Summer, 2020 MITESOL Adult Education SIG Update
I hope the summer months have allowed all of you to enjoy some vacation time and hit the recharge button. As we head back into classrooms that will largely look much different from previous years, here are more resources, news articles, and advocacy opportunities to give you something to sink your teeth into.
REMINDER--please join us for the FIRST EVER virtual MITESOL Conference on November 6-7!
As always, let me know if there are any topics, articles, or concerns of interest that you would like for me to address via the website and/or at the conference.
--Collin Blair, Adult Ed. SIG Leader (Adult-ed-sig@mitesol.org)
Resources for Adult Students (and Their Teachers!)
VOA News Learning English
One of my all-time faves. ESL-centered materials in all skills, videos, grammar lessons, idioms, current events and beyond.
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/
Support Ed
Updated for virtual class 2020! Free tools to help educators and administrators better serve English learners.
https://getsupported.net/free-tools/
Public Libraries: Adult literacy, GED, & citizenship classes
Detroit Public Library (but many offer these services)--https://detroitpubliclibrary.org/services/adult-literacy-ged
Citizenship Test Practice
As the printed books + cds are no longer being produced, this website is the place to refer your students for citizenship test prep.
http://uscitizenshipsupport.com/
Pure Michigan jobs and skills training
Peruse this website for many options to aid your students with workforce training and jobs:
https://www.mitalent.org/career-explorer
*Also, refer students to local Michigan Works! offices for assistance with resumes, interviewing skills, and locating available jobs: https://www.michiganworks.org/
Articles
Articles
Various articles that touch on topics and themes that affect our students and our teaching:
Changes in USCIS processing:
Covid-19 delays in filings:
https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/covid-19-delays-in-extensionchange-of-status-filings
Census 2020
What it means for immigrant communities:
https://fairimmigration.org/resources/census-2020
Michigan community college students can now more easily transfer to 4-year institutions
Refugee Education Center
Responding to COVID-19 for Refugees in West Michigan
https://refugeeeducationcenter.org/news/responding-to-covid-19-for-refugees-in-west-michigan
Professional Development
Online courses and virtual seminars at TESOL.org
Even if we’re not having in-person conferences, there’s no reason to stop growing professionally!
https://www.tesol.org/attend-and-learn/online-courses-seminars
Advocacy
Be an advocate for ELLs
Building bridges
http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol15/num10/be-an-advocate-for-english-language-learners.aspx
Supporting ELLs through Covid-19
How can schools best support English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students through the COVID-19 pandemic? What lessons have we learned so far?