We had a very successful training day on Saturday, March 9th, 2024! Many thanks to our wonderful presenters and attendees.
As of March 25th, 2024, all the available videos and session notes have been uploaded to this page. You might see that some of the videos require a passcode to view them. You can highlight, copy, and paste this code if prompted. Not all videos have passcodes (we used 3 different Zoom accounts and some of them had passcode settings).
For any comments or questions about these materials and videos, please contact us at [email protected].
9:00-9:45 – Keynote Speaker
10:00-10:45 – Sessions A, B, C
10:45-11:00 – Break
11:00-11:45 – Sessions D, E, F
11:45-12:00 – Break
12:00-12:45 – Sessions G, H, I
12:45-1:00 – Closing Activity
KEYNOTE – 9:00-9:45 AM
Presenter: Kathryn Bauchelle, Literacy Texas
Title: “Making Them Want to Stay: Adult Learner Persistence”
Description: Most adult students know what they need and why they want to learn – so how can we always put them at the very center of their own learning process? Kathryn Bauchelle will present some of her experiences building literacy programs around Adult Learner Persistence principles, and how doing so can help learners to “stick with it”, learn more, and increase in confidence.
Links to Session Materials:
Student Persistence Handout & Journal Samples
Bio: Kathryn has a background in education and languages, with degrees in language acquisition, literature, and education from the University of Sydney, Australia. She worked as a teacher of foreign languages and English literature in high schools in Australia and the UK, and served as a Head of Faculty for Modern Languages. Her work with the Jubilee Debt Campaign (now Debt Justice), a London-based NGO, fueled her interest in social justice and community work, leading her to volunteer as an ESL tutor with Literacy Advance of Houston following her move to the United States in 2008. She joined the Literacy Advance staff in 2009 as the Volunteer Manager, became Program Director in 2011, and then VP of Programs & Partnerships in 2017, working closely with both Programs and Development staff. After the successful merging of Literacy Advance with Memorial Assistance Ministries in 2019, Kathryn moved to consultancy work, including her part-time work with Literacy Texas. Kathryn continues to love adult literacy and learning, and found the Adult Learner Persistence Principles to be transformational when she was researching ways to structure the programs she was directing.
Presenter: Jeanine Draut, In Praxis Communications
Title: Prepare to Teach or Tutor HSE Math
Description: After this workshop, participants will be able to: 1. Describe what math skills are tested on the GED/HiSET math test. 2. Create a doable plan to prepare to teach or tutor HSE math.
Links to Session Materials:
PowerPoint PDF – Prepare to Teach or Tutor HSE Math
Strand: Numeracy, Math, HSE/GED
Bio: Jeanine has taught HSE at Community College of Aurora, Spring Institute, and the Center for Work Education and Employment. She recently joined Colorado Access as Health Literacy Manager.
Presenter: Karin Bates, Intercambio Uniting Communities
Title: Top Tips in Tutoring and Teaching Adult Learners
Description: Are you new to tutoring or teaching? Or are you a veteran that wants to remember the keys to building confidence in adult learners? This is a session for all of you! Join this session for top tips in working with adults and fostering a classroom where adult learners can learn and thrive.
Links to Session Materials:
Presentation PDF
Strand: Adult Learning; Working with Adult Learners; ABE; ESOL
Bio: Karin has been working in the field of ESOL and adult learning since 1990. She received her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from CU-Denver in 1995 and her Adult Basic Education Authorization for Colorado in 2019. Karin has taught ESOL in multiple settings with various age groups and proficiency levels. She is now a Curriculum and Training Specialist at Intercambio Uniting Communities.
Presenter: Andrea Heyman, The Learning Source
Title: “How to Teach Pronunciation to Adult ESL Students”
Description: Participants will learn the basics of how to teach pronunciation to their Adult ESL students. The presenter will show the methods of how to teach, the sequential order of what to teach and when, as well as give specific activities that will work!
Links to Session Materials:
PowerPoint PDF
Pronunciation Impediments
Conversation Strategies to Help Understanding
Teaching Pronunciation
Pronunciation Activities
Strand: Pronunciation Development; ESOL
Bio: Andrea’s background is Speech Pathology. She has been a speech pathologist and ESL instructor for over 45 years combined.
