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…

Describes the Chinese effort to eliminate adult illiteracy. The author discusses purposes of adult education, history of adult literacy education, adult illiteracy statistics, the design of literacy education, curriculum construction, teaching methods, evaluation of the literacy education process, impact of literacy education, and implications of…

Two soft'' (non-formalized) models--the convergence model for R & D program management and a model of the processes of innovation in the public sector -- have been used in designing a strategy for a national right-to-read project. Covers the history of the project, an evaluation of the soft models, and a discussion of the conditions under…

Describes the evolution and success of Scotland's Adult Basic Education (ABE) program, staffed with paid and volunteer tutors in literacy, numeracy, social, and other skills. Illustrates regional differences in ABE skill offerings, students, and staffs with examples from various areas. Stresses the underlying adaptability of ABE to student needs.…

Research on adult literacy suggests that some formidable problems lie ahead as efforts continue toward ensuring that every adult in the United States is literate and possesses skills necessary for economic competitiveness and citizenship. Among the difficulties facing existing approaches are three interrelated issues. First, current programs serve…

In the United States, illiterate adults account for 20 percent of citizens over age 16. Yearly, 5 percent of these adults without a high school diploma are enrolled in Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses, which offer few appropriate counseling services. In order to study the counseling services available to ABE students in Maryland, on-site visits…

Although the emphasis on adult literacy/basic education is increasing, the high dropout rate from programs in these areas is a concern. Why learners choose to participate or not to participate in such programs can be understood in terms of three sets of factors. Learner-inherent factors include self-evaluation, goals, and capabilities. Life…

This report expands upon a policy resolution passed unanimously at the 53rd Annual Conference of Mayors in 1985. The first part of the report, a policy statement, points out the magnitude of the adult illiteracy problem and of some of the issues involved, and briefly indicates how various segments of society can contribute to a solution. The…

The trait-state model, a framework for understanding adult literacy, draws heavily on the social psychological literature. Allport (1961) first proposed the notion of trait. The overriding characteristics of focus on trait is the individual's possession of language control. Cattell (1950, 1979) emphasized the notion of state in relation to trait…

This report contains the proceedings from a conference on the problems of low literacy among single mothers. The seminar involved practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and funders. The report includes an executive summary, six papers grouped according to three topic areas, a seminar agenda, a list of participants, and a 57-item bibliography.…

Concern that Canadian Native illiteracy was being ignored or addressed ineffectively prompted this report, which includes a literature review, findings from a survey in several Native communities, and an overview of innovative practices and illustrative programs. The survey, conducted with 56 potential literacy learners from 8 geographically and…

SELECTED PAPERS AND GROUP REPORTS FROM A FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY TRAINING INSTITUTE ARE PRESENTED ON PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF POVERTY AND ILLITERACY, ADULT BASIC EDUCATION METHODS AND OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE, AND RELATED CONCERNS IN TEACHER TRAINING AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. SPECIFIC PROBLEM…

The New York Public Library Centers for Reading and Writing developed a Saturday writing class for adult literacy students. The class design also provided an opportunity to train volunteers and professional teachers in this model of writing instruction. One project goal was to formulate suggestions for others setting up such courses, which follow.…