson plans. After a brief overview, participants will select and discuss one of the unit, collaborating on ways to integrate a specific objective into a contextualized lesson. You’ll learn how the same AI prompt can be used across various tools and utilize the Digital Skills Glossary to support your objective. Participants will review lesson plans that combine contextualized objectives with digital literacy skills practice.
This webinar is meant for anyone supporting learners developing digital resilience while improving their English skills. Attendees will receive valuable resources, including links to the framework and glossary.
OCTOBER
16
1–2:30 p.m. EST
VALRC: Disabilities and the Adult Learner Webinar Series, Session 1: Introduction to working with adult learners who have disabilities
It is important to keep in mind that learning disabilities are life-long. Children with disabilities grow-up to be adults with disabilities. Additionally, many adult learners go undiagnosed. Learning disabilities affect the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention. This session focuses on how adult educators can help their learners by better understanding the different characteristics of learning disabilities, implementing universal designing for learning (UDL), and utilizing partnerships.
In this one-hour, self-paced tutorial, you will learn about the five main components of accessibility. These components include: color-contrast, hyperlinks, alt-text, tables, and headings.
This one-hour, self-paced tutorial introduces a working overview of this topic to begin incorporating trauma-informed teaching into classroom instruction. Participants will also gain a better sense of what is happening to a learner’s brain when they experience stress and trauma.
This two-hour, self-paced tutorial supports adult educators and practitioners in developing effective lesson plans for adult ESOL instruction that support language acquisition and prioritize learner needs, goals, and engagement.
This 90-minute, webinar recording presents part basic overview of the science of reading and effective reading instruction, including alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. During the webinar, we discuss strategies for each component of reading and how to use them in the classroom.
See this announcement with more information about registering for and accessing VALRC's on-demand and self-paced learning opportunities using the Reach 360 platform.
VALRC's Resource Highlight
This resource provides tutorial videos and important information about the state’s new data system.
This google folder contains curated resources for the science of reading, including assessments and each component of reading (alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). Many of these resources are open-source from other agencies. VALRC staff are continually adding new resources to the folder, so check back often!
This page contains resources that can be used to integrate content related to the upcoming 2024 elections and voting into the adult education classroom.
This online guide provides information for instructors who are new to adult education in Virginia and may also be useful for returning instructors. The resources connect instructors to the field of adult education and provide information on quality instruction for the adult education context. It includes featured resources by subject area, information on essential topics such as standards-based instruction and inclusive practices, and an updated Adult Education Glossary and Acronym List.
Reading is a portal to opportunity, to social connection, and for those who have found a love of reading—to joy. As adults’ reading skills improve, so do their chances for economic advancement, healthier lives, and connection to their children and to their communities. Yet many of America’s adults lack basic literacy skills and therefore, lack access to many of the opportunities that reading provides. Adult education programs are in the unique position to bridge the literacy gaps for adult populations and what we can provide is access to quality instructional programs that combine alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension with a focus on adults’ lived experiences and their life goals. This issue of PROGRESS highlights “The Science of Reading” with strategies to incorporate phonics and comprehension into reading instruction, including for English learners, and activities that strengthen reading skills while tapping into learners’ personal goals and aspirations.
Read the latest edition of SPOTLIGHT, Virginia's publication of writing by adult learners. SPOTLIGHT's third annual issue features more than 50 contributions from adult learners across Virginia, including poetry, inspiring personal stories, visions for the future, and more. SPOTLIGHT showcases the value adult learners place on education and the strengths they bring to our communities.
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS MONTH
The following webinars are offered by various adult education organizations and are all FREE to attend. Click the Register button below the event description to sign up for any webinars of interest.
OCTOBER
1
1–2 p.m. EST
edWeb: Teenagers with Dyslexia: Empowering Adolescent Learners
In this edWebinar, we will explore effective classroom practices and interventions tailored specifically for adolescents with dyslexia. Attendees will gain valuable insights into fostering academic success and promoting positive well-being among adolescent learners with dyslexia, while receiving actionable tips for creating learning environments that support students with dyslexia.
OCTOBER
2
1–2 p.m. EST
edWeb: Conquering Dyslexia: Strategies Based in Science to Help ALL Students
Join this enlightening edWebinar as Dr. Jan Hasbrouck, esteemed literacy expert, researcher, and author, draws from both professional and personal experience to dispel dyslexia myths and emphasize the need for differentiated, systematically designed explicit instruction based on science. She’ll share Nancy Young’s infographic The Ladder of Reading & Writing to learn about the rationale and a framework for literacy instruction based on students’ identified needs and strengths.
