Life expectancy is increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, people are generally not prepared for this long life ahead and have ageist attitudes that inhibit maximizing the "longevity dividend" they have been given. Aging education can prepare people for life's later years and combat ageism. It can reimage aging as a time of continued…

Few people are willing to admit that senior adults and young children share many common characteristics, including: (1) changes in development; (2) need for companionship; and (3) the desire to be understood. These two groups are connected mostly through direct interaction with middle-aged adults. One very practical way to build a greater sense of…

Describes an intergenerational reading program using children's literature in adult literacy classes. Discusses the adult literacy training sessions and the adaptations of the model in a variety of instructional settings. (JOW)

A curriculum guide for a family-based English-as-a-Second-Language program is presented. The first section contains information on participant recruitment and is followed by details on the class organization, including teaching techniques for parents and children, testing procedures, and field trips. Ten curriculum modules cover the following…

Engages students in critical thinking about what they read and involves students in authentic literacy activities by implementing a semester-long pen pal program. Examines the nature of the letters, categorizes the kinds of questions asked, and notes the patterns of communications between the pen pal pairs in order to glean the benefits to both…

Argues that adults can provide and demonstrate to children a model for better understanding of the elderly and the aging process. Describes factors that interfere with intergenerational relationships, children's views of aging, and why biases exist. Contains tips for adults to bridge the gap by providing balanced views via children's literature.…

An intergenerational literacy program addresses the needs of adult students enrolled in remedial reading classes at a community college. Their classroom behavior marked by passivity or anxiety, these students are usually able to derive the surface meanings of familiar text, but demonstrate little analytic or reflective thinking about what was…

Describes the design and development of a K-8 curriculum designed to encourage student respect for senior citizens through experiential and academic studies. Outlines activities conducted by students at various grade levels. Includes an annotated book list of children's literature on aging and the elderly. (CFR)

A practicum addressed the emergent literacy needs of preschoolers at a daycare center. Goals were to increase: (1) the amount of time parents read aloud to their children to 15 minutes a day; (2) the number of library books at the daycare center from 40 to 200; and (3) the number of volunteers at the center from none to 4 who would read aloud to…

A Massachusetts family literacy project, the Northampton Family Literacy Project, is described, in which adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners enrolled in a community educational center in order to learn English as their children enrolled in a child care program at the local library. Both groups were involved in language activities,…

The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) worked with Beginning with Books (BWB) to develop a family literacy component for tutor training. Four objectives were achieved: (1) a family literacy segment was added to the beginning tutor training course; (2) tutor trainers were prepared to present the segment; (3) family literacy materials for…

Describes one university's experiment with joining elementary students and preservice teachers in intergenerational literature discussion circles to enhance preservice teachers' learning about reading and the teaching of reading. Both groups enjoyed the literature circles. Resulting themes provided insights about the reading process, the nature of…

This booklet contains suggestions to assist educators in using the "Linking Learning With Life" books relevant to all levels of service learning and, particularly, to use in teacher education programs. The guidebooks are grouped into five sections. Each section represents a different subject area relating to teacher education. For each…