National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week is just two and a half weeks away. During the week of September 18-22, the National Coalition for Literacy and COABE will have activities that will focus on the pivotal role of adult education in enabling equitable access to societal resources, employment opportunity, and full participation in community life. During AEFL Week, the entire field of adult education simultaneously raises awareness about all of the great work that takes place in our field year-round. Register now to learn more and participate. Registration will also give you access to the COABE app and has opportunities to network, hear about the good work of others, and join in the conversation.

The National Coalition for Literacy has also shared a list of ways that you can participate in AEFL Week:

• Download the AEFL Week logo and use it in your social media, on your website, and in your print communications.
• Download and share NCL’s latest Adult Education Fact Sheet and NCL Fact Sheet.
• Find literacy quotes and links to maps and data on adult literacy on NCL’s Adult Literacy page.
• Check out exemplary programs, adult learners’ stories, and toolkits and other resources for planning advocacy around National AEFL Week.
• Invite your local, state, and federal policymakers to visit your program and meet your adult learners.
• Host an activity or event to raise awareness of adult education and family literacy.

Lower Classroom Noise Pollution

Classroom noise can distract both instructors and learners and affect everyone's performance. A recent GetEdFunding article addresses this: "Five Strategies to Lower Classroom Noise Pollution With or Without Technology." If you have ever felt that your adult education classroom is too loud, no matter what the cause, read this article for ideas on how to improve your noise situation.

How to Motivate Students to Work in Collaborative Teams

Working collaboratively in a group is a skill required for many jobs. Collaborative group work also pops up in the adult education classroom; however, many adult students may bristle at the idea of working with others. A recent Edutopia article addresses the importance of collaborative teams and strategies for making it successful. Not only can smoothly running group work facilitate self-motivated learning, but it can also prepare adult learners for future challenges in the workplace.

Exploring Postsecondary Education and Training Options

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) opens every year on October 1. That makes September a great time to help adult learners explore different postsecondary education and training options so they can make an informed decision if they want to complete the FAFSA® in October. Federal financial aid is not the only type of aid that adult learners can access to pursue their postsecondary goals; however, many postsecondary providers request that learners complete the FAFSA® to help determine additional aid that may be available through the provider or other community funds. The Student Support Coordinator (SSC) Hub has a variety of resources to help adult education practitioners support adult learners with exploring careers, developing postsecondary education goals, and learning more about financial aid options. There will be an SSC networking session on Thursday, September 7, 2023, 10:00-11:00 a.m., which will focus on supporting adult learners with transitioning to postsecondary education and training. SSCs are welcome to invite any partner staff that may be interested in attending. The Zoom link for the networking session is https://psu.zoom.us/my/cklinger. If you have any questions about supporting adult learners with career awareness, career exploration, or career goal planning, please reach out to Chrissie Klinger at cok5111@psu.edu.

Professional Learning for Adult Education and Family Literacy Staff

Staff at PDE-funded adult education and family literacy agencies can view a list of upcoming courses now available for enrollment in the PD Portal. For more information about any of these courses, please visit the PD Portal, open the course catalog, and review the syllabus. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please consult with your in-house professional development specialist (IHPDS) to determine if the course meets your professional learning goals.

Webinar: Enhancing Skills for Serving Veterans

Workforce GPS is hosting a webinar event for programs who serve veteran jobseekers. This webinar, "Empowering Public Workforce Development Professionals: Enhancing Skills for Serving Veterans," will be held online on Monday, September 11, 3:30-4:30 p.m. It will provide a refresher on the roles and responsibilities of state and local workforce development staff to ensure effective, integrated, and seamless service delivery to veterans. Learn more about this webinar and register online.

COABE Journal Call for Articles

The Spring 2024 edition of the COABE Journal will center on the topic of advocacy for adult education. The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) is seeking contributions from adult education professionals to share best practices, research, innovations, reflections, and reviews focusing on this topic for the upcoming Journal. The submission deadline is October 19, 2023. Review the submission guidelines and consult the COABE Journal Style Guide before submitting your article.

Families Learning Conference Presentations

The schedule of presentations has been published for the 2023 Family Learning Conference. This year's conference will be held October 23-25 in Omaha, Nebraska. These presentations will give attendees opportunities to deepen, renew, and refresh their commitment to their students and their profession. See the full lineup.

The job postings below are for adult basic education programs funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. You can also find the postings on the paadultedresources.org website. To post a job, please email the job advertisement to mjmanfred@tiu11.org.  

Workforce Development Program Specialist – Penn State University

Google Scholar Mentor/Instructor - COABE

Visit www.paadultedresources.org for the latest PA adult education news and resources. Recent additions to the site include:

• eData Program Year Opening Webinar recording
• eData Instructional Manual and Glossary 23-24
• ProLO Course Schedule 23-24

• Families Learning Conference - October 23-25, 2023, Omaha, NE
• COABE National Conference - March 17-20, 2024, Nashville, TN

State and national organizations' newsletters are listed below and 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.

Aug. 24 Aug. 18 Aug. 4

WorkforceGPS, Workforce3 One Features career pathways and workforce development information.

Aug. 22 Aug. 15 Aug. 8 August Newsletter Aug. 1

COABE Connects, Digital Equity, Coalition On Adult Basic Education Features national information, resources, and initiatives for adult basic education.

Aug. 25 Aug. 24 Aug. 18 Aug. 11 Aug. 4

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

Aug 24 Aug. 16 Aug. 9 Aug. 3

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

Aug. 17