Information for Adult Learners

Conversation Circle Summary

 

Women learners want to read materials that provide all kinds of information. They talked about this almost half the time. They discussed non-fiction more than fiction, mysteries, horror, and magazines. In the conversation circles, women talked about many topics. There are many things they would like to learn more about. They also talked about many social issues that concern them. Sometimes when women talked about topics, they connected them to larger issues. They understand that personal interests relate to larger community and social concerns.

 

I'm interested in writings mostly connected to information and people's daily lives…. I want to read for information that women can use in their daily life. I'm interested in...looking up information to see where women can get help, finding where to get jobs or a place to live and how to get day care.

 

This section lists the topics women want to know more about. It includes descriptions of social issues women discussed. These topics and concerns are very similar. Some issues were discussed more frequently than others were. In many cases, women wanted to read about them. But sometimes they didn't want to read about it, they just wanted to discuss it or know more. The number one topic most women wanted to know more about was parenting and childcare. Health was the second most important topic. Several topics after that were discussed about equally. They were self-help, culture, violence, work and career, relationships, "women's issues," sexuality, and spirituality. The rest of the topics were mentioned but not as often.

This section places the topics and concerns in order of priority.

Parenting, Childcare, Family Issues
Health
Self-Help & Psychology
Culture & Race
Violence (Family & Community)
Work, Career, Welfare
Relationships
Sexuality
Spiritual, Religious, Devotional
"Women's Issues"

Miscellaneous and additional concerns

Current Events
Drugs
Education
Legal & Civil Rights
Money matters
Resources & Information
Sports
And so on

 

Parenting

 

...books about babies and children because I have a baby that is one and my oldest is three so that would interest me a lot.

 

In the conversation circles, women said they were interested in books about child development and behavior. Women without children and a pregnant woman wanted to understand how to prepare to have children. In general, women wanted to know what stages babies and children go through. One woman was very clear, though.

No one can tell you how to raise your own child.

She did not want parenting books that tell you how to raise your child. Some women in a parenting class felt this way too.

 In general, women in the conversations wanted reading materials that show how to care for children and to see how important they are. They wanted to understand toddler behavior and small children.

 

A conversation about children... M. to S. - You were saying that you like books on child development and psychology? S. - Because when I read different books I can see different characters, how we can deal with life's problems and things like that. For children how to care for them, how important they are. M. - Do you have children? S. - No, but I like them. I want to have them. TA. - Would you say that's you're dream to have a kid? Because I have one that you can really have! (laughter in room) T. - I got 3, girl! S. - ... but I don't want you to give me child though! TA. - ...as long as I can get visitation rights! (more laughter) M. - Have you been able to find child development books that you can read? S. - Yes. But, it's not easy. T. - What type of child development books. Do you have a title? S. - (shakes head) No. T. - ...just different ones of them? I need that also.

 

They also wanted to understand some of the problems older children have. Several women wanted help with talking to their children about sexuality and health.

 

• How do I talk to my daughter about getting her period, about body changes, about boys and sex, or safe sex, or no sex, and about having babies? • I want creative things (stories and activities) for girls 12-16 that tell them things like not to have sex, not to use drugs, staying safe, staying in school, and no boyfriends at the age of 10! • I want something about what to say if my kid tells me he's gay. How should I respond?

One woman suggested that girls should become involved in sports. With sports, they wouldn't have time for boys. It would keep them away. Women wanted to talk to their children in general about sexuality. Reading materials on this would help. Related to this, women were concerned about their teenaged children. They wanted to read about teens having babies, teen parenting, and teen parents who stayed in school. (Some women were young enough to have this interest for themselves though.) They wanted to know about runaway teens too.

It would be good to have a book on how to get your children to clean their rooms without mother telling them to do it. How do you get them to do chores without bribing them with money or without yelling at them? I don't always want them to think mommy will do it.

 

Women had some specific and practical questions. In one group, women talked about what to do about childhood diseases like chicken pox. They wanted suggestions about how to talk to their children and get them to do things.

 

 

Some women had specific concerns for their own children. One woman was concerned about her anorexic boy child. She wanted something about childhood depression. Another woman was concerned about her child who was chronically ill. The child was often hospitalized. Several women wanted to know how to talk with their children about divorce. There was also concern about how to raise "problem children." Some women wanted to understand relationships between mothers and daughters and between mothers and sons.

I want something that will help us to learn more about how teach our boys to become good men.

