• Phonics in Beginning Adult ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources: Phonics–the knowledge of the sounds letters make when they are combined to make words–is essential to beginning literacy and beginning level English language instruction. But, many teachers and tutors lack the knowledge, confidence and resources to teach the topic. Attend this session to learn why phonics instruction is important and leave with several ideas for phonics activities and resources to bring back to your teaching and tutoring sessions. (2 CEUs)
• Working with Beginning Literacy and Beginning Level Learners: Learners with limited English and literacy skills have unique needs for in-person and remote instruction. Participants will learn best practices and tips for success at this level. They'll also get several ideas for routines, activities and resources to use in their classes and tutoring sessions. (2 CEUs)
• Reading Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners: Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL readers can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this session to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective reading activities. (2 CEUs)
• Writing Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners: Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL students can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this workshop to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective writing activities. (2 CEUs)

• Phonics in Beginning Adult ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources: Phonics–the knowledge of the sounds letters make when they are combined to make words–is essential to beginning literacy and beginning level English language instruction. But, many teachers and tutors lack the knowledge, confidence and resources to teach the topic. Attend this session to learn why phonics instruction is important and leave with several ideas for phonics activities and resources to bring back to your teaching and tutoring sessions. (2 CEUs)
• Working with Beginning Literacy and Beginning Level Learners: Learners with limited English and literacy skills have unique needs for in-person and remote instruction. Participants will learn best practices and tips for success at this level. They'll also get several ideas for routines, activities and resources to use in their classes and tutoring sessions. (2 CEUs)
• Reading Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners: Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL readers can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this session to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective reading activities. (2 CEUs)
• Writing Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners: Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL students can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this workshop to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective writing activities. (2 CEUs)

• Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency: Come and review the important role of fluency in reading instruction. Discuss the three key components of reading fluency and look at a variety of activities tutors and teachers can try. Talk about the mechanics of doing fluency practice via remote tutoring tools or in-person. Participants will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share resources. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers. (2 CEUs)
• Teaching Reading Vocabulary Remotely or In Person: Vocabulary is everyone’s favorite reading component! And helping students master reading vocabulary is a key to helping them master comprehension. But how many words should be taught? And which words are the most important? What strategies are best for helping students learn new words? How to get students to make new words part of their receptive and productive vocabularies? This training will focus on the theory and best practice behind choosing, teaching and reviewing reading vocabulary. Participants will have a chance to learn about (and practice) a variety of activities that can be done remotely or in person. Links to great online resources will also be provided. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers. (2 CEUs)
• Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate Level Readers: Research shows that explicitly teaching a set of comprehension strategies is a great way to help intermediate-level readers maximize their understanding of texts. Come learn a handful of great comprehension tools that will help students develop critical thinking skills and comprehension skills. (2 CEUs)
• Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics: Teaching intermediate alphabetics (syllables, prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. (2 CEUs)
• Helping Students Build Word Part Knowledge: Teaching word parts (prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. (2 CEUs)

• Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency: Come and review the important role of fluency in reading instruction. Discuss the three key components of reading fluency and look at a variety of activities tutors and teachers can try. Talk about the mechanics of doing fluency practice via  remote tutoring tools or in-person. Participants will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share resources. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers. (2 CEUs)
• Teaching Reading Vocabulary Remotely or In Person: Vocabulary is everyone’s favorite reading component! And helping students master reading vocabulary is a key to helping them master comprehension. But how many words should be taught? And which words are the most important? What strategies are best for helping students learn new words? How to get students to make new words part of their receptive and productive vocabularies? This training will focus on the theory and best practice behind choosing, teaching and reviewing reading vocabulary. Participants will have a chance to learn about (and practice) a variety of activities that can be done remotely or in person. Links to great online resources will also be provided. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers. (2 CEUs)
• Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate Level Readers: Research shows that explicitly teaching a set of comprehension strategies is a great way to help intermediate-level readers maximize their understanding of texts. Come learn a handful of great comprehension tools that will help students develop critical thinking skills and comprehension skills. (2 CEUs)
• Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics: Teaching intermediate alphabetics (syllables, prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. (2 CEUs)
• Helping Students Build Word Part Knowledge: Teaching word parts (prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. (2 CEUs)

