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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 Click Here to view. 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.

Becoming Adult Learners: Principles and Practices for Effective Development.
Eleanor Drago-Severson. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2004. Applying Harvard psychologist Robert Kegan’s constructive-development theory, Drago-Severson investigates how and why adults develop “ways of knowing” to better prepare them for their work in the 21st century. Book provides practical suggestions for applying Kegan’s theory in adult basic education and ESOL classrooms to enable teachers, curriculum developers, program designers, and policymakers to better respond to adult learners’ strengths and learning needs.

Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education, Third Edition.
John L. Elias and Sharan B. Merriam. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing, 2005. The authors present seven theoretical approaches to adult education: liberal, progressive, behaviorist, humanist, radical/critical, analytic, and postmodern. Book gives the historical grounding as well as the basic principles for each approach. In this edition, each chapter has been revised and brought up to date. Chapter on radical adult education incorporates recent developments in radical education, phenomenology, feminist educational theory, and critical social theory. The book contains an entirely new chapter on post-modern adult education. Available for loan to Texas educators only.

Teaching with Fire: Poetry That Sustains the Courage to Teach.
Sam M. Intrator and Megan Scribner, Editors. San Francisco, CA:Jossey-Bass, 2003. According to the editors, teachers who care about their students must find ways to remember what teaching and learning are really about — and poetry has the power to keep teachers vital and focused on what really matters in life and in schooling. This book is a collection of eighty-eight poems from such well-loved poets as Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Billy Collins, Emily Dickinson, and Pablo Neruda. Each of the poems is accompanied by a brief story from a teacher explaining the significance of the poem in his or her life’s work. The book also includes an essay that describes how poetry can be used to grow both personally and professionally. Written in partnership with the Center for Teacher Formation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, royalties from sales of the book are used to fund scholarship opportunities for teachers to grow and learn.

Educating Hispanic Students: Obstacles and Avenues to Improved Academic Achievement.
Yolanda N. Padrón, et al. Santa Cruz, CA: Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence, 2002. This report synthesizes research on the education of Hispanic students, summarizing the problems confronting them and suggesting possible practices and solutions for approaching them. Report is divided into five sections: 1) Factors in the Education of Hispanics, 2) Educational Status of Hispanic Students in the United States, 3) Factors Associated With the Underachievement of Hispanic Students, 4) Factors Associated With the Educational Success of Hispanic Students, and 5) Implications for Policy and Practice.

Multiple Intelligences and Adult Literacy: A Sourcebook for Practitioners.
Julie Viens and Silja Kallenbach. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2004. This source-book includes: the basics of multiple intelligences (MI) theory - what it is and how it can inform practice; reflections on successes and challenges involved in using MI theory in adult education, including an array of activities for exploring MI theory with students; how MI theory can be used to develop learning experiences and instructional strategies that tap into students’ intelligence strengths; concrete examples of how teachers have translated MI theory into lessons and activities for language arts, learning English, writing, reading for meaning, math, science, and more; discussion questions for individual and group reflection; and classroom experiences for trying out ideas in your own settings.

Using Computers in Family Literacy Programs.
Cindy Nelson, et al. Louisville, KY:National Center for Family Literacy, 2003. Supported by Verizon, this publication features practical suggestions for enhancing the literacy and language development of children, increasing the literacy and parenting skills of adults, and building parent-child relationships through use of the computer in each of the four components of family literacy. The authors suggest ways family literacy programs can access free or inexpensive technology. Appendix includes tips on using computers to accomplish administrative tasks, guidelines for evaluating software, and tips on trouble shooting common computer problems.

Learning to Change: Teaching Beyond Subjects and Standards.
Andy Hargreaves and Lorna Earl, et al. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001. Based on the perceptions of 29 teachers in grades 7 and 8 as they grapple with such educational reform initiatives as integrated curriculum, common learning standards, and alternative modes of assessment, this book may be of interest to adult educators who are contending with similar reform initiatives. The authors focus on how reform proposals have brought new complexities to teaching practice and the intense emotional demands that change imposes on teachers. They also outline strategies for helping teachers through the difficult process of educational reform.

Scenarios for ESL Standards-Based Assessment.
Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc, 2001. ESL Standards are the starting point for discussions about how best to serve the needs of ESOL students. Building rich curricula and designing effective instruction are key components of effective programs. This book adds assessment to that discussion. It presents an assessment process for measuring students’ progress in attain ing ESL standards. A series of classroom-based scenarios illustrates how to weave the assessment process into ongoing instruction.

Cohort Programming and Learning: Improving Educational Experiences for Adult Learners.
Iris M. Saltiel and Charline S. Russo. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing, 2001. A cohort consists of a group of students who enter a program of studies together and complete a series of common learning experiences over a period of time. Designed as a practical guide for faculty, administrators, and students, this book addresses the concerns, issues, and “how to” questions pertaining to cohort-based programs. The book examines this unique program design that respects the self-directed aspect of the adult learner and provides the context in which social support can nurture learning.

