In the last decade many people have questioned the long-range effectiveness of literacy education in America. The response to this discussion about the "literacy crisis" has been the growth of three commonly held generalizations: (1) that in previous eras, Americans enjoyed remarkable levels of literacy; (2) that the role of print has been…

Documents a literacy problem in an electronics factory in which workers failed to read or follow written instructions. Suggests that to be truly literate, employees need access to a wider range of information about companies and their work and that work should be organized to allow, even require, workers to take responsibility for reading and…

Despite national demands to improve the weak literacy skills of young adults, educators and policymakers lack the diverse types of data needed to make changes. The report, "Workplace Competencies: The Need to Improve Literacy and Employment Readiness," points out that past measures of literacy have lacked comparability, resulting in no accurate…

In addition to the familiar problem of functional illiteracy (the inability of adults to read at a basic level) another distrubing problem is becoming apparent--aliteracy. Increasing numbers of capable readers are choosing not to read. This problem is indicated by a 1969 survey that found that 58% of United States adults have never finished a…

Twenty-eight in-depth interviews were conducted with top executives in Philadelphia to discover issues and concerns about committing organizational resources over time to workplace literacy programs. Participants represented major organizations and institutions, both manufacturing and service. The executives reported that the manifestations of…

A survey group of the State Literacy Workforce Development Council studied the impact of illiteracy on Alabama's work force and economy using census data. Findings indicated that 55 percent of Alabama's adults functioned at literacy levels inadequate to meet the demands of a modern, technical society. Costs to business and industry were lost…

This bulletin for businesses is a step-by-step guide to planning and implementing an effective job-related employee basic skills program. Part 1 provides general principles to guide the effort. It addresses literacy and basic skills, the importance of context, and changing requirements for literacy. A preview of key program principles concludes…

During the academic year 1975-1976, a program for near-illiterate adults was designed and carried out at The Johns Hopkins University, Evening College and Summer Session. The goal was to help persons with severe reading problems obtain necessary skills to enter the world of work or move up in the world. Counseling, both group and individual, was…

Presents an overview of literacy awareness since the 1985 publication of Jonathan Kozol's "The Illiterate American." The need for a highly technological workforce is explored and suggestions are made for the role of libraries in literacy training. A list of sources for literacy materials is appended. (16 references) (EAM)

Intended for those involved in American social service and educational communities, this book addresses the widespread problem of illiteracy in the United States and the social consequences of this problem. Following an introduction, the chapters in the first section of the book discuss the growing crisis of illiterate America, specifically, the…

Most corporate funds for workplace literacy programs are invested in intermediate literate workers. Questions regarding these learners concern what should be expected of them; what they should expect of workplace literacy programs; who or what should determine these criteria; and ramifications of the answers. Issues that affect the answers are the…

A workplace literacy project to prepare Houston Lighting and Power Company employees for the commercial driver's licence (CDL) exam was evaluated. The following four components of Steele's (1990) evaluation model were used to evaluate the project: proof of effect, judgment against criteria, critical questions, and valuing. The evaluation revealed…

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labor (SFL) conducted a Workers' Education for Skills Training, or WEST Program, to upgrade its membership's basic literacy skills. The purpose of the WEST Program was to develop, ensure access to, and build support for a workplace literacy program designed to meet the diverse needs of affiliates' members. Six…

This booklet provides an overview of some projects and initiatives funded by the National Literacy Program in Canada in 1989-90. Many have been supported as well by the provinces and territories, community organizations, business, or labor organizations. The booklet also contains a sample of the activities of other federal departments and agencies…

A study examined the nature and extent of adult literacy needs in the American labor force. Data for the study were collected from a review of the literature, site visits to nine industry-based training programs, and consultation with a technical panel of experts. Input from company managers, instructors, and trainers familiar with the…