Volunteer Literacy

Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki – Learn about adult literacy education or add knowledge from your experience teaching adult learners, from research or professional wisdom, or from your experience as an adult learner. This community of practice has links to research for practitioners, researchers, learners and other adult literacy educators, including English language learning, numeracy, and adult basic and secondary education.

Literacy Texas (formerly known as Texas Association of Adult Literacy Councils)

OneStar Foundation - works on behalf of the State of Texas to strengthen the capacity of local communities to address their most pressing needs. By coordinating the efforts of important community initiatives in our state, OneStar promotes service and volunteerism, forges effective public and private partnerships, and works to increase the performance of non-profit organizations.

ProLiteracy Wordwide (merger of Literacy Volunteers of America and Laubach Literacy)

TechSoup – This nonprofit project provides other nonprofits and libraries with technology to fulfill their missions and serve their communities. TechSoup provides discounted technology products and information geared specifically to nonprofits and libraries, as well as learning resources including articles, blogs, free webinars, and forums led by expert hosts.

Texas C-BAR - provides free legal assistance to Texas nonprofits working to improve the quality of life in low-income neighborhoods. Texas C-BAR recruits experienced transactional attorneys, who volunteer to help these organizations with their corporate, real estate, tax and employment law needs.

Awesome Stories This website includes high-interest stories that students in pre-GED® test or Intermediate-Advanced ESL classes would enjoy reading. Categories of the stories include: Biography, Disasters, Famous Trials, Flicks, History, Inspiration, Religion, and Law Buzz. (Requires an Adobe® Flash® browser plug-in to be downloaded from their home page in order to view all the information.)

Managing Stress to Improve Learning New England Literacy Resource Center site has research-based information on how chronic stress, adverse life conditions, and trauma affect the brain and learning; and ideas about integrating stress management and the promotion of mental health in the adult education classroom.

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary and Thesaurus Site also includes word games and a featured "word of the day" to build vocabulary.

ProLiteracy Education Network – With support from The Verizon Foundation, ProLiteracy hosts this site to provide resources to meet adult literacy needs in the U.S. and around the world. Site is organized around sections for adult Students, Instructors, and Organizations.

Rhyming Dictionary Carnegie Mellon University hosts this site, in which students can find numerous rhymes for any word, as well as games and puzzles related to rhyming.

Skillswise is a website with resources for both adult learners and tutors to help adults improve their reading, writing and math skills. Factsheets, worksheets, quizzes and games to help adults improve their English skills (grammar, spelling, reading, listening, writing, and vocabulary) and math skills (whole numbers; measures, shape and space; fractions, decimals and percentages; and handling data). Skillswise is being developed and created by BBC Interactive Factual and Learning.

Web Sites for Teaching Phonics College of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign hosts this site linking to numerous phonics teaching resources.

Activities for Integrating Civics in Adult English Language Learning found on the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) website has several lesson plans centered on using music to integrate civics education into the ESL classroom, as well as activities centered around Black History Month. In both of these areas, there are activities geared towards beginning, intermediate, and advanced learners.

Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki – Learn about adult literacy education or add knowledge from your experience teaching adult learners, from research or professional wisdom, or from your experience as an adult learner. This community of practice has links to research for practitioners, researchers, learners and other adult literacy educators, including English language learning, numeracy, and adult basic and secondary education.

Awesome Stories This website includes high-interest stories that students in pre-GED® test or Intermediate-Advanced ESL classes would enjoy reading. Categories of the stories include: Biography, Disasters, Famous Trials, Flicks, History, Inspiration, Religion, and Law Buzz.

Ben's Guide is hosted by the U.S. Government Printing Office to help children learn about US Government. But it can also be useful for adults studying for the citizenship test. For fun, try the easy picture matching game, or the vocabulary puzzle.

Bright Ideas ESL-Civics Curriculum for Very Beginning ESL Learners - The free, web-based curriculum was designed for elderly learners participating in community-based ESL programs, but applies to any age of adult learner for developing oral English communication skills and providing opportunities for learners to use these skills inside the classroom and outside in the community.

