Both within and beyond the OECD region, governments and other stakeholders are increasingly interested in the assessments of the skills of their adult populations in order to monitor how well prepared they are for the challenges of the knowledge based society. The current paper provides an overview of the two international assessments of adult…

This theme issue addresses the systemic and institutional barriers that impact urban adult basic education learners and programs in the United States. Focuses on provisions of the Workforce Investment Act (1998) and literacy education. (SLD)

Through a partnership between Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing West, a business, the Asian Association of Utah, a community-based organization, and the Utah State Office of Education, this workplace literacy project taught literacy skills to 35 adults with limited English proficiency. The workers spoke Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian. The project…

The second of two conferences on adult literacy focused on the broader contexts of adult literacy. That is, lack of basic skills is not a problem in a vaccum but is bound up with people's other problems and needs and the forces shaping their lives; likewise, efforts to teach basic skills must be viewed in relation to the local, state, and national…

Award restructure poses questions about appropriate response to the retraining and education needs of workers in Australia who have literacy difficulties. The following actions should be taken: (1) the government should fund a research project that will evaluate workplace efficiency outcomes for employers who have participated in the Workplace…

The Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit (ALBSU) analyzed draft plans, required by the Education Reform Act 1988, from about 40 percent of the local education authorities (LEAs) in England and Wales to identify basic skills and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provisions for adults. Topics of concern were the maintenance of programs…

A survey of the literacy proficiency of 1,500 Australian adults indicates that: (1) people who demonstrate some proficiency with using printed material should not be classified as illiterate; (2) appropriate rating scales should be developed for assessing adults' literacy skills; (3) more detailed analysis of the characteristics of those who…

This publication is designed to help Neighborhood Networks centers create programs that meet the goals of adult literacy learners. (The centers provide residents of federally assisted or insured properties with training in economic self-sufficiency.) Chapter 1 highlights the special characteristics of adult learners--the challenges they face and…

This document, intended for Literacy Volunteers of America tutors, explains how to carry out collaborative small group tutoring. Chapter 1 explains the benefits of small group tutoring and collaborative learning. Chapter 2 tells what factors to consider when forming a small group (e.g., whether there is a desire to be in a small group, the…

Comprising this manual are lessons, exercises and curriculum materials which show how literacy programs can reach illiterate youth and adults with population education messages. Each sample lesson includes information regarding its content, objectives, methodology, and user level. A primary objective of the materials is to encourage instructors to…

This book is intended to assist literacy program administrators, coordinators, instructors, and volunteers in the design and implementation of literacy programs for homeless adults. Chapter 1 discusses barriers to instruction when serving homeless adults, including shelter environment, impermanence of location and opportunity, and the effects of…

Six workplace literacy programs were evaluated for impact upon learners, learners' families, and learners' productivity. Site 1 was an automotive plant where learners were involved in technical preparation, the General Educational Development program, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Site 2 was a wood-processing plant with a communication…

Many secondary and postsecondary basic skills programs are designed to assist students whose ability to succeed in traditional subject matter instruction is in question. Research done in business, industry, and particularly in the military provides procedures that may increase the likelihood of success in such programs. Analyses of on-the-job…

This guide is written for college students, faculty, administrators, and staff who would like to get involved in literacy work. Following an introduction, chapter 2 provides basic information about literacy in the United States. Chapter 3 uses a question and answer format to tell how to start a campus program. Chapter 4 discusses how to work with…

The Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN) legislation in California mandated a full range of employment-related training and supportive services designed to provide welfare program applicants and recipients with the skills needed to acquire unsubsidized employment through education and training. Tests to assess the basic reading, mathematics,…