Success Stories

Click on Over. . .

Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Program Year 2000-2001: Report to Congress on State Performance. This report from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education includes national and state profiles for each of the core indicators (literacy skill levels, attainment of diplomas or degrees, placement and retention in further education or employment, and participation and completion of non-traditional training programs) for adult education and literacy activities. Includes data that highlights the national performance picture and a statistical profile of each state plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Texas educators ONLY may also request a free hard copy by mail (800-441-READ).

Adult Reading Profiles Interactive Site. The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) has developed an interactive, research-based website that allows ABE teachers to create customized reading profiles for their learners, and plan reading instruction accordingly. The site is based on NCSALL's Adult Reading Components Study (ARCS), which assessed the reading of 955 adult basic education learners. Researchers tested participants individually on eleven skills (components) that contribute to reading ability. A list of scores for each learner became that individual's reading profile, illustrating his or her strengths and instructional needs. ABE teachers can utilize two different tracks on the site. On the "Match a Profile" track, the teacher can enter scores for a learner, which will then be matched to one of the 11 ARCS-based profiles.

Suggestions for instruction as well as information about the ARCS learners in the profile group will be customized to that learner. The other track is a "Mini-Course" offering an opportunity to learn more about reading. Teachers can read extensive information on the major reading components and assessment as well as references and downloadable resources. http://www.nifl.gov/readingprofiles.

GED Practice. http://www.Gedpractice.com is a free service provided by Steck-Vaughn to familiarize learners with the types of items that learners will see on the actual GED test. By answering GED practice questions and getting feedback, learners will develop a feel for the kind of reading, thinking, and problem-solving skills you will need to pass the GED test.

Grants and Funding. This page on Houghton-Mifflin Publishing's "Education Place" website offers help with grant writing, including the "Grantionary" - a glossary of terms related to grants and funding; Tips for Writing a Proposal; and links to online grant writing courses. http://www.eduplace.com/grants/help/index.html.

Mousercise. Chris Rippel of the Central Kansas Library System developed this wonderful interactive mouse tutorial. New language versions are added periodically. In addition to English, there are now Spanish, Danish and Hmong versions all reachable from this url: http://www.ckls.org/~crippel/computerlab/tutorials/mouse/page1.html. The mouse tutorial is part of a larger site called "Computer Training Tutorials: Explanations, tutorials and tips about computers and the Web" http://www.ckls.org/~crippel/computerlab/tutorials/.

Southern LINCS Video Library. The Video Library was established to provide an additional format for accessing adult education resources. Each of the downloadable video clips was produced by a LINCS adult education program or agency with the intent to improve instructional practices as well as increase adult learner participation. Featured in the Video Library are five "Stories of Lives Changed" videos. You can read text versions of these success stories on the site, as well as viewing the videos that range from six to ten minutes in length. To view any video, you will need either Window Media Player, Real Player, or QuickTime. Links to free downloads of these programs are available on the Southern LINCS Video Library website: http://slincs.coe.utk.edu/lpm/video-transcripts/general-list.html.

Technology in Today's ABE Classroom: A Look at the Technology Practices and Preferences of Adult Basic Education Teachers. Report from World Education presents the results of a technology survey of the north-eastern U.S. conducted during the winter of 2003. The goal of the survey was to examine how technology is being used today by ABE teachers in their everyday practice, what teachers want to use it for, and what kinds of supports and professional development are perceived to be valuable in achieving these goals. Available online in pdf format at: http://www.worlded.org/ (scroll down page to find title). Free hard copy is also available by mail (800-441-READ).