Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

Professional Development Update February, 2011

Development of Professional Content Standards In Progress

To help achieve goals set for the ABE system, SABES and ACLS are collaborating to with teams of practitioners to develop professional content standards for adult educators. A draft of professional standards in Mathematics and Numeracy is currently under review by a team of experienced ABE math teachers, and another team has begun work on professional standards in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Next year, professional content standards will be developed in Reading and Writing.

The purpose of all of the professional content standards is to provide a foundation for building the capacity of adult educators and for strengthening the quality of instruction in adult classrooms.

In the publication entitled Facing the Future: Massachusetts Strategic Framework for Adult Basic Education, ACLS has set forth three strategic goals to guide its work:

1. Ensure that adults needing basic education have access to services;
2. Increase system effectiveness and quality; and,
3. Prepare students for success in their next steps: in college and further training, at work, and in the community.

A key objective identified under Goal 2 is to strengthen Massachusetts' standards-based ABE system. Part of the plan for meeting that objective is to align content standards for teachers, outlined in Subject Matter Knowledge Requirements for Adult Basic Education Teachers with content standards in the Massachusetts Adult Basic Education Curriculum Frameworks

ACLS expects to release both the Mathematics/Numeracy and the ESOL standards in FY2012, together with related training and materials through SABES.

ELL-U, a new ESOL Professional Development Opportunity

ACLS is pleased to share news of the English Language Learner University (ELL-U), a new professional development network for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) educators. ELL-U provides free, self-paced learning opportunities for ESOL teachers and other practitioners through activities that include face-to-face events, online courses, study circles, and social networking. The user-friendly ELL-U Web-site provides access to evidence-based training, to the latest research, to ongoing communication with leading adult ESOL experts, and to a community of practice for ESOL professionals.

In order for participation in ELL-U structured learning activities to be "counted" as professional development, practitioners may enter ELL-U activities through the "Add Non-SABES PD" screen that is found though the Staff PD link in the Staff Information screen in SMARTT. For more information and registration for ELL-U, a free source, see http://www.ell-u.org.

Questions? Feel free to contact Sharon Artis-Jackson: sartisjackson@doe.mass.edu