Coach Houston Nutt
Drawing from coaching championship-caliber teams—and from the influence of his mother, who taught for 33 years, Coach Nutt explores the power of attitude, gratitude, leadership, and purpose. He'll challenge attendees to shift their perspective from having to go to work to getting to go to work, recognizing the privilege and impact of investing in others every day.

Whether coaching athletes or teaching adults, the greatest successes come from believing in people, encouraging them through challenges, and helping them achieve more than they thought possible. Coach Nutt will share personal stories, practical lessons, and heartfelt encouragement that will leave attendees energized and reminded that the work they do truly matters.

Chelsea Carey, Rogers County Literacy Council

Adult literacy programs thrive when leadership is cultivated at every level. In this session, you will explore practical lessons learned from leading a rural literacy organization through growth, partnership development, and program expansion. Together, we will examine what it means to show up as a leader, build the right team, delegate with purpose, and empower others to contribute to a shared mission.

You will discover strategies for developing leadership among staff, volunteers, and learners while creating a culture of ownership and engagement. We will also explore how diverse program pathways—including literacy, ESL, citizenship, digital literacy, health literacy, and workforce initiatives—can meet community needs, expand impact, and create opportunities for learners to grow.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices, Community Collaboration

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Merle Davenport, Department of Corrections

Algebra has been difficult for many in adult education. Students can count but can't seem to understand how to solve an equation. In this class, Merle Davenport will demonstrate how to turn counting into solving equations. As a bonus, he will show how to use a multiplication chart to understand geometry. Learn how to teach your struggling math students the basic concepts of algebra and geometry.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Susie Lauer, Oklahoma Department of Career Tech

This presentation "Finding Your Elephant" explores the concept of personal barriers that prevent individuals from achieving their potential. By using this metaphor of an elephant, the material highlights how unseen obstacles such as fear of failure, social judgment, and comfort lurk in the background of our lives. We will look at the work of Dr. Jo Brown, Dr. Carol Dweck, and Becca Silver to encourage a shift from the comfort zone to the growth zone through the identification of internal challenges. This interactive session provides actionable steps for educators, social workers, administrators, and others to transform discomfort into purpose. We develop a guide to unlocking self-awareness through the courageous act of confronting hidden truths and creating a path forward, a journey to personal growth.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available 

Robin Graybill, Cambridge University Press and Assessment

Discover practical ways to connect the print and digital resources in Ventures 4th Edition to create engaging, purposeful classroom instruction. In this interactive session, teachers will begin with the Student’s Book and explore how the Speaking Companion, digital literacy activities, and Arcade can reinforce instruction, extend practice, and support diverse learners. Participants will experience the resources from both teacher and learner perspectives and leave with adaptable strategies for bringing print and digital learning together in their own classrooms.

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Debra Chandler, Creek County Literacy Program

With the demands of work, home management, and family schedule challenges, trying to find time for self-care or personal development can seem impossible. This discussion explores ways to create better balance, allowing you to show up for yourself regularly and build the life you want. If there is one thing I've learned, it's that we can't pour from an empty cup.

Contend Strand(s): Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available 

Laynie Gottsch, Sarkeys Foundation

You will learn valuable grant writing skills and some terrific tips on how to connect with funders.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Darshani Abeyrathna, University of Oklahoma

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how adults learn, work, and access information, creating new opportunities for adult literacy educators to personalize instruction and build essential digital skills. In this interactive session, you will explore practical, research-informed strategies for integrating AI into adult literacy instruction to support reading, writing, vocabulary, English language learning, and workforce readiness. You will discover how AI can help differentiate instruction, generate leveled learning materials, provide writing feedback, create engaging lesson plans, and promote learner independence while maintaining ethical, responsible, and human-centered teaching practices. Participants will gain hands-on prompt examples, free AI tools, implementation strategies, and best practices for evaluating AI-generated content, leaving with immediately applicable resources to enhance instruction and empower adult learners in an AI-driven world.

Contend Strand(s): Literacy Instruction, Program Management/Best Practices

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Lynn Swanda & Susan Reynolds, English Language Training Solutions

Did you know English learners' brains are wired to hear English through their first language? 

