Video/Webinar
Training and support for tutors and teachers working with students reading and writing at an 8th grade level or above, preparing for the GED, HiSET, or other HSE test.
Most tutors and teachers receive quality training before they start working with students. However, once they begin their teaching experience, they have little access to additional training and support.
Teacher Training Plus, funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is a webinar series that presents best-practice instructional strategies. These video recordings are of the first round of webinars presented in the fall of 2022 and the winter and spring of 2023.
We’ve identified three areas of need and have designed webinars to address each. Throughout all three topics, we will also address working in a multilevel class or group and converting in-person teaching strategies to distance learning.
“Do I Really Have to Write an Essay?” Making Writing Relevant for the HSE and Beyond
Although many students may argue that the math section is the most intimidating part of the HSE exam, the writing section seems to be the most avoided. Even some of the strongest readers shy away from writing. Why is that? How can adult educators help? In this webinar, Krawiec will share strategies on how to help students not only improve their writing composition skills for the HSE exam, but also see the necessity and fun of writing too.
“What Did I Just Read?” Improving Reading Comprehension by Connecting to the Text and Each Other
Most readers have experienced that moment when they read a sentence, a paragraph, an essay, or even an entire book, and look up and wonder, “what did I just read?” When we don’t connect to what we’re reading, we’re significantly less likely to comprehend or really even remember it. Connecting to the texts used in the HSE exams can be a challenge for students because they often feel so far removed from our everyday lives and language. In this webinar, Krawiec will discuss ways to help students connect to HSE texts and build a lifelong love of reading.
“But Why?” Building Critical Thinking Skills Through Questioning and Practice
This small question, with only three letters, can often feel like the most difficult, but crucial question to answer. That’s because asking why encourages us to go under the surface and dig deep – to really understand and consider. Like any other skill, students must put into practice the critical thinking skills that are needed for answering questions on the HSE exam, but may not be sure where to start. In this webinar, Krawiec will start with “why?” and offer other suggestions and strategies for how to help students answer HSE questions that require critical thinking skills.
About the Presenter
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Kara Krawiec earned her Master of Arts degree in Literature from John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH. Upon graduation, she became an adjunct professor at John Carroll University, Lakeland Community College, and Cuyahoga Community College, teaching developmental reading and writing courses to non-traditional learners.
In 2017, she found Seeds of Literacy, an adult literacy non-profit in Cleveland, OH. Following her passion, she now serves as the Site Coordinator for the organization’s East side location. During her time at Seeds, she has worked tirelessly to help her students – focusing not only on students’ individual needs, but the need for a strong learning community as well. To build that sense of community and to share her love of reading with students, Kara launched a Book Club, for which she received international acclaim.
In 2018, Kara accepted the inaugural ProLiteracy Hero Award on behalf of Seeds of Literacy in recognition of their achievement in the adult education field. Kara’s dedication to creating a strong learning community extends beyond the classroom and has driven her to share her experience and expertise with her fellow educators by presenting at several local, state, and national conferences.