Staying Healthy for Beginners (Student Workbook)
    Author: Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi, Claire Valier, and Gregory Smith
    Subject Area: ESL/ELL, Health, LINCS Resources
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    This is an English learner's guide to health care and healthy living.
    Author(s)
    Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi
    Claire Valier
    Gregory Smith
    Author(s) Organizational Affiliation
    Florida Literacy Coalition
    Publication Year
    2014
    Resource Type
    Informational Material
    Number of Pages
    168
    Product Type
    Abstract
    This guide is meant to be used directly with adult learners in adult education classrooms as instructional materials. It can also be used as a conversation starter for adult education professionals in thinking about issues/skills to introduce in classrooms, programs, and materials. This is ready-to-use in the classroom or a tutoring session. It can also be given to students for their own use. The Guide itself was designed for beginner level ESOL students and can be used with or without guidance. It is written at a 3-4 grade level and is supported by pictures, a glossary and a well-designed plain language format. The Staying Healthy for Beginners Teachers Guide supports teachers and/or tutors in using the Guide as a basis for a variety of particpatory teaching activities.
    Benefits and Uses
    Staying Healthy is an award-winning curriculum that is used throughout the United States. It is written at a 4th-5th grade reading level and is suitable for low intermediate level ESOL learners and above. The newly-released Staying Healthy for Beginners is written at a lower reading level, making it more accessible to learners at the high beginning level.
    What the experts say
    This is an important contribution to the adult education field. Staying Healthy for Beginners is a great way to build adult learner skills and to introduce conversations around personal health. This is a beautiful booklet that students can easily read and use to gain knowledge about taking care of their health and and confidence to interact with the healthcare system. Few resources known have this many colorful pictures and as "friendly" a design for lower level readers of English. Besides the information, the booklet includes things like dialogues, personal stories, simple charts, and interactive activities to engage the learner. There are some places that let them fill out real information that will help them with healthcare activities. The guide is something that students can keep at home and use even after the class is over, and many students have told teachers that they share the information with friends and family. There has been a big need for health literacy resources for beginner level students, and this fills that need. This is an addition to the earlier resource: Staying Healthy: An English Learner’s Guide to Health Care and Healthy Living. It uses the same principles as that first Guide, which has been used in programs all over the country to rave reviews. The original Guide was pilot tested and found to be effective at improving students' knowledge of health issues and intention to interact more fully with the health care system and their healthcare providers. Please see the ongoing discussion about this resource in the LINCS Health Literacy Community of Practice.
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways: Issue Brief
    Author: Heide Wrigley
    Subject Area: ESL/ELL, LINCS Resources
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    This issue brief, one of the resources in the suite of materials “Preparing English Learners for Work and Career,” provides teachers and administrators with an overview of current research and practice related to connecting English language acquisition to career pathways.
    Publication Year
    2015
    In the United States, as elsewhere, there is an increasing demand for job-driven adult education that teaches adults the skills needed for work. In many cases, education that prepares adults for employment opportunities calls for collaborative relationships between training providers, such as community colleges that offer career pathways, and adult education programs that focus on English language acquisition (ELA). This Brief provides an overview of current research and practice in career focused contextualization.  Although the Brief can be used as a stand-alone resource, it also provides the foundation to the other resources in the suite of materials “Preparing English Learners for Work and Career.”
    Benefits and Uses
    The benefits and uses section will include the:
    • Reasons the resource has implications for the adult education field;
    • Resource’s potential use; and,
    • Most significant or useful features to the target audience(s).
    Despite the increasing numbers of immigrants in the workforce and the success of recent models designed to transition basic skills students to better jobs and training in postsecondary institutions, little guidance has been available on how to adapt these ideas for programs serving English learners preparing for work and careers. The Issue Brief provides teachers and administrators with practical ideas and presents a broad overview of considerations for connecting ELA to career pathways. It serves as an introduction to the topic of career-focused contextualized instruction that teachers and administrators can use as a springboard to additional in-depth resources on this topic. Program models designed to strengthen the alignment of adult education, employment, and skills training, such as bridge programs, programs offering concurrent enrollment, and models for integrating technical skills and related language and literacy skills through team teaching, are described. It offers ideas for engaging employers. The section on instructional strategies outlines the skills that ELLs need to succeed at work and in postsecondary education and offers ideas for adapting language teaching strategies to foster the skills needed for success in career pathways. The Issue Brief can serve as an introduction to its Companion Learning Resource or as a stand-alone overview of the topic.
