This report discusses the place of numeracy in adult education, examines conceptions of what numeracy and numeracy provision might include, and explores links between literacy and numeracy provision. Section A takes a critical look at how much attention is being paid to mathematics education in adult education/adult literacy programs and addresses…

Literacy should be viewed as a continuum of undereducation, stretching from those who cannot read and write at all at the low end to those who have less than a high school education at the high end. People at different points have different needs, which may differ greatly from those current literacy programs try to meet. The track record 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…

The Adult Education Act, which provides federal funds for adult basic education (ABE) programs, has undergone many changes since enactment in 1964. Passage of ABE legislation as Title 11B under the Office of Economic Opportunity Act was a political solution for adult educators who had sought unsuccessfully for years for federal ABE legislation.…

Examines current research on the impact of radio on adult basic education in Western European countries, and discusses questions of the target audience, the effectiveness of reaching target audiences, and the achievement of program objectives. (JJD)

Based on the assumption that something is fundamentally wrong at its definitional roots about the concept of adult education upon which the profession is organized, this paper identifies seven troubling characteristics of the profession. These characteristics, which stem from failure to root the definition in philosophical foundations, are (1) the…

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…

The human cognitive system may have a developmental property that makes acquisition of fluent reading skills difficult after a certain age. This problem may be seen to affect two different populations: participants in adult literacy programs who lacked access to schools as children and educated adults fluent in languages with non-Latin scripts.…

Media reports suggest widespread illiteracy among adults who may not be able to read, write, speak, or otherwise communicate competently enough to meet the demands of modern society. No consensus has been reached regarding a definition of illiteracy or supporting statistics. Estimates of adult illiteracy range form 0.5% to 50%, meaning that of the…

As a preliminary to developing criteria to meet quality control requirements of the National Literacy Act of 1991, a study examined federal and state development of measures of program quality and performance standards for programs funded under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education…

Adult literacy programs could be improved by determining the learning styles and life-styles of individual students and incorporating the findings into the instructional program. Many researchers have looked at adult students' lives and suggested teaching methods based on the studies. Some suggest using an instrument for identifying adults'…

Intended for use by participants in the Ohio Preconference and the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS), this background paper on one of the three major WHCLIS themes examines Ohio's literacy problem and reviews the state's current literacy programs and funding sources. Definitions of terms, a brief history of…

This report was prepared to fulfill the need for an information source on basic skills in the armed services. To prepare the report, researchers obtained and reviewed published literature from various document files. Service representatives of the Joint Service Working Group on Literacy/Basic Skills established by the Assistant Secretary of…

Leaders in business and industry are demanding workers who not only can read and write but can think creatively and critically and solve problems. Federal- and state-funded programs and volunteer organizations are involved with adult literacy. Increasingly, corporations are funding adult literacy projects. Adults read for different reasons than…

The adults who participate in classes, workshops, and other learning opportunities are as diverse as the kinds of programs in which they enroll and the reasons for which they enroll. Adult learners are multifaceted, appreciate flexibility in teaching strategies, and want a say in what they will learn. These purposes for adult education are…