Building sound awareness helps bridge this gap. Sound awareness helps develop a student’s pronunciation and reading skills, eventually leading them to hear and produce English sounds that are not in their first language.

Through a student’s perspective, we will…

practice sound awareness

discover the vowel sounds of English

talk about these vowel sounds in simple language

Join us for an exploration of the basic foundation of Color Vowel®, an approach supported by brain-based research, using a discovery method through hands-on sound awareness activities that can be quickly integrated into your ESL classroom.

Through sound awareness, Color Vowel® organizes and names the vowels of English in a way that is easy to talk about the sounds. Teachers can address these sounds for feedback, and students can easily ask questions and engage in discussions about English vowel sounds.

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, Literacy Instruction

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Kara Robinson, Tinker Federal Credit Union

Discover your relationship with money and learn how emotional and external influences shape your spending habits. Gain practical strategies to make mindful financial decisions and goal setting as well as ways to prevent impulse purchasing.

Contend Strand(s): Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Susan Bernard, Oklahoma City Community College

Prepare your students more quickly for the HiSET Writing Test, the printable/projectable Quick Guide can save your program money while providing a textbook/workbook combo that includes a pattern for a 7-sentence argumentative essay. The session ends with a fun Kahoot quiz and drawings for a printed Writing Quick Guide. Participants will receive one free lesson and will also gain free access to videos and resources that accompany the inexpensive curriculum.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Jonna McDonough, GED Testing Service

In this session, we will explore fundamental math skills needed to succeed on the GED Math exam, including understanding skills gaps and tools and resources to remediate them. The data tells us that over 80% of all testers who are missing one test (aka 3/4 passers) are struggling to pass the math test or even to attempt it. We will demonstrate how to identify these candidates and share a few models of best practice to meet their instructional needs to pass GED math and look to the future. Finally, we will close by sharing a handful of resources you may find helpful to you and your learners.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Marquetta Vital, HiSET

This session explores how learner data and strategic partnerships can strengthen HiSET programs. Participants will review the HiSET Statistical Report to identify participation trends, pass rates, subject-level strengths and weaknesses, and retesting patterns. The session also introduces the HiSET Workforce Hub, a partner-driven resource connecting credential achievement to career pathways through collaboration among education providers, workforce agencies, employers, and community organizations.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Analyze a HiSET Statistical Report to identify key participation and performance trends.

Explain HiSET exam structure, scoring, accommodations, and recent updates.

Apply strategies to address learner challenges such as readiness gaps, scheduling, and test anxiety.

Describe how the HiSET Workforce Hub connects credentials to careers and reduces partner handoffs.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Rachel Dunn, YWCA Tulsa

"Do you have students who have lived in your community for years but still struggle to say their phone number or address in English? Are they terrified of going to the public library? Do they know the difference between “urgent care” and a “hospital”?  While students may feel comfortable with their classroom knowledge, they may also need help navigating real-world situations.

This workshop will give opportunities for both teachers and administrators to leverage local community resources and connect textbook lessons to authentic real-world experiences.  As we partner with organizations such as public libraries, banks, career centers, healthcare providers, and social service agencies - we become a stronger Community!"

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, Program Management/Best Practices

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Christopher Myers, OIC of Oklahoma County

What if one of the most misunderstood learning differences is actually a hidden strength? In this engaging and thought-provoking session, you will explore dyslexia beyond the common misconceptions and deficit-based labels that often define it. Discover the neurological differences associated with dyslexia, examine emerging research on how dyslexic brains process information, and learn why many individuals with dyslexia demonstrate exceptional creativity, innovation, problem-solving abilities, and entrepreneurial thinking.

You will also explore the lives of influential leaders, inventors, artists, and visionaries who are believed to have had dyslexia, highlighting how their unique ways of thinking contributed to extraordinary achievements. Whether you are an educator, literacy practitioner, administrator, parent, or advocate, this session will challenge traditional perspectives and equip you with a strengths-based framework for supporting and empowering individuals with dyslexia.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Robin Graybill, Cambridge University Press & Asessment

Discover how Ventures 4th Edition prepares Adult Education ESOL learners for success in today’s academic, workplace, and digital environments. This engaging session highlights new and enhanced features that support standardized test preparation, career readiness, and digital literacy development. Participants will explore practical classroom strategies that build confidence, strengthen real-world communication skills, and encourage effective use of technology.

