The TEAL Center Supports Quality Instruction in Adult Education Programs in Three Primary Ways

Abstract

The Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) Center, a project of theOffice of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), is designed to improve the quality of teaching in adult education in the content areas. The TEAL Center offersparticipating state teams an intensive program of professional development and individualized technical assistance in the content areas of writing instruction for adult basic education (ABE) students. In addition, TEAL focuses on research-based instructional approaches that are effective across the content areas, for example, formative assessment, differentiated instruction, self-regulated learning, effective lesson planning, and universal design for learning.

The TEAL Center supports quality instruction in adult education programs in three primary ways:

Professional development and technical assistance.State teams participate in online professional development as well as a four-dayface-to-faceinstitute in research-based instructional approaches and components of effective teaching, with an emphasis on writing instruction. Participating instructors receive ongoing technical assistance for implementing new practices via site visits and distance support.

Materials and strategies for professional development. Subject matter experts in writing and in proven instructional approaches inform the development of TEAL Center materials, which are adaptable to a variety of program environments and instructional levels. Participating instructors learn to integrate practices within the content area of writing instruction and have opportunities to practice new skills, receive feedback on their performance, and collaborate and problem solve with peers as they incorporate new ideas into their teaching.

Web site.The TEAL Center Web siteoffers information to the general public and also contains private working spaces for state teams to receive online training and ongoing technical assistance and share information within and across state teams, thereby building capacity for teaching excellence within the state. Visit the TEAL Web site at

Twelve states are participating in TEAL for 2010-2012: California, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming.

Benefits to participating state teams include the following:

Opportunity to learn about and practice proven instructional approaches, with the goal of enhancing student outcomes;

Technical assistance provided by experts to address specific program needs;

Knowledge and information exchange among participating programs.

TEAL Resources available online

Searchable annotated bibliography of writing instruction research with implications for adult education

Fact sheets on effective teacher practices in adult education

For Additional Information

The Teacher Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) Center is run by the American Institutes for Research and is administered by the Division of Adult Education and Literacy in the Office of Vocational and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education through contract number ED-VAE-09-O-0060.

For additional information, contact:

Mary Ann Corley, Project Director, AIR, at or at 202- 403-5759

Mary Jo Maralit, Project Officer, OVAE, at or at 202-245-6593