• Teaching Citizenship Jessica Horning, citizenship teacher for the Literacy Minnesota Open Door Learning Centers, will share multiple ways to teach and review the content of the citizenship interview in fun, interactive ways. Participants will receive links to online resources that can be used in one-on-one or small group teaching settings.  (2 CEUs)

Tips and Strategies for Adult Education Math Tutors

Join us for this interactive session and pick up some ideas that will maximize your impact as a math tutor. This webinar will be appropriate for volunteers assisting a teacher in a math classroom as well as those leading their own classes, small groups or one-to-one sessions. Topics covered will include:

• Levels of math knowing
• Procedural vs conceptual understanding
• Strategies for fostering independent learning
• Asking facilitating questions
• Productive struggle

• Talk Amongst Yourselves: Building Up to Student-Facilitated Conversations: Learn three essential skills students need in order to join a conversation and keep it going. This webinar will demonstrate how to introduce those strategies and get students talking in small groups online. Come ready to participate in  small groups and try out the techniques during webinars! (2 CEUs)

• Phonics in Beginning Adult ESL: Recommendations, Activities and Resources: Phonics–the knowledge of the sounds letters make when they are combined to make words–is essential to beginning literacy and beginning level English language instruction. But, many teachers and tutors lack the knowledge, confidence and resources to teach the topic. Attend this session to learn why phonics instruction is important and leave with several ideas for phonics activities and resources to bring back to your teaching and tutoring sessions. (2 CEUs)
• Reading Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners: Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL readers can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this in-person workshop to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective reading activities. (2 CEUs)
• Writing Activities for Beginning Literacy and Beginning English Language Learners: Teaching and tutoring very beginning level ESL learners can be intimidating for volunteers and professional teachers alike. Attend this workshop to get practical activities and ideas for one-on-one, remote and in-person instruction with tech and no-tech options. Leave feeling ready to provide your learners with meaningful and effective writing activities. (2 CEUs)
• Developing and Practicing Reading Fluency: Come and review the important role of fluency in reading instruction. Discuss the three key components of reading fluency and look at a variety of activities tutors and teachers can try. Talk about the mechanics of doing fluency practice via  remote tutoring tools or in-person. Participants will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share resources. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers. (2 CEUs)
• Teaching Reading Vocabulary Remotely or In Person: Vocabulary is everyone’s favorite reading component! And helping students master reading vocabulary is a key to helping them master comprehension. But how many words should be taught? And which words are the most important? What strategies are best for helping students learn new words? How to get students to make new words part of their receptive and productive vocabularies? This training will focus on the theory and best practice behind choosing, teaching and reviewing reading vocabulary. Participants will have a chance to learn about (and practice) a variety of activities that can be done remotely or in person. Links to great online resources will also be provided. This workshop will be most useful for instructors working with low-intermediate to advanced readers. (2 CEUs)
• Comprehension Strategies for Intermediate Level Readers: Research shows that explicitly teaching a set of comprehension strategies is a great way to help intermediate-level readers maximize their understanding of texts. Come learn a handful of great comprehension tools that will help students develop critical thinking skills and comprehension skills. (2 CEUs)
• Teaching Intermediate Alphabetics: Teaching intermediate alphabetics (syllables, prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. (2 CEUs)
• Helping Students Build Word Part Knowledge: Teaching word parts (prefixes, suffixes, root words) is a great way to help students build their decoding and comprehension skills. Come learn a variety of fun and easy-to-use routines and activities for helping intermediate-level readers develop these important tools. (2 CEUs)

• Tips and Strategies for Online Instruction: During the early days of the pandemic, remote instruction was a necessary evil that many begrudgingly endured. But as the options for in-person instruction opened up, many learners chose to continue to learn in an online environment. Join this session to learn and see modeled tips and strategies for teaching and tutoring online, and determine how to bring them back to your context. This session is appropriate for educators working with both English language learners and adult education students. (Note: This session does not include technical how-to skills for using Zoom or other platforms.)

