Focusing on what is being done to help adult nonreaders or poor readers, this publication offers suggestions for ways educators might keep informed about literacy efforts and teaching techniques. It contains reports on current efforts by governmental and private agencies to eliminate adult illiteracy, successful features of various literacy…

Describes experiences in teaching adults to read and discusses the following needs of illiterate adult students: a program containing adult materials and a low student/teacher ratio, teachers skilled in teaching basic skills who are knowledgeable about a variety of teaching methodologies, and a way to find and bring them into the classroom. (EL)

The Boulder Public Library offered a one-to-one free literacy program aimed at middle-class nonreaders. During the fiscal year October 1988 to September 1989, the program matched 60 new students with volunteer tutors; of these, 52 enrolled, boosting enrollment to 90 students. The program also conducted assessment tests on 72 students and…

A study examined the services provided by and the role and training of volunteers in adult literacy programs in the United States. Data on a national probability sample of approximately 800 adult literacy programs that was collected by the Center for Statistics through its Fast Response Survey System indicated that in spring 1985 adult literacy…

Emphasizes that since adults seek basic reading instruction for a variety of reasons (e.g., to further job status, to improve skills for their children's sake), planning programs should provide theory-based instruction that focuses on learner needs. (NKA)

Interviews were conducted with 4 members of the Task Force of the Adult Beginning Reader Project, 6 program officials, and 13 heads of adult basic education (ABE) programs; site visits were made to two ongoing ABE programs; and the literature pertaining to adult literacy programs in this country was reviewed in order to identify factors associated…

Intended for use by adult basic education (ABE) instructors who are organizing or reorganizing their reading programs for individualized instruction, this guide outlines the ABE Reading Sequential Competency System (SCS). The main benefits of this particular system for reading are that it delineates a sequence of reading skills, allows the…

It has been recognized for many years that the educational levels of adult American Indians are low (2/3 have not advanced beyond elementary school) and the illiteracy rates are high (1/4 are functionally illiterate). Traditional adult programs have not met the needs of adult Indians who are uncomfortable in "white" classes and who will…

A study was conducted to improve the link between basic skill instruction and entry into various vocational training programs. Data were collected from the following sources: current professional literature; developers and publishers of adult basic education (ABE) instructional materials; consultations with experts in the fields of adult literacy,…

It was not until the end of the 1970s that public debate on the problem of functional illiteracy among adults began in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Even afterward, Germans were reluctant to admit that illiteracy was a problem in their country. Literacy education efforts began at the local level, and the first national conference on adult…

Despite the fact that, of all the 50 states, Utah has the highest percentage of state and local government expenditures for education and the highest proportion of adults who have graduated from high school, one out of every five adults in Utah lacks basic literacy skills. At present, the following adult literacy programs offer instruction in…

This report on the program highlights of the first national conference on urban literacy contains 40 information sheets describing the literacy programs represented at the conference. Each program information sheet contains some or all of the following: the name of the program; the name, address, and phone number of a program contact person; the…