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Organizations, Groups, & Media

Nonprofit and literacy organizations and coalitions can be a rich source of information, materials, resources, and more, and can help us stay connected to the latest research and best practices. Scroll to browse, or use the quick links to jump straight to each sub-category.

Organizations, Groups, & Media Quick Links:

Texas Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) Organizations

TCALL (Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning | Link format: Website | Thousands of hours of free, on-demand professional development; calendar of scheduled live sessions, including the popular series Tech & Tell and Manager Monday; Connect Communities, with groups such as Career Pathways, Volunteer Literacy, and Corrections & Re-Entry; ongoing support for pandemic-driven changes to your programs, more – you will need to create a free TCALL account to access all their resources.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) | Link format: Website | TWC is the state agency charged with overseeing and providing workforce development services to employers and job seekers of Texas, including oversight of Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) after it moved from the Texas Education Agency in 2013.

TALAE (Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education) | Link format: Website | Provides professional development, networking, and state-wide recognition to adult education programs in Texas.

TexTESOL | Link format: Websites | The Texas division of TESOL International; comprised of five regional affiliates:
TexTESOL Region I (west Texas – currently inactive)
TexTESOL Region II (south Texas – currently inactive)
TexTESOL Region III (central Texas)
TexTESOL Region IV (Gulf Coast & east Texas)
TexTESOL Region V (DFW & north Texas)

Libraries and Literacy | Link format: Website | Tools, resources, training, technical assistance, and a digital literacy toolkit, helping to facilitate library involvement in Adult Education and Literacy.

Texas AEL Guide | Link format: Website | Definitions, structure, policies, procedures, and best practices in adult education from the TWC, following the change in oversight from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to TWC in 2013.

Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy | Link format: Website | Houston-based coalition of literacy providers | Raising awareness and building partnerships across Houston and the Gulf Coast region to increase literacy.

Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation | Link format: Website | Houston branch of the national Barbara Bush Foundation, focused on the specific literacy needs of Houston and Texas.

National & International Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) Organizations

ProLiteracy | Link format: Website | The largest adult literacy and basic education membership organization in the nation; believes that a safer, stronger, and more sustainable society starts with an educated adult population. Website has many free resources; membership unlocks more resources and training.

New Readers Press | Link format: Website | Publishing division of ProLiteracy; quality, research-based adult literacy materials across multiple topic areas and ability levels.

TESOL International (formerly “Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages”, now known by its acronym only)| Link format: Website | “Advancing excellence in English language teaching”; provides training, research, membership and more. The Texas division of TESOL International is TexTESOL; see listing in the Texas section of this page.

National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) | Link format: Website | NCL’s mission is to advance adult education, family literacy, and English language acquisition in the United States by increasing public awareness of the need to increase programs and funding; by promoting effective public policy; and by serving as an authoritative resource on national adult education issues.

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy | Link format: Website | Working to fulfill Mrs. Bush’s legacy through continued focus on improving lives academically, financially, and socially; dedicated to expanding access to literacy services for adults nationwide because improving adult literacy is the key to improving family literacy and our nation as a whole.

LINCS (Literacy Information & Communication System) | Link format: Website | Through the LINCS Community of Practice, self-paced online courses, and searchable resources, adult education practitioners nationwide harness the power of collaboration and sharing to improve educational outcomes. Make a free account to gain full access to the community.

COABE (Coalition on Adult Basic Education) | Link format: Website | Provides leadership, communication, professional development, and advocacy for adult education and literacy practitioners to advance quality services for all adult learners; some resources are free with more available to paying members.

LESLLA (Literacy Education and Second Language Learning for Adults) | Link format: Website | LESLLA aims to support adults who are learning to read and write for the first time in their lives in a new language. They promote, on a worldwide, multidisciplinary basis, the sharing of research findings, effective pedagogical practices, and information on policy.

Educate and Elevate | Link format: Website | Educate and Elevate is a collaboration of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) and the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE), united in a national campaign to move learning opportunities forward for all Americans to achieve economic and social mobility. Their primary goal is to help policy makers understand the value literacy educators bring to students, workers, and businesses in contributing to social mobility and economic growth. If we educate, then we elevate.

National Literacy Directory | Link format: Website | A project of NCFL, ProLiteracy, and the Dollar General Foundation; a directory for adult learners or volunteers to find a program near them; add your program after creating a free account.

Family Literacy Organizations

National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) | Link format: Website | Promotes family education solutions across three approaches by engaging families, educators, administrators, and advocates to drive results and ultimately reduce education inequities; supports multigenerational learning for families from early childhood through adult education.

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy | Link format: Website | The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is committed to building a stronger, more equitable America through literacy. They envision an America in which all adults have the opportunity to read, write, and comprehend in order to navigate the world with dignity.

Reading is Fundamental | Link format: Website | Provides quality content to make an impact and engages communities in the solution to give every child the fundamentals for success.

