Orientation for New ESL Teachers (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-paced course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
To a new English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in an adult education program, the task of teaching English can seem overwhelming. This course orients new teachers to the most immediate and important aspects of teaching adult ESL in California. A teacher new to ESL often asks such questions as, "Who will my new students be?" "What is their English proficiency?" "What materials should I use?" and "How do I assess my students and document their progress?" Many local agencies have procedures and practices that address these issues and will provide guidance to new teachers. The California Department of Education (CDE) has specific requirements and also provides certain documents to guide you. The estimated course completion time is 7 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Communities of Practice Pilot: Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction Session 1
Session 1 at Fremont Adult and Continuing EducationWhat are âCommunities of Practiceâ?Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and strive to learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.1 To provide opportunities for California adult educators to interact regularly and to engage in sustained professional development, CALPRO is offering professional development in a Community of Practice format that includes online interaction along with two face-to-face sessions.What is a pilot?This Community of Practice is complete and ready for participants, but before offering it statewide, we are field-testing the content, design, and the online activities as a pilot. Throughout the pilot, participants will be asked for feedback. This feedback will be used to improve the delivery of future trainings.What are the benefits of participating in this CoP Pilot?More in-depth engagement with training content;Opportunity for âearly adoptionâ of best practices;Opportunity to interact with fellow educators and the trained facilitator synchronously and asynchronously to share practical experiences and problem solve;Collegial support for thinking about program and curriculum changes;Contribution to the development of an enriched statewide professional development experience for adult educators in California.
Research Forum: Strategies for Effective Instruction: Fundamentals of Adult Education
Research Forum Webinar on Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction
Facilitator: Sachiko Oates
Research Forum: Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
CALPRO's Research Forum Webinar:
Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
Presenter: Kristi Reyes
Research Forum: Universal Design for Learning in Action: Applying UDL in Adult Education Classrooms
Description:
This webinar focuses on turning UDL concepts into everyday teaching routines to improve engagement, accessibility, and learner persistence, with examples tailored to adultâeducation contexts. Let's explore concrete instructional strategies, lesson design choices, and learner support.
Presenter: Marie Doerner
One Level to Many: Multilevel ESL Classrooms
Presenter: Sue Pon, Administrator, Oakland Unified School District
In this problem solving exchange session, Sue Pon discussed ideas for organizing the multilevel classroom through single lesson planning by providing options and tools for multilevel ESL instruction, differentiated learning activities and techniques to empower learners into taking responsibility for their own learning.
Increasing Engagement and Student Persistence Through Distance - and Blended-Learning Models; What the Research Says and Which Practice Work
Authors: Anthony Burik, Mariann Fedele-McLeod, Debalina Ganguli, Martin D. Griffin, Hilary Iserman, Nicole Jordan, Stephanie Kriebel, Yecsenia Lorenzo, Courtney McMahon, Katie Callahan Neginskiy, Penny Pearson, Theresa Petersen, Kristi Reyes, Thoibi N. Rublaitus, Shannon Swain, Lila Young, Carolyn ZachryThis evidence to action brief presents recent research on distance learning in adult education and provides an important contemporaneous account of how California adult education rose to meet the challenge of continuing to serve adult learners during the pandemic. This brief captures a snapshot of the current state of practice and evidence, including identified challenges and corresponding best practices. Additionally, it looks towards the future as adult education continues to address the identified challenges of distance learning in innovative ways, as well as to harness the ample benefits and potential for students.
The California Adult Education Learner Persistence Project
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.
Tell Me About Yourself
July 21, 2026Research Forum: Media Literacy for Adult Learners: Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills in the Digital Age
In today's world, media literacy is an essential skill for adults to participate in academic, professional, and community activities. This webinar will explore the importance of media literacy in adult education, providing practical tools and strategies to help learners critically evaluate media sources, understand the impact of media on society, and navigate the digital landscape with confidence. Participants will gain insights into fostering critical thinking and media analysis skills among adult learners, empowering them to become informed and engaged community members.