Contextual Teaching Works! Increasing Students’ Achievement.
Dale Parnell. Waco, TX: CCI Publishing, 2001. The author combines anecdotal and quantitative evidence to prove that contextual teaching increases student achievement. Inspiring stories (from a variety of ages and levels) are combined with information on brain-based learning, contextual teaching/learning, and exemplary practices, including project-based learning. One chapter offers “What the Research Says About Contextual Teaching and Higher Levels of Student Achievement”.

Reading Work: Literacies in the New Workplace.
Mary Ellen Belfiore, et al. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2004. The authors explore the nature of literacies within contemporary workplace settings. This book provides workplace educators with new questions and dilemmas to consider in planning and teaching workplace education. By taking a social perspective on literacies in the workplace, this book challenges traditional thinking about workplace literacy as functional skills. A combination of ethnographic studies, analysis, and personal reflections makes the ideas accessible and relevant to a wide range of readers in the fields of adult literacy and language education. Available for loan to Texas educators only.

Unrealized Gains: How Workforce Organizations Can Put Money in the Pockets of Low-Wage Workers.
Mae Watson Grote. Philadelphia, PA: Pubic/Private Ventures, November 2004. Social policy continues to emphasize the importance of work, but many working families struggle to make ends meet. Work supports can be a critical factor in enabling people to make a successful transition to employment. This book offers tools and resources to help practitioners make use of work supports: laying the groundwork with a financial literacy curriculum, creating income packages, promoting access to work supports through advocacy and keeping graduates on track with a variety of retention strategies.

Basics of Assessment: A Primer for Early Childhood Educators.
Oralie McAfee, et al. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2004. Guide for teachers explains the concepts and vocabulary of doing assessments in early childhood programs. Topics include: what can and should be assessed; appropriate times to assesses; and how to get started. A glossary and annotated resources are included.

Exceptional Returns: Economic, Fiscal, and Social Benefits of Investment in Early Childhood Development.
Robert G. Lynch. Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute, 2004. This report synthesizes several research studies to develop an economic impact assessment for early childhood interventions. Lynch reports, “We estimate that providing poor three- and four-year-old children, 20% of all children in this age range, initially would cost about $19 billion a year. Such a program would ultimately reduce costs for remedial and special education, criminal justice, and welfare benefits, and it would increase income earned and taxes paid. Within about 17 years, the net effect on the budget would turn positive (for all levels of government combined). Within 30 years, the offsetting budget benefits would be more than double the costs of the ECD program (and the cost of the additional youth going to college). In addition, investing in our poor young children is likely to have an enormous positive effect on the U.S. economy by raising GDP, improving the skills of the workforce, reducing poverty, and strengthening the United States’ global competitiveness. Crime rates and the heavy costs of criminality to society are likely to be substantially reduced, as well.”

Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflicts in the Classroom.
Lisa Delpit. New York, NY: The New Press, 1995. Nearly 40 percent of the children in America’s classrooms are African American, Hispanic, Asian American, or Native American, yet most of those children’s teachers are white. The author argues that many minority students are erroneously labeled “underachievers” due to failures of communication between teachers and students. Delpit suggests that many of the academic problems attributed to children of color are actually the result of miscommunication as schools and “other people’s children” struggle with the imbalance of power and the dynamics of inequality plaguing our system.

Program Administration Scale: Measuring Leadership and Management.
Teri N. Talan and Paula Jorde Bloom. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2004. The Program Administration Scale (PAS) is an instrument to measure the leadership functions and management practices of an early childhood program. Twenty-five items are grouped in ten categories and are presented in evaluation forms. PAS is the only instrument to look at administration from an entire organizational viewpoint. A center going through this evaluation process will develop a profile to help in making program improvements. An administrator wishing to have new perspectives on program change will be able to identify new ideas by reading through the evaluation information.

Print Literacy Development: Uniting Cognitive and Social Practice Theories.
Victoria Purcell-Gates, Erik Jacobson, and Sophie Degener. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004. Is literacy a social and cultural practice, or a set of cognitive skills to be learned and applied? Drawing on research that reveals connections between literacy as it is practiced outside of school and as it is taught in school, the authors argue that students learn to read and write through the knowledge and skills that they bring with them to the classroom as well as from the ways that literacy is practiced in their own different social communities. The authors argue that until literacy development can be understood in this broader way educators will never be able to develop truly effective literacy instruction for the broad range of sociocultural communities served by schools. Available for loan to Texas educators only.

Young Men as Fathers: A Video for Educators and Caregivers.
Chino, CA: KidSafety of America, 2001. Educators, social workers, and correctional facilities realize more than ever that a child needs both mother and father. This video defines fatherhood, discusses myths and false assumptions, and discusses how to implement and maintain a fatherhood program or support system for teens and other young males. 30-minute video is available for loan to Preferred Borrowers ONLY. Ask us how you can become a Preferred Borrower.