The session will also showcase the hallmark strengths of Ventures, including its integrated-skills approach, learner-friendly design, and collaborative multi-level activities that promote active participation and meaningful learning. Whether you are a longtime Ventures user or new to the series, this presentation will provide fresh ideas and practical tools to help learners succeed in work, education, and everyday life.

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Liz Willner, Nita Wood, & Kaitlyn Beck, Community Literacy Centers, Inc.

We DO find out what we think when we write. Writing can be a valuable tool to support our adult ESL learners, but how can you hone your own practice to make it as effective as possible? This session will introduce you to a variety of writing activities, methods to engage reluctant writers, ideas to help various levels of writers, and ways to support learners’ self-efficacy. By the way, you WILL be writing!

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Seth Creamer, DCCC DOC

Rapid onset of AI is changing education quickly. You will be given a brief overview of the technology behind artificial intelligence that is making its way into a classroom setting. This will include comparisons of some of the systems currently available, as well as practical examples discussing best practices for early adopters who are already in the game. Keeping up with the AI pace of play requires adjustment from educators. This session is designed to facilitate that adjustment.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors

Tina Aniebok & Jackie Aniebok, J&J Educational Services

Many students remain unseen despite being present in our classrooms and programs. These “Invisible Learners” may include students with learning gaps, English language learners, adult learners, students with disabilities, gifted learners, and those facing socioeconomic challenges.

This presentation explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help educators identify, support, and empower learners who may otherwise go unnoticed. Participants will learn how AI tools can analyze learning patterns, personalize instruction, identify achievement gaps, and support timely interventions.

The session will also address important considerations such as data privacy, equity, accessibility, and the continued importance of human connection in education. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for using AI responsibly to ensure every learner is seen, valued, and supported.

Contend Strand(s): Other forms of Literacy, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Kathy Young, OIC; Kathy Young Coaching

All our students have trauma in their story (and most of us do as well). Attendees will gain a practical, research-based understanding of how trauma impacts life and learning. Being trauma-informed is not an added list of behaviors; rather, it's a game changing shift in approach that anyone can achieve. Attendees will be coached to recognize the effect of trauma when it shows up in our students, our classrooms, our organizations, and our own lives. Additionally, attendees will learn practical techniques for their students and themselves to facilitate growth and progress.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Kathy Young, OIC; Kathy Young Coaching

All of our students have trauma in their story (and most of us do as well). Attendees will gain a practical, research-based understanding of how trauma impacts life and learning. Being trauma-informed is not an added list of behaviors; rather, it's a game changing shift in approach that anyone can achieve. Attendees will be coached to recognize the effect of trauma when it shows up in our students, our classrooms, our organizations, and our own lives. Additionally, attendees will learn practical techniques for their students and themselves to facilitate growth and progress.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Joni O'Neil, Coach Joni O

In adult education, it can be easy to focus on barriers, deficits, and the challenges learners face. But what if one of the most valuable tools for both educators and students is the ability to recognize strengths, build hope, and create momentum?

In this interactive session, you will explore the science behind optimism, hope, and Appreciative Inquiry and discover how these evidence-based approaches can improve resilience, engagement, motivation, and persistence. Drawing from research in positive psychology and real-world experience in healthcare, coaching, and education, this session will demonstrate how a strengths-based approach can benefit both learners and the educators who support them.

You will leave with practical tools and conversation strategies that can be immediately applied to increase well-being, foster engagement, support retention, and help create environments where both students and educators can thrive.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, Program Management/Best Practices

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Jeannie Hale, Essential Education

This session explores how Essential Education’s Workforce bundle serves as a turnkey solution to meet these state requirements while preparing learners for immediate career placement. The Oklahoma Career Readiness Diploma offers a flexible pathway for adult learners, requiring a strict 12-hour workforce readiness mandate.

