This manual (and an accompanying video) is a literacy audit tool to help adult education practitioners find out how their clients and staff rate their organization's success in meeting the literacy needs of clients. The manual also contains background information about literacy and suggestions on how to use the literacy audit to help an…

Although the majority of today's young adults meet or surpass the "literacy" standards of 25 years ago, they often lack the level of literacy needed to meet current demands. The National Assessment of Educational Progress studied a nationally representative sample of 3,600 young American adults, aged 21 to 25, to determine how well they could…

This paper presents a case and some ideas for integrating basic skills development with occupational training. Explaining why traditional instructional methods do not work in the workplace, the paper summarizes learning theories that support work force literacy programs. It explains how to identify the skills needed in the workplace, provides…

This report describes certain assumptions and tentative conclusions made by an Advisory Group of the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit (ALBSU) about work with the mentally handicapped from a nonspecialist perspective. With the basic education organizer in mind, the report addresses six major issues. A definition of the term mentally handicapped…

Although volunteer tutors traditionally have formed the basis of the programs of Laubach Literacy Action and Literacy Volunteers of America, volunteers have begun to play a greater role in adult literacy instruction provided through community-based organizations, correctional institutions, churches, and federally funded adult basic education.…

The Political Literacy and Civic Education (PLACE) project in Kroo Bay, Freetown, Sierra Leone, was developed to enable people, through functional literacy and civic education, to participate in the processes of good governance by exercising their rights, duties, and obligations in an informed and responsible manner. The project suggests a…

This handbook presents annotated "snapshots" of 10 innovative family literacy programs, almost all of which were begun by an individual with a vision of a new way to solve a demanding educational problem. Profiles depict, in terms of background, characteristics, evidence of success, and advice to policymakers and practitioners, the: (1)…

A minicourse pilot project was designed by the Massachusetts Department of Education to meet the staff training and development needs of workplace educators in the National Workplace Literacy Program. During the course, various activities and group configurations were used to help teachers apply modeled approaches to their own teaching contexts,…

This booklet was developed to offer practical advice to those in charge of, or attempting to develop, a small literacy program. The guide is organized in nine narrative sections that provide information on the following topics: beginning a literacy program, assessing the need, program structure, building a program, financing a program,…

A study examined the nature and extent of adult literacy needs in the American labor force. Data for the study were collected from a review of the literature, site visits to nine industry-based training programs, and consultation with a technical panel of experts. Input from company managers, instructors, and trainers familiar with the…

This paper was designed to assist educators and employers as they plan curricula in language and communication skills for students and employees entering, or experiencing a transition to, automated work settings. The strategies presented in this paper may be adaptable to secondary school business skills and basic English courses, pre-employment…

This curriculum was developed to assist adult education teachers (especially in Kentucky) to prepare adults to function in today's society and that of the next century. Materials in the guide go beyond preparing adults to pass the General Educational Development (GED) test to preparing them with life skills. The curriculum includes traditional…

This booklet was developed to help literacy instructors of older adults become more knowledgeable about these students. The guide is organized in eight sections that cover the following topics: older adults--who are they?; characteristics of older adults; barriers to learning; older adult developmental stages; the older adult learner; finding…

A project was conducted to determine the thoughts and feelings of probationers (mostly white males ranging in age from early 20s to early 50s) mandated by a judge to complete their GED (General Educational Development) diploma or their high school diploma at a local adult education program mostly attended by middle-aged white female displaced…

This resource guide contains guidelines and information (much of which is specific to Florida) on organizing and implementing literacy programs to reach and teach functionally illiterate older adults. Section 1 presents a profile of illiterate older adults and guidelines for linking existing programs and services and lists organizations involved…