The pandemic has brought many, many challenges, but there have also been a few bright spots. One bright spot has been the generosity of so many educational websites in sharing resources, and one of the most generous gifts shared has been the extensive, ready-to-go vocabulary units for adult students from The Appalachian State University. For so many adult students, vocabulary-building is crucial to literacy development and the ability to read complex texts. The Reich College of Education’s Adult Basic Skill Professional Development site’s 20+ units, made available as a Google folder during the pandemic, can be assigned by teachers and also used by students for self-study. The words included are level-appropriate, Tier Two words–the kind that appear again and again in text, and are thus high-utility. Having these units in a Google folder makes it that much easier for students to access, and also for teachers to assign through Google Classroom.

Each unit includes a set of words; a chart for students to rate their knowledge of each word; definitions with examples, synonyms, antonyms and parts of speech; fill in the blank exercises; sentence completions which require students to apply their understanding, and a reading selection with comprehension questions that make use of the words studied. In addition, the each set includes a QR code that links to a set of Quizlet flash cards so that students can study on their own or with a partner.