 

Many women brought up topics that connected to larger social issues. They were concerned about how to get good daycare when they went back to work. In one group, women were worried that mother's were not taking responsibility for their children. They saw the grandmothers raising the children. Sometimes this happened because they thought it was better than foster care. But women were worried about the stress on the grandparents. The opinion was that mothers should take more responsibility.

In one group, the women talked about violence in school. They were worried about their children getting shot in school. They wondered how to keep their kids safe. One woman suggested Catholics schools might be better. Other women were not convinced. Some women were worried about their children's education in general. They thought kids were being passed through school even if their work wasn't good.

One woman worried that her daughter does not seem too interested in reading. At one point, she was concerned her daughter might have a reading disability. She will sometimes cook with her and get her daughter to read the recipe and follow it. In this way, she knows her daughter does comprehend what she's reading. It's been hard because her daughter has little attention span. She has noticed that her daughter will stay with books that are very interesting to her.

In one group, women talked about helping children to understand about prejudice. Some white women were concerned about their biracial children. Their children were experiencing racism and they were not sure what to do to help them.

 

Health

The women in the conversation circles wanted to read about general and specific health topics. When asked about what topics they want to read about, many women simply said "health" or "health and beauty" or "women's health." But women also had some specific concerns as well.

 

I'm tired of people bugging me with questions like, why don't I drive, when will I have kids, why don't I date. I want a book on kidney disease. It should tell people what to do for me and how to treat me like a normal person. It should tell them not to treat me like a kid. It should tell them how hard it is to make friends because of my size. People think I'm small for my age.

One woman was learning to read again because of a brain injury from a car accident. She would like to read about other brain injury survivors. Another woman has struggled for many years with a kidney disease. She wanted some materials about how people should treat other people with illnesses.

 Women were interested in health books about sexual health and reproduction. Some women wanted information about sex, STDs, syphilis, herpes, and AIDS. One woman was particularly interested in PMS. Other women were concerned about being pregnant. They wanted information about what to expect during their pregnancy and how to prepare for giving birth.

Others were interested in information about abortion and choice. One woman showed interest in a book about miscarriage. A few women were interested in menopause and hot flashes.

I have a sister who is going through menopause and I want to read about menopause because I don't know much about it. Some people think it's a disease and I don't think it's a disease. I would like to learn more about it so I can learn about these issues.

 

In one group, women talked about anorexia and eating disorders. One woman was talking about her experience. She thinks that books on anorexia mostly focus on 16 and 17-year-old girls. She's now a 32-year-old woman still struggling with anorexia. She now sees it happening to her 8-year-old son. She wants something that talks about the family connections of anorexia and various age groups that suffer from it. Other women in the group did not understand her experience. They were surprised that she felt so huge when she's not. They had a hard time understanding her view. They wanted to understand more about anorexia and what it feels like.

One of the conversation circles had only African American women in it. They raised concerns about health issues specific to African American communities.

They wanted information about African Americans and

breast cancer
diabetes
high blood pressure
sickle cell anemia
asthma
and young people suffering heart attacks.

No one mentioned birth control. However, one woman did think women needed to know when to stop having kids. She emphasized this was not the same as birth control. She felt some women just kept having babies and they need to stop.

 

 Self-Help & Psychology

A few women said they wanted to read psychology books. In general, women wanted to know how to deal with life's problems and how to go through life. Women also mentioned that they wanted to know how to help other people. For example, what do you do if you have a problem child or how do you deal with problems that other people have?

Women wanted to read materials that would help them to become independent. Some women wanted to know about other women's experiences. A few women did say that just talking with other women in their literacy or training programs helped greatly. They thought it would help them not to feel alone. One woman made it clear, though, that she did not want books that told her how to be a "better person."

 

I don't want people to give me books on how to improve myself.

 

She did, however, want information on how to be more patient. She wanted to learn how to say the right things at the right time. She wanted to be able to present herself and make a good impression. Another woman wanted to know how to "get respect."

 

[My program] has helped me to go and stay in school, getting together my life and being with my daughter and making changes in my life, I love it. And I've seen so many things happen because of the program and women coming out of their shell.

 

In general, women wanted to learn more about why people have a hard time in life. For some, their programs helped them to make changes in their lives.

 

 

 

 

Culture & Race

 

I would like to know more about culture here in the United states, I don't know much about culture. It's hard for me because I do not understand very well the English.

In the conversation circles, many women were interested in understanding different cultures. They wanted to read about women from cultures different than their own. Immigrant women especially wanted to understand U.S. culture, customs, and history.

