Ventures 4th Edition

Ventures covers the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) in every lesson, of every unit, at every level, promoting success on CASAS STEPS and other standardized .

Ventures 4th edition includes:

• Activities designed to mirror those found on CASAS STEPS, noted with a special icon
• Improved signposting for ELPS and CASAS STEPS with icons and competencies noted in the footer of every lesson.
• Updated correlations for CASAS STEPS, TABE CLAS-E, BEST Literacy 2.0, and BEST Plus 3.0
• Study & Succeed on Cambridge One, our learning management platform, provides practice and test-taking experience for CASAS STEPS.
   

Correlations coming soon

Ventures emphasizes authentic communication through an integrated-skills approach, incorporating listening, speaking, reading, and writing in every lesson. Adult Education students need all skills, but their skill proficiencies vary. This approach allows each individual to excel while improving skills they need more help with.

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Ventures is designed to be highly relevant to students' lives by incorporating real-life tasks into classroom activities. This ensures that adult can immediately apply their learning to their daily situations, such as giving and following instructions, working in teams, and asking questions to obtain information. By promoting and assessing learning through these practical functions, Ventures equips adult learners with the tools they need to successfully complete real-life tasks and solve problems through effective communication.

Ventures emphasizes classroom collaboration. Instead of relying solely on teacher-led instruction or individual work, Ventures provides students with frequent, meaningful opportunities to interact with their classmates. Each unit includes pair and group activities designed to encourage active language use in purposeful ways, such as solving problems, sharing opinions, or working on tasks together. These activities help students practice speaking and listening in low-pressure settings, building their confidence. 

The consistent lesson structure in all units, across all levels makes Ventures practical, saving teachers time when planning. The predictable format helps students feel comfortable and confident as they start to understand the routine, lowering anxiety and keeping them engaged. For adult learners juggling multiple responsibilities, knowing what to expect can make a big difference. Ventures strikes the right balance between teacher convenience and learner support.

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Career readiness expands students’ opportunities in the workplace by preparing them for skilled work and more challenging roles. These lessons help students learn about different jobs and pathways, as well as the language and skills needed within each cluster.

Career clusters are groups of careers that share similar skills and interests. Students interested in specific careers can find related options that might interest them by using the clusters. The different career clusters prepare learners for careers in education, hospitality, health, IT, transportation, business administration, and more.

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Digital literacy development is a critical part of Adult Education instruction. To succeed at school or in the workplace, learners need soft skills in key areas, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration supported by the creative application of digital technologies. Ventures has 5 digital literacy lessons in the Digital Workbook for each level.

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The Ventures author team has used their many years of experience as Adult Education educators and administrators to create a course that is both pedagogically sound and easy to use.

K. Lynn Savage first taught English in Japan. She began teaching ESL at City College of San Francisco, where she has taught all levels of non-credit ESL and has served as Vocational ESL Resource Teacher. She has trained teachers for adult education programs around the country as well as abroad. She chaired the committee that developed ESL Model Standards for Adult Education Programs (California, 1992) and is the author, co-author, and editor of many ESL materials including Crossroads Café, Teacher Training through Video, Parenting for Academic Success, Building Life Skills, Picture Stories, May I Help You?, and English That Works. She is a recipient of the Heinle and Heinle lifetime achievement award for her work for adult education students and their teachers. Lynn holds an MA in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Gretchen Bitterlin has taught Citizenship, ESL, and family literacy through the San Diego Community College District and served as coordinator of the non-credit Continuing Education ESL program. She was an item writer for CASAS tests and chaired the task force that developed the TESOL Adult Education Program Standards. She is recipient of The President’s Distinguished Leadership Award from her district and coauthor of English for Adult Competency. Gretchen holds an MA in TESOL from the University of Arizona.

Dennis Johnson had his first language-teaching experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea. Following that teaching experience, he became an in-country ESL trainer. After returning to the United States, he began teaching credit and non-credit ESL at City College of San Francisco. As an ESL site coordinator, he provided guidance to faculty in selecting textbooks. Dennis holds an MA in music from Stanford University.

Donna Price began her ESL career teaching EFL in Madagascar. She taught all levels of ESL and VESL at the Continuing Education Program, San Diego Community College District. She has served as an author and a trainer for CALPRO, the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project, co-authoring training modules on contextualizing and integrating workforce skills into the ESL classroom. She is a recipient of the TESOL Newbury House Award for Excellence in Teaching, and she is author of Skills for Success. Donna holds an MA in linguistics from San Diego State University.

Sylvia G. Ramirez is a Professor Emeritus at MiraCosta College, a teacher educator, writer, consultant, and a recipient of the California Hayward award for excellence in education, honoring her teaching and professional activities. She served as department chair, taught all levels of ESL, and provided leadership in developing student learning outcomes and pathways to college and career studies. Her MA is in education / counseling from Point Loma University, and she has certificates in ESOL and in online teaching.