Success Stories

Welcome to our Library...

“I appreciate the expertise that goes into the collection and selection of materials.”

Dr. Rebecca Davis
South Region GREAT Center

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.

Adulthood: New Terrain. Mary Alice Wolf, Editor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Winter 2005. The purpose of this resource is to acquaint and update practitioners in adult education and related roles with emerging and creative methods of: 1) appreciating the learner’s perspective, 2) moderating content and learning format to enhance meaning-making in the learning environment, and 3) developing tools to address alternative modes of development and growth that occur in adulthood and challenge adult educators on a daily basis. This volume explores dimensions of adult development from ethnographic, research, and theoretical perspectives.

Artistic Ways of Knowing: Expanded Opportunities for Teaching and Learning. Randee Lipson Lawrence, Editor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Fall 2005. This volume challenges the dominant paradigm of how knowledge is typically constructed and shared in adult education settings by focusing on ways in which adult educators can expand learning opportunities and experiences for their learners. Art appeals universally to us all and has the capacity to bridge cultural differences. Art can also foster individual and social transformation, promoting dialogue and deepening awareness of ourselves and the world around us. In each chapter, the author describes how one or more forms of artistic expression were used to promote learning in formal or informal adult education settings.

Authenticity in Teaching. Patricia Cranton, Editor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Fall 2006. Authenticity is one of those concepts, like soul, spirit, or imagination, that are easier to define in terms of what they are not than what they are. We can fairly say that someone who lies to students or who pretends to know things he or she does not know or who deliberately dons a teaching persona is not authentic. But do the opposite behaviors guarantee authentic teaching? Not necessarily. Becoming an authentic teacher appears to be a developmental process that relies on experience, maturity, self-exploration, and reflection. Contributors address five overlapping and interrelated dimensions of authenticity: self-awareness and self-exploration; awareness of others (especially students); relationships with students; awareness of cultural, social, and educational contexts and their influence on practice; and critical self-reflection on teaching.

Challenging Homophobia and Heterosexism: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Issues in Organizational Settings. Robert J. Hill, Editor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Winter 2006. This volume is designed for professionals interested in building safe and inclusive work and learning environments for adults related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Readers will gain knowledge, skills, tools, and resources to identify sexual minority needs; interrogate heterosexual privelege and fight homophobia; design and implement nonharassment and antidiscrimination policies; and build best practices into organizational strategies. It explores sexual identity development in the workplace through the lens of transformational learning theory and opens new ways to think about career development. Authors of the chapter entitled “Difficult Dilemmas: The Meaning and Dynamics of Being Out in the Classroom” write of the importance of challenging the unspoken presumption that teachers and students are uniformly heterosexual.

HIV/AIDS Education for Adults. John P. Egan, Editor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Spring 2005. Risk taking [that leads to HIV/AIDS exposure] is more likely to occur in communities that are marginalized: socially, economically, and in terms of wellness. The contributors here -- from the United States, Canada, and Australia, working in university-based and community-based environments and for divergent communities -- bring to the fore their specific experiences in the fight against HIV/AIDS. By examining HIV/AIDS through an adult education lens, we gain insights into how communities (and governments) can respond quickly and effectively to emergent health issues -- and other issues linked to marginalization.

The Neuroscience of Adult Learning. Sandra Johnson and Kathleen Taylor, Editors. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Summer 2006. Though recent research has added to our understanding of brain function and its implications for learning, few researchers have focused on the neuroscience of learning in adulthood. This issue examines links between this emerging research and adult educators’ practice. Now that it is possible to trace the pathways of the brain involved in various learning tasks, we can also explore which learning environments are likely to be most effective. Among the topics explored here are basic brain architecture and “executive” functions of the brain, how learning can “repair” the effects of psychological trauma on the brain, effects of stress and emotions on learning, the centrality of experience to learning and construction of knowledge, the mentor-learner relationship, and intersections between best practices in adult learning and current neurobiological discoveries

