Presents a critical review of the research on the effectiveness of adult literacy programs. Suggests that the methods used in current literacy programs offer students little chance of significant improvement. (ARH)

Reviews research that presents the criteria by which adult literacy program effectiveness can be assessed. (MG)

Identification of the clientele of adult education programs will prevent difficulties which may arrive when individuals with varying degrees of literacy are combined under one learning program; findings indicate those for whom the programs are truly intended (the illiterate) drop out because of inferior feelings. (Author/JB)

Discusses the need for balance in the research and evaluation of adult beginning readers in seven areas: program success and failure, problem definition versus adult competence, reminiscence versus current requirements, call to action versus knowledge, sociological and instructional diagnosis, assumption versus honest appraisal, and reporting on…

In this paper, we discuss the Functional Adult Literacy Program (FALP) that we have developed in Turkey. FALP, which is taught by volunteer instructors, focuses on individuals who have had very little or no schooling. The two evaluation studies of the first three cohorts of the program indicate that FALP is significantly more effective than the…

The Indiana University Student Literacy Corps was developed through an existing reading practicum course offered by the school of education through the Reading Practicum center; (2) tutors met or exceeded the time requirements of performing voluntary, uncompensated service each week of the academic term; (3) the corps provided a tutoring service…

This document, which is intended to assist adult literacy staff development and training personnel working at the state, district, and program levels, contains considerations and guidelines essential for an effective, comprehensive staff development and training program. Discussed in Section 1, which is an overview of staff development and…

Noting that, generally, low-literate adults in Labrador and Newfoundland (Canada) are being helped only through the altruistic efforts of literate volunteers, this paper argues that adult literacy must be professionalized and become an integral part of the education system. The paper begins with a brief discussion of the definitions of literacy,…

Botswana's national literacy program and its role in both democracy building and national development efforts is discussed in this paper. Literacy groups can be found in villages and towns throughout the country. The proportion of literate adults has increased from 34% in 1966 to 68.9% in 1993. Yet the absence of 81% of the eligible population…

This digest about issues currently being debated in the adult literacy field examines the appropriate goals and objectives for adult literacy education, professionalization of the field, and literacy program evaluation. The first section reflects the disagreement between those who believe the purpose of literacy education should be to support…

The demonstration project, running from June 1971 to June 1974, sought to reduce the educational and occupational disadvantages of Puerto Rican unemployed and underemployed adults. The program served 1,241 participants, ranging in age from 16 to 60 and in grade level from zero to approximately twelfth grade. Average attendance was 24 days, on a…

Suggests adult literacy practitioners must, among other things (1) respect students, (2) reject the labelling and classifying of them, (3) establish good personal relationships with them, (4) be open to varied pedagogical techniques, (5) help students experience success, and (6) support preservice and inservice staff development. (MM)

The Adult New Reader Collection-Model Project proposed to serve five targeted groups by providing literacy, language development, and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) materials. The five groups included: literacy tutors; students identified by the staff and matched to their trained tutors; adult library users not connected to a literacy program…

This evaluation used ethnographic data collection methods to discover why IBM's PALS (Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System met with different degrees of success at the two Massachusetts pilot sites after 2 years of operation: the North Central Correctional Institute (NCCI) in Gardner, and the Brightwood Branch Library in Springfield. Three…

This report provides a summary and evaluation of a retreat held for the directors and literacy coordinators of the 46 public libraries participating in the California Literacy Campaign (CLC), their supervisors, State Library staff, and members of the California Library Services Board. Following a brief introduction and overview, descriptions of…