Empowering the Teachers: Teacher Training Plus Continues to Grow in Year 3
When Judi Walsh, a tutor trained in English Language Learning (ELL), was unexpectedly asked to teach High School Equivalency (HSE), she knew she did not have the right training for it. But everything changed when she discovered ProLiteracy’s Teacher Training Plus program, where Judy benefited from a supportive network, practical guidance, and the confidence to succeed in both ELL and HSE instruction.
Adult literacy educators often face challenges that go beyond theory. Teacher Training Plus was created to address these real-world instructional issues through a comprehensive professional development framework. Designed with input from administrators and active educators, the program delivers targeted content and best-practice strategies that teachers can immediately apply in the classroom.
Now in its third year, Teacher Training Plus continues to grow, with increasing engagement and participation. Funded by our partner the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, this comprehensive professional development series addresses four key instructional areas:
- English Language Learning (ELL)
- Adult Foundational Education
- High School Equivalency (HSE)
- Workplace Literacy (WPL)
This year, Teacher Training Plus reached more than 1,000 educators, leveraging multiple touchpoints beyond traditional webinars. Each of the 12 sessions was paired with three interactive workshops, creating a dynamic space for coaching, mentoring, and collaboration. Educators were able to deeply engage, tackling real-world challenges like lesson planning, adapting materials, and tailoring instruction to diverse learning environments. Presenters shared practical strategies and classroom examples, while participants exchanged ideas, asked targeted questions, and built a network of support. Unlike one-off training events, this comprehensive approach fosters lasting growth and equips teachers to apply new strategies with confidence.
Feedback from Teacher Training Plus participants includes:
“I had training in this a while ago and taught classes before but have not actively used a lot of the knowledge in a while so this was a great review about how to progress (and how not to), and I loved seeing all the color coding and the images with each sentence to support comprehension and have a visual to aid memory. I love the final point about do not go too fast because this is one of the biggest issues I think we have with our volunteer tutors and beginner learners.”
“What will help me the most is the common errors and challenges that experienced teachers have dealt with, so that when I encounter these errors with my students I will be better prepared to understand what is happening, as well as how to redirect them to a correct skill.”
“I learned how to clearly create steps for any reading material so that students will work towards comprehension and fully independent reading.”
Beyond ongoing professional learning and coaching, Teacher Training Plus awards $60,000 worth of scholarships to participants to purchase New Readers Press materials to help meet instructional needs, and get a free one-year ProLiteracy membership, which gives them free access to ProLiteracy’s comprehensive Basic Literacy and ESL Tutor Training along with many other resources on ProLiteracy Education Network.
At ProLiteracy, we believe in the power of Community of Practice. Just as “it takes a village to raise a child,” we know it takes a network of support, resources, and mentorship to empower educators. Teacher Training Plus helps build that village—one webinar, one workshop, and one teacher or tutor at a time. What will help me the most is the common errors and challenges that experienced teachers have dealt with, so that when I encounter these errors with my students I will be better prepared to understand what is happening, as well as how to redirect them to a correct skill.”
“I learned how to clearly create steps for any reading material so that students will work towards comprehension and fully independent reading.”
Beyond ongoing professional learning and coaching, Teacher Training Plus awards $60,000 worth of scholarships to participants to purchase New Readers Press materials to help meet instructional needs, and get a free one-year ProLiteracy membership, which gives them free access to ProLiteracy’s comprehensive Basic Literacy and ESL Tutor Training along with many other resources on ProLiteracy Education Network.
At ProLiteracy, we believe in the power of Community of Practice. Just as “it takes a village to raise a child,” we know it takes a network of support, resources, and mentorship to empower educators. Teacher Training Plus helps build that village—one webinar, one workshop, and one teacher or tutor at a time.