Women's Literacy Power: Collaborative Approaches to Developing and Distributing Women's Literacy Resources

Appendix Participatory Resources

 This appendix lists writings by practitioners on how to develop student writings, practical information on publishing learner writings, and other specific concerns related to literacy materials.

 pdf version available

Ballara, M. (1992). Women and literacy. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Zed Books Ltd.
Chapter 8 of this book is completely focused on issues relating to developing written literacy materials for women.

Bee, B. (1993). Critical literacy and the politics of gender. In Lankshear, C. & McLaren, C., (eds.). Critical literacy: Politics, praxis, and the postmodern (105-131). Albany: SUNY Press.
Barbara Bee discusses how she has found it important to use content (materials) specific to women's lives in order to encourage their critical literacy. She talks about how she has developed some materials with the learners she works with.

Boudin, K. (1999). Participatory literacy education behind bars: AIDS opens the door. In Shor, I. & Pari, C., (eds.). Critical literacy in action: Writing words, changing worlds (182-210). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Heinemann.
Kathy Boudin talks of using participatory practices with a group of incarcerated women around the theme of AIDS to write and perform a play.

Brandt, D., Cristall, F. and Marino, D. (1982). Getting there: Producing photostories with immigrant women. Toronto, ONT.: Between the Lines.
Immigrant women and teachers provide details of making photostories about the experiences on the job. Women's stories and pictures are included.

Chlebowska, K. (1992). Knowing and doing: Literacy for women (Women Studies). Paris: UNESCO.
This book talks generally about the power of literacy for women internationally. Several pages (28-32) discuss the importance of reading materials for women and the criteria identified by UNESCO for preparing literacy materials for women.

Heller, C.E. (1997). Until we are all strong together: Women writers in the Tenderloin. New York: Teachers College.
This moving book discusses the stories and experiences, learning and power of literacy for a group of women who gathered weekly in one of San Francisco's roughest neighborhoods to share their writing and life experiences.

Lloyd, B.-A., with Ennis, F. and Atkinson, T., (eds.). (1994). Women in literacy speak: The power of woman-positive literacy work. Toronto, ONT: CCLOW - Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women with Fernwood Publishing.
This volume includes writings by women learners as well as the discussion of their experiences in creating women-positive, learner-centered programs and activities.
Two companion volumes to this book include:

Lloyd, B-A. with, Ennis, F. and Atkinson, T. (1994). The power of woman-positive literacy work: Program-based action research. Toronto, ONT.: CCLOW - Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women with Fernwood Publishing.

Atkinson, T., Ennis, F. and Lloyd, B-A. (1994). Listen to women in literacy: The power of woman-positive literacy work. Toronto, ONT.: CCLOW - Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women with Fernwood Publishing.

Samaritan House PAR Group, The (1995). Where there is life, there is hope: Women literacy students and discrimination. Department of Education and Training, Province of Manitoba: Literacy and Continuing Education Branch, [On-line], http://www.nald.ca/CLR/lifehope/cover.htm
Available online in pdf format, this workbook written by women literacy students describes how they used participatory action research to discuss discrimination and to write this book.

Stino, Z. H. & Palmer, B.B. (1999). Motivating women offenders through process-based writing in a literacy learning circle. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 43 (3), 282-291.
Incarcerated women used a process-based writing system in a learning circle both improved their writing skills and their self-esteem. She provides the step-by-step process from pre-writing through publishing.

Auerbach, E. Roberts (1992). Making meaning, making change: Participatory curriculum development for adult ESL literacy. McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics (ERIC) & Delta Systems, Inc.

Clark, W. and others (1994). Put it in print: How to produce a book of writings by adult literacy students. Eau Claire, WI: Literacy Volunteers of America - Chippewa Valley, (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 374 235).
This manual is designed to guide literacy providers through the process of producing a book of writings by their adult literacy students. Includes practical information from writing process through desktop publishing tips to fundraising.
Chippewa Valley Publishing: http://www.firstnetimpressions.com/LVACV/cvPublishing.htm

Campbell, P. & Burnaby, B., (eds.). (2001). Participatory practices in adult education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
This book offers detailed examples of successful participatory practices in adult education spanning a wide range of program settings. For a detailed review, see Miller, Mev. (2001, Fall). Adult Basic Education, 11 (3), 184-186.

Gillespie, M. (1990). Many literacies: Modules for training adult beginning readers and tutors. Amherst, MA: Center for International Education.
This handbook resulted from activities at Read/Write/Now Adult Learning Center in Springfield, MA. It includes guidelines for adult learners to establish their own learning goals, suggestions for reading and writing, and practical suggestions for publishing learner writings.

Mace, J., (Ed.) (1995). Literacy language and community publishing: Essays in adult education. Philadelphia, PA: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

Martin, R. (1989, Spring). Listen to a new word: publishing from the grassroots. Focus on Basics: World Education, 2 (2), 1-4.
This issue is NOT available on the Internet as are the newest issues of Focus on Basics. However, you can receive a copy directly by contacting the current editors of Focus on Basics, <fob@jsi.com>. This issue also contains an interview with 2 writers and teachers of writing and the psychological and political implications of writing as well as educational gains.

Martin, R. (2001). Listening up: Reinventing ourselves as teachers and students. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers.
Rachel Martin explores her own teaching in various locations including several sites working with women. Based on her reflections from these experiences, she offers insight into teaching, especially in reading and writing (and some publishing ideas as well).

