Adults with limited education and skills--those who lack the education and skills needed for full participation in U.S. culture and economy--are increasing in numbers. However, the knowledge base addressing this population and their educational needs is fragmented across the literature of several disciplines. A comprehensive review and critique of…

On July 17, 2008 the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) awarded a contract to the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to assist OVAE in conducting a descriptive study of instructional and programmatic practices that support the transition of English language learners (TELL) from English as a second…

Defining literacy is a compelling challenge to educators. They generally use three models: instrumental, functional, and empowerment. The latter two approaches, which were increasingly evident in the 1980s, identify literacy by the social functions required in a given context or by the qualities needed for illiterate people to take control of…

A definition of illiteracy is the inability to read and compute at the standard needed by an adult within a chosen social context. While statistics may vary depending upon the study, women make up the majority of the illiterates nationally and internationally. Three factors that contribute to illiteracy among women are social acculturation and…

This paper proposes a model framework, The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) framework, for organizing adult basic education to utilize the skills of occupational therapists. The paper also includes two responses to the proposed framework by Janet S. Stotts and Cheryl Keenan. Reasons for the inclusion of occupational therapy in adult education…

A more literate society cannot be created in the United States or elsewhere without a more comprehensive conceptual framework. This framework attempts explicitly to link children's acquisition of literacy with that of adults and assumes there is no single normative theory to literacy development. In a life-span and life-space approach, literacy…

Kurt Lewin's seminal work in organizational communication could potentially help solve many dilemmas faced by workplace literacy programs as they attempt to ensure that program participants not only learn basic skills but also use them in the context of work. According to Lewin's "field theory" approach, an individual's behavior is a…

After recapitulating certain problems with current conceptions of the profession of adult education and stating a design problem for the reinvention of the field, this paper argues that adult education can best be seen as "self-education." A beginning definition and concept of that term is described, along with a model and supporting guides for…

A study examined the acceptability of distance education as a means of staff development for literacy and adult basic education (ABE) providers in rural Pennsylvania and the perceived need and available resources for such a program. The major project activities were a review of the literature on literacy staff development by distance education in…

After an analysis of eight mass literacy campaigns (USSR 1919-39; Vietnam, 1945-77; China, 1950-58; Cuba, 1961; Burma, 1960-1981; Brazil, 1967-80; Tanzania, 1971-81; and Somalia, 1973-75), a campaign strategy for a mass literacy campaign is proposed. A potentially successful mass literacy campaign has to be both an educational and a political…

Influences upon trends in literacy research include national and international agendas, active networks, and public images of literacy. Five trends in literacy research can be discerned. The first trend is research that tries to determine the extent of difficulties with literacy and its causes. Another trend is a shift in views and definitions of…

In this report of a project to research existing industrial training of basic skills are provided an overview of the project and examination of four aspects associated with training. Part 1 is a detailed account of the search procedure that located and reviewed literature on basic skills training industry. A bibliography of the sources found in…

To achieve the intergenerational social reproduction of labor, all societies develop suitable institutional arrangements for the delivery of "Education and Training for Work" (ETW). Three programs together constitute the bulk of ETW initiatives in almost every country on the globe: functional literacy (FL), workplace literacy (WPL), and technical…

Acquired severe communication disorders may result from physical impairment, language impairment, cognitive impairment, or combination of impairments. This paper reviews the demographics and characteristics of communication-disordered adults based on etiology, introduces models of assessment and intervention, highlights intervention strategies and…

This book describes several curriculum models currently used in the field of adult education in an effort to assist adult educators who develop curricula as a routine part of their jobs. The book is divided into 14 chapters that are grouped into 7 sections. Each section covers a type of educational program, and each chapter describes a specific…