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) – Mission of CLINIC is to enhance and expand delivery of legal services to indigent and low-income immigrants. Website includes directory of 307 local CLINIC affiliates, including 15 in Texas. Resources include Citizenship for Us handbook, which attempts to provide clear and concise information that is up-to-date and comprehensive, covering changes in the law, regulations, and procedures.

"Civic Participation and Citizenship Special Collection" Web-based resources reviewed and compiled by National LINCS

EL Civics Professional Development Courses Online – to assist teachers in creating interesting and effective lessons that integrate U.S. history and U.S. government into adult ESL classes, the Adult Learning Resource Center in Illinois developed this FREE training with guidance from the Center for Applied Linguistics under an agreement with OVAE and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Citizenship.

EL Civics Website for ESL Students - Created by an adult education teacher in Garden Grove, California, this website for students includes a picture tour of the Statue of Liberty, Washington, D.C., and the American Bald Eagle. It also has free downloadable worksheets and crossword puzzles.

English Literacy and Civics Education - This brief, written by staff members of CAELA (Center for Adult English Language Acquisition), explains the purpose and content of the U.S. Department of Education's English Literacy and Civics (EL/Civics) Education program. The brief also describes some ways that teachers can develop EL/Civics classes appropriate for learners at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of English proficiency.

How can I help immigrants prepare to take the U.S. citizenship test? - ProLiteracy produced this collection of teaching and learning materials for ESL learners eligible to apply to become citizens and take the naturalization test. These materials are available for FREE on Thinkfinity Literacy Network, part of the consortium of sites on Verizon Thinkfinity.org and includes online, self-paced courses for instructors, print materials, lessons, podcasts, and online student practice interactives.

Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today This is a collection of online activities and lesson plans, as well as teachers' guides, for use in the classroom or independently by adult learners. These activities are sponsored by the Scholastic publishing company.

Preparing For The Oath: U.S. History And Civics For Citizenship - Easy to use study guide for the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization test was developed through a partnership between the National Museum of American History and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services The USCIS website details general and special requirements for becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. This page also provides U.S. History and Structure Study Guides for the Civics Exam, which applicants are required to pass before being considered eligible for U.S. Naturalization. The USCIS is developing new English, U.S. history, and government tests. See the USCIS home page to review 144 Questions and Answers for the New Pilot Naturalization Exam.

Correctional Education Association

Correctional Education Curriculum & Instruction - This page on the website of CPAL (Community Partnerships for Adult Learning) includes How-To's, Research, Journals, and Website links pertaining to Correctional Education Curriculum & Instruction. CPAL is a project of U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

Correctional Education Page on OVAE Site – Web page provided by Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education includes the history of correctional education, federal grant programs for this population, state contacts, resources and frequently asked questions. 

Corrections Education, Focus on Basics, Vol. 7, Issue D, (September 2005)

Education Network - Education Network is intended to encourage communication among corrections and criminal justice professionals regarding educational programs, procedures and systems, and to inform the industry of new program developments taking place at the federal, state and local levels.

Mother Jones Magazine ran a report on prisons in 2001. They have a nifty website with an "Incarceration Atlas" that has information about every state and the federal prison system, such as comparisons of funding for education and prisons. The data is as of the year 2000, but might still be of considerable interest to those serving prison populations.

Project Metamorphosis - This corrections curriculum integrates basic skills, job skills, and cognitive skills. Free hard copies available to Texas educators from the Clearinghouse Library (800-441-READ).

Three State Recidivism Study - The Correctional Education Association conducted the Three State Recidivism Study in 2001. Data analysis indicates that inmates who participated in education programs while incarcerated showed lower rates of recidivism after three years. Free hard copies available to Texas educators from the Clearinghouse Library (800-441-READ).

Windham School District Texas Prison Education System

Activities for ESL Students offers short practice activities for almost every ESL topic you can think of, at every level. There's no audio, but many of the activities include visuals. This is a project of The Internet TESL Journal.