Read Aloud 15 Minutes | Link format: Website | Working to make reading aloud every day for at least 15 minutes the new standard in child care.

State & Regional Literacy Organizations

Literacy Works – Adult Literacy & Clear Language Lab | Link format: Website | Chicago-based literacy organization | Innovative nonprofit offering professional development on plain language and accessible content, mixture of fee-based and free.

Literacy Partners | Link format: Website | New York-based literacy organization | Literacy Partners strengthens families through a two-generation approach to education, offering free classes, community workshops, and educational media.

OTAN (Outreach & Technical Assistance Network) | Link format: Website | California-based literacy and technology organization | Provides electronic collaboration and information, and support for instructional technology and distance learning to literacy and adult education providers in California, in three main areas: Electronic Collaboration and Information; Instructional Technology; and Distance Learning.

Literacy New York | Link format: Website | New York counterpart to Literacy Texas | Developer of the popular Intake to Outcomes (I2O) training software for new adult literacy instructors.

ATLAS (ABE Teaching & Learning Advancement System) | Link format: Website | ATLAS provides high-quality, accessible professional development and resources to advance education for adult learners. The work of ATLAS is evidence-based, practitioner-focused, responsive to the needs of the adult education/ABE (Adult Basic Education) field, and designed to cultivate professionalism in Minnesota Adult Education. 

Reports, Plans, & Journals

Adult Literacy Education: The International Journal of Literacy, Language, and Numeracy | Link format: Website landing page with links to browse journal issues | Source: ProLiteracy | Adult Literacy Education is an online, peer-reviewed, themed research journal published by ProLiteracy twice a year. It informs practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and funders about best practices in adult literacy, numeracy, and English language education in publicly funded, community and volunteer-based programs in a wide range of contexts.

Texas Literacy Fact Sheets | Link format: Website landing page with links to download PDFs | Source: Educate and Elevate | Educate and Elevate is a collaboration of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) and the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE), united in a national campaign to move learning opportunities forward for all Americans to achieve economic and social mobility. Their primary goal is to help policy makers understand the value literacy educators bring to students, workers, and businesses in contributing to social mobility and economic growth. If we educate, then we elevate.

National Action Plan for Adult Literacy | Link format: PDF (25 pages) | Published: 2021 | Source: Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy | The first-ever National Action Plan for Adult Literacy is a multisector, multiyear initiative to transform adult and family literacy for millions of Americans by driving inclusive, collective action to address systemic challenges over the next five years.

Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint | Link format: PDF (57 pages) – Executive Summary (PDF, 15 pages) also available | Published: 2021 | Source: Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and the Houston Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy | The Adult Literacy Blueprint is a call for action and comprehensive plan for coordinated city-wide change to address the systemic crisis of low adult literacy rates. It contains a full report on the impact of low rates of adult literacy on Houston; seven key goals and supporting strategies; a practical action plan to achieve each of those goals; and key metrics to measure progress and inform future decisions.

Adult Literacy Curricula

There are many very effective adult literacy curricula. This list is not comprehensive by any means, but attempts to highlight some of the quality curriculum resources available to you.

What’s Next? | Link format: Website | Publisher: New Readers Press | A unique multilevel phonics approach for ESL Students. What’s Next? is a two-level reading series designed for multilevel English classes. Easy-to-read stories follow Samsam, a Somali immigrant, through her daily life in the U.S. where she is faced with learning English, finding a job, visiting a doctor, and more.

Health Stories | Link format: Website | Publisher: New Readers Press | 3-level series that includes reading and language activities to help adults navigate the U.S. healthcare system, live a healthy lifestyle, and recognize health issues. Readings focus on relevant health topics, such as nutrition, allergies, injuries, medication, first aid, and food safety. Each level covers the same general topics, in the same order — good for multilevel classrooms.

From Home to School | Link format: Website | Publisher: New Readers Press | 3-level series that includes school-themed stories and activities to help adult learners develop reading fluency and speaking skills that will strengthen communication between parents, teachers, and students. Each lesson includes pre-reading questions, follow-up exercises, and practice dialogs to help build confidence and expand comprehension and vocabulary. FREE Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide and correlations available on the New Readers Press website.

ESL Literacy Readers | Link format: Website | Publisher: Bow Valley College | Collection of 40 theme-based readers with authentic photographs and stories to explore topics immediately relevant to adult newcomers. Website includes an instructor’s guide to support lesson development. Some books available at multiple levels to allow for easy differentiation in multilevel classes.

Eye on Literacy Wordless Picture Books for Adults | Link format: Website | Publisher: Eye on Literacy | Eye on Literacy books have been developed to honor and respect the vast assets adult second language literacy learners bring to your classroom. For those who have rarely, if ever experienced holding a book, wordless picture books can be engaged in with ease. Learners are drawn to what they see rather than focusing on words at the bottom of a page that they cannot read. The colorful, authentic pictures offer a starting point for learners to communicate orally. Learners will share their knowledge and personal experiences by verbalizing what they see as they flip through real life pictures of people, places and things. Each Eye on Literacy book uses the same pattern of colored symbols in place of page numbers to support the visual learner’s connection to symbols used in everyday life.