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Meeting the Language Needs of Today’s Adult English Language Learner: Issue Brief
    Author: Betsy Parrish
    Subject Area: ESL/ELL, LINCS Resources
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    This issue brief, one of the resources in the suite of materials “Meeting the Language Needs of Today’s Adult English Language Learner,” presents an overview of the need for increased rigor in all English language acquisition programs.
    Publication Year
    2015
    This Issue Brief seeks to address the gaps that exist between what is offered in adult English language acquisition (ELA) programming with regard to academic and work readiness (academic language, analytical and reasoning skills, organizational skills, strong oral and written communication skills) and the expectations in employment and postsecondary training. Increased demands are reflected in the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), which represent the real-world demands of postsecondary training and employment, as well as in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This Brief provides an overview of current research and practice.  It draws from current scholarship, highlights issues in the topic and provides an update to adult educators as well as to other relevant audiences, such as government representatives, policymakers and researchers. Although the Brief can be used as a stand-alone document, it also provides the foundation to the other resources  in the suite of materials “Meeting the Language Needs of Today’s Adult English Language Learner”.
    Benefits and Uses
    The benefits and uses section will include the:
    • Reasons the resource has implications for the adult education field;
    • Resource’s potential use; and,
    • Most significant or useful features to the target audience(s).
    This Issue Brief provides a synthesis of the research supporting the need for increased rigor in Adult ELA programming. It delineates the elements that should be integrated systematically into instruction, including academic language (e.g., complex texts, expressing cause and effect), language strategies (e.g., listening or reading for different purposes, inferring meaning from context, recognizing attitude), and critical thinking, all of which have been shown to be critical for full access to academic and work opportunities. Suggestions for how administrators can support these efforts are provided as well. The Issue Brief can serve as an introduction to its Companion Learning Resource or as a stand-alone overview of the topic.
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Integrating Digital Literacy Into English Language Instruction: Issue Brief
    Author: Kathy Harris
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    This issue brief, one of the resources in the suite of materials “Integrating Digital Literacy into English Language Instruction,” presents a broad overview of digital literacy as it relates to adult learners in English language acquisition programs.
    Publication Year
    2015
    This Issue Brief synthesizes current research and presents perspectives on digital literacy in English language acquisition. It includes an introduction to the definitions of literacy that are expanded to include digital literacies. The concept of “digital divide” is reframed as a continuum of digital skills, including the language, technology and problem-solving skills required for participation in everyday digital contexts.  Because technologies and their uses continually change, requiring different skills, everyone is a learner with respect to digital literacy. This shifts the role of the teacher to that of a co-learner, in addition to orchestrating learning. Although the Brief can be used as a stand-alone resource, it also provides the foundation to the other resources in the suite of materials “Integrating Digital Literacy into English Language Instruction.”
    Benefits and Uses
    The benefits and uses section will include the:
    • Reasons the resource has implications for the adult education field;
    • Resource’s potential use; and,
    • Most significant or useful features to the target audience(s).
    This Issue Brief draws from scholarship and highlights the current issues in the topic for adult educators and other relevant audiences including professional development specialists, policymakers and researchers. The Issue Brief describes four components of digital literacy and ways to integrate digital activities from each into the classroom.  It also describes how activities can be integrated into a wide range of topic-, project- or problem-based approaches to develop: 1. Basic digital literacy skills, 2. Skills to create and communicate information to extend English language acquisition, 3. Skills needed to find and evaluate information online, and 4. Skills in solving problems in technology-rich environments. The Brief includes multiple examples and links to relevant resources. The Brief can serve as an introduction to its Companion Learning Resource or as a stand-alone overview of the topic.
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools
    Author: Marn Frank and Kristin Perry
    Subject Area: ESL/ELL, LINCS Resources, Reading
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools (BATT) strives to provide a ‘principled’ system for ABE/ESL teachers who want and/or need to develop their students’ knowledge of Roman alphabet letters, English letter-sound patterns, sight or high frequency words, and transfer of those lettersound-word skills to text fluency and comprehension.