CAELA -- The Center for Adult English Language Acquisition -- was created to help states build their capacity to promote English language learning and academic achievement of adults learning English. Funded by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), U.S. Department of Education, CAELA accomplishes its mission through building state capacity for improving the skills of teachers and administrators in adult ESL programs; developing an easy-to-use repository of resources that are accessible through the CAELA Web site; producing easily accessible materials that synthesize research and make applications to practice; developing a toolkit of training materials for professional developers; and providing technical assistance to adult ESL teachers, programs, and states.

The Center for Literacy -- Located at Baylor University's School of Social Work, the center's mission is to support research, development, and evaluation of programs and models that help people become proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English. Baylor's School of Social Work brings a distinctive faith-integrated approach to quality education.

Colorin Colorado - Designed by WETA's Reading Rockets, this website provides information, activities, and advice for Spanish-speaking parents and educators of English language learners.

Eating Well, Living Well – Website developed by San Diego Community College has free nutrition lessons for English language learners (ELL) at various levels and a resource list of free nutrition-related materials as well as special links for ELL teachers.  These materials, developed with federal funds, are designed for agencies that serve adults eligible for food stamps.

English for All - FREE, multimedia system for high-beginning level adult students. ESL/basic skills/life skills course includes twenty 15-minute video segments with real-life stories featuring a multi-ethnic cast and a friendly host, who explains language and skill content throughout each show. The 20 video segments can be accessed in streaming video online or as reproducible VHS tapes (a Clearinghouse loan item - call 800-441-READ to check them out). English for All Print Materials include over 400 pages of exercises and activities in Portable Document Format (PDF), also downloadable from the Web site or available free on CD-ROM from the Clearinghouse (call 800-441-READ to request). English for All Website also includes interactive student activities and a course management system for teachers to track student progress.

EL/Civics Online – Series of online professional development courses for ESL instructors and volunteers who wish to incorporate EL/Civics content into their adult ESL classrooms will assist teachers in creating interesting, effective ESL lessons. EL/Civics Online is a collaborative project of the U.S. Department of Education/Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services/Office of Citizenship (USCIS).

English Literacy (EL/ESL) page on website of CPAL (Community Partnerships for Adult Learning) - Site includes How-To's, Research, Journals, and Website links about English Literacy, ideas on how to incorporate learners' interests into the curricula, and other helpful materials.

ESL Monkeys - English-as-a-second-language teaching materials and learning resources for teachers, students & schools. Search for ESL jobs, lesson plans, English schools/programs, books, school resources and more.

Florida Adult ESOL Task Force Lesson Plans

Harnessing Technology Web Page - The Harnessing Technology Web pages help adult literacy education (ABE/GED® Test/ESL/ESOL) teachers and learners to use computers, television, audio and video cassettes, and other electronic technology to help solve learning and instructional problems. The Web pages grow and improve as practitioners and learners describe problems and contribute good solutions which use technology. Problems and solutions which are unattributed are those of site host David J. Rosen of Boston's Adult Literacy Resource Institute.

Idiom Quest - Idiomquest is a searchable database of American English idioms. It is designed to be used as a reference site to support the learning interests of students (TOEFL, ESL, EFL), businesses, and linguists.

Interesting Things for ESL Students has games, quizzes, exercises and lots of other activities. The site offers explanations of hundreds of idioms, together with quizzes to practice them. This site is non-commercial and has no advertising and was created by Charles I. Kelly and Lawrence E. Kelly.

Internet Picture Dictionary The Internet Picture Dictionary is an online multilingual picture dictionary designed especially for ESL students and beginning English, French, German, Spanish and Italian language learners of all ages. There are also activities to help remember new vocabulary: flashcards, fill-in-the-blank, word scrambles, stinky spelling and straight recall.

Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition (LESLLA) for Adults – International forum of researchers who share an interest in research on the development of second language skills by adult immigrants with little or no schooling prior to entering the country of entry. Goal of the LESLLA is to share empirical research and information to help inform and guide further research on second language acquisition for the low-educated adult population.

Practitioner Toolkit: Working with Adult English Language Learners was developed by National Center for Family Literacy and National Center for ESL Literacy Education at the Center for Applied Linguistics . Texas practitioners may also request a hard copy free from the Clearinghouse Library.

