Teaching adults to read and write: can you recommend good tools/aids/books please?

[somuchtosortout]

Just that really.

I live in a developing country with a high rate of illiteracy. Most adults also have quite basic English and only speak the local language, (although English is supposed to be the main language).

I know this will make my task almost impossible! But if I find a group of people who have a basic spoken English I believe they could improve all round by learning to read and write.

Has anyone taught adult literacy and could you point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

(I'm a teacher by the way, but never done anything like this)

bump

Not a teacher but remember my Dad learning to read and write.

Dad learned to read by reading biff and chip books with me when I was small which worked well, so would teaching these people with their children/children from the same town be an option?

He also learned to write by doing the same handwriting practice sheets as my brothers and I were doing, you could write them out yourself so they use phrases that might be helpful to an adult rather than 'the cat sat on the mat' type phrases. Mum used to do shopping lists with him.

I don't think that Biff and Chip are suitable for adults. I think you need a free online phonics programme.

www.catphonics.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/contents.htm

Since English is an addtional language they would benefit from reading books. Oxford Owls have 250 free e books.

www.oxfordowl.co.uk/

There are some in there with content more suitable for adults.

Thank you! Yes, Xhiha, it had occurred to me that I could be teaching children to read and if their mums or dads came along they would probably also pick it up. To be fair I know Biff and Chip are not suitable for adults but I think people here would be grateful for anything and having possibly never owned a book even in their own language would not scorn Biff and Chip.

Most of my free time is in the mornings though when children go to the local primary schools (if you can call them that), and I think I can do a lot more in 1 hour with a group of adults than with children.

Really tired thanks for the link, I think starting with phonics is the best thing to do. I guess that we might get through it quicker with adults than you would with a 4/5 year old. The free e books is an excellent excellent link, thank you so much!