At Literacy NJ, the decline in our basic literacy services has caused us to reevaluate and reinvent our program. The cornerstone of our new plan is to offer an 8-week vestibule program called Steps to Success for new basic literacy students, focused on goal setting, crucial digital skills, and the development of independent learning strategies. We…

According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, it is estimated that 93 million adults in the United States have basic or below basic literacy skills. Those individuals found most lacking in literacy skills were adults living in poverty, adults lacking a high school diploma, seniors and the elderly aged 65 and older, the more than one…

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…

Although research indicates that adults with low literacy skills need 100 to 150 hours of instruction to advance one grade level, adults in literacy programs participate in instruction for an average of only 70 hours per year. The Wallace Foundation launched the Literacy in Libraries Across America (LILAA) initiative in 1996 to help library-based…

This guide provides suggestions and materials for the development and implementation of a Health Literacy Forum to be coordinated by a local, county, or state Department of Public Health. Health Literacy Forums, already implemented in several cities and states, have increased awareness about literacy skills of U.S. adults and health implications.…