Project CONNECT - On this web site, adults enrolled in adult education classes can practice their English skills and learn about working, studying and living in the United States -- all online using a computer with reading, writing, audio, video, Internet and email activities. Teachers can set up online class groups, send and receive email with their classes and review student work. Project Connect was created by PBS, the National Center for Adult Literacy at the University of Pennsylvania and Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky in partnership with KET - The Kentucky Network.

ProLiteracy Education Network – With support from The Verizon Foundation, ProLiteracy hosts this site to provide resources to meet adult literacy needs in the U.S. and around the world. Site is organized around sections for adult Students, Instructors, and Organizations.

Pumarosa - This free website for Spanish speakers learning English provides lessons on English words and phrases as well as grammar exercises. Lessons are at beginning and intermediate levels. Beginning level lessons include audio demonstrating pronunciation in both English and Spanish. It also can be used by students whose native language is other than Spanish.

Skillswise is a website with resources for both adult learners and tutors to help adults improve their reading, writing and math skills. Factsheets, worksheets, quizzes and games to help adults improve their English skills (grammar, spelling, reading, listening, writing, and vocabulary) and math skills (whole numbers; measures, shape and space; fractions, decimals and percentages; and handling data). Skillswise is being developed and created by BBC Interactive Factual and Learning.

The Study Zone offers extensive interactive practice with grammar, reading, vocabulary, and idioms. Hosted by the English Language Center at University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Teaching Reading to Adult English Language Learners: A Reading Instruction Staff Development Program - Prepared by the Center for Applied Linguistics for Virginia's Adult ESOL Program and published by The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, this 15-hour training will acquaint participants with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to teach reading effectively to adult, nonnative speakers of English. Content is based on research on the reading process in general, on the process of learning to read as an adult, and learning to read in another language. (This is a PDF document - download Adobe® Acrobat® Reader)

The Idiom Connection offers explanations of hundreds of idioms, together with quizzes to practice them.

Tex-TESOL

Managing Stress to Improve Learning New England Literacy Resource Center site has research-based information on how chronic stress, adverse life conditions, and trauma affect the brain and learning; and ideas about integrating stress management and the promotion of mental health in the adult education classroom.

"Advice and Information on Grant Seeking and Proposal Writing" The Ohio Literacy Resource Center site houses numerous resources on proposal development, the differences between public and private funding sources, and strategic planning.

Department of Education Forecast of Funding - This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for FY 2002 and provides actual or estimated deadline dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts--organized according to the Department's principal program offices--and include programs and competitions the Department has previously announced, as well as those it plans to announce at a later date. Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official application notice of the Department of Education.

Division of Discretionary Grants at Texas Education Agency

General Fundraising page of PNNOnline - PNNOnline delivers news, information, and resources to all segments of the nonprofit world in order to help them better achieve their goals.

Grants and Funding - a page on Houghton-Mifflin Publishing's "Education Place" website, offers help with grant writing, including the "Grantionary" -- a glossary of terms related to grants and funding; Tips for Writing a Proposal; and links to online grant writing courses.PNNOnline delivers news, information, and resources to all segments of the nonprofit world in order to help them better achieve their goals.

Grant Writing Tips - You will find hints that will help you as you begin to write your grant proposals located in this section of the SchoolGrants site.

National Priorities Project Database - The NPP Database offers a wide range of state, and county-level data and statistics relating to federal policies and our communities, including adult education and Even Start funding. Much of the information goes back to 1983, and is updated regularly.

"The Numbers Side of Grant Writing"  - During these tough economic times, this PNNOnline resource shows how to secure funds by showing a grantor that you can properly handle and control costs while delivering the promised services.

SchoolMatters. Web-based national education data service provides in-depth information and analysis about public schools, districts and state education systems. This data service could provide useful information for grant proposal writers. Once you follow the links to the Texas page, particularly note the Advanced Search under Search & Comparison Tools, which allows you to find data by county or city.