Using Computer Essentials, Work Essentials, and Money Essentials, we focus on three pillars: Job Seeking, Job Ready, and Job Keeping. Attendees will discover how to guide students through required skills, especially the 12-hour track for unemployed learners, by mastering digital literacy, resume building, and critical soft skills like communication and problem-solving. 

Participants will gain actionable strategies to blend adult education with practical workforce prep, effortlessly tracking state compliance while turning academic achievement into real-world opportunity.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing, Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Taynim Johnson & Traci Manseau, Burlington English

Join us to explore the shifting landscape of adult education and the growing urgency for job-readiness skills. We will introduce Burlington Workforce, a new suite of courses designed to prepare learners for in-demand careers. In this interactive session, participants will discover how Burlington supports programs in achieving their vision for the future. 

Together, we will identify strategic approaches to better align educational programming with high-growth career pathways. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and practical strategies to strengthen workforce alignment to support learners transitioning more effectively into meaningful employment.

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Rebecca Townsell, OIC of OK County

Contend Strand(s): Other Forms of Literacy, Community Collaboration

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Jana Strain, Valkyrie Family Financial Counseling

Financial literacy is often taught through definitions, worksheets, and hypothetical scenarios, yet many learners leave with information they never apply. Too often, learners complete financial exercises without understanding how the concepts connect to their own lives, experiences, and goals.

In this interactive session, you will learn how to make financial literacy more engaging and relevant by starting with personal reflection rather than financial jargon. You'll discover strategies for helping learners explore their money stories, connect financial concepts to real-life decisions, and understand not just what financial concepts mean, but why they matter.

Using discussion, tangible examples, and the Money Snapshot framework, you'll see how storytelling and real-world application can increase engagement for learners of all backgrounds and literacy levels. You'll leave with practical tools you can immediately use to help learners build confidence and take action.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Caleb Cummings & Lance Allee, ODCTE

This session will discuss how to use data to drive strategy and best practices for an adult education program. This presentation will discuss best practices for student gains in the areas of post-tests, high school equivalencies, and diploma attainment.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Susan Bernard, Oklahoma City Community College

Participants will be introduced to ready-made Pre-HSE Reading and Math lessons that use instructional animation to introduce concepts one step at a time. Progressive visual reveals help students focus on each concept, supporting comprehension, engagement, and retention. The lessons are available as animated PowerPoints that can easily be projected for whole-class instruction or used by students on individual devices using the Microsoft PowerPoint app. Attendees will receive one free Pre-HSE Reading lesson and one free Pre-HSE Math lesson to use in their own programs. The complete animated curriculum is available for purchase for a nominal fee.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Susan Bernard, Oklahoma City Community College

Prepare your students more quickly for the HiSET Math Test. The printable/projectable Quick Guide can save your program money while providing a textbook/workbook combo. Students connect prior knowledge with color-coded easy-to-understand explanations. The session ends with a fun Kahoot quiz and drawings for a printed Math Quick Guide. Participants will receive one free lesson and also gain free access to videos and other resources that accompany the inexpensive curriculum.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Craig Boykin, Reset Consulting Group LLC

Trauma is no longer the exception in our classroom, it has become the new normal. Educators are increasingly working with students who are impacted by adverse childhood experiences, community violence, family instability, mental health challenges, poverty, grief, and chronic stress. These experiences often manifest as disengagement, defiance, absenteeism, anxiety, or academic struggles. Knowing and understanding your students emotionally yields tremendous relational dividends, which is crucial for effective classroom management. This powerful and practical workshop equips educators with the knowledge and tools needed to recognize trauma's impact on learning, behavior, and relationships. Participants will explore trauma-informed practices that help create safe, supportive, and resilient learning environments while maintaining high expectations for student success. Through research, real-world examples, and actionable strategies, attendees will learn how to shift from asking, "What's wrong with this student?" to "What happened to this student?" Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Craig Boykin, Reset Consulting Group LLC

