Bringing Reading Instruction to Life Using PIAAC Tools: Supplement to the Introductory Guide (Literacy)
Author: Amy R. Trawick
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, 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.
Collaboration in Adult Education
Author: John Tibbetts and Anestine Hector-Mason, September 2015
Produced by California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project
Collaboration 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.
Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research
Authors: Committee on Learning Sciences: Foundations and Applications to Adolescent and Adult Literacy; Alan M. Lesgold and Melissa Welch-Ross, Editors; National Research Council (2012).This 504-page report synthesizes the research on literacy and learning to improve literacy instruction in the United States and to recommend a more systemic approach to research, practice, and policy. From the National Academies Press (NAP) Web site, readers may read the report online, download free PDF files of the full report and a 24-page summary, or purchase the book. Visit the NAP Web site.
Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills
How can you prepare your learners to succeed in the workforce? Find out what employers say are essential skills for today's workforce. This series shows you how to connect transferable skills in the classroom to the workplace. There are two sessions; each session is broken into two parts (4 webinars total). This series will provide background on skills transferable from the classroom to the workplace and to teach students how to articulate those skills. Registration information: This event is not currently scheduled. Registration will become available once this topic is scheduled.
Integrated Education and Training (IET) Clinic
The California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) and the California Department of Education are pleased to offer a unique professional learning opportunity! Join other agency teams of ESL instructors, CTE instructors, and program administrators for an Integrated Education and Training (IET) Implementation Clinic.
FORMAT
There are five principal features of this unique online professional learning opportunity, which is open to up to 8 agency teams (each team is composed of 3 staff members).
1) Two day-long virtual training sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in interactive planning and curriculum development activities as well as to share best practices.
2) Live, interactive discussion through three 75-minute online webinars with engaging guest speakers, seasoned facilitators, peer mentors, and colleagues from around the state (see below for complete details). In each meeting we will:
- Highlight the relevancy and value of the featured topic for the work that we do
- Explore best and promising practices in the featured topic
- Learn from subject matter experts and peer mentors on effective related strategies
- Share successes and common challenges with fellow teachers and program administrators
- Get help on solving issues we face
Topics will be tailored to the needs of the participating practitioners and identified through the application process and may include:
- Starting Strong: Developing the Team Teaching Partnership
- Co-Teaching & Alternating Teaching: Which Model, Why, And How?
- Developing a Single Set of Learning Objectives & Integrating Lesson Plans
- Building an Integrated Syllabus
- Promising Intake & Onboarding Strategies for lET
- Action Planning: Process considerations, potential challenges, and solutions to address challenges.
- IET and Distance Learning: Considerations & Strategies
3) Ongoing online discussions, sharing, and resource creation through a designated private group within CALPRO’s online Community of Practice.
4) Completion of a capstone project and presentation of the project at the second day-long session.
5) Coaching now included! IET clinic participating teams will now have the support of an IET implementation coach to support you for nine months upon completion of the IET clinic.
For more information, contact calpro@air.org.
Effective Teaching for Adult Educators
Course Description:This course takes place entirely online and runs for four consecutive weeks. Weekly participation is required, though participants may, during a given week, log in whenever they wish. A kick-off Webinar will take place in the first week; the date and time will be announced and posted. This course is intended to (1)build teachers’ capacity to identify the skills and knowledge required for excellent teaching as presented in the Adult Education Teacher Competencies, (2) evaluate in which areas participants are strong and in which areas professional development could support improvement, and (3) plan for increasing effectiveness of instruction. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate of participation (14 hours); they are also eligible to apply to CSUS for 1.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) if they wish.Goals:By the end of the course participants will be able to: • Explain the background and rationale for Adult Education Teacher Competencies • Recognize performance indicators in practice • Create a sample illustration related to a specific program area • Identify the competencies from domains 1 and 3 in practice • Relate selected competencies to classroom practice • Create an initial professional development goalRegistration Information:There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.Contact Information:Please contact calpro@air.org with any questions.
Research Forum Webinar: Promoting Math Identity and Productive Struggle
Join us for an insightful webinar focused on promoting math identity in adult learners and embracing productive struggle in mathematics. Research shows that students who lack confidence in math often give up when faced with challenges, mistakenly thinking that struggling indicates a lack of intelligence. Although struggle can conflict with educators’ notions of successful teaching, struggle and mistakes are the best times for brain growth and are a necessary component of learning and understanding. Teaching that embraces and uses productive struggle leads to long-term benefits, with students more able to apply their learning to new problem situations. This research forum webinar explores ways to foster a positive math identity and embrace productive struggle in adult education classrooms.
Math Instructional Strategies
Hosted by Rowland Adult and Community EducationJoin us for an insightful webinar focused on promoting math identity in adult learners and embracing productive struggle in mathematics. Research shows that students who lack confidence in math often give up when faced with challenges, mistakenly thinking that struggling indicates a lack of intelligence. Although struggle can conflict with educators’ notions of successful teaching, struggle and mistakes are the best times for brain growth and are a necessary component of learning and understanding. Teaching that embraces and uses productive struggle helps students apply their learning to new problems and situations. This research forum webinar explores ways to foster a positive math identity and embrace productive struggle in adult education classrooms.
Data-informed inclusive teaching strategies
Hosted by MVLA Adult SchoolData-informed instruction empowers educators to make evidence-based decisions and positively impact student outcomes. Effective planning involves aligning instructional goals with student needs identified through data analysis. Critical questions we ask include (a) What do we want students to learn? (b) How will we know if they have learned it? (c) What will we do if they don’t learn it? (d) What will we do if they already know it? In this introductory workshop, participants will review how to build assessments to measure outcomes and investigate data types needed to find trends and gaps.The second part of the session focuses on inclusive teaching strategies to address the outcome gaps. Participants will walk away with evidence-based instructional strategies. Participants may choose one of the strategies to incorporate into their classroom routine and design a lesson plan using backward design.
Civic Engagement through Democratic Literacy
Hosted by Los Angeles City CollegeCivic Education and Democratic Literacy play a pivotal role in empowering students to become engaged and informed citizens. Individuals equipped with this knowledge understand political and civic systems, allowing them to navigate these systems effectively and contribute meaningfully to the improvement of their communities. The goal of this CoP is to enhance the capacity of adult educators and programs to provide instruction that amplifies student perspective and voice, builds civic engagement, and dives deep into participatory approaches to democratic processes for adults including those who are developing literacy and language skills.Date: 3/07/2025Time: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.Location: LACC Room: TBDRegistration Information:This tailored regional CoP is hosted by Los Angeles City College. Participants from neighboring districts or regions may be admitted on a space-available basis. There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.