UIL has published a second edition of a collection of case studies of promising literacy programmes that seek to empower women. "Narrowing the Gender Gap: Empowering Women through Literacy Programmes" (originally published in 2013 as "Literacy Programmes with a Focus on Women to Reduce Gender Disparities") responds to the…

Through this research project, I aim to address three problems in the instruction of basic skills students. First, despite the large number of students enrolled in community college basic skills programs, the success rate is low. Second, many basic skills courses are taught with drill and memorization, with little attention paid to intellectually…

In 2007 the Labor Government came to power with the promise to bring to Australia an "Education Revolution". More than four years later we are still waiting for the full impact of this series of policy initiatives. Among the various facets of the Education Revolution was the assurance that the Education Revolution would focus on the most…

The concept of social innovation has recently emerged as an influential approach to address intractable social problems. Increasingly discussed in academia and policy circles, the concept draws on multifaceted practices and ideas from many disciplines. Yet despite widespread discussion and promotion, there is still limited understanding of…

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…

Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and a crucial element in the universally recognised right to education. However, illiteracy continues to exist as a global challenge, and many individuals still lack the basic literacy skills that are needed to engage in further learning opportunities and for the economic and social development of…

This article originates from the collaborative efforts of a group of teachers working in a range of PCE establishments across the West Midlands and Black Country, and in the "field" of Literacy education. Drawing on the reflective journals kept by in-service students as part of an Integrated Certificate in Education course, the project…

Legislation over the past two decades has shaped the dominant view of adult literacy as addressing gaps in well-defined, measurable skills. As rural communities face unprecedented challenges, this one-size-fits-all view of adult literacy does not consider the unique local context of rural communities or involve those communities in defining their…

In this article, the author talks about UK Government's informal learning consultation by considering the role of the workplace. As John Denham set out at the launch of this consultation process in January, trade unions have been at the heart of such learning throughout their history; campaigning for education for all and for public libraries,…

This study addresses the primary question, "What instructional approaches typify adult literacy education in the United States?" as well as several secondary questions. To address the primary question, a survey was developed and responses were received from 598 adult literacy teachers in 12 states. When the data were subjected to factor analysis,…

State education departments, in discussions with Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southeast, identified low reading achievement as a critical issue for their students and expressed an interest in identifying effective strategies to promote the foundational skills in young students that might improve reading achievement. The Mississippi…

A recent British government report on low literacy largely ignored dyslexia. Any approach to remediating basic skills must recognize the needs of dyslexic adults as well as their strengths: intuitive understanding of how things work, problem solving and troubleshooting abilities, and heightened visualization and creativity. (SK)

Definitions of literacy range from school-based models to functional skills to social constructivist approaches. Assessment practices reflect particular definitions. Literacy practitioners are encouraged to adopt a social constructivist worldview that challenges the current skills-based model for accountability. (Author/SK)

This paper describes dominant discourses and practices which permeate English language learning and information and communication technologies (ICT). Through the adoption of a critical discourse analytic perspective, and drawing on New Literacy Studies research, it discusses how English language learning and ICT practices have come to take…

The English "Skills for Life" strategy symbolises the prominent place that adult basic skills have claimed in education and training policy in England since the beginning of this century. The strategy aims to improve the skills of a large number of learners over a ten year period (2001-2010). This paper explores what we can learn about…