 

We have no stories of those people coming over and those stories are very interesting. So if you could just get a small group of ESLs and just get them to write their stories, and their struggles with the different countries and the different learning. You'd have some good sellers, especially in [our] area.

Sometimes women wanted information about the many cultures in their own learning center. A group of Vietnamese and Mexican women read about Somalian women. They found this interesting and helpful. Sometimes women born in the U.S. also wanted to understand immigrant cultures.

 

I would prefer though books about African American women....There's different cultures in here but I would like to know more about my black women, you know, back in the day and all that other stuff.

Some women wanted to read about their own culture too.

 Several ESL learners also thought that books about their own culture in English would be interesting too. It would help them to more learn English. In many of the groups, both basic education and ESL, women wanted to know more about many kind of cultures.

In a few instances, women talked about the effects of racism. Women were concerned about their children experiencing prejudice (see above in parenting). Others mentioned specific health concerns widespread for African American women (see above in health). In one group, women were talking about their history reports. One woman complained because her assignment was about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Other women wondered why she wasn't interested in "her" history. After a long discussion, she admitted it was just too painful.

It's like when I was in the 5th grade and the teacher really didn't like me. And if I didn't like to read it she really made me read it, you know and I just didn't have any interest in it and I just couldn't do it and she'd say read this book and it was always all this stuff over slavery and I couldn't. I would just leave out the classroom and sit out - because it hurt. I like a whole lot of cultural things but I just did not like slavery, I don't know. I can't read it. It paranoids me.

 

Violence

In the conversation circles, violence came up in several ways. Some women discussed their concerns about violence in their families and in their communities. Other women did not talk about violence but wrote their answers to questions.

Written question: What topics or subjects would you include in a resource room? Written answer: Domestic violence. Child molestation.

 

Several women talked about their experiences with violent crimes. Some had been abused or raped. One woman talked about being in a fight with another girl as a teenager. Women discussed being mentally or verbally abused by their husbands or boyfriends. Some had experienced physical violence at home as well. Women were interested in information about how to leave an abusive relationship.

One woman said she been the victim of many violent crimes. She finds it important and fascinating to understand the criminal mind. It helps her to understand her own feelings. It has given her some perspective on why people do what they do. As a child, she had fantasies of blowing up her school and other forms of revenge. She thought everyone thought the way she did. Then she realized why she felt the way she did and that she had reasons outside of herself for those feelings. She started reading true crime books to understand her feelings.

I got started [reading true crime] when I started thinking there might be something wrong. I didn't want to say anything about it because I didn't want to get locked up. I didn't want to, you know. I was told that if I didn't stop my behavior, "we're going to lock you up we're gonna put you away" and all. So I started studying it on my own trying to figure out what's wrong with me and why was I thinking these kinds of things that are obviously wrong to be thinking. That's where it all began. And then from there I started to branch off in to other people that, you know, mostly have these same thoughts and the you start reading about them and what they did which usually turned out to be bombers and killers for me. And I'm like, "Oh wow, this could happen to me. You better do something." So that by the time I was like 14 or 15, you know, I was really heavily into it. It was kind of therapy.

Some women talked about violence in their workplace. One woman in particular talked about the amount of violence in her own workplace. She doesn't want to read about violence in general. There are a lot of problems in the workplace that would go away if people would just follow their job descriptions. She doesn't want to get involved in the business of her coworkers. She and her coworkers complain about violence in the workplace. It's not her place to deal with it though. Mostly, she felt the supervisors should take care of it. It's a concern but not one she wants to read about.

Women also talked about the amount of violence on TV and in the movies. They were also concerned about violence in the schools (see above in parenting).

 

Work, Career, Welfare

Almost all of the women participating in the conversation circles hoped that more education would help them to get better jobs or improve their lives. Immigrant women learning English also felt this way.

We want to learn English because it will gives us better opportunities in the U.S. It will give us more job opportunities and we can understand the U.S. culture better. It helps us to be free to do more things. English will help us to be normal.

 

Women talked about the kinds of books that would help them with this. They talked about finding jobs with good benefits. One woman mentioned a book that helps you find jobs and to keep time accounted for. Another woman wanted books related to learning technical labor and work related information.

 

I would like to read a book about how you would become independent.

Some women like reading working women magazines. In one group, women talked about starting their own home businesses. They debated about women being successful by selling Avon & Tupperware, or doing hair or tailoring. It was hard to do this and make enough money.

They also realized, though, how hard it is to find a good job that provides decent benefits. In another group, a woman talked about starting her own tutoring business but her first goal was to become a police officer.

