The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) has made a strong commitment to professional development for its paid staff and ongoing training for its volunteers. During its 25-year history, GPLC has faced three challenges as it implemented its current staff development system. In this article, the author discusses these three challenges: (1)…

This guide takes illustrated children's literature into the world of service learning (positing that when these two are joined, learning opportunities open up) and suggests how teachers can enhance students' service learning experiences with children's literature. Topics covered in the nine short sections of the guide include telling stories, the…

Volunteers and voluntary organizations are crucial to the literacy effort throughout the world. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are ideal channels for direct involvement of the people in literacy efforts. NGOs often directly carry out the teaching of reading, writing, and numeracy programs; government efforts usually involve such…

Intended for volunteers in community literacy programs, one-on-one tutors, or parents who want to support classroom learning, this book presents tutoring ideas, teaching activities, and evaluation suggestions. The book guides tutors as they teach students to become independent learners and shows tutors how to provide support but not "do"…

The report details the progress of the Price City (Utah) Library Literacy Project toward achievement of its 12 stated objectives: to (1) train 30 volunteer tutors; (2) match them with students; (3) develop a course at the College of Eastern Utah so college students can receive credit for tutoring adults in reading or English as a Second Language;…

Scouting is an expanding worldwide youth movement, with more than 16 million members in 169 countries and territories. Its goal is to contribute to the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual development of young people. Since participation in development is one of the cornerstones of their program, scouts cannot ignore the challenge that…

The Salvadoran educator J. Portillo describes popular education practiced in El Salvador in the midst of civil war. Salvadoran popular education is organized by members of the community who receive it and is usually led by nonprofessional educators. Most popular education is in literacy or at the elementary level. (SLD)

This publication contains 21 reports that explore and document literacy. Following an introduction (Jean-Paul Hautecoeur), the first part deals with literacy in North America. Reports are "Functional Illiteracy and the 'New Literacy'" (Jean-Pierre Velis); "Literacy Policy in Quebec: An Historical Overview" (Jean-Paul…

Over the last 3 decades, educators have found an overwhelming relationship between parent education levels, parental involvement, and children's school success. Family literacy affects parents' effectiveness in helping their children learn. These are the four components of comprehensive family literacy: (1) interactive literacy activities between…