Presenter: Dorothea Steinke, NumberWorks
Title: FRACTIONS: Start Where Learners Are
Description: Participants will learn how to teach the equal sign = as meaning “different name, same amount” and NOT “find the answer”; and then will learn to use the Properties of 1 to teach equivalent fractions as “same amount” when working with numerals and with algebraic expressions.
Links to Session Materials:
Presentation Handout
Fraction Circles with Directions
How Numbers Work Fraction Examples
Strand: Numeracy, Math, HSE/GED
Bio: Dorothea Steinke is a nationally-published math researcher and frequent presenter at local, state, and national conferences. She taught Developmental Math at Front Range Community College for five years.
Presenters: Jeremey Bongers, Johana Blatherwick, Denver Public Library
Title: Diverse Conversation Groups and YOU: Planning for Structured Chaos
Description: Learn to apply conversation map strategies to varied groups of participants you may encounter, considering different languages, cultural backgrounds and English proficiency levels.
Links to Session Materials:
Prezi Presentation
Jamboard PDF
Conversation Map Tool
Strand: ESOL; Multilevel Classes / Differentiation
Bios: Jeremey works for the Denver Public Library Plaza Program across the city facilitating programming that serves Denver’s immigrants and refugees through conversation groups, naturalization support, technology help, and resource navigation.
Johana works for the Denver Public Library Plaza Program applying her teaching skills and the experience she’s accumulated as a migrant to help people achieve their goals.
Presenter: Irene Donhowe, Intercambio Uniting Communities
Title: Unlocking Their Superpowers: A Journey to Understanding Your Volunteers
Description: Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organizations, essential to fulfilling our mission. Building a thriving volunteer community requires some detective work to uncover the best strategies for recruiting and engaging them, allowing their Superpowers to shine! Join Irene as she unveils insights gained from her experiences with volunteers in Intercambio’s program, empowering others to cultivate a happy and fulfilled volunteer community!
Links to Session Materials:
Presentation PDF
Strand: Being a Volunteer, Working with Volunteers
Bio: Irene Donhowe spent 23 years in the food industry, working internationally, which planted the seeds for teaching English learners when she returned to the US. She enthusiastically “failed retirement” and joined the staff at Intercambio in 2023 after 2 years as a volunteer teacher.
Presenter: Michael J. Williams, Community Relations Specialist, USCIS
Title: Is My Student Ready for Naturalization?
NOTE: Mr. Williams was unable to present on March 9, 2024, so the session was canceled.
Description: Come and hear USCIS Community Relations Specialist Michael J. Williams speak about the basics of attaining naturalization for immigrants seeking such in the United States: the steps that are necessary and things to know to assist immigrants with these steps. Michael will give an overview of these basics and then open up to questions and answers about the process.
Strand: Citizenship/Naturalization
Bio: Michael is a Community Relations Specialist with the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) for the Western states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
Presenter: Lee Shainis, Simplify Language
Title: Simplifying Language to Improve Retention, Recruitment, Inclusion, and Trust
Description: Deepen your understanding of language privilege and how it impacts your students. Learn skills to simplify your written and spoken communication without “dumbing it down”. Improve your ability to check for comprehension.
Strand: General Audience / Communicating to be understood by all
Bio: Founder of Simplify Language, training organizations to make written and spoken communication more immediately accessible to all audiences. Former CEO for 21 years of Intercambio, a national adult education nonprofit.
Presenter: Cara Messick
Title: Is my tutoring working? Formative Assessment to Evaluate Learning
Description: This training will introduce the concept of formative assessment as a vehicle to evaluate the effectiveness of tutoring sessions and method to collaborate with learners to adapt learning goals.
In this training you will:
– Understand what a formative assessment is
– Identified examples of formative assessment
– Learn to identify learning gaps
– Determine when to adapt learning goals
– Identify the need to adjust delivery methods
– Collaborate with learners in formative assessment feedback
Strand: Assessment
Bio: Cara has a master’s degree in psychology and an Adult Basic Education Authorization. She has worked with learners at many levels and taught adults in a variety of settings.
Each year, we issue a certificate for attending the training to those who ask. If you didn’t sign up to receive a certificate of attendance and would like to receive one, please contact us at [email protected].
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