Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) Resources
Integrated English literacy and civics education, or IELCE, is defined in WIOA as education services provided to English language learners who are adults, including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enable such adults to achieve competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States. Such services shall include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation, and may include workforce training.
IELCE is used in two distinct ways: it may be provided as an activity under Section 231, or it may also be implemented as a program under Section 243 with funds allocated as described in Section 243.
The IELCE program under Section 243 carries additional requirements beyond those that an eligible provider must meet in implementing IELCE as a local activity under Section 231. First, it must include an integrated education and training (IET) component. Additionally, each program that receives funding under Section 243 must be designed to:
- Prepare adults who are English language learners for, and place such adults
in, unsubsidized employment in in-demand industries and occupations that lead to economic self sufficiency; and - Integrate with the local workforce development system and its functions to
carry out the activities of the program.
Note that services described in Section 243 IELCE programs are for English language learners at all NRS levels, including ESL, ABE, and ASE.
The materials and resources listed on this website are for use with either a Section 231 IELCE activity or a Section 243 IELCE program.
This resource provides IET programs with instructional supports, career supports, instructional materials, and technology tools that can be used to support English language learners in IELCE/IET programs. In addition, it includes a video series in which Virginia IELCE/IET practitioners share their strategies for supporting ELLs in IELCE/IET programs.
This resource provides supplemental materials for civics instruction.
ELL-U was a free professional development network for ESOL practitioners. The resources developed through this federally-funded initiative were designed to broaden, deepen, and strengthen the knowledge and skills of educators working with adult ELLs. The following are available via this resource: online courses, learning plans, and professional development materials.
These videos provide a technical assistance overview of IET programs which includes an overview of IELCE programs as well a specific technical assistance related to IELCE Section 243 programs.
This resource includes an issue brief, a PD module, a companion learning resource, and additional resources related to integrating digital literacy into the English language classroom.
Mastering complex language and developing critical thinking skills have become increasingly important for success in today’s world. This suite of resources addresses the skills that adult ELLs need to succeed.
This LINCS resource provides information and guidance for finding and using open educational resources for English language learning.
This is a 2016 resource from LINCS, author Jayme Adelson-Goldstein highlights five key concepts underlying rigorous, contextualized English language instruction that aim to prepare learners for further education and careers:
- Identifying future pathways: career awareness, career exploration, and goal setting;
- Learning-to-learn: direct instruction and practice with the study skills needed for workplace training and technical education;
- Developing workplace and training vocabulary: strategies and tasks that support autonomous vocabulary learning strategies;
- Demonstrating soft skills: skills that lead to increased employability; and
- Problem solving: scenarios and higher level thinking tools to address cross-cultural workplace issues.
Adelson-Goldstein reiterates the call for instruction that integrates the skills needed for transitioning successfully to postsecondary education or employment for learners at all levels of English language proficiency, including beginning literacy.
In this webinar, speakers provide multiple strategies to refugee agencies and programs that support refugees that are navigating and accessing employment and career pathway opportunities.
This brief highlights three instructional approaches—task-based learning, problem-based learning, and project based learning—and a classroom-based assessment.
This webinar, presented by Standards In Action, presents strategies and examples for implementing standards based instruction with English language learners.
This presentation provides adult education practitioners with an overview of the refugee population, their workforce skills, the refugee resettlement “ecosystem”, and opportunities for those in the workforce system to collaborate with agencies in the refugee resettlement system.
This resource provides professional development guidance for civics instructors in regards to content knowledge, instruction design and lesson planning, instructional delivery, assessment, and learning environment.
This brief provides an overview of different types of workplace instruction and workforce preparation that can be integrated into adult education services.