In general, women did not talk much about welfare. A few women said they wanted to get off welfare. One woman was concerned that other women were taking advantage of welfare when they didn't need to. Some were concerned about being abused by the welfare system.

 

Relationships

Women talked about wanting to read about "love life" and romance. Many women simply said they wanted to read about relationships. In one group, women talked about a book called The Surrendered Wife. One of the women saw the author interviewed on a TV show. That author's views about marriage disturbed her. She wanted something that she could read that would present an alternative view. The women in that group agreed they wanted to learn how they could have good and equal relationships. They also wanted to know how to make relationships better for themselves. It was important to also learn how to leave an abusive relationship.

I was always sick so I never had any friends. I want a book on how to make friends -- and how people should treat other people who have illnesses.

 

 

 

Many women also talked about friendships.
They wanted books that helped them to understand how to have good friendships. One woman said she wanted something about how to keep her friends from controlling her. Another woman mentioned that she wanted books about relationships between people in general.

 

 

Sexuality

In the conversation circles, women talked briefly about sex or sexuality. Sometimes the topics came up in written answers to questions on a form.

 

Written question: What topics or subjects would you include in a resource room? Written answer: Sex (all types)

 

Most often, women wondered how to talk to their children about sex and sexuality issues (see above in parenting).

In one group, women talked about sex in reference to romance novels. They thought reading about sex was sometimes pornographic, unbelievable, or boring.

 

J. - I don't really think it's that interesting to read all the sexual references. Usually it's all the same boring descriptions&emdash;guys and girls having sex. I tend to skip them because they're unbelievable. Yeah, like no guy in his right mind would actually do that! S. - I read some book that was all this sex in it. (She continues with a real long description about the use of a sex toy.) It was really gross. J. - I can't stand the pornography....a lot of the romances are pornography. I have some other old historical romances because for short period of time after my daughter was born I read romances for about two months. And so my grandmother has this whole crate load of historical romances. The big porno ones. They're the worst of pornography. T. - ...and those Louie L'Amour westerns and the cowboy in every third page is like "her breasts this" and "her breasts that" and, you know, no wonder my dad likes them so much. It's a whole bunch a porno. You know what, I don't mind some love scenes but if it's 90% of the book then it's not worth my time.

 

Homosexuality came up twice. One woman wanted to know how to talk to her son if he said he was gay. In another group when women were listing topics, one woman simply said "gay stuff."

 

Spiritual, Religious, Devotional

I also read the Gospels at night.

A few women mentioned that they like to read spiritual and devotional books. They also read The Bible or the Gospels. In one program, women said they liked the spiritual readings about women that the center provides.

Some women also talked about alternative spiritual practices as well. One woman has a video on African voodoo that she likes to watch. Several women said they like the psychic stuff in magazines like Sylvia Brown. One woman says she likes yoga and meditation. Another woman reads books in Spanish about tarot.

 

"Women's Issues"

The conversation circles focused on reading materials that women prefer. Women were asked to talk about what concerns them in general. They were also asked what concerns them specifically as women. They were invited to say what they want to learn more about and what would help them in their lives as women. Some women found it hard to say anything about women's issues. Many topics and issues that came up -- like parenting, health, work, and relationships -- that concern women. But several participants also talked directly about women's lives and women's issues.

Here are some examples. 

Why do men think they have to protect women? Why can't women fight their own battles?

Written question: Is it important to have reading materials about women's lives and concerns? Why? Written answers: • It is very important to read about women's life. They could understand about lady. They born children and take care of her family. • Yes. Because women want to know about what other women go through because some women think they're the only one • Yes. cause us women need to find out things about our selves

 

Written question: Do you think it is important for women to have time to read and talk together? Why? Written answer: Because I can heard how you read. And after I can pronunse close by you. For my mean it is very important to read together because when I make misteyk you cou help to me. I realy don't know about this part. Learnd about problems in the neiborhod, about our cultures, about our ideas. Women have heavy duty work hard in society after have to take children and husband but sometimes they aren't lucky. Their husband are betray for in love.

Written question: If there were more reading materials that you could read at your level, do you think you would use them? Why? Written answer: Yes, because there isn't much for a grown women at a simplified level.

 

Women also talked about issues that directly affect women like abortion and choice. They want books one women's independence and equal relationships with men. Writings about women's lives help women to feel better about themselves. They don't feel as lonely. They get suggestions about how to solve their own problems.

