The Adult Tutoring Program within the Literacy Center of West Michigan has been running monthly professional developments (PDs) (known as tutor in-services) for volunteer tutors since early 2021. All in-services fit into at least one of the categories of strategies, life skills, civics, next steps, or digital literacy. The team has been able to…

This article presents a case study of a five-year English-literacy project carried out in primary and middle schools in the Pacific island nation of Tonga from 2012 to 2017. It summarizes why and how the project was begun; the activities carried out by Peace Corps Volunteers and Tongan partners; its objectives; and the products, procedures, and…

Teacher effectiveness is one of the most important determinants of the success of adult literacy programmes. From the outset of the campaign movement, the National Literacy Mission (NLM) of the Government of India has emphasised the need for a training and support system for campaign personnel, who often have limited education and lack of…

An evaluation of the VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Literacy Corps was conducted to provide a description of the Literacy Corps, numbers of persons served, strategies used, volunteer activities, and project results; to determine the degree to which the program is meeting its goals; and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the…

Noting that, generally, low-literate adults in Labrador and Newfoundland (Canada) are being helped only through the altruistic efforts of literate volunteers, this paper argues that adult literacy must be professionalized and become an integral part of the education system. The paper begins with a brief discussion of the definitions of literacy,…

A survey of volunteer programs in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy instruction in Illinois is reported. The report begins with a review of literature concerning ESL literacy volunteerism, most of which is descriptive and program-specific. The statewide survey results are then summarized, giving an overview of ESL volunteer programming.…

This report focuses on a December 1988 to December 1989 evaluation of the structures, processes, and outcomes of 15 primarily volunteer tutor-based literacy programs. It addresses the effectiveness of the Saskatchewan Literacy Campaign in increasing tutor and learner enrollments in the programs. Chapter 1 provides background and definitions.…

A study evaluated how an advertising campaign, conducted by Benton & Bowles Advertising Agency, affected the awareness of literacy needs and increased volunteerism for literacy education among the general public and the business community. Data for the evaluation were gathered in an extensive library search, a survey of Coalition for Literacy…

After the Castro revolution of 1959, the new Cuban revolutionary government began a massive literacy campaign that taught 700,000 persons to read in about a year. Twenty years later, Nicaragua, facing an even more serious literacy problem, conducted a similar literacy campaign. In approximately six months, Nicaragua had reduced illiteracy by 37…

The Kansas Volunteer Tutor Utilization (KV-TUTOR) project was undertaken to explore some of the possibilities of using volunteer tutors in adult basic education (ABE) programs. A volunteer structure was developed at 16 local ABE programs throughout the state. KV-TUTOR actively promoted these volunteer systems by contacting (through letters, phone…

A project provided three types of supportive services to adult education programming in the State of New York. The first component of the project was the development of a literacy information and referral system to link potential students and volunteers with program providers. The second phase of the project involved the development and…

Philadelphia's Center for Literacy (CFL), in an effort to improve recruitment and retention of volunteers for programs in tutorial literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL), conducted the following activities under its 1980-81 Section 310 grant: (1) installed a telephone recording machine for after-hours calls; (2) produced an informative…

The International English Training for Adults Program is an intensive ESL (English as a Second Language) program for foreign students. Students in the program take 18 hours of classes per week, including Conversation Partners, a 3-hour course designed to give students an opportunity to practice using English with Americans in a structured,…

In 1989, almost no organized recruitment efforts were made, either for tutors or learners, for Project READ, an adult literacy program held at the Longview, Washington, Public Library. The retention rate remained at 63 percent. Seventy-one tutors participated in the program; the average number tutoring each week was 34. Tutors from all walks of…

This report describes and evaluates an adult and family literacy education program at the Tom Green County Library (Texas). The project's objectives were to: provide a full-time library staff member to establish, coordinate, and promote an information, referral, and follow-up support system for literacy students; offer two in-service sessions in…