Mini-Conference 2026

Literacy Volunteers' Mini-Conference 2026
Bolick Center, PVCC
June 13, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Join Literacy Volunteers for a day of presentations, workshops, discussions, and community. This one-day conference with other literacy tutors, adult educators, and community members will be held on June 13 at PVCC's Bolick Center. Together, we will explore ways to continue serving our students! 

8:45 a.m. Arrival/Breakfast
9:10 a.m.  Welcoming Comments
9:30 a.m.  Session 1

  • Encouraging Adult ELL Students to Practice Speaking Outside of Class with Steven Reid, LVCA Program Manager  –Room 101

    • Many adult learners face the challenge of practicing English in real-life settings. This session will provide practical strategies for helping students overcome this barrier and integrate speaking practice into their daily routines. We’ll explore creative ways to encourage students to seek out English-speaking opportunities, from using technology and social media to creating informal language practice groups. You’ll leave with effective strategies for motivating students to speak outside the classroom, fostering confidence and fluency, and making English a more natural part of their everyday lives.  

  • Learning to Earning with Brookes Sims of Virginia Career Works Piedmont –Room 109

    • How do we move learners beyond skill-building to sustainable employment? This session explores practical strategies to connect literacy instruction with real-world career pathways. Participants will learn how to integrate workforce-focused activities— such as goal setting, career exploration, and soft skills development — into everyday instruction. We will also examine common barriers to employment, including limited work history, language challenges, and justice involvement, and discuss approaches to support learner success. Through real examples and ready-to-use tools, attendees will leave equipped to help learners translate education into meaningful employment and long-term economic mobility.

  • Transforming Lesson Planning with Catherine McCall, LVCA Citizenship Coordinator –Room 140B

    • How can we think about unit and lesson planning by focusing on the 6 key aspects of language?  How can we expand and extend the activities within the textbook using other available resources in order to support skill building in those different aspects of language? Join Catherine  as we explore planning with what some describe as a life-altering graphic organizer (maybe only one person describes it that way, but still).  We will focus on examples from the Ventures textbooks, but we'll incorporate ideas that can be used with other textbooks.

10:40 a.m.  Session 2

  • Small Words, Big Challenges: Teaching Prepositions with Steven Reid, LVCA Program Manager –Room 101

    •  Prepositions may be small words, but they create some of the biggest challenges for adult English language learners. In this practical workshop, we’ll explore why prepositions are so difficult to master and share effective strategies for teaching them in meaningful, communicative ways. Participants will learn how to move beyond memorization by using visuals, real-life contexts, and conversation practice to help students understand and use common prepositions with greater confidence. We’ll also discuss common learner errors, ways to provide corrective feedback, and resources tutors can use in one-on-one lessons. Whether your student struggles with in/on/at, prepositions of place, or prepositions used in everyday expressions, this session will provide practical tools and activities you can immediately incorporate into your tutoring sessions.  

  • Beyond the Classroom: Empowering tutors to become advocates for Adult Literacy with Lauren Osowski of ProLiteracy  –Room 109

    • Volunteer tutors play an important role not only in supporting learners but also in strengthening awareness of adult literacy in the community. This session will explore simple and effective ways to advocate for adult education by sharing your experiences, engaging others in conversations about the impact of literacy, and helping build support for adult learners and programs. Participants will gain practical tools and confidence to serve as ambassadors for adult literacy, helping expand understanding and support for adult education both locally and beyond.

  • Helping Families Thrive: Connecting Adult Learners to Summer Opportunities for Their Children with Kelly Ledbetter, Deputy Director of Recreation, Parks & Recreation Charlottesville; Megan Smead of JMRL; Anna Deater-Deckard of Virginia Discovery Museum; and Rebecca Thomas, LVCA Communications Coordinator –Room 140B

    • Adult English language learners often want to support their children’s learning and enrichment during the summer months but may not be aware of the many programs and resources available in their communities. This interactive panel discussion will introduce tutors to organizations that offer educational, recreational, and family-friendly summer opportunities for children. Representatives from the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library and the Virginia Discovery Museum will share information about their summer programs, resources, and strategies for helping families get involved. Additional community organizations may also join the conversation to highlight other opportunities available to local families. Participants will learn how to help learners identify programs that match their children’s interests, navigate registration processes, overcome common barriers to participation, and connect with valuable community resources. Join us for a practical discussion designed to help tutors support the whole family while encouraging meaningful engagement beyond the classroom.