Trauma is no longer the exception in our classroom, it has become the new normal. Educators are increasingly working with students who are impacted by adverse childhood experiences, community violence, family instability, mental health challenges, poverty, grief, and chronic stress. These experiences often manifest as disengagement, defiance, absenteeism, anxiety, or academic struggles. Knowing and understanding your students emotionally yields tremendous relational dividends, which is crucial for effective classroom management. This powerful and practical workshop equips educators with the knowledge and tools needed to recognize trauma's impact on learning, behavior, and relationships. Participants will explore trauma-informed practices that help create safe, supportive, and resilient learning environments while maintaining high expectations for student success. Through research, real-world examples, and actionable strategies, attendees will learn how to shift from asking, "What's wrong with this student?" to "What happened to this student?" Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Chris Miller, Aztec Software

Designing effective Career Pathways and Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs require more than compliance — it requires connecting learners to real workforce opportunities. This session explores practical strategies for developing WIOA-aligned pathways through employer engagement, partnership development, Labor Market Information (LMI), and workforce-focused program design. Participants will also learn how to develop Single Set of Learning Objectives (SSLOs) that integrate academic instruction, workforce preparation, and occupational training. Attendees will leave with practical tools, templates, and a clear framework for building locally responsive pathways and IET programs that support learner success and workforce outcomes.

Contend Strand(s): Community Collaboration

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Chris Miller, Aztec Software

Today’s workplaces require employees to read, interpret, and apply information accurately — from schedules and safety procedures to workplace policies, digital communication, charts, and technical documents. Many adult learners entering ABE and GED® programs struggle with the reading skills needed to succeed in workforce training, IET programs, and employment settings.

This interactive session provides practical, classroom-ready strategies to strengthen reading skills through authentic, real-world texts and tasks. Participants will explore ways to build vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and critical thinking while helping learners read to make decisions, solve problems, and complete workplace tasks successfully. Attendees will leave with adaptable instructional routines and engaging strategies designed to move struggling adult readers beyond simply “getting through the passage” toward confident workplace application.

Contend Strand(s): Literacy Instruction, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Yana Heiderstadt, Oklahoma City Community College

Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, leaving many educators wondering which tools are worth their time and how to use them effectively without feeling overwhelmed. In this session, you will explore a simple, practical AI workflow designed specifically for adult educators.

Using NotebookLM and Brisk, you will learn how to turn existing resources, standards, curriculum materials, and instructional content into lesson ideas, learning activities, study guides, assessments, and other classroom-ready resources. Through real-world examples from adult education, literacy, ESL, citizenship, and workforce preparation programs, you will see how these tools can work together to support instruction, increase efficiency, and save valuable planning time.

Whether you are new to AI or looking to move beyond basic prompting, you will leave with practical strategies, ready-to-use ideas, and a clear workflow you can immediately apply in your own educational setting.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Nancy Leonhardt, Adult Learning Alliance of Arkansas

This breakout session will provide a practical, implementation-focused exploration of volunteer outreach strategies designed to strengthen adult literacy initiatives. Participants will explore various approaches to identifying, recruiting, onboarding, and retaining mission-aligned volunteers.

The session will explore how strategic messaging, diversified recruitment channels, and clearly defined volunteer pathways can expand program capacity and improve instructional quality. Attendees will also discuss ways to cultivate cross-sector partnerships with local employers, community-based organizations, faith institutions, and civic groups to build referral pipelines.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices, Community Collaboration

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Hayley Wilson, OIC of Oklahoma County

You will learn low prep, free, engaging games and activities you can take into your classroom, tutoring session, or living room tomorrow! Great for parents with young learners, instructors, and tutors.

Contend Strand(s): Literacy Instruction, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Julie Jones, A Light Within Consulting

It has been said that the only grants you will never get are the ones you do not apply for. But most small non-profits work with limited time and staff and writing grants falls to the bottom of the to-do list. This presentation will provide you with a toolkit that will make grant writing easier because you will have most of the items needed to complete a basic grant application at your fingertips.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices, Community Collaboration

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Chasity Wright, DRC/TABE

Learn how to analyze and use TABE & TABE CLAS-E data to inform instruction and increase measurable skills gains. This session will equip educators with strategies to tailor their teaching to student needs, supporting their educational and career goals through data-driven approaches and targeted instructional practice. In this session we will cover: Instructional updates to support stronger learner outcomes, review scores and determine next test placement, leveraging Group Reporting and On-Demand Extracts to power program level decisions & address questions from the audience.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing, English Language Acquisition

