COABE 2020 Conference Week 1 Reading and Writing Workshops

Hi Everyone,

June 29 marks the beginning of the COABE 2020 Conference.  While the pandemic prevents us from meeting in person, COABE adapted by creating a virtual conference.  At past conferences, I wanted to attend 5 or 6 workshops at each breakout session but could be present at only one.  One advantage of the virtual format is that all presentations are recorded and will be archived for six months for later viewing.    

I have always considered COABE as the Super Bowl of adult education because of the many outstanding learning opportunities it provides.  I posted below sessions focusing on reading and writing that will be offered during the first week. These sessions do not have an English Language Learner focus as I am sure Susan Finn Miller will highlight these in her English Language Acquisition Community!  Please note that all times listed below are in Eastern Time.  

Tuesday, June 30th

12:00–1:00   Decoding and Comprehension Strategy Instruction: The "When," the "Why," and the "How"   Daphne Greenberg and Christine Miller, Georgia State University

Do you teach adults who read between the third and eighth grade levels? Are any of them "stuck" and not making progress? If yes, this session is for you! In this session you will learn about the relative strengths and weaknesses that ABE students typically have and evidence-based decoding and comprehension strategies to use with your students to help facilitate their progress.

Wednesday, July 1st

12:00-1:00   Improving Success in Reading, Writing, and Workforce Skills   Bonnie Ruppenkamp, Allegany College of Maryland   

Learn how Adult Basic Education instructors are teaming up with college professors using intervention strategies to increase student success in reading and writing as well as workforce skills. Participants will see, share and develop strategies to increase student success.

12:00 - 1:00   Read Everywhere! Blending Publisher and Open Education Resources to Enhance and Expand Evidence-based Reading Instruction!    Jeff Goumas, CrowdED Learning  

WIOA emphasizes “the essential components of reading” be incorporated into instruction, also known as Evidence-based Reading Instruction. With limited resources, a wide range of learner levels, and the need to provide authentic, relevant reading experiences, incorporating EBRI can be challenging. This session will explore a blended model for EBRI, using publisher curriculum resources to provide explicit, systematic instruction while augmenting with free, open education resources to provide engaging, leveled practice and extension.

Thursday, July 2nd

9:00–10:00   Implementing Scientific Argumentation to Develop Strategic Readers and Writers Across the Curriculum in the Virtual Classroom   Lizelena Iglesias, Literacy Assistance Center

Evidence, reasoning, student interaction and competing claims are the four elements of scientific argumentation that can help learners articulate their reasoning, explore ideas and share the perspectives of others while at the same time refining a shared understanding of scientific concepts. In this session, we will examine models that integrate and scaffold augmentation into science lessons that centered around these four elements and work well in the virtual classroom.

10:30–11:30   Understanding, Identifying, and Addressing the Underlying Skill Profiles of Adult learners with Reading Literacy Challenges   John Sabatini, University of Memphis

I will review research on reading components and scenario-based assessments of comprehension, with special attention to how to apply to instructional decision making. The current work is part of an IES funded grant to develop and conduct national field study en route to making the assessments available to adult education programs. Topics include: scenario-based and reading component assessments; how to apply results to learning and instructional programs; and empirical studies conducted to date.

12:00 – 1:00   Boost Reading Comprehension with Paired Texts   Laurie Martin and Laura Sherwood, Adult Learning Resource Center

Paired texts are two reading passages connected by topic, point of view, or another feature. Texts can be paired across content areas or genres, and are selected to teach students at all levels the close reading skills needed on the TABE 11/12 and HSE tests, on the job, or in higher education. Participants will learn how to find and pair appropriate texts and how to use them for engaging reading comprehension activities virtually or in person.

1:30–2:30   Using Blogs to Increase Rigor in Reading/Writing and Extend Learning Time for Instruction   Duren Thompson, Center for Literacy, Education and Employment

Join us to discuss rigor in reading and writing instruction and how blogging and microblogging can be used as instructional resources/tools to both excite learners, increase rigor, and extend learning outside of synchronous class meeting times. Participants will discuss the research, explore existing blog examples, learn how to create their own sample Wordpress blog/site, and then post a public plan for integrating blog-based motivational writing/reading activities into instruction for ABE, HSE, and ESOL learners. Attendance via tablet, laptop, and desktop recommended for participation in breakout rooms and hands-on application activities.

What are you looking forward to attending at COABE?

Have a great day,

Steve Schmidt, LINCS Reading and Writing CoP Moderator

schmidtsj@appstate.edu 

Comments

Hi Nora,

Thanks for your post!  I love your description of the conference as a gift, how very appropriate!

Like you, I am excited to have the chance to learn so many valuable things this week and next.  I will highlight some of the COABE sessions I attend in this community over the next few months.

Thanks again for your post, and I hope you will become a regular contributing member of the community!

Best,

Steve Schmidt

Moderator, LINCS Reading and Writing Community 

schmidtsj@appstate.edu