Teaching Essential Reading Skills to Adult English Language Learners

Friday, May 8, 2026
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (online via Zoom)

This workshop provides adult education instructors with research based strategies for teaching reading to English language learners (ELLs). Participants will learn about the challenges that adult ELL students face when developing reading skills and learn techniques for helping everyone from pre-literate beginners to more advanced readers in building vocabulary skills, background knowledge, fluency, and comprehension of text. Through modeling and hands on activities, teachers will leave the session with tools and teaching materials they can implement in their classrooms.

Workshop Learning Objectives:

• Identify and analyze common reading challenges experienced by adult English language learners.

• Apply effective reading strategies to design scaffolded, engaging ESL reading lessons.

• Evaluate and adapt instructional materials to better support diverse adult learners.

Presenter:

Meg Eubank has a doctorate in Literacy Education and is currently a college professor teaching ESL, Reading, Composition, and College Success. She was named the TESOL International Teacher of the Year in 2022 and has over two decades of experience teaching English language learners. She has teaching and curriculum development experience spanning from early childhood to adult learners in a variety of roles as a nonprofit Executive Director, a K-12 educator, a curriculum and assessment designer, and a higher education professional. She is a published author and has presented on TESOL and Adult Basic Education topics to a wide variety of audiences.

This workshop is free to staff of all Massachusetts non-profit ABE and ESOL Programs.

First Literacy does not receive any state or federal funding and we work very hard to raise 100% of our budget from private sources. Please consider making a donation to First Literacy so we can continue to offer FREE high quality professional development workshops.