Materials from the Literacy Symposium that begin this document are a letter of support from Barbara Bush, a symposium agenda, and lists of panel participants, speakers, symposium staff, and members of the Academic Advisory Council to the U.S. Government Printing Office. These are followed by 21 pages of quotes from particpants. Those quoted…

In fiscal year 1987, approximately 12,000 inmates, or 29 percent of the 44,000 incarcerated adults at least 18 years old, enrolled in adult basic education (ABE) programs. Six thousand five hundred completed their programs. Another 3,500 enrolled in the General Educational Development (GED) program and 2,800 received diplomas. All inmates who…

This document, one of a series of British occasional papers on basic education, investigates adult literacy practices in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The texts and their authors are "Building a National Movement: The Caribbean Experience" (Didacus Jules); "Literacy and Empowerment: A Definition for Literacy"…

Since colonial times, definitions and estimates of illiteracy in the United States have been debated. The Census Bureau's major indicator is number of years of schooling completed. However, average grade-level attainment is high, whereas estimates of levels of reading ability remain low. In addition, these measures are inadequate for adults. A…

Literacy and work force preparedness are two of the most important issues facing education today. Findings of nationwide studies show that reading and writing performance of students is inadequate. One of every eight current workers reads at the fourth-grade level or lower. The nation's economic future will be determined by the quality and…

Median test scores on the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) for many District of Columbia public schools declined substantially in 1990, although this decline was not evident in reports from school officials. These declines occurred at elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels, in grades 6, 9, and 11, respectively. They also…

Most major workplace literacy programs involve unions. Organized labor's current leadership in worker education and training is not a continuation of earlier activities but an expansion of union interest and activity that is unprecedented in the history of organized labor. These efforts do not rely on public funding, because many unions have…

A one-day meeting of leaders of basic skills organizations was held in order to create a consortium to promote the sharing of ideas and information, assist in the transfer of effective programs and materials, and encourage the joint development of new programs and products to train adults and youth in need. After familiarizing themselves with the…

This document describes 12 literacy programs operated in Houston under the auspices of the Houston READ commission, which is funded by corporate, foundation, and federal sources and serves disadvantaged adults with minimal literacy skills. For each program the sponsors and purpose are described, as well as program and student progress made, and…

This course content guide identifies the objectives that form the basis for social studies in grades four through eight in Arkansas schools. Classroom teachers, curriculum specialists, administrators, professors, and the Department of Education personnel participated in the guide's development. The information for each grade is presented into…

The social context activity model of adult literacy instruction posits that literacy is a relative phenomena and literacy needs are specific to the individual and the social context within which the individual operates. Instruction is based on the concept of activity with a prospective focus on the formation of students' shared and personal…

Research studies on class size date back to 1900. Common sense has suggested that small classes lead to greater academic achievement, but most research on the effects of class size on achievement have been inconclusive. Furthermore, the financial costs and political consequences of reducing class size have generally prohibited the adoption of…

The book provides suggestions for activities designed to infuse life skills into the basic curriculum for adolescents and older students with disabilities. Modeled after the Life Centered Career Education approach, the book presents activities geared to three domains (sample competencies in parentheses): (1) daily living skills (managing family…

The report presents a framework for the application of a curriculum model to computer programs designed for special education students, specifically slow learners and learning disabled students in regular and special education classes. The program content includes selected basic skills instructional components that are transferable to a computer.…