Comments on literacy data gathered from several surveys and questions whether students are developing sufficient literacy skills. (AEA)

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…

Defining literacy is a compelling challenge to educators. They generally use three models: instrumental, functional, and empowerment. The latter two approaches, which were increasingly evident in the 1980s, identify literacy by the social functions required in a given context or by the qualities needed for illiterate people to take control of…

This paper is a summary of existing literature on the literacy requirements of various businesses and industries, including the Federal Government. The findings came from a spring 1979 search for literature on the literacy requirements of various businesses and industries during 1969-1979. The report contains information on the following topics:…

Examines contemporary "technocratic" and "progressive" approaches to literacy. Discusses "functional literacy" in relation to the classical model of "high literacy." Suggests research be guided by considerations of contextual factors influencing acquisition and use of literate abilities and organized in…

Literacy education is modeled along a continuum moving from a technical conception of literacy to a conception of literacy as praxis, or critical literacy. These competing models are contrasted, and special emphasis is given to one adult basic literacy organization that is managing to humanize the process. (Author/BJV)

This study estimates the incidence, characteristics, and patterns of change over time of illiteracy in Morocco. The study compares the results from direct literacy assessment to the conventional methods of self-reported literacy. This effort has provided more detailed, objective information with which patterns of literacy skills in the country may…

Since colonial times, definitions and estimates of illiteracy in the United States have been debated. The Census Bureau's major indicator is number of years of schooling completed. However, average grade-level attainment is high, whereas estimates of levels of reading ability remain low. In addition, these measures are inadequate for adults. A…

A letter from Thomas Sticht, written while conducting research for the United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, compares the learning situations of classrooms in schools and in battalions. (MKM)

Describes some of the confusion in defining literacy and recommends beginning functional literacy courses in elementary school and continuing them through high school. (TJ)

The following intergenerational literacy programs are described in this document: (1) a Boston University program that provides about 112 hours of training for work-study students who then work as tutors for adults; (2) a program that uses the paired reading technique to involve parents in the development of their children's reading in the United…

This document traces the history of volunteerism in the literacy field, discusses the current role and use of volunteers, and assesses the potential and the limits of volunteerism as a current and future means for overcoming illiteracy in the United States. (The major conclusion is that the current delivery system of literacy activities can go no…

A review of 48 studies on the use of sight-word methodology to teach functional reading to individuals with moderate and severe disabilities found that sight-word instruction has been highly effective with this population. New strategies have included feedback procedures and applying constant time delay. A persistent limitation of the research is…

The field of cognitive science (as represented, for instance, by intergenerational literacy programs) offers new ways to think about increasing cognitive abilities, which is particularly important in view of the disappointing outcomes of many intervention programs that do not seem to make their participants more knowledgeable or better thinkers.…

This document sets the current literacy education movement in historical context, criticizes the actions of unprepared newcomers to field, and praises the efforts of reading professionals who use a language experience approach to teaching reading. In an overview, the faddishness of some current literacy education activity is deplored. Section 1…