In 2012, Oxfordshire County Council commissioned the National Literacy Trust to deliver a two-year campaign, the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign, to address falling Key Stage 1 literacy levels in the county's primary schools, which were amongst the worst in the country. The aims of the campaign were to increase the proportion of children reaching the…

Frequently, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs for adults use volunteers as primary or auxiliary providers of instruction. Two primary national volunteer organizations and a number of other national organizations support volunteer ESL and basic literacy instruction, and many states have literacy councils that coordinate and provide…

Contains an analysis of prevailing practices in adult literacy volunteer programs. Considers selected research, literature, and programs, mostly from the context of the burgeoning emphasis on literacy voluntarism in the United States. Neglected questions of policy and practice are raised. (Author/CH)

This collection of articles is assembled from a variety of sources and contributors that together form a statewide network of volunteer programs teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to refugees. The articles are divided into the following sections: (1) teaching tips; (2) "talk time" (concerning a weekly conversation session); (3)…

A survey of volunteer programs in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy instruction in Illinois is reported. The report begins with a review of literature concerning ESL literacy volunteerism, most of which is descriptive and program-specific. The statewide survey results are then summarized, giving an overview of ESL volunteer programming.…

This handbook is intended for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) providers who train volunteers as ESL teachers and use them in their own or other programs. The handbook offers both an overview of the process of developing a volunteer program and some concrete suggestions for each step. The model from which it is drawn is that used at the…

This bulletin aims to provide guidance to business companies in developing an employee volunteer literacy program in which employees volunteer their time to assist in such aspects of community adult literacy campaigns as advocacy, public relations, fundraising, community leadership, and tutoring. A section on assessing local community needs…

A study investigated instructional administrative practices in workplace English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs and lessons learned in their implementation, with special attention given to innovative practice and its context. Data were drawn from a survey of 22 workplace literacy programs with culturally diverse populations in a variety of…

The report describes the design and results of a Calgary (Canada) program (August 1, 1990 to June 12, 1992) to disseminate information about literacy education needs and services to the local community. It is organized into sections, each addressing a specific program objective. Sections include the following: (1) increasing awareness,…

Based on an earlier study of approaches to training English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) and adult basic education (ABE) instructors, the current report draws implications and makes recommendations for delivering effective staff development. The five implications are that: (1) ABE and ESL teachers, volunteer instructors, and trainers will attend…

This guide, which is intended to assist developers of community-based adult literacy programs in Manitoba, explains the following components of good programming and presents suggestions for integrating them into literacy provision: community outreach, program development, learner involvement, provision of appropriate staffing, use of volunteers,…

This document profiles seven exemplary literacy programs in Manitoba, Canada: the Open Doors program in Winnipeg (a community-based program conducted in a school setting); the Brandon Friendship Centre literacy program (a community-based program conducted in a friendship center in rural Manitoba); the Flin Flon Friendship Centre literacy program…

In developing a community-based adult literacy program, program planners need to consider who the program will serve, which strategies will best serve the target population of the program, and exactly how much stability and change are to be encouraged in the program. Once the planners of a community-based adult literacy program have answered these…

Canada's Settlement Language Training Program (SLTP) began in 1986 to provide language training support for immigrants and refugees not bound for the labor force and likely to experience difficulties gaining access to language training through existing programs. Women in particular are targeted. The training is provided through community agencies.…

In response to the increasing number of constraints affecting adult education, South Carolina has designed an approach to adult literacy that makes efficient use of limited resources. The program, which has been designed so that it can be adapted to conditions prevalent in local communities, centers around the development of political, social, and…