OCTOBER
3
1–2 p.m. EST
edWeb: What Do I Do Now? Using Data to Intensify Reading Interventions
Students with dyslexia often require intensive reading interventions to experience success. Trying to find the right intervention can be a difficult and frustrating process. Join this applicable edWebinar that goes beyond identification and gives attendees an in-depth look at using data for the most successful reading interventions.
The presenter, Dr. Matthew Burns, who is widely known and respected for his experience in working with striving readers, will present a framework educators can use to examine data and student performance. The framework and the strategies Dr. Burns will share empower educators to be able to select interventions with a higher likelihood of success and to modify current intervention efforts to enhance student outcomes.
OCTOBER
7
7:30–9:30 p.m. EST
Literacy Minnesota: Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics
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.
OCTOBER
14
2–3 p.m. EST
Literacy Minnesota: Teaching and Tutoring with Northstar Digital Literacy
You don’t need to be a computer expert in order to teach computer skills! Come learn how help students build their digital literacy skills using Northstar Digital Literacy.
In the webinar, participants will learn:
- The features of Northstar Digital Literacy.
- How to help learners navigate Northstar digital literacy assessments.
- How to use the Northstar instructor-led curriculum.
- How to guide learners through the Northstar Digital Literacy Online Learning Modules.
- Additional digital literacy resources.
OCTOBER
16
7:30–9:30 p.m. EST
Literacy Minnesota: Refining Your Teacher Talk
Many tutors know they should limit their talking time, but struggle to do so. In this webinar, revisit the importance of reducing teacher talking time and learn ways to improve it to maximize learner engagement and comprehension.
OCTOBER
17
3–4 p.m. EST
LINCS: Artificial Intelligence for the Adult English Language Acquisition Classroom
What questions do you have about artificial intelligence and its practical applications to your work supporting English learners? In what ways have you already used AI in your program and specifically in your teaching?
AI is likely the most consequential technology to become available to all of us. How can we teachers draw upon artificial intelligence to enhance our work teaching English? Join us for this LINCS event with guest expert Rachel Riggs, Technical Advisor, AI and Emerging Technologies at World Education. Rachel will provide a brief orientation to the topic of artificial intelligence and its impact and use in adult education. Participants will gain and share practical ideas, tools, and perspectives to support the ethical, effective, and equitable use of AI in ESOL classes.
OCTOBER
18
1–2:30 p.m. EST
EdTech: Digital Literacy for Families + Media Literacy in the Age of AI
This month’s EdTech Strategy Session features two lightning talks by:
- Cassandra Kramer
- Dr. Sangeeta Mahapatra
OCTOBER
18
2–4 p.m. EST
Literacy Minnesota: Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency
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 of doing fluency practice via Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or any other remote tutoring tool (including the phone!). Participants will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share resources.
This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers.
OCTOBER
22
3:30–5 p.m. EST
GEDTS: Tuesdays for Teachers
Tuesdays for Teachers is GEDTS’ free professional development series designed for educators. This bi-monthly series takes a deeper dive into classroom strategies and techniques.
OCTOBER
23
5:00–6:30 p.m. EST
International Literacy Association: Differentiating Phonics Instruction to Support All Learners
Differentiation in education is crucial for meeting the diverse needs of students, particularly in the early years of building foundational knowledge. Join Wiley Blevins in this ILA Webinar, where participants will explore innovative strategies to adapt and scaffold phonics instruction for all learners, ensuring access to grade-level content for every student.
OCTOBER
25
12–1 p.m. ET
LINCS: Media Literacy, Making Sense of It All
Media literacy education provides tools to help people develop receptive media capability to critically analyze messages, offers opportunities for learners to broaden their experience of media, and helps them develop generative media capability to increase creative skills in making their own media messages.
OCTOBER
29
7:30–9:30 p.m. ET
Literacy Minnesota: Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate-Level Readers
Media literacy education provides tools to help people develop receptive media capability to critically analyze messages, offers opportunities for learners to broaden their experience of media, and helps them develop generative media capability to increase creative skills in making their own media messages.
Brought to you by:
THE VIRGINIA ADULT LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
"Equipping the field of adult education and literacy with essential skills and resources through an equity mindset."
