Training Topics 

Detailed topic descriptions are given below.

Training Topic Descriptions:

Math Institute Part I:  Applying Basic Math Principles to Calculation and Reading & Interpreting Data, Charts and Graphs (6 Hrs.)

 Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 1, 2, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17

 Applying Basic Math Principles to Calculation addresses the GED candidate skill gaps in calculating percentages, visualizing reasonable answers, calculating squares and square roots, recognizing and calculating positive and negative exponents, and selecting the correct equation to a conceptual problem.

Reading & Interpreting Data, Charts and Graphs addresses the GED candidate skill gaps in transitioning between text and graphics, interpreting and comparing graphical data from multiple sources, interpreting and selecting tabular data for computation, and identifying how graphs can show different types of information.

 Math Institute Part II: Geometry & Measurement and Algebra (4 Hrs.)

 Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 1, 2, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17

 Geometry and Measurement addresses the GED candidate skill gaps in recognizing visual cues, understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem, Partitioning irregular shapes to calculate area, comparing properties of geometric figures of different shapes, expressing a mathematical problem using variables, and understanding the relationships between angles and parallel lines.

Algebra addresses the issue of developing algebraic reasoning through real life contexts.

Numeracy: (4 hours)

 This presentation addresses the three components of numeracy identified by the Adult Numeracy Network (ANN): context, content, and cognitive and affective.

This interactive workshop has activities geared to the lower level math/literacy student.  The context component addresses “real” vs. “realistic” problem situations.  The content component addresses (1) number and operation sense, (2) patterns, functions and algebra, (3) measurement and shape, and (4) data, statistics and probability.  The cognitive and affective component addresses conceptual understanding, adaptive reasoning, strategic competence, procedural fluency, and productive disposition.

Approximately half the workshop consists of activities and games.

Aligns with ProNet Competencies:Maintains Knowledge and Pursues Own Professionalism: 1, 2; Organizes and Delivers Instruction: 10, 12,14,15,17; Manages Instructional Resources: 21, 22; Continually Assesses and Monitors Learning: 23, 25

 Health Literacy Workshop:  Skills for Disease Prevention and Screening  (4 Hrs)

Aligns with Pro Net Competencies 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 26, 30, 31. 

 The overall goal of the Health Literacy Workshop is to build the capacity of adult education instructors to incorporate health literacy into their curriculum and instruction.

One of the goals will be to prepare participants to help their students develop basic skills needed to engage in disease prevention and screening activities.

Health Literacy: Bring Exercise into the Workplace: (4Hrs.)

 This workshop will build on the one listed above.  Instructors will learn how to bring healthy living strategies into the classroom and to students.  They will look at 10 components of healthy living.

Aligns with Pro Net Competencies 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 26, 30, 31.

Student Persistence: (4 Hrs.)

The student persistence workshop was initiated as a learning tool to address the critical success factors, found as a result of the Phase I findings and statewide needs.  This workshop is designed to help programs, directors and teachers identify retention barriers within their own programs and develop a retention strategy plan, implement and evaluate to promote student attainment and the success of the program.

Aligns with Pro-Net  Competencies : 1, 4, 10, 13, 23, 27, 28, 29

 Content Standards Follow-Up (4 Hrs.)

The follow-up sessions are for teachers who attended the Summer Workshops.  They will delve deeper into using Content Standards in the classroom.  The follow-up sessions will be held at the local programs and will be presented throughout the year.

New Spice for Seasoned Teachers (4 Hrs) 

Formerly "Back to Basics"

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 23, 24, 28

 This is for “seasoned” teachers who have been in the classroom a few years and want to review the basics of Adult Education and Literacy. This training focuses on the GED student, the instructor, the classroom setting, teaching strategies, and information on the GED Tests.

 Let’s Test!  (4 Hrs.)

 Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 23, 24, 28

 Participants learn TABE 9 & 10 proper testing procedures in addition to learning how important testing is to the students, teachers, classroom, local AEL program, state and other sponsoring agencies.  Activities include examining the local program progress reports and how to improve them.

