This article argues that we have lost the plot in South African reading education. To find it, we need to move beyond the predominant mode of reading as oral performance, where the emphasis is on accuracy and pronunciation, to reading as comprehension of meaning in text. While reading research in South Africa has been conducted mainly in school…

This case study investigates Carolyn, an effective volunteer ESL and literacy instructor of adult African refugees, in order to understand both what it means to be a qualified instructor, and also how community-based volunteer instructors may become more qualified. The study's findings suggest that Carolyn's qualifications are a combination of…

Purpose: As two doctoral students and adult learners, the authors strongly believe that story telling can be a great tool for educators working with adult learners. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of how effective storytelling can be for adult learners. Design/methodology/approach: The approach of this paper is one of gathering…

This article offers an ethnographic case study of two Adult Basic Education (ABE) teachers' characteristics and their literacy instruction. It draws on the New Literacy Studies tradition and used ethnographic tools (in-depth interviews, classroom observation and the think-aloud protocol) to explore the characteristics of two ABE teachers and…

This dissertation investigates the Community Writing and Education Station (CWEST), a community engagement project that partners a community adult basic literacy program with a university writing lab. The author argues that the community and university partners, the Lafayette Adult Resource Academy (LARA) and the Purdue Writing Lab, offer positive…

Describes the psycholinguistic approach used in an adult learning center to teach basic reading and writing skills to an adult student. The approach included oral reading by and to the student, spelling instruction, writing exercises, and vocabulary development. Reviews student progress. (AYC)

Tells the story of one student's experience in an adult literacy class to reflect on whether teaching practices can foster changes in adult literacy learners that are transformational. Finds mixed answers. (SR)

This two-volume report summarizes the main findings of a study for the Commission of the European Communities which explored the principal issues involved in the use of mass media and distance education methods for adult basic education in an European context. Volume I introduces and defines the nature of adult basic education, describes the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Canadian adult students collaboratively learn with peers in both formal and non-formal adult literacy programs. A multisite case study research design was used involving several local literacy organizations. Data collection occurred over a four-month period and focused on nine different program…

Language experience in adult basic education serves a variety of purposes: emphasizing communication, providing an atmosphere of sharing and personal growth, and most importantly, allowing students to confront their own learning blocks rather than ignoring them. Case histories support the fulfillment of those purposes. There are basic methods to…

The CHALLENGES Literacy Project, a 2-year government-funded demonstration project, supported volunteer tutor programs to meet the literacy needs of adults with developmental disabilities in Alberta, Canada. Of the 20 students in the program, most were female; most were aged 20-29; 3 spoke English as a Second Language; 12 lived with family; 18 were…

Investigates the fear underlying most adult illiteracy and suggests the need for teaching based on careful and imaginative responses to adult basic readers. (MM)

A look at one adult literacy class in India indicated that, despite apparently ideal educational conditions, students remained almost illiterate. The author comments on the results and speculates on the reasons. (MF)

This booklet discusses the importance to adolescents and adults with mental retardation of learning how to respond correctly to the many variations in home, work, and community activities in order to be successful in integrated settings. The difficulties individuals with mental retardation have in generalizing skills learned in one situation to a…

This workbook suggests six problem-solving steps to help employees in workplace literacy programs learn how to solve problems: identify the problem; clarify goals; examine alternatives; choose; act; and evaluate and react. Fifteen problem scenarios are provided for group efforts in problem solving. A problem-solving questionnaire and questionnaire…