Literacy Links

Classroom Management

Welcome to our Library...

Books and other resources described in the Library section may be requested for a 30-day loan. We will mail each borrower up to five loan items at a time (just two for first-time borrowers), and even include a postage-paid return address sticker for mailing them back to us! Borrowers must be affiliated with a non-profit program providing adult or family literacy services. Annotated bibliographies of our entire library of resources are available in hard copy by request, or can be viewed on our website. Call 800-441-7323 or e-mail tcall@tamu.edu to check out materials described here or to request hard copy listings of even more resources.

Advisory Board Development and Nonprofit Management

The Board Building Cycle: Nine Steps to Finding, Recruiting, and Engaging Nonprofit Board Members
Sandra R. Hughes, Berit M. Lakey, and Marla J. Bobowick. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2000. Continuous cycle for nonprofit board development includes: identifying, cultivating, and recruiting prospective board members; orienting new board members; encouraging board members to become more active; educating the board about the organization’s work and context; rotating out board members to make room for new skills and insights; engaging the board in a self-evaluation; and celebrating the board’s victories and successes. Authors include suggestions for involving former board members as advisors or committee members and removing difficult or ineffective board members. Book with accompanying diskette containing worksheets and forms is available for loan to Texas educators only.

The Courage to Lead: An Essential Guide for Volunteer Leaders, Board Trustees, and Public Servants
Robert A. Floyd. Austin, TX: 1st World Library, 2003. Essays on volunteer leadership include thoughts on subjects including authenticity, change, credibility, and trust. From the editorial notes: “To succeed in leading change, the leader must have stamina, courage, and the common sense to involve those affected by the change. It helps to have a sense of humor. ...Credible leaders believe in the inherent self-worth of every individual. They demonstrate this by affirming others and by showing confidence in their followers.”

Fearless Fundraising for Nonprofit Boards, Revised Edition
Worth George. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2003. Nobody is as credible a fundraiser as a board member with passion for the organization’s mission. But too often members are uncomfortable making a request or they’re afraid to ask. Written for the individual board member as well as board chairs, development committee chairs, and chief executives, this book presents ways to motivate and empower board members so they wholeheartedly involve themselves in fundraising activities. Book is a loan item for Texas educators only.

Managing Change: Lessons Learned from Nonprofit Leaders
BoardSource. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2002. Every nonprofit organization experiences a variety of changes such as a chief executive transition, reorganization, an affiliation or merger, expansion, or rebranding. Is your organization prepared to successfully navigate through these changes? In this book, leaders from a variety of nonprofit organizations share their experiences in dealing with change and offer real-life solutions that you can apply to other organizations. Each section offers an examination of key issues, illustrative case studies and abstracts, and important action steps.

Meeting the Challenge: An Orientation to Nonprofit Board Service
Washington, DC: BoardSource, 1998. Hosted by Ray Suarez, this resource highlights four basic principles of board responsibility — determining mission and program, ensuring effective over-sight, providing resoures, and participating in community outreach. These materials can be used as a board orientation tool and as a starting point for board development and strategic planning. The video features interviews with board members, chief executives, and experts in the field of board governance as they share their experiences and insights into nonprofit board service. Video is equally suited for viewing at home by an individual board member or as a group. User guide offers suggestions for viewing the video and questions to facilitate board discussion. Video with User’s Guide is available on loan to Texas educators only.

No Surprises: Harmonizing Risk and Reward in Volunteer Management, Second Edition
Melanie L. Herman and Peggy M. Jackson. Washington, DC: Nonprofit Risk Management Center, 2001. From the Introduction: “Because the least expensive and most morally defensible route is to prevent losses before they occur, this book will focus on prevention as the primary risk control strategy. Although legal liability and insurance are important topics, the best way to avoid being sued or needing to file an insurance claim is to prevent the harm from occurring in the first place.” Book includes advice on integrating risk management into the administration of a volunteer program.

