Literacy Links

English Language Civics Education

FREE ... Yours for the Asking ...

All of these FREE materials may be requested from the Adult Literacy Clearinghouse by calling the Hotline at 800-441-7323 or e-mailing tcall@tamu.edu

ENGLISH LANGUAGE/CIVICS EDUCATION

Citizenship Navigator: A Guide for Teaching Citizenship. Weintraub, Lynne (1999). This curriculum guide is designed to aid citizenship and ESOL teachers and tutors in understanding the complex issues people encounter in the process of applying for United States citizenship. FREE copies available IN TEXAS ONLY Loan copies available for out-of-state requests.

EFF Role Map Posters. National Institute for Literacy (2000). These full-color, 17" x 22" posters come in sets of three - one for each adult role delineated in the Equipped for the Future framework. Citizen/community member is one role, along with parent/family member and worker. Each role map includes the following parts: key purpose or central aim of the role, broad areas of responsibility that are the critical functions adults perform, and key activities through which the role is performed. FREE copies available IN TEXAS ONLY.

English Literacy and Civics Education for Adult Learners: Special Policy Update. Tolbert, Michelle (August 2001). National Institute for Literacy report summarizes the federal legislation authorizing the English Literacy and Civics Education (EL/CE) demonstration project initiative, discusses the background of English literacy and civics education in the U.S., and describes the adult English language learner population today. In addition, the report reviews the current status of the EL/CE initiative, highlighting promising practices of the EL/CE demonstration projects now a year underway. FREE copies available IN TEXAS ONLY. Report is also available online in pdf format at: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/policy/updates.html.

Citizenship Preparation for Adult ESL Learners. Nixon,Thomas and Keenan, Fran (June 1997). This ERIC digest describes the educational requirements of the naturalization process and gives ESL teachers a variety of activities to use when preparing lessons for the citizenship exam.

ERIC DIGESTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

Education for Environmental Sustainability. Haury, David L. (1998). Sustainable development has been defined as development that extends beyond simple measures of "growth" to include qualitative improvements in daily life. This digest outlines an array of initiatives promoting education for sustainability, including lifelong learning within both formal and nonformal educational settings, multicultural perspectives of sustainability, and approaches to problem solving.

Environmental Literacy. Disinger, John F. and Roth, Charles E. (1992). Although the term environmental literacy has been used for more than two decades, it continues to lack precise definition. This Digest deals with environmental literacy as a specific literacy, offering a definition, three levels of environmental literacy, and explaining the attributes of the environmentally literate.

Information Sources for Environmental Education. Romanello, Samantha (1998). In this information age of instant access to libraries, databases, information centers, organizations, government agencies, and self-appointed experts worldwide, where do you turn for accurate, reliable, and up-to-date information about environmental education? This Digest lists some of the key information sources.

Outdoor Education and Environmental Responsibility. Boss, J. A. (1997). Awareness of environmental issues is not enough to preserve our world of limited natural resources. Students must also be prepared to recognize their environmental responsibilities and act upon them. This Digest reviews what various studies have shown about developing environmental responsibility.

Outdoor Education and the Development of Civic Responsibility. Boss, J. A. (1999). Civic involvement includes participation in government, associations (for example, charitable, religious, environmental, athletic, or arts) and community and economic development. For students to grow into fully participating citizens, they need to find their place in this Web of community life. This Digest suggests how outdoor education and experiential learning can develop such understandings in students, and set them on a path of strong participation and civic responsibility.

Place-Based Curriculum and Instruction. Woodhouse, J. L. and Knapp, C. E. (2000). Place-based education as advocated by John Dewey to help students connect with their particular corners of the world. Proponents of place-based education often envision a role for it in achieving local ecological and cultural sustainability. This ERIC Digest reviews place-based curriculum and instruction and provides examples of resources and programs.

Promoting a Concern for the Environment. Heimlich, Joe E. (1992). Just as with environmental issues themselves, there is no uniformity on how to best introduce and use environmental issues in the teaching and learning exchange. This Digest discusses how best to provide learners with understandings they need to make better decisions for the environment.

ERIC DOCUMENTS ON MENTORING

Mentoring and Work-Based Learning. Brown, Bettina Lankard (2001). This Alert identifies key issues involved in successful implementation of mentoring in work-based learning, its benefits, and a list of resources, techniques, and strategies for implementation.