Teaching for Change: Fostering Transformative Learning in the Classroom. Edward W. Taylor, Editor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Spring 2006. Fostering transformative learning is about teaching for change. Many would argue that it takes intentional action, a willingness to take personal risk, a genuine concern for the learners’ betterment, and the wherewithal to draw on a variety of methods and techniques that help create a classroom environment that encourages and supports personal growth. This volume’s authors are seasoned practitioners and scholars who have grappled with the fundamental issues associated with teaching for change (emotion, expressive ways of knowing, power, cultural difference, context, teacher authenticity, spirituality) and asked ethical questions that need to be explored and reflected upon when practicing transformative learning in the classroom.

Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools. Robert J. Marzano. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004. Particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, insufficient background knowledge is a chronic cause of low achievement in reading. Drawing from 35 years of research, Marzano uses detailed vignettes to describe how a carefully structured combination of two approaches – sustained silent reading and instruction in subject-specific vocabulary – can help rescue low achievers and boost the academic performance of all students. Some of the tools described include: a five-step silent reading (SSR) program that extends through grade level 10; eight factors that determine the success of an SSR program; a six-step process for vocabulary instruction in the major disciplines; and the vocabulary terms that are critical to students’ success in every academic subject.

Dual Language Essentials for Teachers and Administrators. Yvonne S. Freeman, David E. Freeman, and Sandra P. Mercuri. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2005. This book “provides vivid portraits of students, teachers, and administrators who are at the center of a growing movement that has the potential to radically transform American education. As the research and practice in this book so clearly demonstrate, all students can develop fluency and literacy in two or more languages if we choose to give them the opportunity. This book is essential reading for all educators who are committed to preparing students to thrive in a global society where knowledge of additional languages is a key component of overall literacy.” -- Jim Cummins, University of Toronto.

Literacy and Language Diversity in the United States, Second Edition. Terrence G. Wiley. McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems, 2005. The author takes a fresh look at the differences between the literacy performance and educational achievement of language minorities and native speakers of English in this country and the social and educational policy debates that surround literacy in the 21st century. Based on national data (i.e., nearly 20% of children and adults in the United States speaking a native language other than English), the book examines language diversity in the United States; outlines what we know about the development of English literacy, native language literacy, and literacy in two languages; and explores how to make informed national policy decisions.

The Literacy Coach’s Handbook: A Guide to Research-Based Practice. Sharon Walpole and Michael C. McKenna. New York, NY: The Guilford Press, 2004. Although written for elementary school teachers, the concepts in this handbook could translate to adult as well as family literacy settings. A literacy coach has a three-part role, with leadership skills, diagnosis and assessment skills, and instructional skills all serving the overall goal of improving student learning. Information and strategies are presented to design and conduct a literacy coaching program based on concepts and methods emerging from scientifically based reading research.

Teaching Adult English Language Learners. Richard A. Orem. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company, 2005. This book brings together information about policy, second language acquisition theory and research, methods and materials for teaching adult English language learners, program design, and cross-cultural issues that effect learning in adult ESL classrooms. It also discusses the context within which adult ESOL instructors work and in which adult ESOL programs function. The framework for this discussion of context draws from the developing framework of standards for teachers of adult learners under consideration by TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.).

Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Janet Allen. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers, 2004. Reading and writing across content areas is emphasized in this compact tabbed flipchart book designed as a ready reference for content reading and writing instruction. Each of thirty-three instructional strategies includes: a brief description and purpose for each strategy; a research base that documents the origin and effectiveness of the strategy; graphic organizers to support the lesson; and classroom vignettes from different grade levels and content areas to illustrate the strategy in use. The definitions, descriptions, and research sources also provide a quick reference when implementing state and national standards, designing assessments, writing grants, or evaluating resources for literacy instruction.

