The last decade in the adult literacy field has been one challenge after another. The latest is the new TABE 11/12 (coming to New York State in July 2019). If you are an ELA teacher, you probably know by now that the TABE 11/12 has more than double the amount of reading as the 9/10, with more than twice the testing time, and new, much more complex question types.

Commonlit.org is one way to address this challenge. The free site offers an absolute cornucopia of readings, which include fables and classic short stories such as The Monkey’s Paw and The Crow and the Pitcher, as well as memoir and poetry. In addition to literature, the site’s large collection of informational readings are highly engaging, and run the gamut from psychology (Why Good People do Bad Things; Grit; Conformity; Anger as Inspiration; and Self-Concept are just a few) to science (Genes and Traits; What are Clouds?) to history (The Great Depression; You Have the Right to Remain Silent: a History of Miranda Rights).

The texts are searchable by Lexile reading level, theme, genre, standards, and languages… yes, that’s right: many of the articles are available in Spanish, so if you are teaching Spanish HSE, this site is for you.

The texts have other features that make them student-friendly. For students who are reading online, the font can be changed to make it larger. There is also a read aloud feature, currently under construction, which will allow students to listen to the article or read along as they hear it, as well as a “translate” button, also under construction. The site also supports students as they read with embedded definitions of words in articles, as well as embedded comprehension questions.

Each reading also has the vocabulary words listed at the end of the article, with definitions.

And here’s how the website is especially helpful for TABE preparation. Not only are there embedded comprehension questions which help students keep track of their understanding while they are reading; each reading also includes multiple choice assessment questions that are almost identical to the question types used on the TABE 11/12.

Each reading is also followed by discussion questions which encourage students to reread and use evidence to make an argument. These questions would be useful for quick-writes or more formal writing at the end of a lesson.

We all know that students need lots of practice with complex question types if they are to have a chance at tackling the new TABE. So if you are teaching students who will be taking the TABE 11/12 or the GED, don’t hesitate–check out Commonlit.org.

Note: Shout out to Jennifer Super and other teachers of the Capital RAEN North for bringing this resource to my attention and helping us all out!