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Using Authentic Curriculum and Materials

A team of researchers led by Victoria Purcell-Gates found that adult education classes would be more likely to affect adults’ literacy practices outside of the classroom if the classes used literacy materials and activities that adults actually encounter in their daily lives. The researchers defined changes in literacy practices as increases in the frequency of reading and writing in daily life and/or increases in the types of texts read and written.

Determine the authenticity of instructional activities used with adult students. Work collaboratively with your students to identify a topic for a lesson that uses authentic materials and activities.

You will be using the handbook, Creating Authentic Materials and Activities for the Adult Literacy Classroom as a guide in moving toward contextualized literacy instruction.

  1. Read the related research. next arrow
  2. Reflect on this research and your practice. next arrow
  3. Focus on an aspect of your practice. next arrow

Updated 7/27/07 :: Copyright © 2005 NCSALL