All Write! Adult Literacy Program

• Participation in All Write! is completely FREE!
• Any class of Adult Basic Education (ABE) or English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), at any level, can participate.
• Teachers, tutors, or site administrators register their class(es), and may choose either the “MORNING PROGRAM” or the “EVENING PROGRAM” based on whether their class(es) meet during the day or the night.

One teacher says:

• "I can't begin to tell you what a valuable service your program performs for the adult literacy community. The performances and highly professional, well-thought out support materials provide structure and inspiration for many different types of valuable lessons supporting reading, writing, and listening skills, as well as conversation and reasoning. Your programs have become an important part of our curriculum." – Volunteer Tutor, NY Public Library

Symphony Space provides the following resources for FREE to every class that registers for All Write!:

• Admission to two All Write! performances at our beautiful theater, with virtual options.
• All texts to the published stories and poems to be performed by professional actors at the first performance.
• A Resource Guide with a comprehensive unit on each of the published texts that will be explored over the semester. Each unit includes suggestions for engaging with language and literary devices, prompts for student writing, and arts-based activities. These activities can open a window onto each story and poem, and many take only a couple of minutes.
• A set of images that are related to some or all of the stories and poems. These images are extremely effective in stimulating discussion, enhancing understanding of the text, and in prompting creative writing.
• Two highly interactive, virtual professional development workshops for participating educators. The first focuses on alternative strategies for introducing students to the stories and poems they will hear performed at the first performance. The second explores a variety of ways to inspire and enable students to write their own stories and poems. All activities are hands-on and replicable in both in-person and virtual classroom settings. Once an activity has been tried out in the workshop, teachers discuss how they would adapt it for their particular students. The “cross-participant” sharing is especially valuable.

The structure of the All Write! program is as follows:

• Resource materials and schedule of events are shared with participants.
• Classes attend a performance at Symphony Space featuring acclaimed actors of stage and screen performing the published short stories and poems that have been selected for each year’s curriculum. Classes can attend in-person or virtually, and the performance lasts about 60 minutes. At the end of this performance the student audience is invited to submit original writing for the chance to have their work featured at the second performance.
• Participating teachers and tutors use as much of the All Write! program content as they wish throughout their school semester. There is no required amount of preparation and it is up to each class to find where this can fit into its curriculum. Teachers support students to work on their own writing, which can be submitted to Symphony Space for the chance to have it performed.
• Teachers may submit their students’ writing to All Write! in March. There is no obligation to submit student writing.
• Classes attend a final performance at Symphony Space, which features the same cast of professional actors performing a selection of stories and poems written by the enrolled students to an audience of their peers, teachers, family, and friends. Classes can attend in-person or virtually, and the performance generally lasts 90 minutes.

Teachers say:

• "My students were greatly impressed. [One of my students]… has blossomed as a writer; [he] says it’s the best thing that has ever happened to him." – Teacher, Brooklyn Adult Learning Center

• "The curriculum guide is wonderful. I have five years of guides that I use all the time." – Teacher, Brooklyn Public Library

• November 14, 2025 – Registration deadline.
• Late November – Confirmed workshop and performance dates, and program materials are sent to registered teachers, tutors, or site administrators.
• Early December – The first Professional Development Workshop is offered virtually.
• Late January or early February – The first performance is offered at 11AM EST. Classes who are unable to attend in-person may watch a recorded livestream for a limited time.
• Early February – The second Professional Development Workshop is offered virtually
• Mid-March – Student writing submissions are due to Symphony Space.
• Early April – Teachers who have submitted student writing are informed of the pieces chosen for the second performance.
• Mid-May – The culminating performance is held. This performance is offered in-person and livestreamed at 11AM EST for classes that meet during the day; and at 7PM EST for classes that meet in the evening. Classes who are unable to attend in-person may watch a recording.

One happy program director says:

• "The All Write! program has been an anticipated series of events on my professional calendar every year for more years than I can remember. The motivation it inspires, the professional development for our instructors, and the celebration of selected student writing by professional actors in the wonderful theatre is FANTASTIC! I can't wait to see this year's program." – Literacy Program Director, NY Public Library

Symphony Space’s free All Write! program gives teachers resources to inspire and enable their students to engage with challenging prose and poetry, and to write creatively. While most ABE and ESOL classes are focused on helping students master the basics of standard English, All Write! benefits students on both an academic and a personal level. Participating teachers and tutors agree that introducing students to great literature and poetry and inviting them to express themselves creatively unleashes not only a desire to read and write more, but an elevated level of confidence in themselves across the board.

Our teachers speak for themselves, with one saying:

• "The biggest impact of All Write! on my students is hearing great literature, including the student writing. The biggest impact on me is seeing my students honored." -Teacher, Brooklyn College Adult Learning Center

A recent evaluation revealed the following findings as a result of participating in All Write!

Of the 28 teachers who responded (62% of all teachers):

• 74% reported that as a result of participating in All Write! at least 50% of their students now write more
• 71% said that at least 50% of their students read more
• 95% reported that overall student participation in classroom activities had been positively affected by participating in All Write!
• 55% reported that TABE (Tests for Adult Basic English) scores, and 42% said GED essays were positively affected by All Write!
• 100% of responding teachers said they incorporated the All Write! materials into their curriculum; 70% said they incorporated them “a lot”

Of the 179 students who responded (15% of all students):

• 90% report that they read more often
• 91% report that they write more often
• 89% report that they read more “literature and poetry”
• 95% report that they feel more hopeful about their future