This guide is an introduction to the theory and practice of using literature to teach life skills to persons who are or have been incarcerated. It is organized in three sections, each written by a practitioner who has used literature in a particular environment with a particular audience. The three sections are "Why Literature? The Power of…

Provides a brief summary of whole-language theory and offers suggestions for its application in adult education settings. Maintains that when instructional techniques rooted in whole-language theory are used with adult beginning readers, learning is more meaningful and success can be dramatic. (SR)

The whole language approach was used with a "well" or successful adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) group. Literature was chosen as a curriculum for which group work could be devised that was geared to all levels of students. The book used was "Choices" by George Ella Lyon, a book of short stories written by characters who live in a small…

Describes how three tutors helped an adult progress from a nonreader to a competent and enthusiastic reader, using an approach rooted in whole-language research and practice. (SR)

This document provides an overview of a family literacy demonstration project conducted to offer family literacy classes in three public schools in Philadelphia. The project was designed to help adults meet their own needs and to enable them to support their children's learning. The whole-language, learner-centered approach was used. Background…

This paper describes the whole language approach to literacy education in the context of teaching adults. Information is drawn from literature and from interviews with teachers and literacy students. Topics covered include the following: whole language--a framework, learning language, learning through language, learning about language, what people…

In order to help adult readers with problems, it is necessary to develop an approach to teaching them that is sensitive to language and that makes explicit reference to the way language works to make meaning in texts. A language-based approach requires teachers to become more aware of the relatively invisible language system that lies behind the…

This module presents a 3-hour workshop in whole language theory and practice to be used for inservice training of a small group of tutors or teachers of adult reading students. Suggested group size is 6-15 people. Part I explores the background and concepts of whole language from the point of view of the psycholinguistic model of the reading…

This manual is part two of a three-part series of materials from a family literacy demonstration project conducted in Philadelphia public schools. It contains materials on 10 themes that were taught over a 7-month period. The activities in each theme are organized into class activities and home activities. The class activities support the adults'…

A study examined differences between a prescriptive individualized approach to literacy instruction in adult basic education (ABE) settings. Six ABE classrooms participated in the study with four continuing traditional literacy instruction and two providing whole language-oriented literacy instruction. Average attendance per session was 12 adults.…

A pilot tutor training project, the Student-Tutor Orientation (STO), was designed to meet the need for making whole-language concepts of reading and writing instruction accessible to tutors as well as students through hands-on experience and for establishing a collaborative tutoring relationship in which students share in decision making.…

This text was designed for adult students of English as a Second Language who are reading at approximately an intermediate level. Ten chapters address a variety of topics relating to daily life in the United States, including: travel and transportation; the nuclear and extended family; holiday traditions and customs; the education system; college…

This document consists of a guide for teachers and tutors and four "readers" for adults. These readers are intended to eliminate the problems associated with book-centered, one-to-one tutoring, such as the following: (1) uninteresting, irrelevant materials focusing on single reading skills rather than reading as communication; (2)…

This manual is the third of a three-part series of materials from a family literacy demonstration project conducted in Philadelphia public schools. It contains five units. The beginning unit has activities to use in getting started and to use as everyday activities throughout the program. The other four units have theme activities appropriate for…

This course is designed to enhance reading and writing skills. It is tied to an interactive computer program (The New Reading Disc) that provides opportunities for reading, hearing sentences read, and writing letters and memos. Special emphasis is placed on workers' understanding of the importance of their jobs and how they fit into the total…