Beyond the GED: Making Conscious Choices About the GED and Your Future -- This set of classroom materials was designed by NCSALL to provide learners with practice in graph and chart reading, calculation, analyzing information, and writing, while they examine the labor market, the role of higher education, and the economic impact of the GED® test. Clearinghouse disseminates free copies to Texas educators only.

GED® Test 2002 Online Professional Development from Kentucky Educational Television - Information on the GED® tests and strategies in such areas as problem solving, calculator use, graphic literacy, essay writing, or critical thinking skills.

GED Connection - 39 half-hour video programs for the GED preparation classroom. Series also includes three student workbooks and FREE Internet learning activities, quizzes, and practice tests.

GEDforFree.com - Site offer free GED® test online practice test and preparation course, supported by advertising. Designed for adults with a ninth-grade education or higher, the course provides a preparation and training program in the test topics, and includes tips and strategies. Special attention is paid to GED® test math.

GED Teacher Resource Center - New Readers Press hosts this free online hub for free resources, support, and teacher-to-teacher communication for GED® test educators.

GED® Testing Centers in Texas - This site has an alphabetical list of GED® test Testing Center sites with office hours, testing fees and days of week testing is administered.

GED® Testing Service - GED Testing Service is a joint venture between Pearson and the American Council on Education (ACE).

GED® Test on Computer - GED Testing Service is offering the current 2002 Series GED® Test on computer to provide increased and improved access to GED® testing. The GED® test on computer still requires test-takers to show up in person, at an official testing center, to take the test.

Lessons and Practice Exercises for Teaching Use of the Casio fx-260 Calculator - Jeri Braunagel of Missouri Valley Adult Education Association designed lessons and practice exercises for teaching use of the Casio fx-260 calculator, which students may use in the GED® 2002 version tests.

ProLiteracy Education Network – With support from The Verizon Foundation, ProLiteracy hosts this site to provide resources to meet adult literacy needs in the U.S. and around the world. Site is organized around sections for adult Students, Instructors, and Organizations.

Road Map to the U.S. Constitution – This site is dedicated to providing students of all kinds with knowledge of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Steck-Vaughn GED® Practice Test Online - This free service is intended to familiarize learners with the types of items they will see on the actual GED® Test.

Texas Education Agency GED® (General Educational Development) Unit - The GED® Unit issues GED® records and transcripts and maintains records of testing activities, among other functions for GED® Test takers in Texas..

The Writing Process - Cleveland State University developmed this guide to the three major steps in the writing process: planning, drafting and polishing.

Transitioning Adults to College: Adult Basic Education Program Models -- NCSALL Occasional Paper describes five models that staff of the New England Literacy Resource Center categorized through a survey of adult education centers around the U.S., which have transition components. Five models are described, include: Advising, GED®-Plus, ESOL, Career Pathways, and College Preparatory. Themes and recommendations are also desribed, which others contemplating adult transition services might find helpful. Clearinghouse disseminates free copies to Texas educators only.

Eating Well, Living Well – Website developed by San Diego Community College has free nutrition lessons for English language learners (ELL) at various levels and a resource list of free nutrition-related materials as well as special links for ELL teachers. These materials, developed with federal funds, are designed for agencies that serve adults eligible for food stamps.

Staying Healthy: An English Learner's Guide to Health Care and Healthy Living - Florida Literacy Coalition created this curriculum with student resource book written at the 4th through 5th grade levels, integrating health literacy and English language learning (ELL).

Unified Health Communication 101: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency, and Limited English Proficiency - Free on-line training for health professionals is offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

AdultEd Online – Funded by U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, this site offers teachers and administrators free tools to identify classroom technology integration skills and distance teaching skills and potential, and to create a professional plan based on each individual’s specific needs. AdultEd Online is also developing U.S.A. Learns -- A Web Portal for Adult Learners, scheduled to be available for general use beginning in the fall of 2008.

Computer Training Tutorials - Explanations, tutorials and tips about computers and the Web. Chris Rippel of the Central Kansas Library System developed this site, which includes (among other things) a wonderful interactive mouse tutorial called Mousercise in English, Spanish, Danish and Hmong versions, with new language versions being added periodically.

