Southeast/Southwest ABE "Save Your License" Workshop

Friday, February 27, 2009
Lincoln Community Center
110 Fulton St., Mankato, MN 56601

The Southeast and Southwest ABE Regional Professional Development Coordinators of the MN Department of Education, along with the ATLAS program at Hamline University, are pleased to offer this workshop to address teacher relicensure requirements.  CEU’s indicating attendance will be provided.

Agenda

8:30-9:00       Registration & Coffee/Rolls

9:00-10:00     Mental Health Basics for ABE
                      Christina Matzke, MSW, LGSW - Blue Earth County Mental Health
                      (this session addresses the relicensure area of key warning signs of
                      early onset mental illness)

10:00-12:00   Concurrent Session 1 (choose one):

1. Teaching the Adult Student with Limited Formal Schooling
Kim Johnson, ATLAS Coordinator, Hamline University (this session addresses the relicensure area of adapting curriculum to meet the needs of varied students)

The needs and abilities of students with interrupted or limited formal schooling can create challenges for all teachers.  What is the nature of those challenges?  How can teachers best address these issues to facilitate learning for students?  In this session, we will explore some of the particular issues that can slow success for students, do some awareness-raising work about our assumptions and understanding of classroom culture, and also identify strategies for teachers to best meet the needs of adult students with limited formal schooling.
  
2. Alphabetics: Tools, Strategies and Resources for Beginning Level ABE Students
Carol Fuller, newly retired ABE professional with 30 years experience teaching reading to a wide variety of native and non-native speakers (this session addresses the relicensure area of reading strategies instruction)

Research has shown that many ABE students struggling at beginning reading levels have difficulties with alphabetics or the sound/word level of reading proficiency.  They do not have mastery of the English sound/letter system, syllable patterns, roots, prefixes and/or suffixes.  Beginning students get stuck reading and spelling one syllable words. In this workshop you will learn about assessment tools, alphabetic strategies and resources and sight word strategies and resources to incorporate into your teaching.

12:00-12:45   Lunch

12:45-2:45     Concurrent Session 2 (choose one):

1. Teaching the Adult Student with Limited Formal Schooling (repeated from Session 1)

2. Alphabetics: Tools, Strategies and Resources for Beginning Level ABE Students (repeated from Session 1)

2:45-3:00       Closing, Evaluations, CEU’s

 Workshop Information

• Workshop cost: $10
• Please address any event questions to Britta Youmans, Southeast Regional Professional Development Coordinator, or Bev Mountain, Southwest Regional Professional Development Coordinator
• For questions concerning registration, please contact: Marisa Squadrito Geisler, ATLAS Program Assistant

NOTE: Registrations must be received by MON. FEB. 23, 2009

 Registration Form:  Word / PDF     Register Online     Print Map