New Perspectives on Mentoring. Kerka, Sandra (1998). This digest looks at new forms of and perspectives on mentoring and the kinds of learning that result from mentoring relationships.

Roles for Adult Educators. Imel, Susan (1999). Adult educators fulfill many roles: teacher, instructor, helper, facilitator, consultant, broker, change agent, and mentor. Report describes some trends, issues, and resources related to roles for adult educators.

RECRUITMENT, RETENTION & MOTIVATION OF ADULT LEARNERS

Adult Students: Recruitment and Retention. Wonacott, Michael E. (2001). This ERIC Practice Application Brief reviews recent research related to adult student recruitment and retention and provides guidelines for recruiting and retaining adult learners.

Beginning a Literacy Program. Woods, Nancy (1987). This 22-page document is an overview of the major aspects involved in beginning a new literacy program: Assessing the Need; Program Structure; Building a Program; Money Matters; Recruitment; Promotion; and Training. Also included are a bibliography; a sample program description; and sample forms for student referral, student intake, and tutor data.

Focus on Basics, March 1998. NCSALL/World Education (March 1998). Published quarterly by the National Center for Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, this issue's cover article is "Power, Literacy, and Motivation." Other featured articles are "Build Motivation by Building Learner Participation;" "Getting Into Groups;" and "Focus on Research: NCSALL's Learner Motivation Study." FREE copies available IN TEXAS ONLY. All back issues are also available online at: http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=31.

Motivation and the Adult New Reader: Student Profiles in a Deweyan Vein. Demetrion, George (2001). Utilizing educational philosopher John Dewey's concept of experiential learning, this study interprets the learning history of three male students at an adult literacy learning center. The author focuses on learners' progress toward goals or growth, rather than on goal attainment alone.

New Student Orientation Resource Book and Power Point Presentation. ABE/ASE Professional Development Center at North Harris Montgomery College (2001). Training/resource guide on CD-ROM includes several sections reflecting different components important in adult student orientation. Paperwork component includes enrollment forms and student portfolios. Self Discovery includes information on commitment/motivation, multiple intelligences, learning styles, goal setting, and student contracts. Additional sections of the Resource Guide include: Study Skills, Note Taking, Time Management, Testing Information, and Student Services. Document is available on the TCALL web site.

Outreach and Retention in Adult ESL Literacy Programs. Brod, Shirley (May 1995). While reports of overcrowded classrooms and long waiting lists for classes might indicate that intensive outreach and retention efforts are not necessary, many successful programs work hard to enhance outreach and ensure retention. This ERIC Digest discusses outreach methods; it examines learners' reasons for enrolling in ESL classes and for leaving the classes; and it suggests ways to improve retention.

FAMILY LITERACY

Disciplina: Enseñando Límites con Amor. The Reiner Foundation (2000). In this 31-minute Spanish Language video, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Antonia Novello shows parents that setting limits is not punishment, but a loving way to teach a child how to control his or her own behavior. Subjects include: why a child actually looks for limits; why a firm but gentle approach is most effective; and how parents can manage their own emotions and avoid physical punishment. Videotape and Pack of 10 Booklets are FREE to TEXAS requestors ONLY. Loan copies are available for out-of-state requestors.

Life After Funding: A Descriptive Study of Even Start Family Literacy Programs That Have Completed the Initial Funding Cycle: Summary Report. Martinez, Ann, Ph.D. (December 2000). This report summarizes Martinez' 1999 doctoral research study of local Even Start programs at the end of their federal grant funding cycle. The purpose of the study was to identify common practices of the programs that were able to continue and to identify barriers faced by the programs that were unable to continue with new funding sources. Summary is available in full text on the TCALL Web site.

Resource Guide for Family Literacy Programs in Texas. Seaman, Don. F., Alagaraja, Meera, and Earhart, Stella (October 2001). Developed in collaboration with personnel at Texas Education Agency's Division of Adult and Community Education and Even Start coordinators in Texas, this guide is intended to assist local family literacy projects in acquiring resources to better serve their clients. National, state, and local resources and funding sources are included for each component of family literacy: adult literacy education, early childhood education, and parenting education. FREE hard copies available IN TEXAS ONLY.