FY 2014 – FY 2016 ACLS Mathematics and Adult Numeracy Professional Development Program
Aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education
September 2013
The professional development program outlined below, grounded in current research in mathematics education
and adult numeracy, and aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards for adult education (CCR
Standards), is designed to support teachers, directors, and programs, over multiple years, in aligning
curriculum and instruction with the CCR Standards and current research, and helping adult learners succeed in
their next steps.
The program will include the following professional development offerings (see descriptions of each offering
on pages 2 through 4):
Common Core State Standards in ABE Math – the College and Career Readiness
Standards for Adult Education: An Overview* 2 hours
Adult Numeracy Research
Study Circle for Directors*
Adult Numeracy Research
Study Circle for Teachers*
10 hours
10 hours
Developing Math Proficiency
in Adult Learners at All Levels*
Building a Solid
Foundation:
Using and Connecting
Math Concepts:
Adult Secondary
Mathematics:
Math for Adults at
GLE 0-4.9**
Math for Adults at GLE
5.0-8 9**
Math for Adults at
GLE 9.0-12***
The Basics of
Teaching Math*
18 hrs
Introduction to
Algebra*
6 hrs
Each “Math for Adults” course above will incorporate all 4 mathematical strands –
Number Sense; Patterns, Functions, and Algebra; Statistics and Probability; and, Geometry
and Measurement – appropriate to each level.
Giving Meaning to
Geometry*
3.5 hrs
Aligning a Program-Wide Math Curriculum with the College and Career Readiness Standards*
Analyzing Student Work and
Using Formative Assessment
to Improve Math Instruction
at GLE 0-4.9***
Analyzing Student Work and
Using Formative Assessment
to Improve Math Instruction
at GLE 5.0-8 9***
Analyzing Student Work and
Using Formative Assessment to
Improve Math Instruction at
GLE 9.0 -12***
Using MAPT Assessment Results to Strengthen Teaching* 3 hours
Contextualizing a Challenging Math Curriculum for Adults***
*Available in FY 2014
** Available in FY 2015
*** Available in FY 2016
Course offerings of 10 hours or longer in duration qualify for Professional Development Points
(PDPs) for renewal of professional teaching licenses. Other related offerings of less than 10 hours in
length, while not individually eligible for PDPs, may be bundled to earn PDPs. For example, several
math offerings could be bundled to earn PDPs in math, or, the Developing Math Proficiency in Adult
Learners at All Levels offering, designed to support the new Evaluation Training Modules for ABE
Directors, could be bundled with the Evaluation Training Module series to earn PDPs in Educational
Leadership.
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A description of each math professional development offering follows:
1. Common Core Standards in ABE Math – The College and Career Readiness Standards for
Adult Education: An Overview (SABES; 2 hours)
This is a 2-hour presentation on the College and Career Readiness Standards for adult
education, the Common Core State Standards from which they are derived, and their
application to teaching ABE math and development of curriculum. This session is strongly
recommended for directors, teachers, counselors, and anyone in an ABE program who wants
an introduction to the new curriculum standards and their relevance and application to ABE.
2. Adult Numeracy Research Study Circle for Directors (TERC/SABES to co-facilitate; 10
hours)
and,
Adult Numeracy Research Study Circle for Teachers (SABES; 10 hours)
10 hour, 3 session study circle, developed and piloted by TERC, on current adult numeracy
research. In FY 2014, it will be offered statewide for ABE Program Directors and again for
ABE instructors, at all levels of math knowledge. Participants will read, discuss and use
research to improve program's math curriculum and practice. Directors will be better prepared
to support effective math teaching; teachers will have opportunities to strengthen their
practice.
3. The Basics of Teaching Math (SABES; 18 hours; hybrid)
This 15-hour hybrid course is meant for all teachers, including those who work in ESOL,
Workplace and Transitions to College programs, who want to present relevant math
instruction to their students. It will address answers to questions such as: What are the
learning processes needed for math proficiency? How much math do I need to know before I
can be an effective teacher? What math content should I introduce to my ESOL and
Workplace students? What additional math content is needed to prepare students for the
Accuplacer test and college level math? Level: newer math teachers.
4. Introduction to Algebra (SABES; 6 hours)
This six-hour offering investigates general math teaching principles, as well as algebraspecific ideas. It explores the meaning of algebra and paths to better algebra instruction that
foster communication, problem solving, and reasoning, essential skills to prepare ABE
students for good jobs and further education. Level: All teachers, specifically those who
want a refresher on algebra or are new to teaching algebra.
