Introduction
To the new Adult Basic Education (ABE) teacher, the task of teaching basic literacy skills can seem overwhelming. This ABE New Teacher Resource Guide, developed by the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO), is designed to introduce you to the most immediate and important aspects of teaching ABE learners in California.
The teacher new to ABE asks questions such as, "Who will my new students be?" "What are their literacy proficiencies and needs?" "What materials should I use?" "How do I assess my students’ skills and document their progress?" In some cases, individual agencies have procedures and practices that address these questions; in other cases, the California Department of Education (CDE) has specific requirements and provides documents to guide you.
This resource guide presents a brief overview of this information, provides examples of the most important documents you will need, and leads you to resources to inform your teaching.
Teaching ABE can be an exciting and fulfilling experience. We hope that this guide will make your literacy teaching experience more manageable and rewarding.
- Introduction
- Who are My Students
- Before You Start Teaching
- When You Start Teaching
- Some Instructional Do’s
- California Model Program Standards for Adult Basic Education
- What Research Says About Teaching Adults to Read
- Assessment and Accountability
- Implications for Adult Educators of the "SCANS" Report
- 10 Easy Things You Can Do to Integrate Workplace Basics (SCANS Competencies) Into Your Classroom
- General Strategies for Organizing and Managing an ABE Class
- Multilevel Class Management Models
- Appendix A: Resources for Adult Educators
- Appendix B: Words of Wisdom
- Appendix C: Personal Learning Plan
- Appendix D: S.T.E.P.S. Interview Guide