• Essential Zoom Skills for Online Instruction: Join this hands-on session to learn and practice essential Zoom skills for the virtual classroom that may not be in your repertoire if your experience with the platform is limited to meetings with friends and colleagues at work. 

  The workshop will cover:

  1.      Turning off participants’ cameras and microphones.

  2.     Re-naming participants.

  3.     Sharing your screen.

  4.    Annotating your screen.

  5.    Setting up and visiting breakout rooms.

• Remote Teaching 101: Join Literacy Minnesota ABE and ESL trainers for a virtual workshop on how to be an effective tutor from a distance! Learn best practices for connecting and communicating one-on-one with learners on the phone or online, get suggestions for correcting errors and checking comprehension in a virtual setting, and discover language activities that can be done over the phone or on a video call. Available as a Video Training (2 CEUs)
• A Roadmap for Success: Remote Lesson Planning: Whether teaching one learner on WhatsApp or large group on Zoom or Google Meet, lesson planning is a critical part of ensuring learner success with virtual instruction.  Participants learn how to design lessons so that both the teacher and the learners experience success. Topics covered include: how to write effective objectives to guide planning, tried and true planning methods and lesson plan formats, and how to build in comprehension checks throughout the lesson. Available as a Video Training (2 CEUs)
• Making It Work: Adapting Materials for Remote Teaching: In this workshop, learn recommendations for adapting materials designed for in-person instruction into a remote teaching format. The presenter will demonstrate approaches for introducing reading, writing, and vocabulary on a phone or computer, and will model adaptations for common ESL classroom activities. Participants will receive a handout that includes recommendations for building in class routines, an adapted lesson planning template, and activity instructions. Available as a Video Training (2 CEUs)

• Facilitating Positive Learner Experiences during Remote Instruction: In this webinar, Literacy Minnesota teachers will share some of their favorite virtual routines that promote successful learning. Discover tried and true practices for creating interactive and engaging small group and large group virtual activities, and learn tricks and explore free tools to make virtual lessons go smoothly. Participants will leave with ideas and classroom management practices that can be put into practice immediately. Available as a Video Training (2 CEUs)

• Talk Amongst Yourselves: Building Up to Student-Facilitated Conversations: Learn three essential skills students need in order to join a conversation and keep it going. This webinar will demonstrate how to introduce those strategies and get students talking in small groups online. Come ready to participate in  small groups and try out the techniques during webinars! Available as Webinar and Video Training. (2 CEUs)

Visit the Professional Development page on Literacy Minnesota's Distance Learning website to learn more about distance learning and remote instruction training opportunities. 

• How to Work Effectively with Muslims: Join this session with Jaylani Hussein of CAIR MN to learn how to effectively work with Muslim learners by bringing awareness and eliminating potential bias. Participants will answer questions to both learn about Muslim culture, while simultaneously learning ideas about unconscious bias. The session also includes an in-depth explanation of the religion and cultural norms, including keywords, holidays, and customs held in Muslim culture, and it concludes with a discussion on how Muslims practice their beliefs, emphasizing the continuum of diversity of practice within the religion. The presenter also touches on religious accommodations in educational settings. (2 CEUs)

• Culturally Responsive Practices for Diverse Adult Learners: Join presenter Jimmie Heags, Jr., MA, LSC, LPCC, LADC, ACS, for this session that explores how cultural identities and experiences impact student-instructor interactions and shape the way we make meaning of the world. Participants will gain awareness of their own cultural perspectives, social location and the need for cultural humility in Adult Basic Education with the goal of enhancing the outcomes of adult learners and educators' own professional development. Learning will be acquired through the explanation of concepts, anecdotes and stories, videos and deep reflection. (2 CEUs)

• Understanding the Somali People: Somalis are estimated to be the largest African immigrant group in Minnesota with approximately 75,000-100,000 residing in the state (source: McKnight Foundation). This training covers pre- and post-modern history of the Somali people, culture, migration to Minnesota, cultural gaps between the Somali and American communities and recommendations for outreach to Somali community members. (2 CEUs)

