"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to connecting research with practice, to connecting teachers with research and researchers with the reality of the classroom, and by doing so, making adult basic education research more relevant to the field. The theme of this issue of "Focus on Basics" is "Counseling." Articles in this volume include: (1) Sponsors and Sponsorship: "Initial Findings from the Second Phase of the NCSALL Persistence Study" (John Comings and Sondra Cuban); (2) Beyond the Scope of the Teachers: "Deciding to Employ a Social Worker" (Nikki Merritt, Miriam Spencer, and Lori Withers); (3) Who Helps the Helpers? Supporting Counselors in Adult Basic Education (Cathy Coleman); (4) A Mind/Body/Learning Approach To Counseling: "Helping Students Handle Stress" (Marjorie Jacobs); (5) Building Participation in Workplace Learning Programs (Debby D'Amico, Diane Lentz, Robert L. Smith, and Marcia L. Taylor); (6) A Conversation with FOB: "Counseling in ESOL Programs"; (7) All About NCSALL; (8) Blackboard; and (9) New From NCSALL. (Individual articles contain references and figures.)