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Charlie Weeks, Essential Education

Adult learners make the greatest gains when practice becomes a learning opportunity, not just a measurement. This session explores how active learning, immediate feedback, and repetition help students strengthen foundational skills and prepare for successful testing. Participants will examine strategies that transform practice into meaningful learning experiences, using performance data to support continuous improvement. We will demonstrate how TABE Practice Plus and CASAS Practice Plus promote independent learning, identify skill gaps, and provide educators with actionable insights to personalize instruction. Beyond standard practice tests, attendees will discover how targeted feedback creates a cycle of growth that builds student confidence, supports measurable EFL gains, and improves program performance. Participants will leave with practical strategies they can immediately implement in their classrooms.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology, HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Lynn Swanda, English Language Training Solutions

Do you want Color Vowel® activities to help your English language learners with pronunciation? 

In this 60-minute workshop we will…

-practice sound awareness

-discover a few Color Vowel® resources

-play quick and easy activities

Join us for interactive play through a few readily available resources. Be prepared to have fun!

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, Literacy Instruction

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Taynim Johnson & Traci Manseau, Burlington English

In this dynamic session, we will spotlight a variety of challenges in adult education today. As we address each challenge, participants will share ideas, discuss strategies, and identify meaningful ways to boost student engagement and promote student success. From creative in-class activities to innovative learning opportunities beyond the classroom, participants will leave the session equipped with a robust set of strategies to support and advance the journey of English language learners.

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition, Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Jonna McDonough, GED Testing Service

Come get acquainted (or reacquainted) with GED Testing Service's Game Changers: GED Manager, GED & Me app, AI Chatbot, and our Mobile Test Center testing solution! In this session, we will explore resources and solutions available to learners, educators, and test administrators. GED Manager allows you to explore learners' scores and progress; identify those testers who are missing just one (or two, if you prefer) test to earn their HSE credential; and buy and assign GED vouchers for both the practice test and the "real" test. The GED & Me app, designed to support learner persistence and progress has accelerated app users' success with GED. The outcomes data is compelling. Finally, we'll discuss the AI Chatbot and our Mobile Testing solution supported by Pearson VUE (aka Pearson Assessments).

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Dennis Griffith, ODCTE

Most adult students arrive at class having faced systemic barriers, trauma, or years of being told they’re not smart enough to learn. Beyond celebrating a turnaround, this session will explore the candid, hard-won lessons a student’s journey offered her instructor, such as dismantling his ego, learning to look past a student’s defensive armor, and redefining what real achievement looks like. Attendees will gain practical perspectives to help strengthen classroom or workplace culture and a grounded, much needed boost to their morale. 

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices 

Intended Audience: Instructors

Claudette Hixon, Meridian Technology Center

This session will cover test taking strategies for the Math section of the HiSET/GED exams. We will discuss in depth the Chug and Plug method for problem solving and Answer Choice Elimination of multiple-choice questions. You will get hands on experience using the TI-30XS Multiview calculator. The session will include take-home materials for use in your classroom. 

The topics will include:

1. Chug and Plug problem solving.

2. Extensive calculator use.

3. Choice Elimination strategies. 

4. Specific problem types including absolute value, slope, inequalities, and geometry.

5. And more!

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Claudette Hixon, Meridian Technology Center

This session will cover test taking strategies for the Math section of the HiSET/GED exams. We will discuss in depth the Chug and Plug method for problem solving and Answer Choice Elimination of multiple-choice questions. You will get hands on experience using the TI-30XS Multiview calculator. The session will include take-home materials for use in your classroom. 

The topics will include:

1. Chug and Plug problem solving.

2. Extensive calculator use.

3. Choice Elimination strategies. 

4. Specific problem types including absolute value, slope, inequalities, and geometry.

5. And more!

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Craig Boykin, Craig Boykin LLC

Generational trauma and generational poverty are prevalent issues in American schools, impacting classroom management and educational equity. However, it's rare for educators to gain insights directly from a former at-risk student who faced significant challenges, such as dropping out of high school, experiencing a mother abusing drugs, having an absent father, and dealing with a learning disability. In this engaging session, participants will unlearn perceived fallacies about students from impoverished communities who are dealing with trauma. Craig's trademark slogan, GED to PHD, serves as a powerful reminder that educators should never give up on any student.

