Video/Webinar
Training and support for tutors and teachers working with students for whom English is not their first language (ELL/ESL/ESOL).
Most tutors and teachers receive quality training before they start working with students. However, once they begin their teaching experience, they have little access to additional training and support.
Teacher Training Plus, funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is a webinar series that presents best-practice instructional strategies. These video recordings began in Fall of 2022 and are continuous.
We’ve identified areas of need and have designed webinars to address each. Throughout all of the topics, we will also address working in a multilevel class or group and converting in-person teaching strategies to distance learning.
September 2022
Scaffolding Techniques with Low-Level English Language Learners
This webinar features evidence-based practices for teaching pre-reading, during reading and post-reading strategies with a focus on the importance of contextualized learning, vocabulary building and building background knowledge. Participants will leave with practical, easy-to-use activities along with recommended resources to increase learners’ understanding of what they read.
January 2023
Pick Your Battles: Best Practices for Helping Students with Pronunciation
Pronunciation can be the biggest obstacle for an English language learner trying to communicate. By understanding what is causing the mispronunciation and what it takes to overcome it, ESOL teachers can guide their students toward the path of better communication. Steven worked through some general issues students face with pronunciation in some of the most common language families. He also looked at some tips and tricks to use when addressing those problems. Learn how to “pick your battles” and how to decide what to correct and what to leave for another day.
April 2023
Using Dialogs and Role-Play to Build Conversation Confidence
Conversation can be very intimidating for English language learners. Students worry about what they will say and if they will be able to understand their conversation partner. Dialogs provide students with the opportunity to practice the skills in a safe environment before trying it in the real world. Dialogs help students practice complex sentence structures and verb tenses, idioms and expressions, or new vocabulary. They can also help students role-play real life scenarios they may face in their day-to-day lives. Join Steven as he explores the use of dialogs in the ESOL classroom to help students build confidence in their conversation skills.
September 2023
Planning the First Month of Lessons with a Low-Level ELL Student
For a new tutor or teacher, getting started with a low-level English language learners can seem overwhelming. They may worry about the first few weeks of lessons when the students speak almost no English. In this webinar, learn what your very first lesson should look like and how to build from there to make your first month of lessons a success for you and your student(s).
September 2023
Goal-Focused Individualized Lessons for High-level English Language Learners
Many adult learners enroll in English language classes with specific goals based on their immediate needs in the US. Ensuring that lessons meet learners’ short- and long-term goals can empower, improve confidence, and enable them to advocate for themselves within their communities. This webinar will equip you with the practical skills to structure a lesson with our learners’ goals in mind.
January 2024
Starting from Scratch: Working with Low-level ELL Students with Little-to-no First Language Literacy
Research has shown that one of the primary indicators of how quickly an adult will learn a new language is their educational level in their first language. Those with high literacy levels in their first language will almost universally outperform their peers with lower levels of education. Working with preliterate adults presents unique challenges for English language educators. Watch the webinar for proven strategies and activities based on academic research and observation to help educators working with preliterate adults learning to speak, read, and write in English. In addition, learn about the causes of low L1 literacy and how this impacts L2 acquisition.
January 2024
Learning Through Context for High-level English Language Learners
When teaching English language learners, it is important to use authentic materials with consideration to their cultural backgrounds. High-level English language learners still require consolidation of grammar points and strive to work on more complex grammar points. Teaching these grammatical structures through authentic materials with consideration for students’ cultural backgrounds can aid in developing skills whilst using higher order thinking skills.
March 2024
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) for High-level English Language Learners
Not all teaching needs to be explicit. Content and language integrated learning offers students a new way of learning relevant and meaningful concepts through the medium of English. With this learning model, learners hear and use the language exactly as they would in daily life.
April 2024
Starting to Read: Building Phonemic Awareness and Foundation Literacy Skills with Preliterate ELL Students
Adult students who are just beginning their literacy journey while also still learning to speak English face a unique challenge. Preliterate students have no connection to the sound/letter correlation required to read. Many lack even basic print awareness connecting any symbol to a meaning. In this webinar, we will discuss helping preliterate students develop the skills necessary to begin learning to read and write in their new language.
September 2024
Developing Vocabulary: Effective Strategies for Adult English Learners
Building vocabulary is key to language development. Watch the recording to discover practical techniques for expanding vocabulary in adult English language learners from low beginning to advanced. Explore engaging methods, useful tools, and real-world applications to enhance retention and usage. This session is perfect for educators and tutors looking to support adult learners in achieving language proficiency and confidence.
About the Presenters
Steven Reid is the program manager for Literacy Volunteers Charlottesville/Albemarle in Charlottesville, VA. He currently oversees more than 200 volunteer tutors, providing training and guidance on curriculum and instruction. In addition to his duties with LVCA, Steven leads a group of program managers and executive directors from community-based literacy organizations from across the Commonwealth of Virginia, focusing on sharing best practices and providing moral support. He has also taught in Texas, Slovakia, and New Hampshire. This will be Steven’s third year presenting and facilitating workshops as part of ProLiteracy’s Teacher Training Plus.
Emma Schreiner is the student and volunteer coordinator for Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County which has expanded to serve Albany County too. Around two thirds of the organization’s population are English language learners with varying levels of English proficiency. She has worked in educational settings in the UK, South Korea, Russia and the US. Her experience has ranged from tutoring North Korean defectors to developing project-based learning curriculum, to human rights advocacy for undocumented migrants when based in Moscow, Russia. As her work has spanned multiple countries and cultures, she has developed a deep understanding of the diverse needs of English language learners. Emma proposes the importance of lived experience as a way to support language learning.