    Publication Year
    2015
    Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools (BATT) strives to provide a 'principled' system for ABE/ESL teachers who want and/or need to develop their students' knowledge of Roman alphabet letters, English letter-sound patterns, sight or high frequency words, and transfer those letter-sound-word skills to text fluency and comprehension. This resource includes: 1) teacher-friendly tests for determining known and unknown skills, 2) evidence-based reading instructional practices, orders, approaches, and lesson plans for teaching unknown skills, 3) teacher-tested lists of other activities and materials, and 4) time-saving teacher resources. It was also piloted by a group of MN ABE/ESL reading teachers, who contributed their insightful feedback, teacher-tested tools, and testimonials. BATT is closely aligned with four Reading Standards: Foundational Skills (K–5) from the Minnesota Academic Standards (MDE, 2010) and Career and College Readiness Standards for Adult Education (OCTAE, 2013):
    • RF.1. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. (Print Concepts)
    • RF.2. Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). (Phonological Awareness)
    • RF.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. (Phonics and Word Recognition)
    • RF.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. (Fluency)
     
    What the experts say
    Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools offers ABE/ESL instructors a simple but comprehensive toolkit for encouraging adults to develop a strong foundation for reading English well. The activities within support best practices from evidence-based recommendations in literacy instruction and provide instructors with the tools (handouts, plans, resources, tests) to engage beginning readers as they learn to read and, hopefully, enjoy reading! The resource provides a teacher-friendly collection of free, accessible assessment tools for practitioners to use that target alphabetics instruction for beginning readers. In addition, the resource takes a pragmatic approach to phonics instruction, thoughtfully describing and then applying synthetic, analogic, and analytic approaches in ways that make sense for various purposes. Furthermore, the five lesson plans progress developmentally, addressing increasingly higher stages of students’ alphabetics knowledge and providing a picture of the scope of instruction in this area. If used within a balanced approach to literacy instruction and introduced with training (or used by someone with a general knowledge of alphabetics instruction), this resource could be a valuable one for teachers of adults being introduced to literacy. Users are encouraged to read the front matter at the beginning of each section with care since good directions and advice are offered there—and it may be easy to overlook them. Of special note: the authors invite users to adapt the assessment directions as needed, and practitioners may want to do so. For instance, students are usually not told what the test is about until step 6 or 7—after the demonstration of what to do on the test. In general, it would be better to tell them the purpose of test first and then provide the demo, so students know what to attend to in the demo.
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Realizing Opportunities for English Language Learners (ELLs) Through State Academic Content Standards Webinar
    Author: StandardsWork, Inc.
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    Archive of September 14, 2016 webinar.
    Publication Year
    2016
    Realizing Opportunities for English Language Learners (ELLs) Through State Academic Content Standards was produced by StandardsWork, Inc. as part of the CCR Standards-in-Action (CCR SIA) project. Facilitated by Susan Pimentel, lead CCR SIA content expert, the webinar concentrates on meeting the needs of English-language learners (ELLs). It discusses the necessary shifting away from traditional teaching theories that encourage language instruction in isolation from other academic disciplines. Specifically, the webinar showcases research-tested strategies on how ELLs can realize opportunities through new state-level academic standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. The webinar highlights a series of research findings on how best to realize opportunities for ELLs in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. Ms. Pimentel discusses pedagogical shifts for language acquisition and ten steps adult educators can take to re-envision ELL education in their programs. In the final portion of the webinar, she responds to attendees’ questions.
    Benefits and Uses
    This Webinar was created for College and Career Readiness Standards In Action (CCR SIA) project for adult educators from 12 states, who requested information on how CCR standards can be implemented for ELLs. This Webinar responds to their questions. The Webinar content, demonstration video, and links to further resources all provide essential information for you to use as you re-envision ELL education in your states. Use this resource to help plan ways to implement CCR academic content in classrooms with ELLs. View it individually, as part of a professional learning community, or a professional development workshop. In addition to providing essential information about teaching ELLs, it could fuel a discussion of different strategies and approaches to implementing CCR standards. The webinar includes a classroom video demonstration that is particularly useful in conjunction with Ms. Pimentel’s summary of research on reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language (slides 17-28). The slides which articulate the pedagogical shifts in teaching ELLs (slides 29-30) provide a concise statement of the new direction for ELL instruction afforded by the CCR standards. The PowerPoint slides are available a stand-alone resource.
