The Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD) provides an avenue for networking of professional developers in the field of adult education. In the early years, the organization established three priorities related to professional development: (1) professional development standards, (2) research, and (3) funding. In 2006, the…

Citizenship classes are often taught directly to the test. Creating meaningful dialogue within the confines of a set vocabulary list, 100 questions, and a time limit can often prove difficult. Creating not only new citizens but citizens who are connected to their community and who are leaders/advocates for the people in their community is the main…

Historically, distance or remote learning has not been a typical instructional model for agencies serving at-risk, nontraditional (noncollege) adult learners (Rosen & Stewart,2015). However, the COVID-19 shutdown compelled adult-serving agencies to explore new instructional models in order to continue teaching their students. Many agencies,…

Through assigning one-on-one instructional coaches, the Teaching Skills That Matter (TSTM) initiative successfully supported teachers in 33 states to integrate the skills that matter into instruction using effective approaches in five topical areas: health literacy, civics education, digital literacy, financial literacy, and workforce preparation.…

The Adult Tutoring Program within the Literacy Center of West Michigan has been running monthly professional developments (PDs) (known as tutor in-services) for volunteer tutors since early 2021. All in-services fit into at least one of the categories of strategies, life skills, civics, next steps, or digital literacy. The team has been able to…

With the start of the three-year grant cycle beginning in 2017-2018, the Georgia Office of Adult Education (GOAE) implemented a state policy to require all adult education providers, not just Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) grantees, to develop and implement at least one integrated education and training (IET) program for…

Although the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected communities across the globe, it also led to the expansion of digital learning opportunities for all. Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) service providers in Texas utilized this opportunity by creating a Distance Education Professional Development Center (DEPDC). This article discusses how the…

Technology has become a way of life since March 2020 and the statewide shutdowns after the COVID-19 pandemic. People who had gotten by without ever having to use the internet, much less turn on a computer, had to learn quickly to change and adapt. The administrative team of Fontana Adult School realized the need to help students with basic digital…

There are a multitude of reasons why students choose to attend adult education. Some enroll to obtain their GED® credential, while others enroll to improve their literacy or numeracy skills or wish to improve their employability. In any case, for many adult learners, there are gaps and barriers present that have resulted in the need for remedial…

Ambassador training is an exemplary leadership development program for adult education students, staff, and administrators that creates networks of diverse learners who use their voices, stories, and skills for advocacy and social change. Student engagement and leadership development help learners expand their identities and horizons, define…

Adult learners come to us at many different points along their journeys. As practitioners, we are responsible for understanding the range of purposes for which they seek our programs, so that we may partner with them in naming and achieving their goals. In working to get "many" students to progress to "many" steps, it can be…

Moving suddenly from on-site, in class, traditional instruction to school closure (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and reopening within 2 weeks in a virtual model was difficult, but we did it. Moreno Valley Community Adult School did not see COVID restrictions as an obstacle to instructional delivery, but as an impetus to pivot into the future and…

Through 15-plus years of direct experience and research coupled with the concerns and truths of many adult education colleagues, Daquanna Harrison gives a call to action for adult education. This call asks adult educators throughout the U.S. to better and more quickly transform the field of adult education into a viable career choice for minority…

ScaleLIT encountered unique challenges surrounding equity and inclusion due to changes brought about by COVID-19. Our position as a coalition that supports a variety of local, state, and national initiatives makes us a key player in the integration of leading with learning, not with technology; the implementation of Navigators and One Stop…

At Fontana Adult School, they saw a need to create a strong, unified student group on campus to help them not only promote their school and the services they offer the community, but also to improve their school climate and understand student needs better. At the end of 2018, they created a student leadership team on their campus, and it has made…