The prevalence of low to very low adult English literacy levels in First Nations communities in Australia continues to be an issue, despite ten years of government-supported Foundation Skills training provided through the national vocational education and training system. This study examines an innovative First Nations community-controlled…

The study aimed at exploring reading acquisition in Arabic from the perspective of a newly-literate adult native speaker, seeking to improve her reading ability and recite the Quran. Drawing mainly on a participatory cognitive schematic-interactive approach, and accounting for a literacy social view, the study's construct allowed the investigation…

This paper examines the degree to which British adults participating in workplace literacy courses improved their reading comprehension skills, using longitudinal data which cover the period from enrolment until between two and three years later. Learners were tested using an instrument designed explicitly for adults, with two parallel forms. For…

A diverse group of 27 adults completed 100 hours of computer-assisted reading instruction. Reading gains ranged from 0.4-7.5 grade levels and were greatest for subjects with a minimum pretest second grade reading level. Participants indicated the importance of skilled and empathic support from staff. (SV)

A study investigated whether lowering the reading level of a health education pamphlet would increase comprehension by adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) readers. The reading level of a general pharmacy education handout was lowered by changing vocabulary, sentence structure, and organization, by highlighting the main idea of each point, and…

Examines current Adult Basic Education teaching and assessment methods in the United Kingdom and the United States to help define what constitutes success in adult basic literacy tuition. (SR)

Considers why the use of story in literacy education is central to critical adult literacy practice, and examines both its potential and limitations. The use of story in the form of student-written and student-produced autobiographies in general, and one student's story in particular, is explored. The value of publishing learners' stories is…

Five Cambodian mothers (whose primary grade children attended a regular New Zealand school) were introduced to a Shared Reading procedure to help them learn to read, in parallel with their children. All children showed increased reading progress, as did three of the mothers. (Author/CB)

A study surveyed adults with literacy problems and evaluated the Parents-as-Partners-as-Learners project. Eighty English-speaking adults in the eastern townships of Quebec, Canada, were interviewed concerning their literacy problems. Results indicated that health and social problems were identified by the adults as the major impediment to…

Four papers on the role of libraries in adult education were presented at the 1984 IFLA general conference meeting of the Section on Adult Education. They include: (1) "The Library of the Pompeia Leisure Centre, Sao Paulo, Brazil," in which Apaty Peroni of Brazil provides background on the community, location, collection, personnel,…

This manual is intended for municipal managers, union representatives, and others interested in establishing workforce literacy programs (WFLPs). Content is based on the experience of five Canadian municipalities where WFLPs were established. Chapter 1 addresses the challenge for municipalities to manage change in the workplace and provides a…