The Nonprofit Legal Landscape
Ober Kaler. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2005. Designed for executives and board members, this book explains the laws and legal concepts that affect nonprofit organizations. It serves as a reference tool for laws specific to tax exemption and for those regulating general business practices. Book is a loan item for Texas educators only.

The Nonprofit Audio Toolkit.
Barry Silverberg, Executive Producer. Austin, TX: Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations, 2003. The eight CDs in this kit contain recordings of presentations at the January 2003 state conference of TALAE (Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education). Focus of the presentations is administration and development of community-based and nonprofit organizations. Ranging in length from 42 to 74 minutes long, the presentation topics include: Managing Time and Projects; The Importance of Effective Boards; Common Mistakes Managers Make; Holding Great Meetings that Make the Difference; Telling Stories to Change Beliefs, Attitudes and Perceptions; Developing an Effective Public Relations Communication Strategy; The Team Conflict Mediation Process; and Ten Secrets of Creating and Leading Exceptional Teams.

Nonprofit Legal Toolkit, September 2002 Edition.
Texas Community Building with Attorney Resources. Austin, TX: Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations, 2002. Manual was created for board members and executive directors of 501C(c)(3) nonprofits in Texas to provide an overview of Texas and federal laws governing the day-to-day operations of nonprofit organizations. While the manual provides a snapshot of some of the most relevant laws in areas where nonprofits commonly struggle, it is not to be used as a substitute for the advice of professional legal counsel. Sections include: Overview of Legal Requirements; Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws; Minutes and Agendas; Conflict of Interest and Procurement Policies; Federal Tax Matters; Risk Management; and more.

To Go Forward, Retreat! The Board Retreat Handbook.
Sandra R. Hughes. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 1999. Whether a board is bringing on new members, starting a strategic planning process, or conducting a self-assessment, a board retreat can be the best place to address some of the challenging issues facing a board and organization. Hughes distills lessons learned from over 20 years of leading retreats and consulting with nonprofits, such as the importance of gaining full commitment from the board’s leadership, selecting an outside facilitator, and setting clear and realistic goals. Handbook provides the dos and dont's of a successful retreat planning process. Book is a loan item for Texas educators only.

Classroom Management

How to Be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of School.
Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc., 1998. Book was written for teachers of all ages, to help them “jump start” by beginning the school year successfully. The authors motivate and encourage teachers to act as mentors and role models for one another. For administrators, the authors encourage quality training for increased retention and motivation of staff. Chapters cover: basic understanding of the successful/effective teacher; setting positive expectations; classroom management; designing lessons to help students reach mastery; and how teachers learn and grow to become professional educators.

Student-Centered Classroom Management.
Beatrice S. Fennimore. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers, 1995. Targeted to teachers at kindergarten through eighth grade level, this book addresses the topic of classroom management in a progressive, student-centered approach. Classroom management is not treated as a separate educational concern, but as connected with curricular design, developmentally appropriate practice, and multiculturalism. Positive and productive individual student behavior is closely related to action-based classroom teaching, which promotes meaningful learning and critical thinking.

Teacher to Teacher: A Guidebook for Effective Mentoring.
Jane Fraser. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1998. Fraser describes how mentoring is a growth experience for both the mentor and the protégé. Book includes suggestions concerning: how to establish a mentor-protégé relationship; techniques for helping beginning teachers with classroom management techniques; and the importance of protégé learning and reflection. The author also introduces a new growth model: peer coaching.

Teachers, Tools & Techniques: A Handbook for Adult Basic Education and GED Instruction.
Sandra L. Koehler, et al. Macomb, IL: Curriculum Publications Clearinghouse, 1992. This book of selected instructional strategies is designed specifically for instructors, tutors and volunteers involved in ABE and GED instruction. In addition to basic academic instructional strategies, classroom management topics such as working with multilevel learners, learning styles, retention and motivation are addressed.

