To devise a list of functional sight vocabulary words, a search was made of numerous curriculum guides and books, school district curricula, and several commercial materials purporting to teach such words. This search provided 16 word lists with a total of 466 different words and symbols. The word lists ranged from as few as five words to as many…

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…

In these publications of the National Reading Center, several organizations which aid illiterate adults in learning reading skills are described. The purpose, clients, activities, and programs are discussed for the National Association for Public Continuing and Adult Education (NAPCAE), American Library Association - Adult Service Division, Adult…

This book is a resource for adult education teachers who want to build and strengthen adults' reading skills. It aims first to build background knowledge about reading and scientifically based reading instruction, but the focus is in applying the research on modeling thinking, planning, and problem solving in the context of fictional adult…

This monograph focuses on the literacy performance of U.S. adults in comparison to adults in other high-income countries, underscoring the fact that the overall U.S. performance is mediocre at best and that the U.S. is a world leader in the degree of inequality between the best and poorest performers. The monograph describes the National and the…

This annotated bibliography was developed to present a comprehensive view of the research conducted on reading development among adult English language learners in the United States in the past 20 years. Articles included were selected through searches of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC, U.S. Department of Education), Modern…

Discusses the use of interactive multimedia as an effective learning environment for adults with poor reading skills. Guidelines for designing basic skills and technical training multimedia programs are suggested, including simple computer navigation, the careful use of text, and appropriate audio and visual aids. (LRW)

When children of literate elite need help, their parents can furnish what school has missed. When children of print poor need help, they have nowhere to turn. To break the illiteracy cycle, schools must help parents understand how to help their children at home. Sidebars describe the Megaskills program and show how teachers can foster family…

Addresses the theme of family and workplace literacy by presenting reviews of eight books. Begins with materials teachers may find useful to share with parents and then moves on to books that can provide a broader understanding of literacy in general, especially workplace literacy. (RS)

This set of learning modules was developed during a project to deliver workplace literacy instruction to individuals employed in the more than 50 businesses related to the activities of the Port of Baltimore. It is intended to help employees of port businesses improve their spelling and vocabulary. The first module is a preassessment designed to…

This document is intended to help groups raise their level of awareness about what it feels like to have difficulty with reading or math, look at how varying levels of literacy and numeracy can affect the quality of their group's activities, and look at ways in which they can overcome literacy- and numeracy-related problems. The beginning of the…

The stories, essays, poems, and anecdotes in this booklet were written by students attending community-based literacy classes and they reflect the students' varied lives and experiences. Many of these pieces are appropriate for adult beginning readers and may encourage students to write their own stories that in turn may be read by others. The…

A project was conducted to see if computer-assisted instruction could be used successfully with the low-level, non-reading adult. The experimental classroom group consisted of mentally handicapped and other educationally handicapped adults in adult basic education (ABE) programs. (Long-range implementation is aimed at ABE students who have a…

Noting that each individual chooses his own way of making sense, this collection of essays by Australian educators focuses on helping adult learners in literacy programs increase their self-confidence. The essays share a common idea--that the most significant points of departure for learning are students' own messages--their past experiences,…

This manual consists of reproducible forms that were collected or developed to represent the vast assortment of forms that may be encountered in the transaction of one's personal finances and related affairs. The items represent typical forms encountered by a resident of Pennsylvania, based on a review of forms collected throughout the…