Participants will have the knowledge to be able to write their own lessons and run a presentation using Powe r Point.

John Schieffelin is a graduate of Baylor University and teaches at the Adult Correctional Institution

cowesett: An introduction to Teachers Investigating Adult Numeracy (TIAN) - Michele Bahr

Opportunities to explore new approaches to solving mathematics problems strengthen teachers' understanding of mathematics as well as their understanding of how to help students build math understanding and skills. The presenter will provide an overview of the TIAN project and the research underlying its approaches to math instruction and professional development, speaking from her perspective as TIAN teacher who is now TIAN facilitator trainee. Participants will explore active approaches to multi-level mathematics instruction, and discuss the basis for these approaches. This interactive session welcomes questions throughout.

Main points

Participants will

Michele Bahr, an experienced math and science teacher at ACCCESS and SABES in Massachustts, co-facilitated the TIAN program in RI. Her science background includes an M.S. in Oceanography and microbial ecology research at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. Currently she is Education Coordinator for the MBL team of the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

break: 2:15 - 2:30

Afternoon sessions: 2:30 - 3:30

u south: Publisher's session: Silent Reading Fluency: Technology to Improve Speed and Comprehension - Jean Welsh, EdD

Fluency in silent reading can be defined as the ability to read with sustained attention and concentration, ease and comfort, at adequate reading rates and with good understanding. Only when adult students can read and comprehend at rates that transcend vocalization (the rate of oral reading fluency), are they able to complete reading assignments and exams with a reasonable expenditure of time and energy. Reading is a laborious task for students who read slowly. Many struggling adult readers have learned to decode (use phonics to analyze and sound out words), but have failed to develop sufficient automaticity so as to instantly recognize words. Additionally, many adults who are dysfluent readers exhibit visual processing problems such as poor binocular coordination, excessive fixations (eye-stops) and regressions (reverse eye movements) that inhibit reading rate and comprehension.

Practitioners will learn about factors that allow adequate reading rates to be achieved along with meaningful comprehension, and will have an opportunity to examine their own reading speeds while measuring comprehension across 18 dimensions including cause and effect, inference, main idea, etc. at various grade levels of difficulty. Group exercises will span a range of difficulty from students who are barely decoding at 80 to 100 effective words per minute through college level expectations in excess of 400 effective words per minute.

goddard: New Teacher Orientation - Janet Isserlis

For the past few years, practitioners across the state have been working on developing an orientation process for practitioners new to adult education in the state. At the 2005 conference, many participants contributed ideas about what counts, and what knowledge, skills and ablities adult education practitioners should have. Please join us to review the draft orientation plan and contribute your ideas.

Janet Isserlis has worked with adult education learners and practitioners since 1980.

cowesett: Gender/Sexual Diversities in ABE: Exploring Key Issues - Mev Miller

Are lesbian and gay (bisexual/transgender) diversities and realities being addressed, silenced, and/or ignored in ABE/ESOL? In this interactive discussion, we will begin to explore how sexuality issues exist in our field. This discussion will provide some initial groundwork for a research survey being developed by WE LEARN. A bibliography of curriculum-related materials will be available.

In adult basic/literacy education (ABE), lesbian (LGBTIQ) issues remain "closeted." No consistent discussion or attention exists about the experiences of lesbian students or teacher/educators, the impact of lesbian issues, or ways in which programs structures or curriculum address, silence, oppress, or ignore the lived realities of lesbians in ABE. WE LEARN plans to create a participatory research study on this topic based on input from ABE practitioners. These questions (and others) will serve as guides: How are lesbian issues addressed, ignored, silenced in ABE/ESOL? What is the impact of silencing or denigration of lesbianism on learners and teachers? How do we support lesbians (lgbti people) in ABE/ESOL -- across the spectrum of participants -- students, teachers, tutors, volunteers, and administrators? How are these experiences and issues similar or different across ABE (family literacy, GED, immigrant/ESOL programs, library/volunteer, workplace or labor union, or community college)? How do lesbian issues intersect with the multiple diversities (or oppressions) experienced by women in ABE? How can we best address lesbian issues and support lesbians (students and educators) within adult basic/literacy educational services/programs?

In the short-term, we hope to create opportunities to discuss and gather information about lesbian-related issues in ABE, and their relationship to other existing oppressions and struggles within ABE populations and communities (for practitioners and students). In the long-term, we'd like to open this dialog and identify a community of lesbians and allies within ABE willing to provide support for lesbians, further the discussion of sexuality issues in ABE-especially as they relate to gender-based oppressions-and outline long-term strategies and activities that integrate awareness of lesbian communities into programmatic and curriculum resources. This would include constituency-created projects that bring visibility and build support for these discussions, such as support groups, consciousness-raising groups, curriculum resources, student writing collections, policy forums, and other opportunities.

Mev Miller, Ed.D. is Founder/Director of WE LEARN (Women Expanding / Literacy Education Action Resource Network). She strives to use participatory educational methods that encourage the development of social justice and democracy.

greenwood: Publisher's session: Improving Student Persistence with Center Stage - Erin Shyamji

Students vote with their feet. What keeps them persistent in their study of ESL? Learn about lesson planning and classroom strategies and how they improve persistence and keep your students coming back. Set goals, provide ongoing assessment, and teach students how to self-study during the 'stopping out' period.

Erin Shyamji, National Champion, Pearson Longman, has taught ESL to adults for five years. She is an ESL Director at a community school and responsible for curriculum and program development.

exhibitors at the conference

Lou Karger, Alta Book Center Publishers

Tom Benz , Harcourt Achieve/Steck-Vaughn

Jean Welsh, Lincoln Learning Solutions LLC

Melanie Greitzer, Pearson Longman ESL

Lainie Flipp, McGraw Hill Contemporary

Jeff Miller, Kristen Renda, SkillsTutor, A Division of Houghton Mifflin

Caitlin Driscoll, Beatrix Mellauner, Thomson Heinle

and

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2006 conference; for previous years' conferences, scroll down