The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) provides leadership, professional development, advocacy, and communication for the field of adult education. In our leadership role, we often have the opportunity to recognize exemplary work taking place at the state and local levels. Such was the case with a grassroots training that was developed to…

Ambassador training is an exemplary leadership development program for adult education students, staff, and administrators that creates networks of diverse learners who use their voices, stories, and skills for advocacy and social change. Student engagement and leadership development help learners expand their identities and horizons, define…

Adult learners come to us at many different points along their journeys. As practitioners, we are responsible for understanding the range of purposes for which they seek our programs, so that we may partner with them in naming and achieving their goals. In working to get "many" students to progress to "many" steps, it can be…

At Fontana Adult School, they saw a need to create a strong, unified student group on campus to help them not only promote their school and the services they offer the community, but also to improve their school climate and understand student needs better. At the end of 2018, they created a student leadership team on their campus, and it has made…

Briya Public Charter School is a nationally recognized, two-generation school that has served immigrant families in Washington, DC, for more than 30 years. At Briya, students contribute to the school through participation in curriculum design and leadership-focused programming. These engagements enhance their learning and develop important skills…

Participating in activities such as being involved in school life and practicing leadership skills are as important for immigrant learners as studying English. We surveyed 33 student volunteers and analyzed testimonies of nine staff members to investigate how English as a second language (ESL) student volunteers' engagement and leadership…

This article discusses student leadership developed through an instructional approach to teach basic skills instruction within the context of climate hope, regeneration, and transformational resilience. The purposes of this approach are threefold: to develop student leadership, enhance basic skills instruction, and better prepare students for the…

Immigration is a cornerstone of American growth and success. More than 1 million immigrants arrive in the United States each year, looking for opportunities to build a better life and become a part of their new communities. Facilitating immigrant integration is central to maintaining a cohesive social fabric and strong communities. Adult schools…

This paper investigates the role of leadership training in developing voice in adult learners. Twenty-one (21) adult education programs were randomly selected for evaluation: 13 programs received an 8-hour leadership training and 12 subsequently completed a leadership project; the remaining eight served as control programs. Qualitative methods…