Teaching Multilevel Classes in ESL.
Jill Bell. San Diego, CA: Dormac, Inc., 1991. Bell explores the widespread issues inherent in teaching and developing curriculum for multilevel classes. Includes suggestions for activities and exercises, and shows how these may be adapted to the interests and abilities of specific groups. Some chapter topics include: assessment and evaluation, planning a curriculum, classroom management, activities for the whole class, group activities, pair work, and a sample lesson plan sequence.

Unique Challenges of Working with Younger Adults

Can You Relate? Real-World Advice for Teens on Guys, Girls, Growing Up, and Getting Along.
Annie Fox. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2000. Book is organized in nine chapters dealing with issues that matter to teens: What’s Up with Peer Pressure? What are Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationships All About? Making Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationships Work; Sex, Unhealthy Romantic Relationships, and Goodbyes; Friends, Peers, and Enemies; Getting Along with Parents; Sibling Relationships; Dealing with Authority Figures; and Conflict Resolution Toolkit.

Choose to Change. Brandon Correctional Institution.
Fredericton, NB, Canada: National Adult Literacy Database, Inc., 2002. Inmates in the literacy program at Brandon (Manitoba, Canada) Correctional Institution produced this booklet to help other young people who have problems with alcohol and/or drugs. After many discussions, they decided to illustrate the “Twelve Steps to Sobriety” (based on Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Steps”) in a manner they believed would be appropriate for Native youth.

Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens: With Leader’s Guide, Revised and Updated Edition.
Earl Hipp and Connie C. Schmitz. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 1995. Written especially for teens who are overwhelmed, frustrated, tired, or stressed out by the challenges in their lives, Student Book offers stress-management and life-management skills. Skills include assertiveness, building relationships, taking risks, making decisions, staying healthy, dealing with fears, using positive self-talk, and “growing a funny bone”. Leader’s Guide with reproducible handout masters supports messages of the student book with a step-by-step curriculum in 12 sessions. Set of 2 books is available for loan to Texas Educators ONLY.

How Rude! The Teenagers’ Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior, and Not Grossing People Out.
Alex J. Packer. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 1997. An etiquette book that teens will want to read — because it keeps them laughing, doesn’t preach, and deals with issues that matter to them, as teens themselves reported in a nationwide survey. Packer blends humor with advice as he guides readers through the world of manners from A (Applause) to Z (Zits). Fourteen chapters describe the basics of polite behavior at home, in school, and in the world.

In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life.
Robert Kegan. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1994. In their roles as parents/partners/family members, workers, and citizens/leaders, adults must continually respond to an array of demands and expectations. A professor of adult learning and professional development, Kegan presents a theory of adult development as “ways of knowing” that evolve in response to the demands of modern life. Some sections include: The Mental Demands of Adolescence; The Mental Demands of Private Life: Parenting; The Mental Demands of Public Life: Work and Self-Expansion; and The Mental Demands of Postmodern Life.

Just Playing the Part: Engaging Adolescents in Drama & Literacy.
Christopher Worthman. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2002. Focusing on the transformative power of the creative arts process, the author offers readers a new way of thinking about literacy development and specifically the teaching of writing. This ethnographic account describes and analyzes the writing development of a group of teenagers involved in a community-based teen theater project, and includes both theoretical and practical insights. This successful program demonstrates the power of creative arts to stimulate academic and personal development, particularly for “at-risk” teens.

Lifers: Learning from At-Risk Adolescent Readers.
Pamela N. Mueller. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2001. Mueller researched, observed, interviewed, and worked closely with 22 high school students who are “all lifers ... students who have spent all their lives in remedial programs ... students who have much to teach us ... if only we will listen.” Book describes three reading workshops that Mueller and her colleagues implemented. The first lays the foundation for change through goal setting, reading activities, study strategies, and ongoing assessment. Second workshop enables small groups of “lifers” to “discover the power of language, both oral and written, in a safe and supportive setting. Third workshop is an individualized remedial class called Reading Rebound.