Connect2Compete - National nonprofit organization connects leaders from communities, the private sector, and leading foundations with information on low-cost, high speed internet, low-cost computers, and free training.

Project CONNECT - On this web site, adults enrolled in adult education classes can practice their English skills and learn about working, studying and living in the United States -- all online using a computer with reading, writing, audio, video, Internet and email activities. Teachers can set up online class groups, send and receive email with their classes and review student work. Project Connect was created by PBS, the National Center for Adult Literacy at the University of Pennsylvania and Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky in partnership with KET - The Kentucky Network.

Project IDEAL – This consortium of states works together to develop effective distance education programs for adult learners, using collaborative research and practice to raise the quality of distance education across the country. The Project IDEAL Support Center at the University of Michigan provides member states (including Texas) with technical assistance for program planning, teacher training, and program evaluation.

"Teach Me Technology" online course for literacy students and instructors - Verizon Thinkfinity offers this free online course as a basic introduction to computers for adult learners who have never used a computer. Course also includes suggestions for instructors, tutors, mentors, or volunteers to facilitate computer skill building. See menu link to Free Online Courses.

Tech Tips for Teachers - Blog was developed by World Education for the LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center. Its goal is to provide a resource to adult education teachers and tutors who are interested in integrating technology into their instruction, but are not sure where to start.

Technology page on website of CPAL (Community Partnerships for Adult Learning) - Site includes How-To's, Research, and Website links on how computers and other technology can be acquired and effectively used to help adults learn and make professional development more accessible to instructors.

Headtstrong: Empowering the Dyslexic Community - Nonprofit organization provides information about dyslexia, self-advocacy and new technologies in multimedia formats. Nationally broadcast documentary, Headstrong: Inside the Hidden World of Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder can be viewed on the site.

Large-Print Classroom Materials - Library Reproduction Service (LRS) sells custom-made enhanced LARGE PRINT copies of GED® test preparation, ABE, Literacy, ESL, and Vocational Education materials from publishers such as Contemporary, Steck-Vaughn, Glencoe, KET, Gage and Cambridge.

Learning Disabilities Association of Texas - LDAT is a nationally affiliated non-profit parent/professional organization chartered in 1963 to promote the education and general welfare of individuals with learning disabilities. LDAT membership includes parents, educators, adults with learning disabilities and professionals from a variety of related fields.

Learning Disabilities page on website of CPAL (Community Partnerships for Adult Learning) - Site includes How-To's, Research, Journals, and Website links intended to help educators identify and address learning disabilities in adult learners.

Minnesota Adult Basic Education (ABE) Fully-Accessible Online Disability Resource Guide

National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs (NAASLN)

2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy - The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) is a nationally representative assessment of literacy among adults (age 16 and older) residing in households and prisons in the United States. Data collection was completed in 2004, and the process of releasing data was begun in December 2005. For reports and updates on plans to release more data, see the NAAL website.

2003 International Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey - ALL reports on the literacy and numeracy skills of adults ages 16-65 in six countries. ALL is designed to answer questions about the extent to which adults can use information from written materials to understand text and tables and apply mathematics to solving problems likely encountered in real life.

Adult Learning in Focus: National and State-by-State Data - Report contains national and state-by-state data on adult learning, including data and comparative charts on adult educational attainment, adult learning participation, affordability, accessibility and aspiration. Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL) has teamed with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) to provide states with this information needed to assess state performance on adult learning and identify where to direct future strategies.

Adult Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki – Learn about adult literacy education or add knowledge from your experience teaching adult learners, from research or professional wisdom, or from your experience as an adult learner. This community of practice has links to research for practitioners, researchers, learners and other adult literacy educators, including English language learning, numeracy, and adult basic and secondary education.

A First Look at the Literacy of America’s Adults in the 21st Century This report presents long-awaited key results of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL).

American Community Survey - America is changing, and so is the United States Census. The new American Community Survey (ACS) provides data every year -- giving communities the current information they need to manage change. Questions on topics that include education, transportation, housing and ancestry generate data that help determine how more than $300 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year. The ACS also streamlines the decennial census, eliminating the need for a separate long form in 2010.

