In a Texas elementary school's Adopt-a-Grandfriend program, senior citizens enrich student learning by sharing personal experiences that cover decades of history-making events. They also model traditional values often lacking in today's society, including honesty, courage, compassion, and obedience. Tips are provided for planning a grandfriend…

Many children in our mobile society are growing up with little contact with, and limited understanding of, elderly people. In 1983, the Westwood (Massachusetts) Public Schools initiated a successful structured interactions program between its fourth grade students and senior citizens from Westwood and nearby towns. Includes two references. (MLH)

A collaborative project of an Australian university, elementary school, and older adult volunteers incorporated lifespan education in grades 2-4. Five elements enhanced sustainability: contextual monitoring, working with change, lifespan curriculum, changing demographics, and funding. Potential hindrances were time, an overcrowded curriculum, and…

A suburban Cook County (Illinois) school district has tapped an invaluable community resource--senior citizens--for two generations' mutual enrichment. Senior Exchange gives residents over 54 a chance to help schools while earning money to pay the portion of their property tax bill supporting schools. Other intergenerational exchanges include…

Analyzes successful family literacy projects. Finds defining characteristics and key features of practice that can be used to establish effective family literacy programs: offers literacy instruction to families, broadly defined; creates strategic recruitment plans; emphasizes retention; creates a supportive environment; and includes ongoing…

Summarizes results for parents of the original evaluation and the follow-up of Family Literacy Demonstration Programmes at four sites in Wales and England. Finds that parents benefited in employment, study, qualifications, literacy, and ability to help their children, and involvement with their children's schools. (RS)

Shares some responses from those involved in an ongoing oral history and writing project that connects members from a senior center writing group with children 9 to 12 years old from a self-contained special education program. Hopes that these comments and insights will serve as a parting testimony to the value of such intergenerational efforts.…

Describes how students listen to the stories of a retirement home and write tribute songs based on the stories. Notes that because students are accustomed to a classroom life of telling stories and listening to stories, it is easy for them to enter into the story-worlds of their elders, to connect with words and to piece together stories. (SG)

Explores the bi-directional benefits of family literacy practices involving English as a Second Language (ESL) immigrant parents and their children. Discusses the literature on family literacy and culturally relevant texts. Shares and analyzes the case of a shared reading practice. Suggests that this informal family literacy practice could help to…

Discusses intergenerational learning programs that allow young students to interact with senior citizens for mutual benefits. Describes a six-week program in Ohio in which 30 eighth-grade students spend time with residents of an area retirement home and work with them on a one-to-one basis. (CH)

Family literacy programs are a collaborative effort of adult basic education, early childhood/elementary education, and parent education. The key factor is parent education, focusing on application and generalization of learned skills to family life and providing services to minimize barriers to participation. (SK)

Discusses the use of literature clusters (8 to 12 children's books on a particular topic) to enhance learning and instruction. Concludes that the process of developing a literature cluster on intergenerational relationships will result in a cluster that expresses both the participants' experiences and their understanding of the intended audience.…

A weeklong module of aging appreciation activities, including interactions with older adults, was implemented in five elementary classrooms. Results showed some change in children's perceptions of aging, elders' characteristics, and activity involvement with elders. Findings were not consistent across classrooms. (SK)

Considers how a spiritual connection across age differences affects literacy education. Notes that the Bible is foremost among the texts adult basic literacy students want to read. Claims that being students of stories of faith and religion does not mean that educators become proselytizers or that they ignore the difference between public and…

Describes a pilot program in which first, third, and fourth grade students were brought together with nursing home residents to help the children gain a more accepting attitude toward aging and to cheer up the lives of the elderly. (MG)