California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project

Author: Amy R. TrawickProduced by the American Institutes for Research through a contract with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education, May 2018.This 2018 report supplements the previously published Using the PIACC Literacy Framework to Guide Instruction: An Introduction for Adult Educators and provides literacy instructors ways to implement contextualized reading instruction to a population with varied needs and educational backgrounds. By connecting real-world reading tasks and standards-based instruction, this report provides resources for teachers to consider when planning a contextualized reading curriculum. The supplemental report is based on data originally released by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) in September 2016 and was produced by the American Institutes for Research through a contract with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.

Author: John Tibbetts and Anestine Hector-Mason, September 2015Produced by California Adult Literacy Professional Development ProjectCollaboration has been shown through research to be an effective strategy both in the classroom and in program management. This CALPRO Research Brief examines the research as it applies to both Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at the program level, and to classroom instruction, and finds that in both applications collaboration improves outcomes.

Author: Anne Mishkind, CALPROThis brief provides an overview of research on effective teaching that can be applied in multiple settings by a broad range of teachers across diverse settings. Adult education in California takes place in environments including school districts, community colleges, community-based organizations, libraries, and correctional facilities, and serves students with skills that range from basic literacy to international professional training. Across contexts, research finds that effective teaching is enriched by:thoughtful attention to student backgrounds,collecting and using student data to inform the implementation of evidence based practices including (1) learner-centered instruction, (2) rich and contextualized content knowledge, (3) use of standards to inform learning objectives, and (4) attention to foundational skills and higher-order thinking, and planning for professional development that targets specific teacher competencies

Authors: Rebecca Bergey, Marcela Movit, Ashley Simpson Baird, and Ann-Marie FariaProduced by the American Institutes for Research, March 2018.The American Institutes for Research addresses how the growing English Language Learner (ELL) population in higher education is served and the challenges it presents given the vast array of student needs. Three student profiles exemplify the broad categories generally used to classify the ELL higher education population: international students, recent immigrants. or Generation 1.5 students. and the diversity within each group. Given the wide range of needs for students to meet their educational or occupational goals successfully, the paper outlines institutional and classroom level considerations by defining challenges, reviewing best practices, and suggesting ways to leverage technology.

Produced by California Adult Literacy Professional Development ProjectThis publication presents the outcomes of a multi-year initiative on enhancing adult learner persistence. It addresses three distinct but related efforts on learner persistence: (1) the adult learner persistence Web site developed by the California Department of Education, (2) a field-based research initiative (FBRI) on learner persistence, and (3) site-based study circles on learner persistence. The purpose of each of these efforts was the same: to make available to California adult educators information about current research findings on learner persistence and to invite them to use the findings to design and implement interventions to enhance the persistence of their adult learners.

Author: Juliana Taymans, TATC Consulting, October 2010Produced by Literacy Information and Communication System/National Institute for LiteracyThis review of research literature is intended to focus on adults in the areas of employment, adult education, and career development.

Authors: Mariann Fedele-McLeod, Anestine Hector-Mason, Steve Hinds, Rob Jenkins, Maricel Santos, Susan Pimentel, Jodi Crandall, American Institutes for Research, 2015This document outlines the core knowledge and skills that adult education teachers need to succeed in their roles. The Adult Education Teacher Competencies help teachers improve their effectiveness and learner outcomes. They also assist instructional leaders, professional developers, and teacher preparation faculty prepare effective professional development activities for teachers. 

Author: Susan Pimentel, 2013This document presents a set of college and career readiness standards (CCRS) of the content that is most relevant for preparing adult students to succeed in colleges, technical training programs, work and citizenship. In the areas of English language arts/literacy and mathematics. These standards were derived from the Common Core State Standards.

Produced by U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education, 2016Designed to support effective instruction of adult English language learners, this document presents a set of correspondences to the college and career readiness standards (CCRS) for English language arts/literacy, mathematical and science practices.

Author: Anne Mishkind, American Institutes for Research, 2014This brief provides instructors, professional development coordinators, and program administrators with research and implementation guidance related to evidence–based professional learning and data–driven instruction.