5. Giving Meaning to Geometry (SABES; 3.5 hours)
This three-hour offering looks at the properties of geometric shapes and their measurements.
It blends concepts of basic algebra and geometry. Level: All teachers
Note: The Basics of Teaching Math, Introduction to Algebra, and Giving Meaning to Geometry
professional development offerings were designed before the new curriculum standards were
released. These offerings will eventually be supplemented by similar courses, developed by
TERC to align with the new standards, for teachers who want more in-depth focus on a specific
level of instruction (see # 6, 7 & 8, below):
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6. Building a Solid Foundation: Math for Adults at GLE 0-4.9 – being developed in FY14;
available in FY15
7. Using and Connecting Math Concepts: Math for Adults at GLE 5.0-8 9 – being developed
in FY14; available in FY15
8. Adult Secondary Mathematics: Math for Adults at GLE 9.0-12.9 – scheduled for
development in FY15 and to be available in FY16).
Each of the three courses listed immediately above (# 6, 7 and 8) will be multi-session and of
significant length, with follow-up at the program. Each of these new courses will incorporate
all 4 mathematical strands -- Number Sense; Patterns, Functions, and Algebra; Statistics and
Probability; and, Geometry and Measurement -- appropriate to each level.
9. Developing Math Proficiency in Adult Learners at All Level (TERC)
This professional development offering, to be developed and piloted by TERC in FY14, will
focus on math pedagogy, and specifically the mathematical proficiency strands (conceptual
understanding; procedural fluency; strategic competence; adaptive reasoning; and, productive
disposition; National Research Council, 2001).
The length of this offering has not yet been determined. In FY 2014, it will be piloted with a
cohort of directors participating in the Central Mass SABES training in the ESE evaluation
system, process and rubric. In future years, this will be a multi-session course for math
teachers and directors, possibly attending as teams from programs, that will cover the
mathematical proficiency strands and how to employ a curriculum and a pedagogy designed
to help learners develop conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence,
adaptive reasoning, and a productive disposition towards math.
10. Aligning a Program-Wide Math Curriculum with the College and Career Readiness
Standards (TERC)
This multi-session course, on developing a program-wide math curriculum aligned with the
College and Career Readiness Standards, will be designed for teams from ABE programs.
Participating teams will be supported in developing a complete documented program-wide
curriculum for math, aligned with the curriculum frameworks and the College and Career
Readiness Standards, that meets the criteria for curriculum outlined in the current MA
Guidelines for Effective ABE in CALCs and ABE Programs in Correctional Institutions.
Programs that already have a math curriculum will be supported in realigning their math
curriculum to the College and Career Readiness Standards. In FY 2014, this training will be
offered as a follow up to the November 2013 College and Career Readiness Conference.
11. Analyzing Student Work and Using Formative Assessment to Improve Math Instruction at
x-to-x in Math (TERC)
This course will be multi-session; it will be designed for three levels: a) 0-4.9; b) 5.0-8.9; and
c) 9.0-12.9. At all levels it will be designed to help teachers use data from actual student
work, including that of their own students, and formative assessments, to improve instruction.
This training could be followed by ongoing study circles grouped by student level, for
ongoing collaborative review of student data to inform instruction.
12. Using MAPT Assessment Results to Strengthen Teaching (SABES; 3 hours)
Research tells us that one of the characteristics of effective schools is teachers using data from
student assessments to diagnose and guide the instruction of individual students. This three3
hour offering is designed to (a) introduce teachers to and help them use the Massachusetts
Adult Proficiency Test (MAPT) for Math Score Reports, together with the Math Curriculum
Frameworks as revised to align with the College and Career Readiness Standards, and (b) to
identify strengths and gaps for individual students to better tailor instruction to each student’s
specific needs. It also covers instructional trends within and across math classes in the
program. Designed for teams from ABE programs, including the program director, math
teachers, advisor, etc.; individuals are also welcome.
13. Contextualizing Challenging Math for Adults at GLE x-to-x in Math (TERC)
Multi-session; designed for math teachers teaching at any level, this professional development
offering will provide more depth and experience in contextualizing curriculum around college
and career readiness and other student goals and interests.
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