This article offers an ethnographic case study of two Adult Basic Education (ABE) teachers' characteristics and their literacy instruction. It draws on the New Literacy Studies tradition and used ethnographic tools (in-depth interviews, classroom observation and the think-aloud protocol) to explore the characteristics of two ABE teachers and examine the ways in which their knowledge, ABE beliefs and the contexts where they work are translated into their literacy instruction. The results indicate that despite these teachers' limited training and financial reward, unfavourable working conditions, differences in their motives and pedagogical orientations, they are highly motivated and strongly committed to the success of their adult literacy instruction mission. These findings suggest that the people in charge in Morocco should capitalise on ABE teachers' positive attitudes in order to enhance adult literacy instruction and learning. (Contains 2 tables.)