August 2006 NAAL Webcast Archived Online - The National Institute for Literacy has made available an archived version of its August 15, 2006 webcast, "Adults with Basic and Below Basic Literacy Levels: Findings from NAAL and Implications for Practice". Transcript and slides are also available for download.

Literacy in Everyday Life: Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy - This April 2007 NCES report provides extensive information on the literacy of American adults age 16 and older and changes in their performance since 1992. Furthermore, it examines the relationship between literacy and several demographic variables including education, occupation, and income.

Immigration Data Hub - The Migration Policy Institute's Data Hub gives instant access to the latest immigration statistics, maps, and numbers for the United States and other countries, showcasing the most current national and state-level demographic, language, education, social, and economic facts about immigrants to the US.

Language Use and English Speaking Ability: 2000 - Part of a series that presents population and housing data collected by the Census Bureau in 2000, this October 2003 report presents data on language spoken at home and the ability to speak English of people age five and over. It describes population distributions and characteristics for the United States, regions, states, counties, and selected metropolitan areas, including the following Texas cities: Brownsville, El Paso, Laredo, and McAllen. PDF -

National Assessment of Adult Literacy: Indirect County and State Estimates of the Percentage of Adults at the Lowest Literacy Level for 1992 and 2003 - This January 2009 report from National Center for Education Statistics uses data from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL - see below) along with data from the 2000 Census to synthesize estimates of percent of adults lacking Basic Prose Literacy Skills for all states and counties. In addition to allowing users to view adult literacy percentages for any given state, an Interactive Web Tool also allows for comparisons to be made between two states, two counties in the same state, two counties in different states, and between the years 1992 and 2003 for a state or a county.

Rural America at a Glance (2003). Six-page brochure highlights the most recent indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas for use in developing policies and programs to assist rural areas. Download the brochure from website of the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture by clicking the link above.

SchoolMatters. Web-based national education data service provides in-depth information and analysis about public schools, districts and state education systems. This data service could provide useful information for grant proposal writers. Once you follow the links to the Texas page, particularly note the Advanced Search under Search & Comparison Tools, which allows you to find data by county or city.

State Policy Assessment Reports of the Working Poor Families Project (WPFP) - Site provides data on education and skills training available to working adults; employment opportunities for entry-level and low-wage workers; conditions of low-income working families; and conditions and employee benefits at existing jobs, compiled from the federal government's American Community Survey, Current Population Survey, and Occupational Employment Survey. WPFP is funded by the Annie E. Casey, Ford, Joyce, and Mott foundations.

Texas State Data Center and Office of the State Demographer – functions as a focal point for distribution of Census information for Texas, disseminates population estimates and projections for Texas, as well as other information from the federal government, state government, and other sources.

The Modern Language Association Language Map - This interactive map of languages in the United States uses data from the 2000 United States census to display the locations and numbers of speakers of thirty languages and three groups of less commonly spoken languages in the United States. The Language Map illustrates the concentration of language speakers in zip codes and counties.

The New Neighbors: A User's Guide to Data on Immigrants in U.S. Communities by Randolph Capps, Jeffrey Passel, Dan Perez-Lopez, and Michael Fix. This resource from the Urban Institute can help local policymakers, program administrators, and advocates use U.S. Census and other data to identify the characteristics, contributions, and needs of immigrants in their communities.

USA CountiesTM - features more than 5,900 data items for the United States, the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), and all of the nation's 3,141 counties or county equivalents. Data are available on county residents' ages, ancestries, education, employment, and income, as well as poverty, the labor force, available social programs, and more. The Census Bureau manages this source for data on U.S. counties.

U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts Page - You can access data from the 2000 Census on educational attainment (which is not the same as literacy level) by Texas county on the U.S. Census website's Quick Facts Page.

AdultEd Online - Funded by U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, this site offers teachers and administrators free tools to identify classroom technology integration skills and distance teaching skills and potential, and to create a professional plan based on each individual's specific needs. AdultEd Online is also developing U.S.A. Learns -- A Web Portal for Adult Learners, scheduled to be available for general use beginning in the fall of 2008.

