Adult literacy has been on the margins of postsecondary education for so long that many in our field assume our ongoing struggle for adequate funding and a better image is somehow "normal." It is "not normal" that some 107,000,000 adults across North America are marginalized, with many hidden in society due to low literacy.…

Assuming that many undereducated adults resisted schooling in early years and are now resisting adult basic education (ABE) programs for similar reasons, this study examines young adults in literary fiction who resisted schooling. Implications and recommendations for ABE research are discussed. (JOW)

Health literacy is an area of practice and study that is expanding so quickly in the United States and Canada that it is difficult to keep up with the literature--not to mention the steady stream of conference notices. While this is an exciting new development for both adult education and the health professions, the history of adult literacy is…

Resistance theory was used as a framework in analyzing 10 works of fiction containing a character who resisted traditional schooling and embraced an alternative lifestyle. The results applied to nonparticipants in adult basic education show that resisters reject the hegemony of values of traditional programs. (JOW)

The literacy field hopes that literacy will be considered separately from the S-2 Omnibus Education Bill in Congress. Problems remain in the definitions of literacy, establishment of a National Institute for Literacy, lack of investment in teacher training and technology, and accountability. (SK)

A survey of 11 adult literacy practitioner research networks in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada indicated the following: primary purposes were professional development and outlet for practitioner voice; predominant methods were action and participatory research; 10 had government funding; and challenges included lack of…

Resistance to schooling of characters in 10 works of fiction was analyzed and findings applied to traditional literacy/adult basic education (ABE) programs. The results suggest that resistance occurs when values clash. Since ABE programs tend to reproduce the values of the dominant culture, they contribute to the resistance of those outside the…

"In Quest of the Quick Fix: Staff Development in the 'National Literacy Training Act'" (Quigley) argues that professional development programs must consider "literacy for what?""Foundations for Adult Learning and Development Policy" (Craig) evaluates a policy document of the Alberta Advanced Education Ministry. (SK)

Interviews with 20 adults who chose not to participate in literacy programs revealed that they valued education and learning but considered "school" unacceptable. Reasons were categorized as ideological/cultural, personal/emotive, or age-related resistance. (SK)

Throughout its history, adult literacy education has been defined, researched, and controlled by external entities. Action research is now enabling literacy practitioners and learners to gain a voice through production of their own knowledge. The applicability, benefits, and inherent risks of practitioner action research are discussed. Contains 53…

Craig raises concerns about the Movement for Canadian Literacy's proposal in terms of jurisdictional and organization issues regarding literacy and government role. Quigley examines the notion that workplace literacy is a panacea for economic development and warns of dangers in a major shift of funding to this form of literacy. (SK)

The three studies reported in this document are part of an ongoing attempt to understand how the world of illiteracy and literacy programs appears to those who have either refused to attend or decided to drop out of adult basic education (ABE). Situational or institutional barriers account for some of this non-attendance; they do not, however,…

This guide gives adult educators and trainers in the literacy field concrete suggestions and alternatives for their work. It provides historical and evolutionary frameworks they can use to shape a new philosophy of adult literacy and improve their practice. Part 1 looks at literacy through the eyes of society, describing myths, rhetoric, and…

Two studies examined why many adults choose not to attend adult basic education (ABE) classes and ways of improving retention in ABE. In the first study, 17 adults from the Pittsburgh area who had recently quit attending ABE classes (termed "reluctant learners") and 20 adults who had persisted in ABE were interviewed. It was recommended…