• To assist in instructional planning, SED has developed a number of programs and other resources addressing a variety of populations and issues. (Consult the Adult Education Resource Guide and Learning Standards for a list of programs.)

Curriculum Development
Once learning standards consistent with the learner’s goals are selected, it is then necessary to further delineate the learning by selecting learner outcomes or performance indicators. Ultimately, intended learning outcomes must be expressed in measurable terms. As teachers become seasoned in developing learning experiences, the identification of performance indicators becomes second hand. For additional guidance on curriculum development, consult the Adult Education Resource Guide and Learning Standards.

Classroom Management
Another way to broaden the scope of learning standards is to look for opportunities in classroom management. This important educational process encompasses all activities that contribute to making a family literacy program in any setting work.

While classroom management extends far beyond, the correctional facility is the hub where learning experiences and activities are planned, guided, facilitated, assessed, and documented. The care exercised in creating an inviting and safe environment for instruction to take place will go a long way to ensuring that families achieve their goals in a timely fashion. This can be especially challenging in a jail where danger, rather than safety, is the unspoken message.

The extent to which classroom management is relevant to instruction and the learning standards is a function of the program. Family literacy may range from inmates sending recorded readings home to an actual program in a correctional facility. Depending upon the nature of the family literacy program, good classroom management can extend from greeting families when they enter the room; to selecting instructional resources; to organizing the environment in a comfortable, non-threatening arrangement; to encouraging self-monitoring of behavior; to settling disputes and managing differences in a respectful way. Many of these management activities provide opportunities for addressing the learning standards.

“It gave us a chance to maintain the rapport and bond that we have, and lets me monitor my child’s behavior when interacting with other people. I commend the teachers involved in the Parent and Child Time program for their understanding and enthusiasm when teaching the program.”
Participant in family literacy program