The Promise and Challenge of Mentoring High-Risk Youth: Findings from the National Faith-Based Initiative.
Shawn Bauldry and Tracey A. Hartmann. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures, 2004. This report examines how faith-based organizations designed and implemented mentoring programs for high-risk youth. Focusing on four NFBI sites in New York, Louisiana and Pennsylvania, the report takes up three key questions: How were the best practices of community-based mentoring programs adapted to address the specific needs of faith-based mentors and high-risk youth? How did the organizations draw on the faith community to recruit volunteers, and who came forward? And finally, how successful were the mentoring relationships — how long did they last and what potential did they show?

“Reading Don’t Fix No Chevys”: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men.
Michael W. Smith and Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002. “Prompted by research showing that girls as a group consistently outperform boys in tasks related to literacy, the authors attempted to determine the possible reasons behind this disparity. … The authors concede that their conclusions could conceivably apply to girls as well as boys, suggesting that addressing student needs by gender may not be the most productive tactic in establishing and promoting literacy. Still, this clear, easy-to-follow text is worth a look, in large part due to its exploration of student approaches to literacy in school and out and how those attitudes can be applied to develop more effective methods of teaching.” — Review by Alison Ching from School Library Journal.

The Struggle to Be Strong: True Stories by Teens About Overcoming Tough Times: With Leader’s Guide.
Al Desetta and Sybil Wolin, Editors. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2000. In 30 first-person accounts, teens tell how they faced and overcame major life obstacles. Readers learn about seven resiliencies — insight, independence, relationships, initiative, creativity, humor, and morality — that everyone needs to triumph over adversity. Leader’s Guide includes activities, exercises, and questions that help teens go deeper into the stories, relate them to their lives, and build resiliency skills. Includes reproducible handout masters. Set of 2 books is available for loan to Texas Educators ONLY.

The Survival Guide for Teenagers with LD (Learning Differences).
Rhoda Cummings and Gary Fisher. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 1993. Guide is intended to help young people with learning differences succeed in school and prepare for life after school. In addition to an explanation of LD and learners’ legal rights and responsibilities, the authors address life skill issues such as assertiveness, jobs, friends, dating, self-sufficiency, and responsible citizenship. Readability of book is tested at level 6.2. Audiocassette tapes offer text of book (running time: 222 minutes). Set of book and two audiocassettes is available for loan to Texas Educators ONLY.

Teenage Boys and High School English.
Bruce Pirie. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002. Adult educators with teenage boys in their classrooms may find the strategies in this book useful. Incorporating research from the fields of psychology, sociology, linguistics, and education along with his own years of teaching in the secondary classroom, Pirie offers strategies to address the particular difficulties teenage boys often have not only in reading and writing, but in speaking, listening, thinking, and feeling as well.

Understanding and Teaching Our Youngest Students.
Adult Basic Skills Professional Development Project. Boone, NC: North Carolina Community College System, 2003. Manual and CD-ROM are designed to provide professional development for Basic Skills instructors incorporating information and activities for the unique challenges of working with younger students in adult education. Interactive CD-ROM allows users to select learning paths for knowledge enhancement, learn through practice applications, and adapt strategies for specific students and classes. Topics include: challenges, characteristics, learning styles, classroom and instruction. Set of binder with CD-ROM is available for loan to Preferred Borrowers only. Ask how you can become a Preferred Borrower.

What Do You Really Want? How to Set a Goal and Go for It! A Guide for Teens.
Beverly K. Bachel. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2001. For teens, planning and goal setting are linked to improved school performance, motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem. This book offers a step-by-step guide to goal setting, written especially for teens. Each chapter includes exercises, practical tips, words of wisdom from “famous goal-getters”, real-life examples from teens, and success stories.

