The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of a word study literacy approach on the spelling ability and self-efficacy of adults in a county jail. Forty-four inmates participated in the word study intervention that provided them with hands-on learning. The word study intervention was conducted in four separate sessions (September,…

For the past 40 years adult learning theory has stressed the need for adults to share in the planning of their own learning and socially construct new knowledge by building on their background knowledge and life experiences. Despite growing acceptance of social-constructivist pedagogies in community-based literacy programs and even corporate…

In many U.S. prisons an overuse of individualized instruction silences literacy learners and reinforces oppressive notions about what knowledge is and whose knowledge counts. In these classrooms, methods that invite learners to tap their background knowledge, reflect on their worlds, and dialogue with others to construct meaning--commonplace in…

The purpose of this study was to measure whether Christian programs had a positive influence on the academic achievement of low-literate male inmates. The sample consisted of 124 male inmates in a closed security prison in the southeastern United States who were participating in an Adult Basic Education (ABE) program. The researcher grouped the…

Talking to young men in an Irish prison we discover that cockroaches are a day to day fact of life. We discuss how best to deal with them and someone says that while in [name of prison] he used to put his socks over the bottom of his jeans so that they wouldn't be able to run up his trousers while he was asleep. Someone else tells me he used to…

Incarceration is an anxiety- and depression-inducing experience. These states are maximal at prison intake, when the offender is struggling to adjust to dramatic changes in daily life. At intake, offenders undergo a wide array of assessments, many of which determine the services and treatment that they will receive. In the Commonwealth of…

Correctional education programs for incarcerated adults have been an object of much discussion. While such programs appear to be readily available to incarcerated individuals, little information is known about the instructional characteristics of such programs. The purpose of this survey was to describe the characteristics of instructional…

This study explores a group of inmates' perceptions of their correctional education and environment based on Fetterman's 1994 idea of empowerment evaluation. A group of 16 male inmates were randomly selected from GED and ABE courses in a high minimum correctional facility in Illinois. A self-administered questionnaire included 5 topics:…

Challenges of an open-entry correctional education system include the following: assessing learning needs, providing appropriate materials and activities, incorporating individual and group instruction, tracking progress, and maintaining discipline. Instructional principles include ongoing assessment, individualized instruction, and frequent…

The Arkansas Department of Correction School District initially required educational attendance for inmates with less than a high-school diploma or a fourth-grade Wide Range Achievement Test score. Eventually, attendance was made compulsory for all inmates without high school diplomas. District funding was almost entirely from state education…

Outlines models of correctional education in the last 3 decades: (1) adult basic education, General Educational Development preparation and vocational education (1970s-1980s); (2) addition of functional competency and job preparation (1980s-1990s); (3) addition of special reading techniques and inmate tutors (mid-late 1990s); and (4) addition of…

Cognitive Enrichment Advantage is a student-centered literacy education method used in Canadian prisons. It emphasizes the teacher's role as mediator of learning; its 12 building blocks of thinking and 8 tools of learning embody a constructivist approach. A goal is fostering independent and interdependent lifelong learning. (SK)

Literacy education in Wheatfield Prison uses individualized, participatory, holistic approaches focused on personal development. The curriculum features language experience, extension of literacy skills with information technology, and creative arts. Forty percent of education participants take literacy classes; 40% of literacy students achieve…

Presents insights from effective instruction for linguistically and culturally diverse students that apply to correctional education: meeting emotional and sociocultural needs, providing linguistic and academic support, accelerating learning through two languages, teaching English as a second language through content, and fostering literacy in the…

The following principles of systemic reform can guide improved services for inmates with learning disabilities: (1) involve all stakeholders in creating a shared vision and action plan; (2) enlist administrative support; (3) provide meaningful, ongoing professional development; (4) identify resources; and (5) monitor and improve the change…