What Research Has to Say About Fluency Instruction, Third Edition. S. Jay Samuels and Alan E. Farstrup, Editors. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2006. This resource for classroom teachers and teacher educators offers a range of expert perspectives on key aspects of reading fluency. Those include: history; definitions; instruction and development; measurement and assessment; issues for struggling readers; English language learners; students with dyslexia, and more. Discussion questions encourage further understanding and reflection for individuals and group study.

Why Jane and John Couldn’t Read — And How They Learned: A New Look at Striving Readers. Rosalie Fink. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2006. “Striving readers” are those with dyslexia or a childhood history of severe reading difficulties. Based on research in reading instruction, Fink describes a model of instruction for striving readers, focused on their personal interests, topic-specific reading, deep background knowledge, contextual reading strategies, and mentoring support. The model moves away from a deficit approach to conceptualize striving readers in a new way. Chapters offer success stories of readers who overcome their struggles and highlight instructional strategies and materials teachers can use to develop activities and lessons for adults as well as children. Howard Gardner of the Harvard Graduate School of Education describes this book as “One of those rare books that raises and answers a fascinating question: How do some severely impaired dyslexics manage to master reading and to succeed in their life pursuits?”

Material World: A Global Family Portrait. Peter Menzel, et al. San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books, 1994. Using 350 color photographs, text, and comparative charts, this book demonstrates the context for the emerging global economy and what it means to be “statistically average,” by displaying families in more than thirty nations outside their homes - with all their possessions in view. The text describes what it means to be “average” in each of thirty very dissimilar cultures and the impact of each way of life on the local environment. Statistical information about each country accompanies the photo-essays so that readers can easily compare one culture with another. The book provides a vivid portrait of multicultural diversity and a preview of emerging issues raised by the impact of the global economy on the cultural heritage of the human community. ESL expert Heide Spruck Wrigley recommends the book for use in ESL and Civics classes. Pictures in the book, for example, could be used to stimulate oral language, and the written content could be adapted for lessons at a variety of literacy levels. TCALL’s Clearinghouse Library lends this title to Texas educators ONLY.

EL Civics Citizenship Study Guide: Texas Edition for Spanish Speakers. Mercedes, TX: High Tec Productions, 2004. Study guide includes a booklet and a DVD with three video segments: The Federal Government; Constitution and History; and Symbols and State Government. In each segment of the DVD video, each question is first asked in English with a picture or video that represents the topic. The question is then repeated in Spanish, then once again in English followed by a pause for the listener to answer the question in English. (Also available in Texas Edition for Spanish Speakers).

Problem Posing at Work: English for Action, Revised Edition. Elsa Auerbach and Nina Wallerstein. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Grass Roots Press, 2004. Intended for intermediate to advanced ESL students in workplace, pre-vocational, vocational, community-based, union, and labor education programs, this student book contains 30 lessons that focus on workplace themes and issues related to the working lives of immigrants and refugees. Inspired by the problem-posing approach of Paulo Freire, the book invites learners to share and analyze their experiences, to acquire the language, skills, and information necessary for greater power over their circumstances, and to strategize together for changes. It includes photos and stories of workers active in their workplaces and communities, with eleven instructional units, appendices, and a teaching guide.

Becoming Literate: The Construction of Inner Control. Marie M. Clay. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Education, 1991. One of the influential researchers in reading theory, Marie Clay, expands on her ideas about early literacy and a network of competencies in this book. Early learning building on competencies and emergent literacy building on developmental learning are the broad ideas discussed. Observation as a teaching tool is presented. Chapter topics include: learning how to learn language; emerging literacy; tuning in to individual differences; oral language support for early literacy; print awareness; interacting with beginning reading books; and the deep structure of success: reading strategies. TCALL’s Clearinghouse Library lends this title to Texas educators ONLY.

Beginning Literacy With Language: Young Children Learning at Home and School. David K. Dickinson and Patten O. Tabor, Editors. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing, 2001. This edited book looks at the early interactions of children with parents and teachers, and the later school literacy skills of the children. Research is from the Home-School Study of Language and Literacy Development, which studied environments of the home, child care, and school of 3, 4, 5 year olds. Other research studies are mentioned and developmentally appropriate practice is discussed. The book is appropriate for those needing a closer look at the research into the early literacy environments of young children.