What Teens Need to Succeed: Proven, Practical Ways to Shape Your Own Future.
Peter L. Benson, Judy Galbraith, and Pamela Espeland. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 1998. The authors encourage teens to “build assets” — at home, in school, community, church, and with friends — in order to form a strong foundation for success in life and avoidance of risky behaviors. Book includes numerous true stories about teens who are building assets for life, resources to explore, and awareness-building checklists, quizzes, and activities.

Writing to Make a Difference: Classroom Projects for Community Change.
Chris Benson and Scott Christian, Editors. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2002. The student projects in this book demonstrate a powerful approach to teaching writing — one that requires no special equipment or resources and can be adapted for students of any age. The key is getting students involved in action research and in writing about issues that are important to them and their communities. Chapters describe projects covering a variety of issues including avoiding teenage health risks, preserving oral histories, fighting racism, investigating environmental hazards, decreasing instances of teen pregnancy, and much more.

Motivating Adult Learners

Adult Learning Methods: A Guide for Effective Instruction, Third Edition.
Michael W. Galbraith, Editor. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company, 2004. Written from a “how-to” perspective for practitioners, Part One of this book examines such topics as characteristics of a good teacher, understanding adults as learners, philosophical and teaching style orientations, designing instruction, motivation strategies, and ethical reasoning. Part Two describes various methods and techniques (discussion, lecture, interactive television, distance learning methods, learning contracts, course portfolio, critical thinking techniques, demonstration, simulation, case study, mentoring, etc.) and how to select among these options. Book is available on loan to Texas educators only.

Affect and Related Factors in Second and Foreign Language Acquisition.
Patricia Richard-Amato. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc., 1997. Book outlines a workshop analyzing the role that affect and other related factors (e.g., anxiety, motivation, risk-taking, and attitude) play in the second and foreign language acquisition process. Workshop packet (book plus audiocassette) offers five activities to help training or inservice participants relate the content of what they are learning to their prior knowledge and experience. The activities incorporate graphs, charts, and handouts for use in second and foreign language classroom settings.

Coaching for Performance, Second Edition.
John Whitmore. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 1996. According to the author, the essence of coaching is “unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” Whitmore describes and illustrates the use of coaching as a form of staff development and management. Some chapter titles include: The Manager as Coach; The Nature of Coaching; Motivation; Feedback and Assessment; The Development of a Team; and Overcoming Barriers to Coaching.

A Compendium of Icebreakers, Energizers, & Introductions.
Andy Kirby, Editor. Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press, Inc., 1992. This volume brings together 75 training exercises contributed by six different authors. They are all designed to facilitate training, increase learner motivation, and encourage group formation. Most are not specific to any particular training/learning content.

Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn: A Comprehensive Guide to Teaching All Adults, Revised Edition.
Raymond J. Wlodkowski. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1999. Book offers advice and strategies in a jargon-free style for teachers and trainers who want learning to be a motivating experience for adults. Drawing from recent research in the fields of cultural and ethnic studies, communications, cognitive psychology, systems theory, and multiple intelligences, Wlodowski gives examples of how to use this information in practical ways, taking into account cultural and gender differences in learner motivation. Book is available for loan to Texas educators only.

Get Off My Brain: A Survival Guide for Lazy Students.
Randall McCutcheon. Minneapolis, MN. Free Spirit, 1998. This book is designed to assist bored or frustrated students in taking an unconventional and humorous approach to school. Through new ideas, encouragement, and creative self-motivation, it encourages students to feel better about school.

Impact: A Handbook of Creative Teaching Methods for Adult Education.
Merrill Glustrom, et al. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of Education, 1991. Book provides concepts and techniques to help teachers develop the most useful teaching practices. General ideas, theories, and models are presented in terms of teaching. Authors address planning for instruction and ways to make teaching more student centered and facilitative. Topics include values, motivation, retention, and issues of responsibility and self-evaluation.

