About the Company

Evelyn Renner and Associates was established in 1992 in response to the many requests for training and materials by both adult education and literacy programs nationwide. The materials and workshops developed were in direct response to the requests received from the nonprofit sector, business and industry. The original focus of the workshops and materials was Basic Literacy. As the company grew, more and more requests were received for the development of workshops, classes and materials for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). This venue is still the largest component for products and services within the company.

By 1994, accent reduction software was added to the products and services offered. In 1995, Evelyn Renner and Lietta Wood authored a publication for working with students with learning disabilities that was in immediate demand. More staff was added to the small company to keep up with sales and requests for workshops and classes, and additional products and services were added. By the end of that year, materials and products developed by the company were being used nationwide in adult literacy programs and many adult education programs.

In 1996, the company changed its name to Evelyn Renner and Associates and removed the word "literacy" from the company name to better reflect the broad scope of educational products, workshops, classes, and materials developed.

In 1997, they began to focus on an international market by launching their web site, and by May they had introduced their latest publication, The English as a Second Language Handbook and Trainer's Guide to trainers and providers nationwide.

In 2003, Evelyn Renner began a major project with the Anaheim Public Library to develop a video-based tutor training, called GreatStart5. It is currently used by over 100 programs nationwide.

The company continues to identify the needs of tutors, students, trainers and program staff -- needs not met by conventional publishers -- and either develops the resources or material, or identifies innovative products to fill these needs.

Our Philosophy

Whether a student is learning to speak or read English, we feel our products and services provide and opportunity for everyone to have an adventure. We believe our work with students should celebrate what students already know and build on this knowledge to develop their literacy skills. We focus our efforts on providing a variety of materials, support and training opportunities that are fun and challenging. This environment encourages people to read to learn more than to learn to read.

We base the development of our materials and training on the following:

• Learning should be fun.
• Language is noise without understanding.
• Learning should be an adventure.
• Learning is easier in a language-rich, context-based environment where students interact with real information.
• Learning is best done by doing, not observing! We encourage tutors not to do anything a student can do.
• Learning is based on process not product. Process-based learning has more meaning.
• The journey between what the student already knows and what the student wants to know is a process-based lesson.
• Doing what our students can do denies our students process.
• Lessons that are meaning and collaborative are the most efffective.
• Speaking, reading and writing any language does not mean a student understands.
• A student must be able to construct meaning while speaking, reading and writing a language. Without constructing meaning, language is noise.
• If understanding is not brought with us on our journey with our students, we have accomplished nothing.
• Honoring our students, their culture and heritage as much as we honor our own enhances both self-esteem and the learning process.
• Understanding the message or content to learn something is more effective than learning grammar rules or other rules to learn something.
• Empowering students to share a full partnership in the entire adventure keeps the lessons interesting and increases retention.
• Planning together and laughing together means learning together.
• Viewing mistakes and questions as opportunities.
• Using these opportunities as lessons.
• Being message-based as a tutor creates relevant lessons.

Whether the student is working on math or reading, we feel these ideas will keep them coming back for more.