This study examines the relationships developed between elder mentors and at-risk youth in the following exemplary intergenerational programs: (1) IUE/The Work Connection (Saugus, Massachusetts); (2) Teen Moms (Portland, Maine); (3) School Volunteers for Boston (Massachusetts); (4) Teenage Parent Alternative Program (Lincoln Park, Michigan); and…

This paper describes a field-based effort in which practicing teachers collaborated with a university researcher to develop, inaugurate, and maintain a family literacy program. In this context, family literacy is an intergenerational program serving all members of the family, meeting the needs of adult family members as individuals, not just as…

This paper examines early childhood development, family, health, and literacy. It places particular emphasis on the need to consider the interrelationships of these factors when attempting to use literacy to improve the quality of life of individuals in developing countries. The paper begins with a discussion of learning capacity and a conceptual…

The benefits of family literacy programs for children were examined in a 1997 follow-up study in which 154 parents and 237 children who had participated in a family literacy demonstration program in 1994-1995 were interviewed along with the teachers of a subsample of the children and the demonstration program coordinators. The demonstration…

A field evaluation of 14 community-based family and intergenerational literacy programs identified the most effective strategies, structures, and approaches to reach and teach the "hardest to reach." Information was collected through 90-minute telephone surveys with program coordinators and/or executive directors. Although different in structural…

The Experience Corps Program, which was initiated in 1996 in New York's South Bronx, connects retirees with children in elementary schools. The Experience Corps' volunteers, who are mostly lifelong residents of the South Bronx, work a minimum of 15 hours each week throughout the school year as mentors, tutors, and special assistants. Since 1997,…

These proceedings consist of 20 presentations made during 5 sessions at a conference dealing with alternative degree programs for adults. The following papers are included: "Narrative Reasoning as Assessment" (Richard M. Ashbrook); "Political and Administrative Issues in Developing a Distance Learning Based Program" (Margaret…

Parental perspectives on family learning were examined through focus group discussions with parents who had participated in family learning courses at a nursery school, primary school, secondary school, and family support center in London, England. Five focus group discussions with a total of 25 family learning course participants, 2 in-depth…

Once a week, several classrooms of Philadelphia 4th-grade girls participate in Sisters in Science, an afterschool, intergenerational program sponsored by Temple University that provides hand-on activities exploring urban environmental issues. A two-week summer camp program helps these students explore the rivers of Philadelphia. Participants…

This report, which is intended for individuals developing family literacy (FL) programs, contains background information on the research, development, operation, evaluation, and outcomes of federal- and state-level FL initiatives. Discussed in section 1 are the following topics: the importance/benefits of FL programs; definitions of literacy and…

These proceedings contain an introduction and 26 papers arranged in five sections: (1) People's Republic of China and Taiwan (Republic of China); (2) Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand; (3) Korea; (4) Japan and the Western Pacific; and (5) United States. Paper titles and authors are as follows: "Recent Social Security Policies and…

Issues surrounding teaching competencies in family literacy programs were examined in a study of two well-established Even Start sites in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The program, which served 34 ethnically diverse adult learners, offered 25 hours of adult basic education, general educational development (GED), and…

WORKTOW was a multidisciplinary action research project carried out in 27 small and medium-sized enterprises in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Norway. The main focus was on the learning of workers aged 45 and older. In-depth case studies were conducted in all three countries involving a range of learning interventions. Results showed age was not…

Researchers have found that high-quality service learning programs are rich with benefits for schools, communities, and students. One hallmark of successful service learning programs is that they honor youth voice (meaning that they include young people in the creation and implementation of service opportunities). Elementary, middle, and high…

This document contains information about and from a study of the experiences of 41 adults enrolled in adult basic education/English for speakers of other languages (ABE/ESOL) programs that was conducted to determine what their learning meant to them and to identify strategies for developing a new pluralism in ABE/ESOL classrooms and teaching to…