2023 Breakout Sessions
Google Applied Digital Skills
Are you looking for ways to teach digital skills in an organic and meaningful way? Need lesson plans?
Explore the Google Applied Digital Skill platform and learn how it can be used to integrate digital skills in ESL and ABE classrooms. This session gives participants a brief overview of the Applied Digital Skills platform and takes a deeper look into the curricular lessons.
Participants are invited to BYOD (bring your own device) to participate in the hands-on activities and leave the session with their first Applied Digital Skills class set up as a teacher.
Presenter: Ryan Lett
Aligning Instructions to Assessment
To ensure our participants are successful and that we continue to be a viable program, we must balance between assessments that may test skills in different ways. This training provides information and best practices for aligning instruction to assessment.
Whether you teach ESL, GED, or IET training support, it’s critical to be familiar with the manner in which your students will be tested on the skills they are learning, as well as what content area mastery they need to achieve overall success as a lifelong learner.
Presenter: Irene Ramos
Language Learning Activities for ESL Classes focused on Community and Culture
Come join in on this session and delve into activities designed to stimulate discussion in your ESL classroom and get your students to purposefully learn about U.S. culture and interact within the community.
These activities will help students learn how to respond in difficult situations, allow them to generate unique ideas, and will help students to share prior experiences or background knowledge.
Presenter: Dr. Olga Escamilla
Developing Strong and Lasting Partnerships
Opening doors to partners is an easy thing to do – however stepping fully through that doorway into a fully participatory partnership can be a challenge.
This presentation explores the dynamic of partnership building and uses real examples from experience to demonstrate best practices of partnership building:
- How can we engage our partners in a manner that is reciprocal?
- How can we overcome trust issues in the community to help bridge any gaps caused by a turnover in leadership?
- What can programs do to approach partners that may see Adult Education as competition rather than a viable partner that can help?
We will explore all these issues and provide examples and ideas for programs that really work. Put in the work and reap the rewards of strong and lasting partnerships!
Presenter: Irene Ramos
Student Success Made Simple: SOAR
SOAR stands for Students Overcome Achieving Reaching. This session will provide innovative, creative, and hands-on strategies that the Kilgore College AEL team has implemented for the whole student to promote success in reaching their goals.
In addition, a collaborative conversation on how to motivate and retain students, strategies for engagement, and other in the trenches topics will be a part of the community building talking circle format that will be the highlight of this session.
Presenter: Dr. Shalonda Wilcott Adams
Beyond Knowledge Checks: Creating Significant Learning for Adults
Effective adult learning is the product of educators honoring the experiences and self-direction of the adult student.
Adults are often motivated to seek learning experiences due to an identified need in their lives. Long-term retention and use of the material they learn is guided by the educator’s ability to create significant learning experiences that connect the content to the adult’s values and goals.
Presenter: Dr. Deena Shelton
ESL Teaching Strategies
Participants will explore different teaching strategies in the ESL classroom presented by ESL teachers with more than 30 years of experience. Karen and Gareth will walk you through ideas, tips, and examples of how to implement such strategies in your classroom.
Presenter: Karen Edwards, Gareth Wingfield
Step by Step: How to Introduce New Tech Tools
As an instructor, knowing where to start when it comes to introducing new tech tools or even integrating digital technology literacy skills in the classroom can be challenging.
Join this session to identify skills needed as an instructor, steps to take in introducing new technology in the classroom, and discover a few tech tools to integrate into your classroom.
During this session participants will use their device to participate in hands-on practice and will leave the session with a plan for integrating a new tech tool.
Presenter: Ryan Lett
Registration has now closed for this symposium. Missed out? Find the rest of our calendar here and join us at another event!
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