This paper challenges constructions of the "gendered illiterate Indian villager" as a homogenous group of people who are empowered through acquiring literacy. I strive to displace homogeneous representations of gendered "illiterate" subjects through ethnographic accounts of diverse people's realities in different villages in…

Beyond 3Rs to learning within political action to functional literacy to life skills, the discourse on adult literacy has primarily been defined by civil society organizations. This article presents thoughts on adult literacy programs coming from educators and advocates and the underlying dilemmas of autonomy and collaboration with government for…

Journal is available from the National Institute of Adult Education, 35 Queen Anne Street, London, WIM OBL.

Describes the establishment of adult education programs on "moonlit nights" by Cora Wilson Stewart, Superintendent of Rowan County Schools in Kentucky (1904-1912). Over 1,200 adults signed up the first year to take such courses as vocal music, reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, and drills. From this activity the Illiteracy…

A conference report of the International Symposium for Literacy reviews the Inaugural Address, a UNESCO statistical report on world literacy activities, and a report on literacy in China. The final Symposium report (Declaration of Persepolis) and a list of papers and informational notes presented are appended. (LH)

The case description of an adult education program in Saudi Arabia contained in this document is part of a set that reflects a cooperative effort by adult educators to increase international understanding of various educational programs for adults in their societal context. A face sheet provides this information: name, organization, and address of…

Analyzes the extent of adult illiteracy in the United States and identifies the major problems and needs found in the literature and in interviews with adult learners. Recommends ways to improve educational efforts and discusses what is known about effective adult literacy programs. (CJH)

Voices concern for growing number of illiterate adults in world and quality and limitation of reading materials available to those who do acquire reading skills. (DS)

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…

This booklet is designed to sensitize volunteer literacy tutors to the special needs and interests of illiterate older learners. It also gives useful tips for creating successful and self-rewarding learning experiences. The first section on the world of older adults with literacy problems describes some of the characteristics of this group. In the…

Literacy and illiteracy are cultural; the need to read, to write, and to compute comes from values placed on these functions by the cultural or social group in which one lives. They are also intergenerational. This intergenerational factor should be turned around so that parents transmit literacy to children. Illiteracy is also costly to society…

In the course of his work and travels in the Third World and as a result of his studies in the philosophy of education, the author of this book evolved a theory for the education of illiterates, especially adults, based on the conviction that every human being, no matter how "ignorant" or submerged in the "culture of silence," is capable of…

Various projects implemented to combat illiteracy in the Third World are explored. Highlights include women's ability to exercise right to learn, adult illiteracy rates, World Literacy of Canada (WLC), the Nicaraguan literacy crusade, and a WLC development education program that encouraged Canadians to prepare materials in "plain…

Describes right to read programs for illiterate and functionally illiterate adults in the state of Maine. (RB)