Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy

Logo of the program Teching Excellence in Adult Literacy. Also known as TEAL.

Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL) improves the quality of teaching in adult education by focusing on improving writing for Adult Basic Education (ABE) students. TEAL project offered an intensive program of professional development and supports quality instruction in adult education programs through the following:

  • Materials and strategies for professional development
  • Faciliated online courses for state cohorts

TEAL materials, which are adaptable to a variety of program environments and instructional levels, are designed to help instructors learn to integrate practices within the content area of writing instruction. TEAL professional development opportunities provide opportunities for instructors to practice new skills, receive feedback on their performance, and collaborate and problem solve with peers as they incorporate new ideas into their teaching. All TEAL materials are available at: https://lincs.ed.gov/state-resources/federal-initiatives/teal

TEAL Guides

TEAL Math Works! Guide

The Math Works! Guide is a companion piece to the TEAL Just Write! Guide. The Math Works! Guide identifies research-based instructional practices in the content areas of mathematics and numeracy. The Guide synthesizes important practices and competencies represented in current research on math instruction.

TEAL Just Write! Guide

The TEAL Just Write! Guide is a resource for ABE teachers. It is intended to increase familiarity with evidence-based writing instruction and to facilitate the translation of research findings into practices and products that enhance the quality of instruction delivered to adult learners.

Relevant Publications

Three significant publications—all meta-analyses of large-scale research—inform effective practices in writing instruction.

TEAL Fact Sheet

TEAL Glossary

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