“We have used books on tape successfully with this population as well as software such as Attainment’s Dollars and Cents, Making Change which works well if a person wants to have a job working with money such as a cashier. Another piece of software that works well is Math for Everyday Living which deals with ordering from a menu, figuring out the meal cost, reading a pay check and much more related to everyday life skills.

Another approach is Language Experience, which works great with all levels of adult learners. We created a picture writing file that has pictures and several questions to stimulate the imagination and creative juices. The students then, based on their level of competence, either write or dictate a story. This is then printed out and used for reading, vocabulary, spelling, etc. With the added dimension of choosing from a great selection of clip art, students love to take home their creations with the clip art they have chosen to go along with their story. Calendars are a great source for pictures, as well as Clickart 125, 000 from Broderbund for the picture-writing file.

Tape recorders and books on tape work well, too. Books on tape by The Smartreader Recorded Books, Inc… and the Kaleidescope series of books and tapes (New Readers Press) are good. The Smartreader series is really great because one side is recorded at 85-90 WPM and the second side is recorded at 140-150 WPM. Books on tape give our students added independence and added reading practice. These result in increased self-esteem.

Another approach is to use role-playing and a variety of situations such as making an appointment, going on a job interview, etc. We have used this approach successfully.”

Jackie Hamlett
Adult Learning Center
Message on the National Institute for Literacy’s
NIFL-LD Electronic Discussion Group, January 1999.
http://novel.nifl.gov/nifl-ld/1999/0012.html