Welcome to the 2026 LCC Annual Spring Virtual Tutor Training “Landing Page”!
Here you will find everything you need to sign up for the virtual training happening on Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. All sessions are held on Zoom.
- This year, you will register for each session individually. We did this based on feedback of there not being enough clear notification about training sessions, or emails from us going into Spam folders. When you register, you will receive emails immediately and directly from Zoom and can then put the sessions into your online calendar.
- If you change your mind about a session you registered for and want to change sessions, no problem! Just register for the session you want to sign up for, even at the last minute, and you will receive an email with the Zoom link for that session.
- Please note there is a 15-minute break between sessions so you can collect your thoughts about the session you just attended, take care of your needs, and stretch!
- This training is FREE! There is no cost to attend. That said, we have Zoom accounts to pay for and presenters earn a stipend. We also hope to continue to bring as many quality training sessions for free as we can. Please consider a donation to the Literacy Coalition of Colorado through our Colorado Gives page. Suggested donation for the training is $45.
- Feel free to share the link to this page and invite others to attend!
The schedule for the concurrent sessions is outlined below. Click on the links and you will find the individual sessions listed. Click on the “Register” button to register for the session(s) you want to attend.
- 9:00-9:45 Keynote Session (1A)
- 10:00-10:45 Concurrent Sessions 1B, 2C, 3D
- 11:00-11:45 Concurrent Sessions 1E, 2F, 3G
- 12:00-12:45 Concurrent Sessions 1H, 2I, 3J
- 12:45-1:00 Closing Session (1K)
Keynote Session
This year we are so proud to welcome Andrea Echelberger as our Opening Keynote speaker.
Andrea Echelberger (she/her) has worked in the field of adult education as a classroom teacher and an instructional trainer for over 20 years, providing training and support for English language teachers on both a state and national level. Andrea has worked extensively with refugee-background adult emergent readers, served as an EL Fellow and EL Specialist with the US State Department, and has developed a wide variety of workshops and classroom instructional materials for ABE teachers of all levels. She served for three years on the international board of LESLLA, an organization that focuses on adult emergent readers. Andrea’s favorite areas of research are universal design for classrooms, healing-centered classroom practices, and pronunciation instruction.
She will be sharing with us “Collective Joy: Using the Strengths of Collectivist Cultures in the Adult Language Classroom.” Discover how collectivist cultural values can enhance adult English learning. This keynote session blends brain-based learning and culturally relevant instruction to help you draw on the strengths of learners’ natural collaborative strengths. This approach will help you to co-create identity-centered classrooms that celebrate students’ cultural strengths and the joy of learning together.
This session will be held from 9:00 – 9:45 AM Mountain Time on Saturday, February 28, 2026 To register for the Keynote Session, click on the “Register” button below.
Concurrent Sessions 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
For more information about the session and speaker(s), please click on the Presentation Title.
10:00-10:45 AM
| Session 1 B | Session 2 C | Session 3 D |
| Meredith Schurch (she/her) AJ Crowell (he/him) | Bethany Macarus (she/her) | Michael Gillett (he/him) |
| “Getting Connected: Creating Relationships for Continuance” | “Success Strategies for Multilevel Learners” | “From Fear to Fluency: Guiding Adults Into Digital Skills” |
| | |
11:00-11:45 AM
For more information about the session and speaker(s), please click on the Presentation Title.
| Session 1 E | Session 2 F | Session 3G |
| Yanina Seheda (she/her) | Basma Maghazaji (she/her) | Philip Standlee (he/him) |
| “Tutoring 101: Know your Student” | “From Letters to Language: Empowering Literacy-Level Adults in the Digital ESL Classroom” | “From Planning to Practice: Weaving Digital Literacy Into Your Curriculum” |
| | |
12:00-12:45 PM
For more information about the session and speaker(s), please click on the Presentation Title.
| Session 1 H | Session 2 I | Session 3 J |
| Olivia Walt (she/her) | Shine Lanuza (she/her) | Leecy Wise (she/her) |
| “TESOL Advocacy in Hard Times: Tips, Reminders, & Empowerment” | “Teaching Up, Across, and Beyond: Differentiation That Works in Multilevel Adult Classrooms” | “AI! Why? Why not?” |
| | |
12:45-1:00 Closing Session
LCC Training Coordinator Karin Bates and Board President Betsy Winchester will lead a brief session to bring the annual training to a close.
Have you ever gone to a day of training and come out of it wanting to try out some of the ideas but then don’t seem to get around to doing it? Come to the closing session of the LCC 2026 Annual Spring Tutor Training. We will share what we have learned and make a plan to carry out some of the great ideas we have taken in!
Register for the closing session here:
Presenters and Session Descriptions
Presenters are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Michael Gillett (Jewish Family Service) – Session 3 D – 10-10:45
Session Title: From Fear to Fluency: Guiding Adults Into Digital Skills
Session Description: This workshop shows how to help adults move from digital fear to confidence using scaffolded lessons, visual supports, and practical activities. Participants will learn strategies, vocabulary routines, and simple teaching techniques for learners starting from scratch, returning after years away, or facing barriers, while maintaining a fun and collaborative space.
Michael has been recognized as a 2024 Colorado State Digital Equity Champion and former secondary teacher, and he brings years of experience supporting diverse communities, specializing in digital literacy instruction for adult learners.
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Shine Lanuza (The Excel Center Colorado) – Session 2 I – 12 – 12:45
Session Title: Teaching Up, Across, and Beyond: Differentiation That Works in Multilevel Adult Classrooms
Session Description: This session explores practical, high-impact strategies for differentiating instruction in multilevel adult classrooms across English, Math, and Social Studies. Participants will learn how to design flexible lessons, tiered tasks, and supportive learning environments that meet diverse learner needs while maintaining rigor, engagement, and real-world relevance.