11:45 a.m.  Lunch
1:00 p.m. Session 3

  • Utilizing LVCA's Citizenship Curriculum with Catherine McCall, LVCA Citizenship Coordinator –Room 101

    • We have been busy updating our citizenship materials to align with changes to the naturalization test. Join us for an overview of our curriculum materials, and a preview of ways to make use of them in tutoring and/or classroom settings. We'll build in lots of time for questions, and hopefully have time for participants to share ideas and experiences about supporting citizenship preparation. This workshop is open to current and former citizenship tutors and teachers, as well as those who are interested in potentially supporting students working toward citizenship in the future.

  • Living in Uncertainty: Immigrant Experiences in a Changing Landscape with Ahoo Salem, Ph.D. of Blue Ridge Literacy  –Room 109

    • Recent changes in immigration policy have created uncertainty for many adult English language learners. Drawing from the work of Blue Ridge Literacy in Roanoke, Virginia, this session will examine how shifting immigration policies, changing regulations, and uncertainty around public benefits and legal pathways affect learners’ daily lives, long-term planning, and sense of stability.

      This session will also explore practical ways tutors can support learners during these challenging times while staying focused on what matters most: helping students build their English skills and achieve their goals. We will discuss the importance of consistent attendance, long-term language learning, community engagement, and helping learners establish connections that strengthen their sense of belonging. The presentation will also cover ways tutors can stay informed about policy changes, connect learners with trusted legal and social service resources when needed, and understand how different circumstances may create different challenges and opportunities for individual learners.

      Join us for a thoughtful discussion on supporting learners with compassion, accuracy, and confidence

  • So What'cha, What'cha, What'cha Want? Teaching Learners to Ask Their Own Questions with Ali Buchanan of Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC) –Room 140B

    • How do you know how to ask good questions? Join this session to learn more about the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) by the Right Question Institute. Learn about the QFT, do a practical demonstration of this tool, and discuss different ways to use this resource with your learner. 

2:10 p.m.  Discussion groups based on student levels

  • Levels 0-1  –Room 109

  • Levels 2-3  –Room 140B

  • Levels 4+  –Room 101

3:00 p.m. Departure

You can read detailed descriptions about our workshops and presenters here. 

Register today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register and how much does it cost?

You can register here for the 2026 Mini-Conference. The fee for attending LVCA's Mini-Conference helps to cover some of the cost that includes building rental and food. It costs $32 for Literacy Volunteers' tutors and $52 for the general public. 

Registration for the mini-conference will include light breakfast refreshments, lunch, and access to all conference materials and Slides. Please note that all Literacy Volunteers tutors, regardless of attending, can access the digital conference materials; however, the general public can only access conference materials through registration. 

Where can I learn more about the workshops and presenters?

For an in-depth look at our presenters and workshops, please visit our workshops and presenters page here. 

Where will this be held and is parking included?

LVCA's 2026 Mini-Conference will be held at Bolick Center at PVCC, 501 College Dr, Charlottesville, VA 22902. 

Parking at PVCC is free but requires registration. You can register for parking by clicking on this link, clicking on "visitor guest" and entering in your information. You will need to include the date of the mini-conference (June 13). You can access a map of PVCC's main campus and parking here. 

We recommend following the signs for Bolick Center and using the parking lot next the building (lot 5). Please note that PVCC is allowing us to park in designated staff, faculty, and student spots for this event. If the Bolick Center parking lot is full, lot 2 is the next most convenient. 

Will there be Wifi?

Free, public wifi is available. For instructions on how to access the guest wifi network, please click here.

What is the schedule of events?

8:45 a.m. Arrival/Breakfast
9:10 a.m.  Welcoming Comments
9:30 a.m.  Session 1
10:40 a.m.  Session 2
11:45 a.m.  Lunch
1:00 p.m. Session 3
2:10 p.m.  Discussion groups based on student levels
3:00 p.m. Departure

Questions?

Please reach out to Program Manager Steven Reid (Sreid@literacyforall.org) for any questions about the content of the conference. For all other questions, please reach out to Volunteer and Events Manager Edgar Lara (Edgar@literacyforall.org)

Workshop and Presenter Information

Pro Literacy Guidestar Platinum