Preparing for the New Academic Year as an Adult Literacy Instructor

Hey y'all, Allan here! Can you believe that we are now in July?! With a new academic year approaching, now is the perfect time to get organized and set myself up for success in the classroom.

Here are some things that I'm working on to prepare for the school year.

1. Getting TESOL Certified TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This certification focuses on the methods and strategies used to teach English to people whose first language isn't English. Through this course, I've learned a lot about language acquisition, assessment and evaluation, and effective teaching strategies. It has been a great experience to understand adult education and how to best support our adult learners.
   

2. Reflecting on Last Year When I first started, I had the chance to work alongside the previous instructor before she left. This allowed me to observe her teaching style, see how she managed the classroom, and meet some of her students. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to learn from her experience. In our organization, data plays an important part in helping us understand how things are going. By looking at the data, I've been able to see which parts of our programs are working well and where we can make improvements. It helps me look at areas that need more attention or changes, so we can make sure our programs are the best they can be.
   

3. Adjusting for Different Learning Paces Adult learners come with various levels of literacy, so some may need more time to grasp certain concepts and ideas. Most of my classes are an hour long, so I have to be prepared to adjust my teaching approach. For those who need extra help, I'll provide more support, while also offering challenging materials to those who are more advanced. My focus is on progress, not perfection.
   

4. Incorporating Technology Technology is an important part of our adult learners' lives. They use it for work, at home, and in their communities. Utilizing technology helps improve literacy, especially as more workplaces shift to digital platforms. By adding technology into lessons, my hope is to help adult learners to improve those skills so they feel confident.
   

5. Building Up Our Literacy Program Volunteers We truly couldn't do what we do at Reach without our incredible volunteers. My literacy program volunteers play a huge role in helping our students with reading, writing, and speaking. Their support makes a huge difference, and I'm so grateful for their commitment and dedication. My hope is to equip them with the right tools and resources to be able to support our adult learners in reaching their goals.

As we prepare for the new academic year, we're looking to grow our network of volunteers to help in the classroom. Volunteering not only gives you the opportunity to share your teaching skills, but it also provides a chance to learn more about our programs and the impact we're making right here in Sioux Falls. If you're interested or have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at program@reachliteracy.org. You can also visit our website at www.reachliteracy.org to learn more about our organization and how you can get involved.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at Reach!

--Allan