Society expects certain levels of literacy from its citizens. In addition, individuals have expectations for their own levels of literacy. In defining functional literacy, there is considerable disagreement over what can be expected of consumers, employees, and taxpayers. Empirical studies in Sweden attempting to establish criteria of functional…

The concept of content area reading (CAR) is introduced and implications are drawn for the teaching of reading in adult literacy and basic education programs. Included are (1) a definition of the concept, (2) background of reading-related problems, (3) practical approaches to functional reading instruction, and (4) the relationship between CAR and…

Reviews literature on U.S. Office of Education-sponsored Adult Performance Level project that cites among its accomplishments (1) a model for competency-based education, (2) creation of national awareness of illiteracy, and (3) individualized programs. Among its insufficiencies are absence of reliable measures of validity, value-laden curriculum,…

Discusses the number of libraries participating in literacy education, the commitment of libraries to literacy education, some factors influencing libraries' participation in such programs, and the present posture of literacy education. Sixteen references are listed. (Author/LLS)

Reviews Elizabeth Eisenstein's "The Printing Press as an Agent of Change," which documents how print influenced the Renaissance and the Reformation and set the stage for the Age of Science. (AEA)

A study of the various facets and dimensions of literacy programs in South Asia indicates that literacy is viewed as a means of human resource development geared toward meaningful participation of all sectors in society, with individual programs varying according to the magnitude of illiteracy, national goals, linguistic setting, and regional…

Based on an Australian study, this article notes that people with hearing disabilities are not homogeneous and suggests several language-learning options to be considered by service providers. Contains 24 references. (LB)

Two literacy initiatives (immigrant education in the early 1900s and citizenship schools at Highlander, 1953-61) suggest a core strategy for accommodating cultural pluralism in adult literacy: considering the distinct sociocultural and political dynamics that affect the educational environment for excluded groups. (SK)

The principal failure of attempts to reduce illiteracy in the United States lies in the conceptualization of the problem to which literacy is the solution and in an underfinanced practice that parallels dominant educational institutions, emphasizing the service of individuals. Adult education plays a critical role in liberatory action. Although…

This report describes adult literacy needs, the role of the libraries in meeting those needs, literacy needs and services in New York, and the contributions the City University of New York (CUNY) is making to the literacy effort. Quotations from Paulo Freire and Jonathan Kozol are used to define the nature of illiteracy and its extent in the…

A definition of illiteracy is the inability to read and compute at the standard needed by an adult within a chosen social context. While statistics may vary depending upon the study, women make up the majority of the illiterates nationally and internationally. Three factors that contribute to illiteracy among women are social acculturation and…

Significant research studies, bibliographies, and selected scholarly papers that have analyzed numerous aspects of illiteracy are examined in this paper. A definition, characteristics, and the plight of illiterates are discussed. The following selected research studies are then reviewed and a brief analysis of each is given: (1) "The Acquisition…

Sociocultural concerns have provided the framework for literacy expectations throughout the history of the United States, and have determined the extent to which national emphasis has been placed on adult literacy programs. Early literacy programs have been traced to the Reconstruction period following the Civil War. The next surge of interest in…

This discussion of the necessity for promoting a vigourous, prosperous, and free press addresses several areas of journalistic concern: the growing tendency toward disinterest in reading in a population that is nearly 100% literate; the decline of reading habits and motivation to read as reading skills improve; and the inability of newspaper…

Presents the results of a survey of adult basic education (ABE) literature from 1977 to l983 and offers suggestions on the design of future ABE programs. (AEA)