ESL Trainings

Yikes!  It’s the ESL Plague! (4 hours) 

Discuss and strategize with your colleagues concerning the issues which somewhat perennially plague adult education ESL classrooms—multi-level classes, fluctuating attendance, learning difficulties, differences and challenges. Presenter will provide some basic research and activity suggestions, but participants will do much of the work, strategizing with fellow-teachers about techniques that work or don’t work; those that haven’t worked in the past but might work given different circumstances; conditions that support or undermine useful classroom techniques; and personally identifying a few reasonable goals that each might work on throughout the coming year.  While none of these issues have the quick and easy fix that we all wish for, we can make a dent in the frustrations they represent to us and our students if we share what we know and do in our classrooms already, and brainstorm together for further potential fixes.

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies: 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 

ESL Reading & Writing  (4 Hrs.)

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 

We’ll look at the 2002 National Reading Panel’s findings on the key components necessary for fluent reading and discuss the application of those findings to ESL Adults.  Participants will experience activities designed to foster the development of the key components, and think critically about creating activities that will fit their classrooms and levels.  In addition, we’ll engage in writing activities appropriate for all levels of ESL Adults, and teachers will spend time evaluating and developing writing activities that they might use in their own classrooms.

Language Sub skills:  Integrating Grammar, Pronunciation, and Vocabulary  (4 Hrs.)

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 

It’s fairly easy to design listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities for the ESL classroom, but how do grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary fit in?  We’ll discuss techniques for integrating these sub skills into ESL instruction and after taking part in various grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary activities as ESL students, participants will work on developing activities that will work in their classrooms.   Finally, in a structured discussion format, participants will have the opportunity to work with other teachers in processing the activities, as well as sharing ideas and classroom experience.   

 Strategies for teaching in a Multi-Level ESL classroom (4 Hrs.)

 Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 

This Workshop will help teachers who teach in an AEL classroom, but have a few ESL students.  It is designed to show different activities that can be used in a Multi- Level ESL classroom.   

 Culture in the ESL Classroom  (4 Hrs.)

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 

Adult Education ESL teachers struggle with teaching U.S. culture as well as integrating students’ cultures into the classroom.  In this Workshop we will discuss cultural issues and their impact on the classroom, managing the multi-cultural classroom, and taking advantage of the rich cultural diversity that makes up our classrooms.  Participants will network with other teachers regarding culture in the classroom, and we’ll start a list of cultural No-No’s (behaviors or gestures that one culture or another find offensive) to be posted on the MAEL PDC website for teachers to access at will.

ESL-Speaking and Listening  (4 Hrs.)

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 10, 12, 17, 20

The presenter will provide a variety of activity types at multiple levels for teaching speaking and listening, with an emphasis on expanding the activities beyond the classroom.  Participants will experience the activities themselves and network with other teachers regarding their issues and successes with teaching speaking and listening. 

Life skills:  What do they need to know, and how do we teach it? (4 Hrs.)

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20 

Most ESL students want English to survive in the everyday world.  ESL teachers need to be able to assess what those everyday world needs are and then design authentic instruction to meet those needs.  Participants will discuss various needs assessment models, then work on developing thematic units designed to assist students in meeting their own real world needs in the real world.

CASAS Testing (6  Hrs.)

ESL Instructors learn and become certified in the use of the CASAS.  The Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems test is the tool used in Missouri to assess ELL students’ levels.  After attending the six hour workshop, instructors earn certification needed to use the CASAS and to order materials from the CASAS company.

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies: 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 23, 24, 28

Strategies for Teaching in a Multi-Level ESL classroom (4 Hrs.)

This Workshop will help teachers who teach in an AEL classroom, but have a few ESL students.  It is designed to show different activities that can be used in a Multi- Level ESL classroom.   

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies: 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 

CASAS and Content Standards Follow Up:  (4 hrs)

ESL Instructors will receive information for using the Content Standards and CASAS at the Pre-Certification Workshop.  This workshop is a follow up and gives the instructor additional training and hours necessary for CASAS certification to be able to order CASAS testing materials.

Aligns with Pro-Net Competencies: 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 23, 24, 28

 Citizenship Test (2 hrs.)

The one-hundred questions used on the Naturalization Test will be discussed and it will be explained the October 1, 2008 start date for the new Naturalization Test.  Instructors will Compare and Contrast the old Naturalization Test to the New Naturalization Test, along with explaining the application process of the Naturalization Test,

Reaching out to Immigrant Populations (4 hrs.) 

