The COABE gathering of pros is just around the corner. As promised, following is a list of sessions that are likely to meet your interest in implementing best practices to engage diverse adult learners in literacy acquisition. These are my choices for Wednesday. Please note that some sessions show a crossover into technology, ESL, workforce, or testing concerns, but I only included those that also supported Diversity and Literacy interests among ABE/ASE learners and those of us who attempt to instruct them!
You may find the whole schedule posted at http://www.coabe.org/conference2015schedule.html. Hope to see you in Denver.
If you attend COABE, please keep notes as you visit different sessions. Upon return, please share what you learned with the rest of us in this forum. Let’s spark some fires to liven our discussion on this important Diversity and Literacy topic!
Wednesday, 4/22 10:45am-12:00pm - L4 Capitol Ballroom 4
New Attendees Meeting: If this is your first time attending a national COABE conference or if you are a new member, we invite you to join us for this New Member/New Attendee Meeting. This important meeting will help you gain perspective on what COABE can do for you and will provide a broad overview of the conference as well.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pm - L3 Mineral Hall C
Meaning First, Then Form: Using the Task-Based Learning Framework for Teaching Grammar: How can teachers provide learners with opportunities to focus on meaning and form in grammar instruction? This presentation introduces the Task-Based Learning Framework as an approach to teach targeted grammar forms. Participants will have an opportunity to develop meaningful tasks and a focus on form component using this framework.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pmL3 Quartz B
Advancing Immigrants' Civic Integration - Adult ESOL programs have an important role to play in immigrant integration. This workshop will provide an overview of a new national initiative, Networks for Integrating New Americans, that strengthens adult education programs' ability to support immigrant integration by networking with other organizations that are building welcoming communities. This session will focus on civic integration and feature the Central Valley Network, CA.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pm- L3 Mineral Hall E
The Matrix, Fully Loaded: Lesson Design Which Engages Multiple Intelligences: This fun and fast-paced breakout session includes hand-on materials for differentiating instruction for your students of multiple intelligences. Learn to identify the multiple intelligence types and create instructional strategies to accommodate the full range of ability and intelligence in your classroom. Come away from this session with the ability to engage and motivate your students with relevant, responsive, and related lesson designs. In addition, we will be examining practical activities for constructing meaning, including Ishikawa diagramming, human graphing, and creating Synectics.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pm- L4 Capitol Ballroom 1
Develop a Learning Plan Especially for Your Students: Take time to dig into the standards learners need to pass the writing portions of the GED® 2014 and develop a learning plan for the students in your context. The presenter will share promising practices for instructional strategies for scaffolding student learners.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pm- L3 Granite B
Adult Literacy Teachers as Agents of Educational and Social Justice Change: This documentary will take viewers on a journey through some ABLE teachers' daily experiences. The presentation will involve adult literacy educators discussing their role as educators, agents for social change, and agents for social justice change, in partnership with their students.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pm- L3 Mineral Hall G
Integrating Video into Adult Teaching and Learning: Participants will learn how to access videos online and how to create their own videos, using tablets and smartphones. We will explore how to share video content through a class website, Facebook, YouTube, TeacherTube, and Vimeo.
Wednesday, 4/22 2:00pm-3:15pm - L3 Agate B
A View from the Field: Insights from a National Survey on the Current Use and Aspirations for Instructional Technology in Adult Education Programs Tyton Partners (aka Education Growth Advisors) will share findings from a national research effort on the current role and potential for instructional technologies in the U.S. adult education field. This research draws on a national survey completed by more than 1,000 program administrators and instructors across K-12, postsecondary, CBO, and workforce programs, as well as more than 50 interviews with adult education experts.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L3 Quartz A
Developing Language Skills and Content Knowledge of Adult Learners Reading comprehension is essential for adult education and workforce development. In ESL programs, in particular, learners must develop language skills while also attaining meaningful understanding of the content. Although previous studies have been conducted in K-12, there is a lack of research on effective teaching strategies to improve academic language skills in the adult literacy classroom. We describe a study in an adult ESL program that focused on supporting language development, while covering an American history and civics curriculum.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L3 Mineral Hall C
Challenges and Solutions to Assisting Older Students in Earning a GED®: In this session, the findings of a research study addressing the technology training needs of older ABE students, their computer use and comfort, and concerns about the new computerized GED® test will be shared. Participants will then discuss challenges and solutions related to assisting older GED® students in improving their computer literacy skills and earning a GED®.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L3 Mineral Hall B
Dropping Back In: New Resources to Inform and Inspire: Dropping Back In is a new series by KET that is putting a face on the dropout crisis in this country. It has aired more than 3,016 times on public television stations in 43 states, sparking discussions in communities across America. Come to the session to preview the newest episode.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L3 Mineral Hall F
Adult Education: The Jumpstart to Career Pathways: Adult education—used as a foundational jumpstart of academic, workplace readiness, and 21st-century skills—is the perfect transition into career pathways. Itawamba Community College's adult ed program is designed around a 5-week cycle that provides a wealth of learning experiences and counseling throughout to change both behavior and educational level in order to prepare students for work and college.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L3 Granite A
Extinguishing Bullies in the Adult Ed Classroom: Bullies can be found throughout our lives, including in the adult education classroom, making the adult education experience unpleasant. This presentation will focus on the prevalence of bullies in the learner's life and the classroom and what can be done to stop them or lessen their effects once they invade. Outcomes include defining and categorizing bullying behaviors, developing an understanding of antecedents of bullying, effects on victims and others in the organization, and how to stop these negative behaviors.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L4 Marble
Master the OER Universe! Revise, Remix, Share: Join math, science, and ESL adult educators to learn how to identify, use, modify, combine, and create open educational resources (OER) in an online environment. Bring your laptop/device and at least one science or math OER to modify (other OER will be provided).
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L4 Capitol Ballroom 6
Supporting Adult Learner Motivation: This interactive session will: (1) summarize research highlights on ways to support adult learner motivation, as described in the National Academy of Sciences publication, Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Research and Practice; (2) describe a professional development project relating to adult learner motivation (consisting of a series of webinars and an online study circle) for adult educators; and (3) provide an opportunity for participants to share strategies they use to enhance learner motivation.
Wednesday, 4/22 3:45pm-5:00pm- L3 Agate A
Adult's Readiness to Learn and Literacy Skill Use and Proficiency: This workshop discusses the findings from an analysis of adults’ readiness to learn as defined in the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The measure of readiness to learn appears to be a stronger predictor than other education of skill use, particularly skill use at home.
Enjoy! Leecy
Leecy Wise
LINCS Moderator
Writing and Literacy Community
Diversity and Learning Community