An Introduction to Helping Adults Learn and Change.
Russell D. Robinson. West Bend, WI: Omnibook Co., 1995. In an easy to read format, this book covers all aspects of adult learning. Some sample chapter titles are: Adult Motivation: Needs, Preceptions, Affect; Adult Experience: Interests and Values; and Conducting Evaluation: Instructional Improvement. Each chapter is laid out in an outline format with application worksheets.

The Learner-Centered Classroom and School: Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation and Achievement.
Barbara L. McCombs and Jo Sue Whisler. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1997. The authors show how both educators and administrators can create classrooms and schools that foster student motivation, learning, and achievement by respecting learners, trusting them to be responsible for their own learning, and designing practices sensitive to individual needs, abilities, and interests. Background research for this book focused on the question, “What best supports [learners’] inherent capacities and distinctive qualities?” — not only in academic areas, but in personal, social, and vocational realms. Book is available for loan to Texas educators only.

Learner Persistence in Adult Basic Education: NCSALL Study Circle Guide.
Cristine Smith, et al. Boston, MA: National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, December 2003. Guide is designed to be used by professional developers and practitioners in organizing and conducting Study Circles to help practitioners read, discuss, and use research to improve their practice. This guide addresses research that examines learner persistence, motivation, and retention in adult basic education. Based on findings of NCSALL research on learner persistence and on articles from Focus on Basics, NCSALL’s quarterly journal for practitioners.

The Power and Potential of Collaborative Learning Partnerships.
Iris M. Saltiel, Angela Sgroi, and Ralph G. Brockett, Editors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1998. Number 79 in the New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education series. Contributors describe a variety of collaborative partnerships in many different adult learning venues. Authors focus on the interactions between people, on how collaborative partnerships form, and on the nature of the personal relationships that so strongly drive motivation and learning. Book is available for loan to Texas educators only.

Family Literacy

Family-Friendly Communication for Early Childhood Programs.
Deborah Diffily and Kathy Morrison, Editors. Washington, DC: NAEYC, 1996. Messages featured in this book are intended for reprinting in newsletters or for use in other printed forms of communication with parents, such as bulletin boards and parent handouts. The ninety-three messages cover topics in the areas of learning together, early childhood, the classroom, literacy, math, science, social-emotional development, and family concerns. Book (116 pages): Loan Item (649.58 Dif).

Family Literacy Forum Vol, 2 No. 2 and Literacy Harvest Vol. 10 No. 1.
Claudia Ullman, Marguerite Lukes, and Jan Gallagher, Editors. San Diego, CA: Literacy Assistance Center and National Even Start Association, Fall 2003. The Literacy Assistance Center (LAC) of New York state and National Even Start Association (NESA) collaborated to create this joint publication on innovative practices and theory in family literacy education. Among the many articles, one by Stephen Green is on the topic, “Involving Fathers in Family Literacy”. This issue is available on loan to Texas educators only. Subscribe to Family Literacy Forum through National Even Start Association (http://www.evenstart.org/).

Home-School Relations: Working Successfully With Parents and Families, 2nd Edition. ;
Glenn W. Olsen and Mary Lou Fuller, Editors. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2002. Authors examine the nature of the contemporary family and its relationship to the school and provide practical advice for developing strong home-school relationships. In addition to covering the traditional topics of ethnic families, change in families, and parent-teacher communication, contributors delve further into the issues facing families today, such as: poverty, advocacy, fathering and domestic violence and their effect on families, and diversity (cultural, racial, religious, and sexual orientation).

Infant/Toddler Caregiving: A Guide to Setting Up Environments.
J. Ronald Lally and Jay Stewart. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education and WestEd, 1990. This concise guide outlines what is needed to create an infant/toddler care-giving environment. The section topics are: “Creating Environments for Infants and Toddlers—Key Concepts,” “Planning Your Infant/Toddler Care Setting,” and “Setting Up Specific Areas.” Topics include safety, health, comfort, movement, learning and development areas, peer play areas, and parent communication area.

