In the United States, approximately one in ten adults -- nearly 36 million people -- lack basic literacy and numeracy skills, while 27 million adults lack a high school diploma. Over the last decade, new models for adult education have emerged that integrate basic skills education with workforce and college-readiness training. These integrated…

The second annual implementation report for the Accelerating Opportunity (AO) initiative in four states finds that: (1) colleges aligned pathways and supports with local needs; (2) students were satisfied with AO; (3) AO instructors grew more adept at team teaching; (4) colleges struggled to recruit adult education students; (5) states and…

The author describes a scheme to use the adult basic education service to help people whose powers of communication have been damaged by accidents or strokes. Discusses establishing basic skills classes for dysphasic adults and linkage with other groups. (Author/CT)

Describes a project designed to test the effectiveness of the traditional adult basic education curriculum and a competency based curriculum; develop an adult literacy and competency skills instructional program; and produce an exportable handbook which could be used by other agencies in developing such programs. (CT)

This conference report on adult basic education in European prisons contains the following introductory materials: a list of participants, the program, and introductions to the seminar by Frank Dunne and Pierre Freynet. "Keynote Address" (Robert Suvaal) discusses five items a prison educator must deal with: philosophy, position of…

A one-day meeting of leaders of basic skills organizations was held in order to create a consortium to promote the sharing of ideas and information, assist in the transfer of effective programs and materials, and encourage the joint development of new programs and products to train adults and youth in need. After familiarizing themselves with the…

Intended for trainers of literacy providers and practitioners in the field, this manual explains how to develop a workplace literacy program and market it to employers. Chapter 1 provides an overview and history of workplace literacy and recommends improvements in literacy services. Chapter 2 examines approaches to developing workplace programs,…

The paper focuses on the need to broaden the objectives of adult basic education instruction in order to make them more relevant to the immediate needs of participants and more germane to the mandate to foster economic independence and social participation. (Author/MW)

This booklet provides guidelines for setting up workplace programs to strengthen employee basic skills. It is intended to help employers who are contemplating the establishment of basic skills training programs and those with programs already in place who seek to improve their current designs. Part I addresses the basic skills problem in the…

Presented in case study format, this report looks at different types of workplace literacy programs across Canada. It describes in some detail 10 particular work environments and the unique characteristics that have enabled each to offer quality worker education programs. Each case study provides information in these categories: profile (an…

This report documents, in case study format, eight workplace literacy programs in Canada. Introductory materials highlight conclusions and discuss reasons for undertaking the project to document the Canadian experience in basic skills training from the perspective of the employer and employee and program design. Each case study or program profile…

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…

This guidebook is based on telephone interviews, conducted in April and May 1989, with the staff of 19 homeless shelters in California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Tennessee, site visits at eight New York State shelter programs, and a review of the research on literacy training for…

Community-based, or inmate-run, literacy programs are a significant alternative to literacy programs run by those outside the correctional institution. Such programs provide meaningful self-involvement and opportunity for the development of problem-solving skills for the inmates. Beginning in the spring of 1984, the Institute for the Study of…

The need for a better educated work force has created a corresponding need for workplace literacy programs. A number of issues have emerged as the focus of literacy education has shifted from improving social mobility to providing employment-related literacy programs. Some of these issues are related to the need for more resources for workplace…