    Required Training
    A fundamental awareness of the CCR Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy is recommended.
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
    Author: Purdue University
    Subject Area: ESL/ELL, LINCS Resources, Writing
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, which teachers and trainers may use for in-class and out-of-class instruction.
    Publication Year
    2016
    The Online Writing Lab (OWL) website was developed at Purdue University as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue.  OWL houses writing resources and instructional material. Students—no matter their skill level— and members of the education community will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction. The site is organized into the following sections:
    • General Writing
    • Research and Citation
    • Teacher and Tutor Resources
    • Subject-Specific Writing
    • Job Search Writing
    • English as a Second Language
    • Purdue OWL Video-casts
    Benefits and Uses
    OWL is a collection of resources that support writing instruction created for college-aged students—no matter their skill level—and their instructors and tutors. These materials are relevant to ABE and ESL students and relatively simple to adapt for the purposes of adult educators. OWL resources support instruction aligned to College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for writing and language, though CCR standards are not specifically named. For example, the sections on academic writing address expository, argumentative, and narrative writing—CCR Writing Standards 1-3.  The resources also support development of the writing process—CCR Writing Standard 5; the need for evidence to support claims—CCR Writing Standard 9 and Key Advance 2; and correct methods for citing resources—CCR Writing Standard 8. Conducting research is also addressed—CCR Writing Standard 7 as are mechanics, punctuation, and grammar—CCR Language Standards 1-2. OWL provides writing resources and instructional materials to support students as well as educators.  Resources present clear guidelines and expectations for academic writing. Teachers can use the site’s resources to develop lessons, assignments, and classroom resources. Students will find hands-on exercises and printable resources that support their continuing development as writers. OWL provides a wealth of materials that address a variety of topics about writing, topics that are also addressed by CCR writing and language standards. The site is well-organized by topics and subtopics. The Site Map provides a good overview of the site’s scope and sequence.  
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
    Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways: Companion Learning Resource
    Author: Jayme Adelson-Goldstein
    Subject Area: ESL/ELL, LINCS Resources
    Program Level: Professional Development
    Material Type: Collection
    Language: English
    License: (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) For license summary click here

    Abstract:

    This Companion Learning resource, Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways, provides teachers and administrators with instructional tools, strategies, and resources that support career-focused, contextualized English language acquisition instruction.
    Publication Year
    2016
    This Companion Learning Resource provides an update to several seminal resources from the adult English language learner (ELL) resource collection.  It also extends and expands upon these resources by offering many practical ideas and concrete classroom examples that practitioners can use and adapt in order to better integrate language development and career and postsecondary preparation in adult ELA classes. Highlights of key concepts and practical strategies include:
    • How to prepare adult learners effectively for career training and postsecondary education, including related language demands
    • Effective instructional models of integrating career training with academic instruction
    • Key concepts in integrating academic skill development across many ELL levels to assist with learners’ transitions to postsecondary education, in preparation for work
    Although this Companion Learning Resource can be used as a stand-alone document, it also complements the other resources in the suite of materials, “Preparing English Learners for Work and Career Pathways.”  Other resources in this suite are the Issue Brief, and the Professional Development Modules.
    Benefits and Uses
    This practice-oriented resource examines language demands of the workforce, postsecondary transitions for adult ELLs, and effective preparation of adult learners for career training and postsecondary education. It illustrates effective instructional models for integrating career training with academic instruction and demonstrates key concepts in integrating academic skill development across many ELL levels to assist with learners’ transitions to postsecondary education, in preparation for work. Concrete classroom examples come from across a range of levels and teaching contexts. Formatted as a digital magazine, this clickable PDF contains embedded resources and links to websites that encourage users to delve deeply into the areas of greatest relevance. Through the resource, practitioners are able to link to concrete examples taken from each of the seminal resources and, where relevant, additional examples drawn from other relevant contexts (e.g., K–12 education).
    Resource Notice
    This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.