Takes a critical look at the "new literacy studies." Describes an experimental workshop on Training for Organization, a Brazilian method focused on the relationship between literacy and power. (SK)

Offers observations about the role of community-based organizations in adult education drawn from the regional perspective of the San Francisco Bay area of northern California. (Author)

Explores the issues of recognizing people's identities within the context of community life and work; fostering literacy within the various domains of social life; and helping individuals develop literacy tools with which to examine, critique, challenge, and change existing situations of economic, social, and political inequalities from the…

Laubach Literacy Action's trainer certification system incorporates a team composed of a certified supervisory trainer, the apprentice trainer, and a literacy program representative. The strategy provides continuity, increases the knowledge base, and balances strengths and weaknesses. (SK)

Describes innovative technology projects that can help meet the expectations of adult literacy stakeholders. Stresses that the success of wider-scale projects requires attention to local planning, training, technical support, leadership, and resources. (JOW)

Critical practice in adult literacy education offers many interesting and important challenges, including creating a situation in which learners and instructors can communicate across their differences.

The field of adult literacy is complex. This complexity poses many challenges for literacy programs. This paper addresses the challenges of collaboration, diversity, attendance, assessment and professional development as they apply to adult literacy programs. Recommendations for increasing the success of literacy programs are provided.

After decades of neglect adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) learning in Scotland has been accorded the prominence that it has always merited but seldom received. Understandings of the concept of literacies and what it means to be literate have similarly undergone significant change in the last few decades. This shift has entailed a recognition of…

What does it mean for a community writing assistance program to bridge the gap between the university and the community? What makes for a successful alliance between these two worlds usually considered distinct? Our paper addresses these questions by reflecting on the factors that have contributed to the growing success of our CWA program at the…

This study examined the equivalency of computer and conventional versions of the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), a test of adult literacy skills in Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy. Seventy-three college students completed the computer version, and their scores were compared with those who had taken the test in the conventional…

Through access to assistive technology, adult students with learning disabilities can improve their literacy skills and goal attainment as a supplement to regular adult basic education classes. This article describes a project that investigated whether increased engagement with text-to-speech and speech-recognition software could improve…

Because of the important role played by community learning providers, Premier Ed Stelmach asked Canadian Minister of Advanced Education and Technology to increase support for community education and literacy programs. Community Adult Learning Councils and other community providers of adult literacy and family literacy programming are primarily…

Research suggests that technology use among adult literacy students has positive effects on learning outcomes, with the majority of these studies focused on traditional classroom environments where technology is used as a supplement to existing instruction. Adult literacy students are affected in many ways by technology use within less structured…

Focusing on students' responses to an 1876 writing assignment at Illinois Industrial University (which would ultimately become the University of Illinois), the author analyzes ideological tensions that occurred as the United States found itself revising the pastoral image of the farmer in an increasingly industrial age. (Contains 9 notes.)

A large proportion of the UK adult population has very poor literacy and/or numeracy skills (see the 1999 Moser Report, the 2003 "Skills for Life" Survey and the 2006 Leitch report). In 1999, the Moser report found that approximately 20% of adults in England had severe literacy difficulties, whilst around 40% had some numeracy problems.…