Adult Education Teacher Tips and Ideas

Professional Development

• Baldridge Training - Research and information on CQI training.

• Colorado Department of Education - CDE has information that is needed by teachers and students alike. You can find out about every aspect of Colorado's education programs here.

• CCCOnline - Certificate in Adult and Family Literacy CCCOnline in conjunction with Trinidad State Junior College and Community College of Aurora is offering a Certificate in Adult and Family Literacy completely online. The courses are designed for adult and family literacy educators.

• Covey Training - The Covey site includes a wonderful section on personal mission statements. It also includes motivational quotes, a stress profile, and productivity tips.

• The National LINCS Home Page - The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) -- is a cooperative electronic network of the National LINCS team at NIFL, four regional LINCS partners, representative organizations from the states and territories, and several major national organizations. The LINCS Network provides a single focal point for adult literacy resources, knowledge, and expertise from across the nation and the world. Provides facts, statistics, policy information and resources for students, teachers and grant writers.

• Pikes Peak Workforce Center - PPWFC is a joint powers agency of the Counties of El Paso and Teller with the cooperation of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. This new system links the counties' employers to a variety of qualified applicants and provides job-seekers with access to employment and training opportunities.

• Focus on Basics - Focus on Basics is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policy makers. Focus on Basics is dedicated to connecting research with practice, to connecting teachers with research and researchers with the reality of the classroom, and by doing so, making adult basic education research more relevant to the field.

• PBS Literacy Link - PBS' Workplace Essential Skills is a new multi-media instructional package that teaches basic skills in reading, writing, communication and math in a workplace context. These skills include strategies and attitudes necessary to find, keep and thrive in a job. Use it in GED preparation and adult education classes, on-the-job training, one-stop skill centers and distance education programs.

• NCSALL Home Page - The goal of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy is to help the field of adult basic education define a comprehensive research agenda; to pursue basic and applied research under that agenda; to build partnerships between researchers and practitioners; and to disseminate research and best practices to practitioners, scholars, and policy makers. Provides online research, publications and teaching materials.

• Arizona Adult Learner - Lesson Plans - Arizona Association for Lifelong Learning web site features internet-based lessons for ESOL, ABE and GED students and links to other lesson plan sites.

• Literacy Online - A gateway to electronic resources and tools for the national and international adult literacy communities. A joint project of the International Literacy Institute (ILI) and the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) and the University of Pennsylvania.

• SABES, System for Adult Basic Education Support - Massachusetts Department of Education ABE resources, curricula and publications.

• The Adult Literacy Resource Institute (University of Massachusetts) - Services, publications and projects for literacy providers.

• Welcome to Reading Online - A journal of K-12 practice and research published by the International Reading Association.

• Reading Research Quarterly - Reading Research Quarterly: The world's leading literacy research journal, published by the International Reading Association.

• Literacy Assistance Center (New York City) - The Literacy Assistance Center (LAC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides essential referral, training, information and technical assistance services to hundreds of adult and youth literacy programs in New York. Browse lesson plans and curricula and find on-line content from our workshops and institutes.

• Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy - Institute stresses the importance of using research to inform and improve practice related to adult literacy, and strives to conduct excellent research that will further our goal. We are a proud part of the College of Education at Penn State.

• Adult Education Resources on the Web - Compiled by Maryland State Adult Literacy Resource Center, UMBC. Includes lesson plans, reference materials, and resources on family literacy, GED, and learning disabilities.

• NIFL.gov - The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) is an independent federal organization leading the national effort toward a fully literate nation in the 21st century. Learn about literacy programs, policies and resources at the national level.

• Laura Candler's File Cabinet - Teaching resources, activity sheets and blackline masters for math, health, science, social studies, literature, holidays and other subjects.

  Puzzlemaker Online program - Helps teachers create crossword puzzles, word finds, etc. from vocabulary lists.

• Southern Colorado Literacy Resource Center - Located at Trinidad State College in Trinidad, CO. Loans books, software, video & audio tapes for curriculum and professional development and publishes Literacy Lifejacket newsletter.

Family Literacy

• National Center for Family Literacy
  NCFL is a non-profit organization supporting family literacy services for families across the United States through programming, training, research, advocacy and dissemination.

• National Even Start Association
  The mission of the National Even Start Association is to provide a national voice and vision for Even Start Family Literacy programs.

• Ruby Payne’s website
  An education site that can better educate all children, particularly children from poverty.

• Colorado Family Literacy Consortium
  The Colorado Family Literacy Consortium web site is a communication tool for developing and disseminating information about family literacy to parents, service providers, and community members throughout the state.

Refugee Issues

• The National Immigration Forum
  The purpose of the National Immigration Forum is to embrace and uphold America's tradition as a nation of immigrants. The Forum advocates and builds public support for public policies that welcome immigrants and refugees and that are fair and supportive to newcomers in our country. Includes immigration facts, information on current immigration issues, resources and publications.

• Colorado Refugee ESL (CRESL) Program
  Colorado Department of Education's Colorado Refugee ESL Program (CRESL) provides English language instruction to refugee adults.