A report on the direction of improvement for a state system of adult basic education (ABE) is presented. The following aspects of the education program are discussed: need for improvement, plan for an improvement evaluation, objectives of ABE, and analysis and interpretation of 19 ABE in the state. (CK)

Illiteracy is an alarming national problem. An estimated 27 million Americans are considered illiterate, and another 45 million are considered marginally competent in basic skills. Although literacy efforts have been increasing, little attention has been focused on women. This oversight could be costly. Four critical factors weigh heavily in favor…

The Ohio Legislative Office of Education Oversight examined the education programs in adult prisons operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC). Telephone interviews with staff associated with each prison facility, interviews with inmates, and structured observations of 12 prison classrooms provided first-hand…

Adult literacy is more than a condition of acquiring a set number of linguistic skills. Persons may know phonics and be able to decode simple readings perfectly; they may even know the meaning of many vocabulary words, but they still may be culturally illiterate. Cultural literacy demands more than mere linguistic skills; it demands participation…

This paper provides a transcript of a videotaped roundtable discussion on illiteracy among young people (aged 16-30) in Canada. The discussion centered mainly on French-speaking Canadians and school dropouts. Panelists declared that the present adult literacy education system focuses on adults and that young people cannot fit into that system.…

This paper provides a transcript of a videotaped roundtable discussion on learning disabilities among people in adult literacy programs in Canada. Panelists discussed several definitions of learning disabilities, such as processing difficulties, physical difficulties, and receptive difficulties. They debated the usefulness of labeling persons with…

In response to proposed federal Job Training 2000 legislation, which called for three elements--skill centers, performance-based certification, and vouchering--a series of six forums were held throughout the state of Idaho in 1992. The forums were conducted by a team of staff from the Departments of Employment, Health and Welfare, and Education,…

The demand for worker literacy is increasing in nearly every occupation, from entry-level blue collar to top professional and technical. The types of reading and writing required on the job differ considerably from the literacy activities required of students in schools. Most of the reading done in the workplace environment is done for the express…

This study guide for adult basic education (ABE) teachers and administrators is based on the Principles and Techniques for Effective ABE Staff Development developed by the National ABE Staff Development Consortium. The principles are based on staff development research from both the adult education and K-12 communities. The format of the guide was…

An evaluation of adult basic education (ABE) programs was conducted in North Carolina, using a case study approach. Research was done by six teams that collected information from taped interviews with participants in six programs chosen to represent rural and urban areas and various demographic and racial mixes of students. Materials and records…

This document describes a study conducted to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of the provision of leisure and recreation services and community education services in selected areas of the Tayside, Central, and Fife Regions of Scotland. The 18-month-long study gathered 826 responses from 1,060 questionnaires issued in order to study the…

A survey of Adult Basic Education (ABE) students attending class at seventeen learning centers in St. Louis, Missouri, was done to determine if the ABE teaching staff were meeting the felt needs (objectives) of the students. In general, it was found that the program staff has been successful in identifying and meeting the needs of the individual…

Some good news and some bad news can be seen in six areas of workplace literacy efforts: awareness, curriculum development, collaboration, staff training, research and evaluation, and funding. The good news includes the following: (1) more highly placed corporation executives are becoming aware of the need for literacy programs; (2) curriculum…

This document contains the proceedings of an annual conference of corrections officials who gathered in order to build relationships for improving correctional education. Papers in the document include the following: (1) opening general session remarks and conference goals by John K. Wu, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult…

This paper is a transcript of a videotaped roundtable discussion on the role of volunteers in adult literacy in Canada. The participants expressed concern that tutors may not be able to provide the quality of learning experience for adult students that trained teachers could and that volunteers could be taking jobs that should go to trained…