NPL Adult Literacy supports educators serving adult learners by offering information, tools, and professional development.
All library locations are closed Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.
Teachers
Sign Up for Resource Coaching
Resource Coaching introduces adult educators to all of the library resources at their disposal. After observing your class, a member of the Adult Literacy team at Nashville Public Library will write a personalized follow-up email listing resources useful to your practice. Every class is different and deserves unique attention. NPL will pull from library services, past events, library databases and partnerships to make sure that you get the resources you need.
Resources
How many adult learners do we serve around the city? This dashboard tracks our collective progress.
Pathways for Adult Learners
Learn how to make better referrals throughout the community.
Online resources, games, and exercises for tech skills. Learn the basics of using Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Find resources for English Language Learning.
Available to nonprofit partners in Davidson County. Lab includes 10 laptops and 1 Wi-Fi hotspot which can be delivered throughout the city for pop-up computer classes.
Meeting notes from past conferences and presenter notes and slides from past events.
Find upcoming professional development workshops and conferences.
Adult Educator of the Year
Honors an educator, paid or volunteer, who makes significant contributions to the work of Adult Education in Middle Tennessee.
Nominations for Adult Educator of the year typically open in late fall. Sign up for the Adult Literacy Newsletter and get notified when submissions open, along with other news and tips about Adult Education.
Michelle Davenport, 2026 Adult Educator of the Year
Michelle was nominated by Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) for her skills and empathy to her students, serving hundreds of English Language Learners over the past 12 years in Nashville. Sometimes it is hard to believe that Michelle has been teaching at NICE for over a decade because she brings such vitality to her classroom. She currently serves as the High Intermediate instructor at Donelson Fellowship teaching a class of 13 high intermediate students three days a week. She is very skilled in crafting lesson plans that practice comprehension and production skills, while engaging students with captivating, contextualized exercises such as shopping, cooking, and talking to an MNPS teacher.
“She is a good explainer, and she checks our homework and she gives us every Wednesday we play games she adds a new word when we are in class. And I feel comfortable when I am in her class and she helps a lot she sends us advice in class.” - Mustaf, one of Michelle's students
As the coordinator for the school, Michelle works with a range of students from Beginning Literacy to advanced. Recently she has shepherded field trips with adult students, exploring Opry Mills, community colleges, and museums with dozens of language learners. Onsite she creates activities that captivate students and help them connect to the community. On Wednesdays, we often host all classrooms together at Donelson. Michelle recognizes the needs of the multi-level classroom and orchestrates stations serving 25 students from Beginner to Advance with digital literacy, conversation practice, and civic lessons all in one session. This type of dynamic event is only successful when the leader is prepared yet adaptable, enthusiastic, and committed to student success.
