This chapter describes how PIAAC's concept of competency-in-use can support literacy policy and practice focused on adult learners' real needs.

In Zambia, adult literacy education is mainly provided in the form of non-formal literacy classes, with a general emphasis on the economic purpose of alleviating poverty. The aim is to increase the number of skilled citizens who are literate. Exploring (1) the pedagogical practices used in this context and (2) facilitators' choices of certain…

Previous studies have documented the personal transformation that many low literate adults undergo when they engage in literacy campaigns. In particular, research has captured how improved literacy leads to a greater willingness and capacity to speak out, or what is often referred to as voice. This paper focusses on the impact of an adult…

The implementation of adult education in Ethiopia is the responsibility of different sectors. Studies indicated that the collaboration among these sectors is unsatisfactory, but the main factors that deter the collaboration are not well studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess major factors that deter intersectoral collaboration…

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.…

This paper draws on sociological and critical educational frames, particularly Bourdieu's concept of symbolic violence, in order to contest the dominant model of literacy education that is driven by the premise of a 'knowledge economy'. Instead it foregrounds the political, social, and economic factors that marginalise learners. Data from two…

A major challenge in research with struggling adult readers is their heterogeneity in reading-related competencies and demographic characteristics. The purpose of this investigation was to identify unique profiles of skill sets among struggling adult readers and explore informative demographic differences between profiles. Using latent class…

A major challenge in research with struggling adult readers is their heterogeneity in reading-related competencies and demographic characteristics. The purpose of this investigation was to identify unique profiles of skill sets among struggling adult readers and explore informative demographic differences between profiles. Using latent class…

This qualitative research article explores barriers experienced by a group of African American and Latinx adults who sought to enroll and stay enrolled in a publicly funded literacy class and how these barriers were related to policy. Barriers included (a) an inadequate number and type of available classes, (b) a lack of community awareness of…

This paper focuses on the importance of multilingual literacy in the 21st century and, specifically, how adult learners across the globe can develop multilingual literacy skills necessary for successful communication and global citizenship. The paper includes a theoretical (research background, definitions, critical framework) and a practical…

This writing critiques the idea that literacies education can and should empower adult learners. The ideas of Pierre Bourdieu and James Paul Gee are analysed with reference to how power and empowerment are understood and what this means for the concrete practice of adult literacies education by educators and students. My concern is that their…

The adult learning ecology has expanded to include digital access, requiring enhancement of theories in the specific context of low-literate learners who may not have previously benefited from educational technology. The Digital Learning Ecology (DLE) framework identifies the three dimensions of context, design, and motivation, considering…

Inferencing skills uniquely contribute to the reading comprehension skills of older grade-school and college students. Evidence also suggests that children's reading component skills, such as decoding and language comprehension, differentially contribute to various reading comprehension assessments. However, additional research is needed to…

The Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) provides a clear and comprehensive picture of the state of adult learning and education (ALE) around the world. The "4th Global Report on Adult Learning and Education" ("GRALE 4") monitors the extent to which UNESCO Member States put their international commitments…

The Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation, is preparing this report in response to the Skilled Iowa and Job Creation Fund for the state appropriation for Adult Basic Education and Adult Education Literacy (AEL) Programs (260C.50). This report was coordinated by the department with the assistance of…