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Adult Education Administrator's Manual

Professional Development

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State Leadership Activities

Section 223 of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title II – State Leadership Activities: This Section of the law directs states receiving federal WIA Title II funds to use no more than 12.5% of the total to carry out activities designed to support local programs. The State of Texas, in accordance with the State Adult Education Plan of 1999, has selected the following activities:

• The establishment or operation of professional development centers (The GREAT Centers) to improve the quality of instruction provided by local programs;
• The provision of technical assistance to eligible provider;
• The provision of technology assistance, including staff training, to enable the eligible providers to improve the quality of such activities;
• The support of a State literacy resource center (TCALL); and
• The monitoring and evaluation of the quality of and the improvement in, adult education and literacy activities.

Texas is committed to professional development for adult education practitioners as the most effective strategy for improving the quality of local adult education programs. Statewide professional development is provided by the Project GREAT Centers and the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL).

TCALL

The Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning (TCALL) also provides professional development opportunities for adult education and family literacy programs throughout the state of Texas. The following list summarizes the professional development activities of TCALL. Detailed descriptions can be found at the TCALL website.

On-line Discussion Lists (Listservs)

TCALL discussion lists distribute information, provide an opportunity for the sharing of ideas and resources, create networks and receive input from teachers, administrators, family literacy practitioners and volunteers. Practitioners can request membership to any appropriate listserv by contacting TCALL directly at 1-800-441-READ, or through email- tcall@tamu.edu.

.These listservs include:

• Teachers Only - for those who teach or tutor adults in adult literacy and ESL
• Texas Adult Literacy Directors – for administrators of WIA II programs and their partners and collaborators
• Texas Family Literacy Practitioners – for administrators, teachers and partners of family literacy programs, including Even Start, Head Start and other similar programs.
• Texas Curriculum Implementation – for teachers who are implementing the Texas Standardized Curriculum Framework in their classrooms.
• Literacy Texas Links - for Literacy Texas and other volunteer-based literacy organizations.

Library

TCALL maintains a lending library of books, videos and software that are available to practitioners of adult education and family literacy programs. Resources include titles that enable teachers to meet the requirements of the Texas Adult Education Credential Model as well as titles in many other areas.

Literacy Links Newsletter

TCALL distributes a newsletter to adult literacy practitioners throughout Texas and maintains archive copies of these newsletters on its website.

Research

TCALL provides access to research and on-line full text documents in many areas of adult and family literacy, including areas of curriculum, adult learning and teaching adults, English as a Second Language, Learning Disabilities and Differences and Professional Development. In addition, TCALL hosts archives of the Eric Clearinghouse on Adult, Career and Vocational Education, including publications, research and other resources in adult and vocational education.

Calendars

TCALL maintains a Conferences and Events Calendar for state and regional events as well as a National Lincs Calendar for national events. In addition, TCALL hosts websites for each of the GREAT Centers, including calendars of all the regional professional development activities.

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