...and the very first chapter, "and then he takes…" to change the oil, then "he would remove…." Not "you" or a person in general, just he, he, he, he, he, he...

 

One woman noticed the use of male language. She likes to read manuals, especially on how to fix her snow mobile. She noticed that manuals are generally directed towards men.

In one group, women were asked if they would like to share their own writings with other women. One woman said she did not think people would be interested. Her writing expresses loneliness, frustration, and anger. She writes when no one wants to listen to her problems again. However, some women thought they would like to read other women's writings because it helps them to feel better for awhile.

 

Miscellaneous and additional concerns

The topics and issues listed above were mentioned many times by participants in the conversation circles. Those were the most crucial and popular concerns for most of the women in the groups. But there were many topics that were discussed only a few times. Some things were mentioned once or twice by an individual learner or a group. This is a listing of those topics and issues.

 

Current Events

I like to read articles in magazines about what is going on in the world.

Some women said they like to read about things that happen everyday. An ESL learner thought it would help her to read important news from the world and news headlines. A Mexican woman wanted materials that help her to understand political tensions, revolutions and difficulties around the world. One woman said she wanted to know more about the economy.

 

Drugs

(Note: all of these responses came from only one site. The women who participate in this program are required to remain sober. Regular drug testing is administered.)

Being clean everyday gives me good sense of life and being a new woman in this mad world.

In one group, women were concerned about their own drug use as well as drugs in the community. A few women mentioned that they wanted materials -- books and tapes -- on how to stay clean and sober. They wanted to know how other people deal with the stress of remaining drug free.

 This group was also concerned about the drug use in their community. They were particularly angry with the drug pushers in their neighborhood. They feel disrespected because they sell drugs while they're walking their children to school or to the bus.

 

Education

 

I want to learn about more adult schools. I want to learn about children education.

 

In a few instances, women talked directly about education. In one group, women said they knew women who couldn't read at all. They were concerned for them. One woman mentioned that she wanted more books about literacy materials for "underprivileged poor women." A woman wrote about wanting books on educational topics but she was not specific about what this means. Women also talked about the need for teens parents to stay in school. They were also concerned about kids being passed through (see above in parenting).

 

Legal and Civil Rights

I would like a book on laws and my rights and what to do if my rights are violated.

A couple of women talked about wanting to know more about their rights. Women were concerned to understand the small print on forms. One woman thought people could "get burnt" In one group of Latina immigrant women, women were concerned about human rights and laws in the U.S., citizenship, the constitution, and their rights as workers. Their program was helping them to learn labor laws.

You always have to read the small print so you know what you're signing. People get burnt if they don't read it all, especially law stuff and social services when they tell you to sign at the X_____ before you can read it.

 

 

Money Matters

I would be interested in something on finance and accounting.

Finding a job was connected to financial stability. But women also wanted to improve their credit. They wanted materials on finances, budgeting, savings accounts, investing, and money issues in general.

 

Resources and Information Books

Women were also interested in a few general resource type books.

I want consumer information and real women's experiences, not just advertisers telling us what's good.

 

One woman wrote that she wants a book about facts. Another woman said that books that are full of information keep her attention. The "…for dummies" book series (like Computers for Dummies) were good to learn how to do certain things. Practical "how-to" books or manuals (like snow mobile repair or technical labor or job skills) were also important. Bilingual books such as dictionaries and terminology helped immigrant learners.

I plan to be a nurse. But I don't know all the kinds of nursing there are, like pediatric nursing. I want a book that talks about all the different kinds of nursing and what they are.

 

There's no information on how to take the first step, even though there are a lot of us.

One woman wanted "first step" information on how to find a literacy program. She had a difficult time finding a place that matched her needs. But then she also didn't have the courage to go. The counselor kept calling her so she finally went. But she thought a "how-to" book on making the first steps and what to expect might have helped her to go sooner.

Sports

Only two women in separate groups spoke about their interest in sports. They both described themselves as tomboys.

I want some books too on being a tomboy.

 

They were both frustrated about not finding books that had girls involved in sports activities. One woman said she would read more if she could find women's books on the sports that interest her -- fishing, basketball, hockey, and baseball.

 

And So On…

Adventure books

Children's books and books for teens

Computers - knowing how to work on them

Cookbooks

Decorating

Driving - fear of driving; easier-to-read driver's manual;
        bilingual driver's manual in Spanish and English

Entertainment

Math - "I'm more into math than reading…"

Sewing

 

Women

READING

SCHOOL

FICTION

AUTHORS

REAL LIFE

FORMATS

ADVICE