Teaching adult literacy in an impoverished rural area, I often deal with single mothers, working class men and women who are working below and earning below the national poverty line in most cases and young adults who are returning to school for whatever reason - in addition to the ESL population that transitions through the community seasonally. Financial literacy is a big part of the classroom - everything from balancing checkbooks to paying taxes and understanding a pay stub. Students often do not understand the "Language" of the very pay check they are bringing home each week. Sometimes, it is helping them to understand the utility bills or even the language of financing a loan for a car. Vocabulary skills aside, you add in the math issues related to such things - like figuring how many kilowatts your old refrigerator is using compared to a newer used model and discussing whether or not it's worth the investment. From personal experience, there are many opportunities in the adult literacy classroom from which to teach financial literacy and I think it's naturally part of the teaching because when teaching math or vocabulary you sometimes want "real" experiences from which to teach from in order for the student to find meaning and practical use.

Regards,
Katrina Hinson




>>> Libby Tisdell <ejt11 at psu.edu> 8/28/2008 5:16 pm >>>

Hey Everyone  --
My name is Libby Tisdell, and I'm new to this list serve. I'm not really a
literacy educator as much as I'm an Adult Education professor, which
includes the professional development of literacy educators.  I'm wondering
if some of you folks might be able to help me.

 I'm doing a project on financial literacy education.  At this point mostly
I'm doing a literature review, and searching for appropriate places and
groups to do some survey research with to find out who is doing more
community based financial literacy education.

Can anyone tell me the extent to which literacy educators in general might
deal with financial literacy  education issues, and if this is something
that is typically dealt with by Literacy Educators in general?  If so, what
level of financial literacy education would you be dealing with?  Budgeting?
Checkwriting?  Investing?

Most of the financial literacy education literature I've located is pretty
much aimed more at those who are middle class and above.   I'm more
interested in who is doing financial literacy education with a less moneyed
audience, and with folks who wouldn't have the money or inclination to ever
pay for financial planning services, basically those who are underserved on
multiple levels.   I'm esepcially interested in how this plays out for
working class women, people of color, those not born int he U.S, and older
people.  If any of you could help me with finding information about this, I
would be most appreciative.

Libby Tisdell 

Elizabeth J. Tisdell, EdD
Associate Professor  of Adult Education
Adult Education Doctoral Program Coordinator
Penn State University - Harrisburg
777 W. Harrisburg Pike
Middletown, PA 17057

e-mail:  ejt11 at psu.edu 
work:  717-948-6640
cell:  717-579-8835
FAX:  717-948-6064


On 8/28/08 4:35 PM, "Katrina Hinson" <khinson at almanid.com> wrote:


> I agree...I don't post as often as I would like but I do find the lists useful

> in so many ways - even more so as I've started a PhD program and trying to

> balance the work I do with adult literacy with other things. Sometimes the

> things I learn or read on the lists provide reflective thoughts on practices I

> might not have ever considered.

> 

> Regards,

> Katrina Hinson

> 

> 

>>>> Janet Hughes <janethughes10 at yahoo.com> 08/28/08 8:13 PM >>>

> I find these lists so useful as I reflect, struggle to reach more learners in

> more efficient and effective ways.  I confess I rarely participate with

> postings, but I'm learning, thinking and reading!

> 

> Janet Hughes

> Literacy Volunteers & Advocates

> Washington, DC

> 

> 

> 

>       

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