Children's Learning Institute - The goal of CLI is to be the pre-eminent source for proven clinical and educational programs covering early childhood through late teens. Their services include clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment of learning disorders, and cutting-edge research on techniques to enhance a child’s home and learning environment. Their team includes experts in the fields of child development, education, medicine, neurodevelopment and research analysis.

EL/Civics Online – Series of online professional development courses for ESL instructors and volunteers who wish to incorporate EL/Civics content into their adult ESL classrooms will assist teachers in creating interesting, effective ESL lessons. EL/Civics Online is a collaborative project of the U.S. Department of Education/Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services/Office of Citizenship (USCIS).

ELL-U – National Adult English Language Learning Professional Development Network

Harnessing Technology Web Page - The Harnessing Technology Web pages help adult literacy education (ABE/GED® test/ESL/ESOL) teachers and learners to use computers, television, audio and video cassettes, and other electronic technology to help solve learning and instructional problems. The Web pages grow and improve as practitioners and learners describe problems and contribute good solutions which use technology. Problems and solutions which are unattributed are those of site host David J. Rosen of Boston's Adult Literacy Resource Institute.

Media Library of Teaching Skills (MLoTS) for Adult Learning and Literacy – This free online digital library of short videos of adult education teachers and their classes is intended for use in professional development. Each video is an example of a state-approved content standard, research-based practice, preferred approach, or specific teaching method or skill. Some of the MLoTS videos were made and edited by the MLoTS Team, David J. Rosen and Owen Hartford; some were made by other people and groups.

National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium - Incorporated in 1990 by state adult education directors, NAEPDC provides professional development, policy analysis, and dissemination of information important to state staff in adult education.

National Initiatives Relevant to Professional Development in Adult Literacy - In April 2007, Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers developed this information about major staff development efforts across the United States.

Practitioner Toolkit: Working with Adult English Language Learners was developed by National Center for Family Literacy and National Center for ESL Literacy Education at the Center for Applied Linguistics. Texas practitioners may also request a hard copy free from the Clearinghouse Library.

Professional Development page on website of CPAL (Community Partnerships for Adult Learning) - Site includes How-To's, Research, Journals, and Website links on how to strengthen instructional methods, strategies, and skills of teachers in adult education programs.

ProfessionalStudiesAE.org – This portal for online professional development for adult educators is sponsored by ProLiteracy and World Education and offers both self-paced, free courses and facilitated courses for a fee.

ProLiteracy Education Network – The Instructor and Organizations sections of this site offer free online courses for teachers and program leaders. With support from The Verizon Foundation, ProLiteracy hosts this site to provide resources to meet adult literacy needs in the U.S. and around the world.

Pro-Net 2000: Professional Development Network for Adult Educators Funded by the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education

Teaching Reading to Adult English Language Learners: A Reading Instruction Staff Development Program - Prepared by the Center for Applied Linguistics for Virginia's Adult ESOL Program and published by The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, this 15-hour training will acquaint participants with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to teach reading effectively to adult, nonnative speakers of English. Content is based on research on the reading process in general, on the process of learning to read as an adult, and learning to read in another language.

Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) – Developed in Washington state, this instructional model pairs English as a second language (ESL) and adult basic education (ABE) instructors with professional-technical instructors in the classroom to provide students with literacy education and workforce skills at the same time. I-BEST challenges the traditional notion that students must first complete all levels of basic education before they can begin workforce training.

National College Transitions Network – This project of World Education's New England Literacy Resource Center supports ABE staff, programs, and state agencies in establishing and strengthening ABE-to-college transition services through technical assistance, professional development, collegial sharing, advocacy and increased visibility for this critical sector of the adult basic education system.

Office of College Readiness Initiatives – This office of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating board is responsible for programs that focus on the successful transition between high school and postsecondary education.

Shifting Gears – Sponsored by the Joyce Foundation, this initiative is directed toward state policymakers and others across the country seeking to transform state education and training policies to increase economic opportunity for low-skilled adults.

See TCALL Links