McBeth, S. (1994). Creating curriculum: A learner-centered approach. In Taylor, M. & Draper, J.A., (eds.). Adult literacy perspectives (pp. 145-153). Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Co.

Nash, A., Cason, A. and Rhum, M., McGrail, L., & Gomez-Sanford, R. (1992). Talking shop: A curriculum sourcebook for participatory adult ESL. McHenry, Il: Delta Systems, Inc.
Companion book to Auerbach's Making Meaning, Making Change, this resource is by teachers, for teachers who want to understand participatory process in action in ESL classrooms.

Peyton, J.K. (1993). Listening to student's voices: Publishing students' writing for other students to read. In Crandall, J. & Peyton, J. K., (eds.). Approaches to adult ESL literacy instruction (pp. 59-73). McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics & Delta Systems Co., Inc.
This essay focuses on the benefits to ESL learners of reading the writings by other learners. It also offers some general steps for implementing a writing/publishing program and sources for student writing that have been published.

Plimpton, S. & Root, J. (1994). Materials and strategies that work in low literacy health communication. Public Health Reports, 109 (1), 86-92.

Rigg, P. & Kazemek, F.E. (1985). For adults only: Reading materials for adult literacy students. Journal of Reading, 28, 726-731.
This short article discusses the difficulties of commercial materials. The short passes reduce reading to a mechanical skills and students do not have a way to read for character or to anticipate plot. "None of the materials we've seen incorporate the most important findings of research in reading…a meaning-building process which begins with the reader's own knowledge, experience, and language" (p. 727). They offer 6 criteria for selecting materials: meaningful content; complete full stories, poems, songs, etc; literary merit; readily available; inexpensive; promote integration of language abilities. They also discuss using the language experience approach.

Torruellas, R.M., Benmayor, R., Goris, A., & Juarbe,A. (1991). Affirming cultural citizenship in the Puerto Rican community: Critical literacy and the El Barrio Popluar education program. In Walsh, C.E., (Ed.) Literacy as praxis: Culture, language, and pedagogy (pp. 183-219). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corp.
Discusses the use of testimonial writing and autobiography with ESL learners and includes stories of learners in their program.

Ullman, C. & Becker, A. (1997). The process and the product: Involving students in choosing content and developing materials leads to change. Focus on Basics: World Education/NCSALL, Connecting Research and Practice, 1 (D), [Online], http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/fob/1997/ullman.htm

Albrecht, L. & Brewer, R. M., (Eds.). (1990). Bridges of Power: Women's Multicultural Alliances. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers.

Cason, A. (1992). Group dynamics: Developing curriculum around class participation. In Nash, A., Cason, A. and Rhum, M., McGrail, L., & Gomez-Sanford, R. Talking shop: A curriculum sourcebook for participatory adult ESL (pp. 53-55). McHenry, Il: Delta Systems, Inc.

Gutierrez, L.M. & Lewis, E.A. (1997). Education, participation, and capacity building in community organizing with women of color. In Minkler, M., (Ed.) Community organizing and community building for health (pp. 216-229). New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Ledwith, M. & Asgill, P. (2000). Critical alliance. Community Development Journal, 5 (3).

Ledwith, M. (1997). Participating in transformation: Towards a working model of community development. London: Venture Press.

Papachristou, J. (1976). Women together: A MS. book. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
This book, long out-of-print but perhaps sitting on shelves in libraries or used book shops has a few pages outlining personal experiences with consciousness-raising and ideas for ways to turn consciousness raining into actions. (Consciousness Raising and Sisterhood, pp. 237-238).

Rezai-Rashti, G. (1995). Connecting racism and sexism: The dilemma of working with minority female students. In Ng, R., Staton, P. and Scane, J., (Eds.). Anti-racism, feminism, and critical approaches to education (pp. 87-98). Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.
"My goal here is to initiate a debate on an important issue ignored by both multiculturalism and anti-racism advocates: the analyses of the complex interrelationship between racism and sexism in the education system" (p. 88).

Barndt, D. & Freire, C. (Illustrator) (1989). Naming the moment - Political analysis for action: A manual for community groups. Toronto: Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice.

Culbertson, D., (Ed.) (1995). Doing the gender boogie: Power, participation & economic justice&endash;A popular education and action guide. Toronto: Ten Days for World Development.
Helps to develop workshops to study international women's economic development with special emphasis on domestic workers, sexual division of labour and global solidarity.
(TEN DAYS can be reached at 416-922-0591)

Horowitz, D., Illenberger, A., Katz-Fishman, W., Rajanna, K. and Scott, J., (eds.). (2001). Popular education for movement building: A Project South resource guide, Vol. 2. Atlanta, GA: Project South: Institute for the Elimination of Poverty and Genocide.
Contact: Project South, 404-622-0602, or www.projectsouth.org

Illenberger, A. & Wallach, J., (Eds.). (1998). Popular education for movement building: A resource guide, 2nd Edition. Atlanta: Project South: Institute for the Elimination of Poverty and Genocide.
Contact: Project South, 404-622-0602, or www.projectsouth.org

Nadeau, Denise. (1996). Counting Our Victories: Popular Education and Organizing. New Westminster, BC: Repeal the Deal Productions.
This training guide provides a history of popular education and describes how it functions. It includes feminist and anti-racist perspectives as well. It outlines ways of doing popular education and includes social factors such as culture, communication, spirituality. It suggests how to plan actions as well. Contact: Repeal the deal via fax: 604-522-8975 or contact Tools for Peace: 604-879-7216.