• Understanding and Interrupting Microaggressions: Join presenter Jimmie Heags, Jr., MA, LSC, LPCC, LADC, ACS, for this session that exposes how institutional racism and stereotypes can lead to microaggressions. The session will provide learners with a framework for understanding, identifying and disrupting microaggressions. Participants will be introduced to the various types of microaggressions and how to use interventions to promote safer and more equitable environments. Learning objectives: 1) Articulate the connection between institutional racism and microaggressions. 2) Examine the connection between white privilege and white fragility and microaggressions. 3) Understand the different types of microaggressions. 4) Develop interventions for disrupting microaggressions. (2 CEUs)

• Racial Equity 101 Join presenter Jimmie Heags, Jr., MA, LSC, LPCC, LADC, ACS, for this session that exposes how race is defined and how racism impacts individuals and institutions. The session will provide learners with a framework for understanding and disrupting the attitudes and structures that perpetuate inequality. Participants will be introduced to basic interventions to identify and disrupt racialized mindsets and practices that promote equity. Interventions will include how to be an anti-racist. Objectives include the following: 1) Define the nature of race and racism and their origins and impact. 2) Examine the concepts of white privilege and white fragility 3) Understand the nature of microaggressions and their impact 4) Develop interventions for disrupting racist mindsets (2 CEUs)

• A Volunteer's Introduction to Universal Design for Learning: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach that enhances educational equity by creating more accessible learning experiences for all students. This introductory webinar covers fundamental UDL concepts, the similarities and differences between UDL and disability accommodations, and some UDL strategies for adult learners across levels. We’ll also highlight the UDL connections in Literacy Minnesota’s new curriculum, English Unlocked. Join us to learn about how you can help implement UDL in any volunteer role, whether you serve as a classroom assistant, tutor, or teacher. (2 CEUs) Note: This session is primarily designed for volunteers who follow predetermined curricula and lesson plans. For those with control or discretion over lesson and classroom design, we also recommend the PANDA UDL training (offered annually in January).

• LGBTQIA+ Topics in ABE Spaces What do welcoming spaces in adult education look like? How can we make sure LGBTQIA+ learners, volunteers and professionals feel they belong? In this session, ABE professionals in the LGBTQIA+ community will invite participants to reflect on and discuss topics of gender and sexuality in ESL/ABE classrooms and instruction. Participants will brainstorm how to include more queer representation in adult education curricula, program environments and materials. Presenters will provide lesson examples for teaching gender-inclusive language. It is our intention to create a space where participants are welcome but not required to share aspects of their identity or experiences related to the topic. (2 CEUs)

• How Adult Brains Learn Languages: Learn what research has to say about how adult brains learn a new language, how trauma and stress impact learning, and how this influences the teaching practices that we use in the language classroom. Participants will leave the webinar with suggestions for ways teachers and tutors can apply brain-based teaching practices as we are helping adult ESL students develop their language skills. (2 CEUs)
• Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices for Adult Learners: Trauma and chronic stress can come in many forms, and impact people’s ability to learn new skills and process information in a variety of different ways. In this webinar, learn how stress and trauma can manifest in the classroom, and learn about trauma-informed teaching practices that can help to support positive learning behaviors and increase retention and learner comfort. (2 CEUs)
• A Volunteer's Introduction to Universal Design for Learning: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach that enhances educational equity by creating more accessible learning experiences for all students. This introductory webinar covers fundamental UDL concepts, the similarities and differences between UDL and disability accommodations, and some UDL strategies for adult learners across levels. We’ll also highlight the UDL connections in Literacy Minnesota’s new curriculum, English Unlocked. Join us to learn about how you can help implement UDL in any volunteer role, whether you serve as a classroom assistant, tutor, or teacher. (2 CEUs) Note: This session is primarily designed for volunteers who follow predetermined curricula and lesson plans. For those with control or discretion over lesson and classroom design, we also recommend the PANDA UDL training (offered annually in January).