This paper is a summary of existing literature on the literacy requirements of various businesses and industries, including the Federal Government. The findings came from a spring 1979 search for literature on the literacy requirements of various businesses and industries during 1969-1979. The report contains information on the following topics:…

Although numeracy demands in today's workplace are rising steadily, the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) suggests that many workers do not possess sufficient higher-level numeracy skills. Analysis of the NALS results by occupation reveals that large percentages of workers in a wide variety of industries perform only at the two lower levels of…

Examines increased print-communication demands in business organizations. Identifies three employee needs: (1) long-term support to move from illiteracy to productive skill levels; (2) basic skills training integrated with regular job training; and (3) short-term targeted training or access to redesigned documents and job performance aids. (KEH)

The research on workplace literacy programs during the past two decades has revealed a great deal about the requisites for successful workplace literacy programs. The following have been identified as characteristics of effective workplace literacy programs: active involvement by all project partners; employee involvement in the early stages of…

A response to United States Senator George McGovern's call for congressional legislation to establish an independent national commission on literacy is necessary. Two considerations that must be taken into account by any individual, group, or commission addressing issues of criteria for competency in literacy are: (1) literacy competence is a…

Three areas of research are particularly important for educators concerned with literacy in the workplace. The areas are the following: (1) the National Adult Literacy Survey results that show that for many workers there are gaps between tested literacy abilities and the new literacy demands present in the most promising jobs; (2) 2 decades of…

The demand for worker literacy is increasing in nearly every occupation, from entry-level blue collar to top professional and technical. The types of reading and writing required on the job differ considerably from the literacy activities required of students in schools. Most of the reading done in the workplace environment is done for the express…

Focusing on the past decade's research, this literature review concentrates on what is known about literacy demands in the workplace and the abilities of various segments of the adult and adolescent population to meet them. The review argues that since a majority of adult reading is performed upon workplace related material, understanding the…

This two-part document reports the results of a literature review of workplace literacy program evaluation and then details a study of two current workplace literacy programs. The five chapters of the first part summarize findings on what is known about workplace literacy programs, methods for evaluating workplace literacy programs, assessing…

A review of current research on workplace literacy programs reveals few programs reporting rigorous evaluations. Assessments are often limited to the completion of questionnaires, surveys of program participants, and anecdotal reports of effectiveness. Occasionally, a standardized reading test provides an indication of learner gains. Only a few…

A general increase in the demand for workplace basic skills mirrors the general increase in societal basic skills demands. As a result, many adults are participating in second-chance basic skills education. Second-chance basic skills programs are offered by a wide variety of providers, but populations actually served by programs rarely amount to…

The state of workplace literacy in the United States was reviewed, and future challenges facing workplace literacy programs given projected economic and demographic changes were examined. First, statistical information from 121 workplace literacy program reports entered into the ERIC database between 1990 and 1993 was synthesized in an analysis of…