This handbook for basic education tutors of mentally handicapped adults offers ideas and examples for developing the skills of speaking, reading, and writing with understanding. Many of the ideas relate particularly to group work, although most can be adapted for use with individual students. The handbook starts by exploring four broad themes--the coffee break, a visit, a visitor to the group, and learning from experience--and through these themes identifies a range of learning tasks and teaching approaches. These themes show the variety of skills that can be developed from a general topic or activity. Practical examples follow of ways to tackle the teaching of time telling and money handling. Other sections offer ideas on practicing names and addresses, developing social sight vocabulary, developing communication, and developing writing. The final section introduces a number of games that have been found useful both as motivators and in reinforcing learning as well as in providing variety in any learning session. Some further sources of information and background reading are given in the resource list. (YLB)