Changing Rhythms of American Family Life. Suzanne M. Bianchi, John P. Robinson, and Melissa A. Milkie. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation, 2006. This book is a sociological analysis of how American families are spending their time. Chapters include these topics: parenting; measuring family time; changing workloads; housework, leisure, personal care, relationships; stress and time pressures of parents; children’s time use; multinational patterns in parental time; and gender equal parenting.

Children Achieving: Best Practices in Early Literacy. Susan B. Neuman and Kathleen A. Roskos, Editors. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 1998. Chapters from a variety of contributors focus on appropriate practices in teaching early literacy skills. Topics include developmentally appropriate practice, early literacy skills, ESL children and literacy, inclusive early literacy teaching and children with disabilities, culturally responsive instruction, motivating children, parent involvement, technology and early literacy, assessment, professional development, and learning resources. TCALL’s Clearinghouse Library lends this title to Texas educators ONLY.

Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. Barbara T. Bowman, M. Suzanne Donovan, and M. Susan Burns, Editors. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. This comprehensive review of research includes findings from the Committee on Early Childhood Pedagogy. Topics include early learning of young children (two to five-years-of-age), the importance of relationships, and the influence of different social and economic groups. Theories and practices for school and home settings, teachers and other relationships, special populations, assessment and diagnosis, and teacher planning and development are discussed. All aspects of early childhood learning are reviewed with recommendations for practice in an executive summary and a summary of state programs.

Handbook of Early Childhood Literacy. Hall, Nigel, Larson, Joanne, and Marsh, Jackie, Editors (2003). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. “This book is unique in its global focus. …the Editors have situated current research in an historical context”, writes Diane Barone, PhD, University of Nevada. Sections include perspectives in early literacy; early childhood literacy in families, communities, and cultures; early development; school settings; and research methodologies. The book provides a good foundation and an in-depth, comprehensive, cross-cultural look at early childhood literacy.

Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Volume 2. David K. Dickinson and Susan B. Neuman, Editors. New York, NY: Guilford Press, 2006. “Writing in a manner that is accessible to both researchers and practitioners, the contributors go beyond updating us on the vast amount of accumulated knowledge on emerging and early literacy. They help us make sense of its applications to our work with young children and those who care for and teach them,” writes Dorothy S. Strickland, PhD, Rutgers University. Volume 2 continues to synthesis early literacy research and theory. Topics range from teacher-child relationships, school transitions, vocabulary development, Vygotskian theory, impacts of stands-based instruction, cognitive and linguistic building blocks, phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, and linguistic diversity. The handbook is appropriate for an introduction and reference to early literacy. Volume 1 is also available.

Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Catherine E. Snow, M. Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin, Editors. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1998. Reading research is summarized and presented in a usable and easy to understand format. Chapters include: the process of learning to read; who has reading difficulties; predictors of success and failure in reading; preventing reading difficulties before kindergarten; instructional strategies; and organizational strategies. Research information is discussed and in easy to access charts. The information presented concerning the first five years, child development, and child experiences in the early years is of interest to family literacy educators. TCALL’s Clearinghouse Library lends this title to Texas educators ONLY.

The Voice of Evidence in Reading Research. Peggy McCardle and Vinita Chhabra. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2004. The authors look at landmark research summary reports, the Report of the National Reading Panel and the Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, and further the discussion about using evidenced-based data and criticisms of National Reading Panel work. Questions addressed are “why scientific research?” and “where are we today and where are we going?” Sections include an overview, “reading research that provides evidence: the methods,” “evidence-based practices that teachers are asked to implement,” reading research evidence in the classroom,” and “neuroimaging and brain research.” This book is a comprehensive resource about reading research and the evidence behind policies that have been implemented.