At the River, At the Lake, and Other Stories for Emergent Readers | Link format: Website | Publisher: Wayzgoose Press | Stories for adult emergent readers give students the opportunity to acquire basic literacy skills in English. Phonics exercises provide direct instruction in letter sounds, letter formation, and blending. Each unit offers one or more decodable stories so that students can put their decoding abilities to work right away in a meaningful context. Stories relate directly to students’ lives, with themes including: family, the household, transportation, clothing, shopping, health, work, and daily routines. 

Biographies, photostories, novellas, and more for adults with limited literacy | Link format: Website | Publisher: Grass Roots Press | Grass Roots Press is a niche publisher, specializing in resources for adults with limited literacy skills, both adult basic education and English language learners. To enrich the teaching and learning experience, they also provide free reading guides and lessons plans.

Welcome Newcomers Library | Link format: Website | Publisher: Saddleback Educational Publishing | Developed around 14 topics critical to success in American schools and communities, Welcome Newcomers gives recent immigrants relevant information supported by full-color photographs of diverse teens in real-world settings. The program includes nonfiction and fiction books, survival vocabulary cards, lesson plans, reproducible activities, and assessments. Each topic is covered by a pair of books, one nonfiction and one fiction, featuring easy-to-read text and engaging photographs. Welcome Newcomers places special emphasis on building vocabulary, because research indicates the importance of vocabulary acquisition for students learning English.

News for You | Link format: Website | Publisher: New Readers Press | Easy-to-read news stories and current events for adults learning to read and/or to speak the English language.

News for You | Link format: Website | Publisher: New Readers Press | Easy-to-read news stories and current events for adults learning to read and/or to speak the English language.

Podcasts

Advocast | Link format: Website | Host: COABE (Coalition on Adult Basic Education) | Keep up with advocacy on the national level with Advocast – adult education’s first podcast devoted to helping you become a stronger advocate for the field of adult education and literacy. In each episode, experts and experienced advocates tackle a specific topic. You’ll hear about advocacy in various forms: social media outreach, forging partnerships, meeting with legislators, and much more! Develop your advocacy skills and become a champion for adult education.

Behind Every Employer | Link format: Website (also available as a YouTube playlist) | Host: COABE (Coalition on Adult Basic Education) | Hosts Anson Green and Jeffery Abramowitz sit down with future-focused employers to discuss innovations that are advancing frontline worker talent. These employers with their partners are challenging the status quo of education and training and delivering scalable solutions. Discussions cross the intersections of adult education, digital resiliency, training innovations, immigration law, and other topics.

I Was Told There Would Be Snacks: A Nonprofit Podcast | Link format: Website | Host: Kudzukian | Spilling the 501(c)tea on nonprofit issues that impact your nonprofit organization, questioning tired ways nonprofits and funders do business, and shedding light on bold new practices in our field.

Create Good Podcast | Link format: Website | Host: Create Good | A conversation with change makers and rabble-rousers to find out what makes them tick and how they create good. The podcast came into being because since the pandemic started, we’re all missing the connections and community that came from conferences and gatherings. 

High School Equivalency & Testing Organizations

GED | Link format: Website | Official home of the GED test; offers study materials, testing centers, and more.

TASC | Link format: Website | Official home of the TASC test;  offers practice items, testing centers, and more.

HiSET | Link format: Website | Official home of the HiSET test; offers scheduling, practice tests, prep materials, and more – NOTE: HiSET is currently not offered in Texas.

Nonprofit Support Organizations

TechSoup | Link format: Website |  Tech hardware and software offered to nonprofit members at a steep discount or free; includes technical help and regular training sessions.

Good360 | Link format: Website | A marketplace of donated products for nonprofit organizations.

Candid (formerly Guidestar) | Link format: Website | Information service specializing in reporting on US nonprofits; maintains comprehensive databases on grantmakers and their grants; issues a wide variety of print, electronic, and online information resources; conducts and publishes research on trends in foundation growth, giving, and practice; and offers education and training programs.

Nonprofit AF | Link format: Website | An irreverent and sometimes-light-hearted, sometimes-serious look at the joys and frustrations of nonprofit life and work.

The Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rollins College | Link format: Website | Nonprofit training, certificates, and programs.

United Way | Link format: Website | National nonprofit offering support and fundraising for education, income, and health.

National Council of Nonprofits | Link format: Website | News, resources, and support for nonprofits across the USA.

Mission Capital | Link format: Website | Working to create an equitable and resilient sector where all can thrive, cultivating community, fostering organizational resiliency and maximizing opportunity and impact across the nonprofit sector through collaboration, leadership development, customized trainings, strategic consulting and pushing the boundaries of our sector’s culture.

Other resources in this section:

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