Love To Read: Essays in Developing and Enhancing Early Literacy Skills of African American Children.
Barbara Bowman, Editor. Washington, DC: National Black Child Development Institute, Inc., 2002. This resource book for program administrators and professional development includes seven essays addressing literacy and African American children. Recommendations and strategies are discussed and the references are extensive. Some essay titles include: “A Structural Model Supporting Home Literacy Activities with African American Children” and “Integrity-based Approaches to Literacy Development of African American Children: The Quest for Talent Development”.

One Child, Two Languages: A Guide for Preschool Educators of Children Learning English as a Second Language.
Patton O. Tabor. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing, 1997. This easy-to-read book is written for early childhood teachers who are educating young children learning English as a second language. Some of the chapters deal with individual differences in ESL, how to use communication and classroom organization to support learning a second language, curriculum and programs, working with the parents, and assessment. Examples of child behaviors help explain and clarify the strategies that are presented.

Intercultural Awareness in Family Literacy and Beyond

Bridging Cultures Between Home and School: A Guide for Teachers.
Elise Brumbull, et al. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, 2001. The “Bridging Cultures Project” is a cultural framework developed by teacher/researchers in mainly immigrant Latino student classrooms. Understanding the cultural norms in both the school culture and the diversity of student families is discussed. Difficulties and solutions to improving school communication and family engagement is presented. A good overview of the importance and types of parent involvement is also discussed. Some of the topics covered include classroom strategies, home and school cultures, parent-teacher conferences, a framework of individualism/collectivism. It is a professional development resource for teachers and administrators.

Bridging Cultures in Our Schools: New Approaches That Work.  
Elise Trumbull, Carrie Rothstein-Fisch, and Patricia M. Greenfield. San Francisco, CA: WestEd, 2000. This knowledge brief provides a framework for understanding how teachers’ culturally driven — and often unconsciously held - values influence classroom practice and expectations, and, when in conflict with the values of immigrant and other parents from more collectivistic societies, can interfere with parent-teacher communication. The brief looks at some specific sources of cross-culture conflicts and illustrates some strategies for resolving them.

Cross Cultural Dialogues: 74 Brief Encounters with Cultural Difference.
Craig Storti. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1994. Book is a collection of brief conversations between an American and someone from another country and culture. Each dialogue contains at least one breach of cultural norms, which the reader is challenged to figure out. And a challenge it is: the exchanges are so brief and innocuous that even the wariest among us is caught off guard by the dialogue’s hidden subtleties. Ten cultures are represented by the non-Americans in the dialogues: Arab/Middle Eastern, British, Chinese, French, German, Latino, Indian, Japanese, Mediterranean/European and Russian. Whether a learner, trainer, or educator, solving these cultural riddles will increase your cultural awareness.

Developing Intercultural Awareness: A Cross-Cultural Training Handbook.
L. Robert Kohls and John M. Knight. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1994. This basic guide to cross-cultural training contains simulation games, case studies, icebreakers, and other training activities, provided as “resources.” In addition, the authors have mapped out one- and two-day workshops for those looking for a preplanned program. Appendices include guides to simulation games, videos and films, and further readings.

Experiential Activities for Intercultural Learning.
H. Ned Seelye, Editor. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1996. This book brings together a collection of thirty-two activities designed to augment the resources and expand the repertoire of trainers and educators concerned with intercultural learning. They focus especially on the development of cultural awareness and cross-cultural sensitivity and include simulations, case studies, role plays, critical incidents, and additional individual and group exercises. A number address relatively complex workplace issues; others focus on intercultural dynamics in educational contexts. They range from basic introductory activities to those that facilitate the exploration of intercultural issues in some depth. Editor H. Ned Seelye, has interspersed the collection with brief, witty comments on each of the selections. Book is available for loan to Texas educators only.