Contend Strand(s): Instruction/Methodology

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Greg Stultz, ProLiteracy New Readers Press

What do dedicated educators, a captivating news article, an evidence-based reading instruction lesson template, and effective strategies and activities for both ABE and ESL classrooms have in common? They can all be found in this session! Come as your favorite sponge and be ready to soak up some fresh ideas!

News Flash: Attendees will receive a free News for You Newspaper and a free 2-week trial to News for You Online!

Contend Strand(s): Literacy Instruction, English Language Acquisition

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Megan Linzy-Johnson, Connectable

Adult education leaders are navigating constant change while supporting staff facing increasing workloads and technology fatigue. This session focuses on leadership strategies that help programs embrace innovation without sacrificing morale or mission. Participants will explore approaches for reducing burnout, building team buy-in, managing organizational change, and creating resilient cultures prepared for the future of adult education.

Contend Strand(s): Program Management/Best Practices

Intended Audience: Program Administrators

Carlie Sturgeon, YWCA Tulsa

Immigrants in our communities are facing fear and uncertainty in many areas of life including adult education. In this session you will learn how to make your organization or learning center a welcoming space for these learners. You will learn why "coming to the US legally" is not a black and white issue. You will also learn how to keep your students legally protected while they are in your classrooms and make an investment for their future.

Contend Strand(s): Community Collaboration, English Language Acquisition

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Cheril Scott, OCCC

This session is for those teachers who want to venture away from the book, but don't quite know how. We will explore a series of games and activities that reinforce language acquisition in adult learners.

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition

Intended Audience: Instructors

Champale Butler, Advanced Learning and Intervention Services LLC 

As educators face increasing demands, diverse learner needs, and limited resources, innovative tools are becoming essential. This interactive session demonstrates how free AI tools can be used to create personalized, engaging, and standards-aligned materials for adult learners. Participants will learn how I use AI to develop customized worksheets, reading passages, HiSET and TABE practice activities, differentiated lessons, and classroom games that increase engagement and participation. A unique feature of this approach is incorporating student names, interests, and real-life scenarios to make learning more meaningful. Attendees will explore real classroom examples, participate in a hands-on activity, and learn simple prompting techniques. Participants will leave with free resources, sample prompts, classroom-ready ideas, and practical strategies for personalizing instruction, increasing engagement, and reducing preparation time while maintaining high-quality teaching.

Contend Strand(s): HSE Prep & Testing, Literacy Instruction

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Sean Sebring and Teresa Pena, YWCA Tulsa

As a teacher, do you ever feel like you want to impart knowledge other than reading, writing and arithmetic to your students? Do you want to broaden their horizons to explore your city, the state of Oklahoma, and interesting places? This presentation is based on ESL lessons in which students will learn aspects of the state of Oklahoma, specifically, along Route 66. Resources and activities presented in this session will empower students to research topics and give presentations about their findings. 

As ESL students hear about unfamiliar places to visit, famous people, music, and colloquial expressions - they will be excited and will increase their cultural knowledge of their new home. Your students will be able to get their own "Kicks on Route 66!"

Contend Strand(s): English Language Acquisition

Intended Audience: Instructors

Slides and/or handouts available

Lt. Dakota Black, Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office

Lt. Dakota Black, Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office

Human trafficking does not always look the way we expect. Victims may continue attending school, participating in activities, and appearing to live a normal life while exploitation occurs behind the scenes.

This course moves beyond basic awareness to explore the behaviors and warning signs educators may encounter. Participants will learn how traffickers identify, groom, recruit, and control victims; the role of social media and technology; why victims may not recognize or disclose their exploitation; and what trafficking can actually look like in a school setting.

Using real-world examples and a law enforcement perspective, educators will learn to look beyond individual red flags, recognize concerning patterns, and appropriately respond and report when something doesn't seem right.

Contend Strand(s): Community Collaboration, Other forms of Literacy

Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators

Slides and/or handouts available

Description coming soon!