November 21, 2017
Reading Resources from the Research to Practice Initiative
Each month, the Research to Practice Initiative shares a newsletter focused on a theme. The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) has partnered with Essential Education to produce this resource for the adult education community.

The November newsletter presents the theme of reading. In it, you will see multiple professional development opportunities, from a three-hour course on Identifying and Remediating Reading Skill Difficulties in Adult Learners to upcoming stand-alone webinars and recordings of previous webinars. A section of the newsletter is devoted to past journal articles that focus on reading. And there is a long list of resources from COABE's Adult Educator Resources page with titles such as Why, How, and What to Read Aloud to Adults and More Than Twenty Questions to Ask While Reading .

If you would like to improve your ability to help your students to read, from short and quick tips to an in depth understanding of phonemic awareness, fluency, and decoding, check out this newsletter.

Learn more about the Research to Practice Initiative through their own video .
Teaching Tips and Resources
Engaged note taking
We all want our students to be engaged with the material when they are reading. One way to do this is to take notes, but it is important to have an effective strategy in note taking. Edutopia's recent article, Six Strategies for Taking High-Quality Notes could help you to identify some things that you can teach your students to help them to engage with the text. Based on numerous research studies, these tips can guide students to a deeper understanding and analysis of what they read as they read it.
High School Equivalency (HSE) Updates and Resources
Interactive study guides from GED Testing Service®
Adult students do not have time to waste. T he GED Testing Service® has released new study guides that are fully interactive, allowing you to hone in on just the topics that your students need to study. There is a study guide for each of the four GED® subject tests. Each guide provides not only a "big picture" understanding of the test, but also specific topics that a student can study.
Professional Development Opportunities
Annual HiSET® Conference
With the introduction and expansion of the HiSET® tests in Pennsylvania in recent years, the annual HiSET® Conference is an opportunity for adult educators and testing center leaders to attend valuable sessions and see helpful resources. The conference will be December 4-6, 2017, in Nashville, TN. Learn more and register online.
Webinar: Supporting People with Disabilities in the Labor Force
On Monday, December 11, 3-4 p.m., Workforce GPS will hold a webinar titled " Employer Engagement to Support People with Disabilities in the Labor Force ." Aimed at improving coordination between the public workforce system and employers interested in working with individuals with disabilities, this webinar will focus on three main po ints: key Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provisions on employer engagement, strategies for cooperation with employers to find jobs for individuals, and best practices and technology tools to help individuals with disabilities to succeed in the workplace.
Penn State Certificate Programs
In January 2018, Penn State's World Campus will offer courses of interest to adult educators. Students in these courses earn credit toward one of two Penn State certificates: a   Family Literacy Certificate  and an  online Certificate in Adult Basic Education .  
Workshop proposals for PWDA annual conference
PA Workforce Development Association (PWDA) is asking for proposals to present workshops at the Association's annual conference , May 16-18, 2018, in Hershey, PA. If you have a successful program or strategy, consider submitting a proposal. Complete the  Request for Workshop Proposal Form  and submit no later than December 31, 2017. 
WIOA Updates
WIOA Wednesday - A Virtual Roundtable
Workforce GPS is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, December 6, 1-3 p.m., titled "WIOA Wednesday - MOU Negotiations: The Partner Perspective - A Virtual Rou ndtable." This is a continuation of technical assistance related to the requirements of the one-stop delivery system's memorandum of understanding (MOU) negotiations, as called for under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The goal of this roundtable is to break down silos, to bring partner programs to the table, and to have a larger discussion on their experiences with local negotiations. Learn more and register on the Workforce GPS website .
State and National Adult Education News
Nominations for PAACE Outstanding Adult Educator
Every year, The Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education (PAACE) recognizes the outstanding contributions to the advancement of adult education through the annual Outstanding Adult Educator Award. Do you have a colleague who deserves to be recognized for his or her work in adult education? Nominations are due by January 5, 2018, for the 2018 Outstanding Adult Educator Award, to be presented at the upcoming PAACE Conference.
COABE survey for student interest
Professional membership in COABE offers the adult education field many benefits. Now COABE wants to know if our adult students are interested in membership with benefits like webinars, professional development, leadership development, scholarships, or other things to help them to stay engaged and on the path to success. You can complete an online survey to help COABE to understand the needs of your students.
The Math Gap: Implications for Investing in America's Workforce
Power in Numbers, an initiative of the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), has published the first of three research reports that look at the ways that technology can impact the teaching and learning of advanced math skills for adult students:   The Math Gap: Implications for Investing in America’s Workforc e . This report focuses on key stakeholders of employers, learners, and educators, and how their needs can be met with technology in math education. Open educational resources are especially discussed as a viable option.
Grants and Scholarships
COABE award nominations due
Tracy Noles, the Region 2 representative for COABE, has asked for nominations for several awards with stipends up to $10,000 for the awardee. The awards include Outstanding Teacher of the Year, Outstanding Adult Learner of the Year, Outstanding Administrator of the Year, State Innovation of the Year, Workplace of the Year, an Incentive Grant, and a Scholarship Award. Nominations are due November 30th, and you can learn more and submit nominations online.
What to do When Your Application is Rejected
Have you ever applied for a grant but were rejected? How you respond and learn from that experience can determine if you will be successful in your next grant application. GetEdFunding has shared an article titled What to Do When Your Application is Rejected that can help you learn the right lessons from defeat.
Job Postings
The job postings below are for adult basic education programs that are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. They can also be found on the paadultedresources.org website. 
Part-time Distance Instructor
Research Technologist 2
PA Adult Education Resources
Visit  www.paadultedresources.org  for the latest PA adult education news and resources. Recent additions to the site include:
Upcoming State and National Conferences
State and National Newsletters
These are state or national organizations' newsletters that may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter. 
 
Families Learning News of the Week,  National Center for Families Learning
Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education  

OCTAE Connection, US Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, & Adult Education 
Features news and resources for adult basic, career, and technical education

GED® In Session, GED Testing Service®
Features news and information related to the GED® test

Rural Perspectives, The Center for Rural Pennsylvania
Features data and research findings related to a variety of topics relevant to rural PA

World Education /U.S.
Features resources and information from World Education projects including The Change Agent, College for Adults, E-Learning, LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center, National College Transitional network, and many others

Workforce GPS, Workforce3 One  
Features career pathways and workforce development information