Young Men as Fathers: A Video for Teens and Young Men.
Chino, CA: KidSafety of America, 2001. In music video style, young men learn about fatherhood through a cross section of young fathers, from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles. Although this video targets young fathers (and fathers-to-be) in their teens and twenties, young women can also gain a new perspective on the meaning of fatherhood. 17-minute video is available for loan to Preferred Borrowers ONLY. Ask us how you can become a Preferred Borrower.

Distance Education: The Complete Guide to Design, Delivery, and Improvement.
Judith L. Johnson. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2003. Johnson combines her extensive research and case studies to provide a comprehensive picture of the evolution and current status of distance learning in higher education. Topics include: Pedagogy, student support services, and case studies that illustrate real-life examples of how this new way of educating students is working; Design and delivery of programs, including the role of instructional designers and essential ingredients for an effective course; issues of assessment, evaluation, accreditation, and emerging technology standards; lessons learned by institutions and faculty already successfully using distance learning; and the latest research and what the future may hold. Available for loan to Texas educators only.

Distance Education: What Works Well.
Michael Corry and Chih-Hsiung Tu, Editors. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 2003. This compilation presents practical advice on how to set up distance learning programs that effectively serve the needs of students who don’t have access to the campus. The book examines issues surrounding development, implementation, teacher training, time management, and other important aspects of distance education. The authors offer lessons garnered from reallife experiences at several institutions to help educators explore the pros and cons of distance education – and what it takes to implement a distance program that really works.

Language Learning in Distance Education.
Cynthia White and Michael Swan, Editors. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Distance learning presents language teachers and learners with a new set of challenges, opportunities and practical realities. This book presents a comprehensive overview of important issues within the field and explores the ways in which all participants are adapting their practices in response to the new learning environment. Topics include: the idea of distance language learning; related concepts; issues and trends; the learner-context interface; developing awareness of distance language learners; the initial experience of distance language learning; learner autonomy; learner support; learning sources; new learning spaces; and the way ahead.

Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education, Second Edition.
Michael Simonson, et al. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. Book offers comprehensive overview of how to make the experience of the distance learner as complete and satisfying as that of the local learner. Authors cover the foundations of the field and how it came to be dominated by the Internet; and explain how to do distance teaching through computer technology, videotape, or simple audio techniques. Second edition offers increased coverage of online learning with specifics on designing, delivering, and evaluating online learning in every chapter. The authors also cover such hard-to-address topics as copyright protection and plagiarism; and offer treatment of multiple instructional models suitable for distance education. Available for loan to Texas educators only.

Teaching Online: A Practical Guide, 2nd Edition.
Susan Ko and Steve Rossen. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Pocket-sized book is a portable guide for instructors teaching distance learning courses or instructors supplementing a traditional classroom with online elements. This book can be used as either a course text or a professional resource. Written by authors who have both taught online courses and trained hundreds of faculty to teach online, the text serves as a pedagogical “how-to,” addressing instructors’ most commonly asked questions and concerns. Its informal style reassures readers that they do not have to be technology professionals to make the transition to the world of online teaching. Available for loan to Texas educators only.

Web-based Distance Education for Adults.
Barbara DuCharme-Hansen and Pamela Dupin-Bryant. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing, 2004. Guide is intended to assist instructors in creating and fortifying effective teaching approaches that embrace the unique needs of adult learners in web-based (online) distance education environments. The text is based on current research as well as the combined distance education administrative, teaching, and adult learning experiences of the authors. Readers will learn to put research and theory into action through the creation of distance education plans that incorporate strategies, methods, and activities. The goals are enhanced student learning and increased satisfaction for both instructor and learners.

The Change Agent Issue 20: Transitions.
Cara Anaam and Angela Orlando, Editors. Boston, MA: New England Literacy Resource Center, March 2005. The mission of The Change Agent is to provide news, issues, ideas and other teaching resources that inspire and enable adult educators and learners to make civic partici pation and social justice related concerns part of their teaching and learning. This issue focuses on transitions such as: choosing to pursue an education, being released from prison, coming to a new country, changing jobs, making important personal changes, and living without a safety net. Personal stories of students across the country tell of the courage, perseverance, disappointments, set-backs, determination, hope, and triumph that transition involves. This and other issues of The Change Agent can also be read online: http://www.nelrc.org/change agent/

Standards for Adult Education ESL Programs.
TESOL Task Force on Adult Education Program Standards. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc., 2003. Standards for transition and retention are among the components of a quality adult ESL program discussed in this publication, which defines quality components from a national perspective. The standards can be used to review an existing program or as a guide in setting up a new ESOL program. Standards include program indicators in eight distinct areas: program structure, administration, and planning; curriculum and instructional materials; instruction; learner recruitment, intake, and orientation; learner retention and transition; assessment and learner gains; employment conditions and staffing; professional development and staff evaluation; and support services. A program self-review instrument enables users to analyze their program’s strengths and areas for improvement and develop an action plan. Available for loan to Texas educators only.