 This workshop is taken from the Gates Foundation Spanish Language Outreach Program and will identify eight steps in finding community leaders, compare and contrast different cultures, describe the Iceberg Model of cultural diversity, learn to market to immigrant populations and look at the peaks and waves of immigration to the United States.

Video Training Options

Beyond F.A.T. City, A Look Back, A Look Ahead:  (DVD) Another favorite by Richard LaVoie about LD students and how to help them in the classroom.  2 hours PD credit.

How Difficult Can It Be?  One of Richard LaVoie’s F.A.T. City videos which allows you to spend 70 minutes experiencing life the way a learning disabled student does.  A discussion guide comes with the video.  4 hours PD credit.

People Like Us:  A stirring DVD from Aha!  Process (Framework for Poverty) that is 2 hours in length.  This is sure to evoke lots of discussion.  This option is suggested for small groups of teachers.  A guide of questions is included for discussion.  4 hours PD credit.  The PDC is limited on number of DVD to loan out.

Helping Students Who Learn Differently:  Highlights of Dr. Richard Cooper’s ETW session from 2004 emphasize strategies for teaching adults with learning difficulties.  Participants will watch the video and complete an activity on Blackboard to receive four hours of professional development (Workshop) credit.

Learning For All Kinds of Minds:  Dr. Rochelle Kenyon’s ETW session from 2004 is the basis for this video Workshop.  She discusses strategies for teaching adults including those who have difficulty learning.  In addition to viewing the video, participants review her PowerPoint slides for additional information.  Participants will watch the video and complete an activity on Blackboard to receive four hours of professional development (Workshop) credit.

Reading:  Taking Adult Education Students to the Next Level:   Presented by the trainers from the Florida Human Resources Development, Inc. at the summer 2004 ETW is the basis for this video Workshop.  The video packet is designed to be an interactive, hands-on training containing materials and ideas that teachers of adult learners can transfer directly into their classrooms.

 Technology Training

Information Literacy& Technology in the AEL Classroom: (4 Hrs.)

This workshop refers to skills revolving around information research and use. Students are faced with an endless assortment of informational possibilities from a variety of resources. This workshop is designed to help teachers guide students in deciding which information is credible and how to utilize it.  Participants will learn computer and Internet tips and techniques to enhance the use of technology resources. 

Aligns with ProNet Competencies: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 19, 21, 22

Windows Vista: PD Credits: 2 HOURS or 4 HOURS combined with Word/Excel 2007

Windows Vista is somewhat of a radical evolution from Windows XP- not only the look, but with new features and system requirements. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced Windows user, you won't want to miss out on everything this powerful new version has to offer. In this workshop, specifically designed for beginners and casual users, you'll learn to use Vista's best and most important features. The Word/Excel 2007 option introduces users to the new Ribbon and offers tips and tricks for these Office programs.

 Aligns with 4, 5, 7, 8 19, 21, 22

PLATO (Independent PLATO lab or PLATO On-Line):  This is a 1 day training (6 hours) for teachers who will be using the PLATO system.  Teachers who will be working with a PLATO lab should to attend this workshop.  Teachers will learn how to incorporate TABE prescriptions into PLATO lessons. 

PLATO ADVANCED:  A 4 hour training for teachers who are currently using PLATO labs and have previously attended the initial PLATO training.  The format is basically question and answers plus learning to create reports.

BLS Tutorsystems (Standalone or On-line):  This 2 hour session will help teachers take a closer look at the lessons in BLS and see how they can help students master TABE 7 & 8 objectives.

HUMAN ASSET IMAGING:  HAI is a non-academic software helping the student with topics such as Civility, Respect for Others, Cleanliness, Attitude, Punctuality, and some work scenarios.  The training is a two hour session.  Teachers will be shown how to use the software, along with ideas for incorporating it into the classroom.

Customized training may also be requested.  Contemporary’s GED Interactive, Official Practice GED Test, and other ESL software may be topics for trainings. Please contact the Missouri AEL Professional Development Center to schedule trainings.

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Customized training may also be requested.  Contemporary’s GED Interactive, Official Practice GED Test, and other ESL software may be topics for trainings.

Please contact the Missouri AEL Professional Development Center to schedule trainings.  You may e-mail Beth Gross at bgross@mail.ncmissouri.edu

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