Taking a positive view is a fruitful way to prompt educators to reflect on and to develop their practice. Teachers, teacher educators and children bring a wide range of ideas that provide a powerful basis for developing understanding of the complexities of classroom practice. Using appreciate inquiry the authors show how they developed their…

This tutoring guide contains eight short sections of instruction for tutors working with adult basic education students in Alberta, Canada. Each section, introduced by a question, contains tips for beginning tutoring and working with adult students in literacy education classes. The sections cover the following topics: (1) What is the problem?;…

This handbook is designed to provide guidance particularly to inexperienced coordinators of adult literacy volunteer tutor programs or to those isolated from support personnel or structures. It is not a curriculum to be followed from beginning to end, but a selection of materials from all states in Australia. Each section contains references and…

Two literacy programs based at the State University of New York, College at Brockport (SUNY-Brockport) universities have achieved some success, but both programs have changed, for various reasons. University students have much to gain from their involvement in literacy programs, including the satisfaction of helping others, the opportunity to…

This paper narrates the life of Philip Vickers Fithian, a northern tutor on a southern plantation prior to the American Revolution. Fithian's life is described from the time he was born in 1747, through his years at the College of New Jersey, renamed Princeton College in 1896 and later Princeton University, until he graduated in 1772, and until…

The role of literacy volunteers has taken on new dimensions due to national policy changes and changing views of literacy providers. The fifth National Education Goal, which stated that by the year 2000 every adult American will be literate, has resulted in increased interest in adult literacy programs. The role of the adult new reader is changing…

College students are often faced with a variety of writing assignments which might ask them to analyze data showing cause and effect, compose a sonnet, or creatively analyze a classic short story. To tackle these kinds of assignments, they must disregard traditional and often misleading definitions of analytical and creative writing which lead…

Wisconsin writer Marshal Cook's article, "Training Your Muse: Seven Steps to Creativity," (1986) provides a basis for creative activities which help students in a three-credit tutor training course understand both tutoring and the writing process. In the first activity student tutors are asked to bring in a picture that symbolizes a good…

This book contains 17 papers examining the various roles--learner, teacher, researcher, manager--that women have played in the development of lifelong learning. The following papers are included: "Introduction: Women and Continuing Education--Where Are We Now?" (Roseanne Benn, Jane Elliott, Pat Whaley); "Dancing into the Future:…

Presenting an overview of phonics work in community literacy programs in metro Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this book enables new tutors and facilitators to learn how to think about and do the kinds of phonics work that is used by experienced tutors and facilitators in the community programs. The first chapter of the book discusses the history of…

Writing center tutor training at Harrisburg Area Community College, Pennsylvania, was improved through the development and implementation of a 3-credit course. Professionals in the field, other professors at the institution, writing center tutors, and the community college administration were consulted in the development of the course. The course…

A study was conducted of part-time instructors--called "animators"--who teach literacy in villages in Tamil Nadu, India. Three literacy programs were studied: a state-run program, a voluntary program, and a university-run program, all in rural areas. Structured interviews were conducted over several weeks with 52 animators to see how…

In response to the goal of improving college student retention, it was decided to require students in a freshman English course to participate in activities associated with academic persistence. Students (N=43) selected 3 of 4 retention-related activities in which to participate and recorded their experiences briefly in their course journals.…

This paper describes the Tutored Video Instruction (TVI) technique, which uses videotaped lectures and student interaction in the presence of a tutor for instruction to small groups at branch campuses of the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education (Australia). The development and operation of TVI, including staff briefing and preparation,…

This pilot study assessed the educational interests and needs of a group of older, low-literate adults with the eventual goal of developing computer-assisted literacy programs specifically designed for older adults. Subjects, 10 women and 1 man aged 60 to over 80 years who were members of a center for older adults and who were already working with…