This user-friendly Toolkit provides a variety of materials to help practitioners meet the language and literacy development needs of the adult learners they serve. It begins with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that address general aspects of adult ESL and family literacy instruction. Each FAQ references the section of the Toolkit that provides more complete information.

The Toolkit is divided into the following sections:

Part I presents information for program staff about the population of adult English language learners in the United States. This section also describes types of programs that offer adult ESL instruction, the challenges that programs face, and some characteristics of effective programs.

Part II offers activity packets. These are descriptions of specific activities that can be carried out in programs and classes; and forms, surveys, and questionnaires that can be photocopied and used. They include a checklist for use with learners that are new to a program; samples of learner needs assessments; specific lessons and guidance for planning lessons for use with learners at different proficiency levels; and instructional strategies for promoting interaction, communication, and reading development in classes.

Part III presents information about parent education in family literacy programs. The goals and structure of parent education are explained, strategies for implementing parent education are given, and activities that parents can carry out with their children at home and in their communities are provided.

Part IV provides in-depth information about current issues in adult ESL education. The first article describes the research on second language acquisition and learning to read in a second language. Other articles address the assessment of adult English language learners and provide annotated charts of published assessments that are used in the field to assess the English language and Spanish language proficiency of adults learning English. Additional background articles describe research-based strategies for working with adult learners with learning disabilities and other special needs, helping learners make transitions beyond adult ESL classes, and helping learners prepare for permanent residency and citizenship.