This study analyzes the effect of two reading interventions on reading habits by 181 low literate adults who read at the 3-5.9 grade levels. One intervention implemented extensive reading (ER group) and the other one had direct instruction (no-ER group). A Reading Pattern survey was administered at the beginning, at the end, and 6 months after the…

This is the second of two issues focused on teaching beginning reading skills to adults--both native and non-native English speakers. According to the latest research in reading, one of the best strategies for improving reading skills is systematic, explicit instruction in decoding skills or phonics. Although many critics have argued that the…

This report summarizes the proceedings of a day-long conference for adult literacy practitioners in Toronto. The conference addressed the many ways in which education can become more inclusive of adult learners. During the seven different workshops, participants explored questions of "voice." Common concerns included the following: (1) many people…

The following papers from a conference on the dimensions of literacy in a multicultural society are included in this volume: "Literacy: Affirmation and Empowerment in a Multicultural Society" (Simms); "Literacy, Border Pedagogy, and Multiculturalism in the Aftermath of the Los Angeles Uprising" (Giroux); "Alphabetisme et…