Shineth Lanuza Cunanan is an award-winning educator, author, and Lead Teacher with 25+ years of experience. She specializes in equity-centered curriculum design, instructional coaching, and empowering adult learners through inclusive, trauma-informed practices.
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Bethany Macarus (Burlington English) – Session 2 C – 10-10:45
Session Title: Success Strategies for Multilevel Learners
Session Description: In every learning encounter, there’s an opportunity to inspire individual learning paths. By leveraging various strategies, tutors encourage student engagement and autonomy, empowering learners to take active roles in their language acquisition journey. In this session, we will explore activities supporting learners regardless of their level, goals, backgrounds, and skills.
For Bethany Macarus, MA/TESOL, adult ESL instruction is best characterized by being student-centered, data-driven, and incorporating digital literacy to help learners achieve their learning goals.
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Basma Maghazaji (Colorado Interpreters and Translators Association) – Session 2 F – 11-11:45
Session Title: From Letters to Language: Empowering Literacy-Level Adults in the Digital ESL Classroom
Session Description: Teaching literacy-level adult ESL learners online presents unique challenges—and powerful opportunities. These learners often face not only language barriers but limited digital and print literacy, making virtual instruction especially demanding. This session explores inclusive, student-centered strategies to engage and empower literacy-level learners in the online classroom. Participants will discover practical tools, routines, and activities that build both language and digital confidence, foster community, and promote real-world communication. Join us as we look beyond the screen to create meaningful, equitable learning experiences for beginning ESL students in today’s digital world.
Basma Maghazaji is an accomplished educator, translator, and current Colorado Interpreters and Translators Association (CITA) President. Holding a Master’s in Scientific Translation, she taught at Al Mustansirya University in Baghdad, Iraq and lived in Syria and Kuwait before moving to the U.S. in 2014. Today, she instructs at CU Boulder, Metropolitan State University, and Community College of Aurora, while serving as an Arabic interpreter and educational specialist for various organizations.
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Meredith Schurch & AJ Crowell (Essential Education) – Session 1B – 10-10:45
Session Title: Getting Connected: Creating Relationships for Continuance
Session Description: This session will focus on understanding the powerful link between interpersonal relationships and program retention, as well as developing strategies for multiple types of classroom relationships. Finally, we’ll explore practical activities to leverage positive connections and promote program continuance.
Meredith Schurch is a passionate Adult Ed supporter who believes that everyone deserves more than one chance to achieve their education goals and career dreams. As an Account Executive, she provides support to hundreds of programs across the Mountain Plain region of the United States and strives to help students achieve their learning goals for a better quality of life.
AJ Crowell is a fourth-generation Oklahoma teacher with experience in special education, adult basic education, distance learning, and career and technology education. As an Implementation Specialist with Essential Education, he provides customized training and technical support to help adult education teachers and administrators implement a robust online learning system that gives all students the tools they need to learn and succeed in school, work, and life.
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Yanina Seheda (Community College of Aurora) – Session 1 E – 11-11:45
Session Title: Tutoring 101: Know your Student
Session Description: As teachers, instructors, or volunteers, before we start helping learners, we want to know what our learners’ goal is, and very often the answer we hear is “I want to improve my English”. Many of us take it as a satisfactory answer and dive into a plethora of teaching materials, exercises, and tasks. However, few of us realize that not every learner actually understands how to set goals correctly or is able to do so. In this session, participants will investigate a comprehensive student needs analysis, and by the end of the session, will be able to perform learner’s needs analysis and help them set SMART goals that lead to success.
Yanina Seheda has her Master’s Degree, Celta certification, and 15+ years in teaching ESL. She speaks 5 languages, works in immigrant ESL programs, and has been a conference presenter for Intercambio Uniting Communities, CoTESOL and MPAEA. She provides teacher and volunteer support and professional development in her role at Community College of Aurora.
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Philip Standlee (The Learning Source) – Session 3 G – 11-11:45
Session Title: From Planning to Practice: Weaving Digital Literacy Into Your Curriculum
Session Description: In this workshop, you’ll learn to adopt, adapt, or create digital literacy activities and assessments that integrate with your current curriculum. You’ll learn how to integrate backward design approaches that focus on the end goal in mind while investigate real-life examples. Last, we will discuss different technology tools, such as MagicSchool AI and Khanmigo.
Philip Standlee has taught English in Japan and the U.S for the past 20 years. He currently teaches English and is leading a pilot Digital Literacy program for the Learning Source.
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Olivia Walt (Jeffco Adult ESL & Literacy) – Session 1 H – 12-12:45
Session Title: TESOL Advocacy in Hard Times: Tips, Reminders, & Empowerment
Session Description: Despite the past year’s national policy shifts, accessible and effective advocacy resources remain at our disposal. Through sharing her experience representing Colorado at TESOL’s 2025 Advocacy Action Days in Washington, D.C., the presenter will encourage further discussion/reflection on how participants can best advocate for their local communities.
Olivia Walt is an EAL instructor, researcher, & advocate. She works with adult refugees, immigrants, and international students across the Denver Metropolitan Area, ranging from emergent-literate to post-graduate proficiency levels.
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Leecy Wise (Self-Employed and Red Rocks Community College) – Session 3 J – 12-12:45
Session Title: AI! Why? Why not?
Session Description: This interactive session is an introduction to how AI can significantly contribute to learning, assessment, and performance. In this session, although resources can benefit all (adult teachers, students, administrators, managers, curriculum developers, and more), we will focus on its contributions to teachers and students.
Leecy Wise is a former tenured college instructor, department leader, trainer, and LINCS moderator. She is currently a college instructor, educational consultant, and national trainer, focusing on digital instruction and using AI for learning and instruction.
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