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…

A project was undertaken to help low-literate Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members develop the reading and writing skills needed to participate fully in AA/NA programs. A training program consisting of three 1.5-hour-long sessions and accompanying training guidelines were developed and used to train 21 student and 7 tutor…

This document contains a project report and curriculum materials from a project that developed a model for basic math, reading, and science instruction to prepare educationally disadvantaged adults for entry into science-related training programs. The 15-week curriculum consists of reading instruction, applied basic mathematics, universal…

This document summarizes the replies received by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) member states in preparation for the International Conference on Education planned for September 1990. The report is organized in two parts. Part A summarizes the responses received on the topic of "renewed policies…

Project Access was developed to provide Adult Basic Education (ABE) and General Educational Development (GED) classes for visually and muscularly impaired adults in a totally accessible and supportive environment. Existing instructional materials were adapted to several formats, e.g., large print, cassette tape, and Braille; instruction was…

After the Castro revolution of 1959, the new Cuban revolutionary government began a massive literacy campaign that taught 700,000 persons to read in about a year. Twenty years later, Nicaragua, facing an even more serious literacy problem, conducted a similar literacy campaign. In approximately six months, Nicaragua had reduced illiteracy by 37…

This document summarizes the proceedings of the first meeting of the Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL). The report is organized in five parts that cover the following: (1) background, objectives, participants, summaries of opening speeches, and working methods of the conference; (2) review of the progress in the implementation…

This guide is designed to promote and assist in the integration of the civics curriculum, required for immigrant legalization, into the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) curriculum through both curriculum development and program planning. The guide has two major parts. The first part is a listing, in a suggested sequence, of civics/ESL…

This book is an account of the development and implementation of the University of Massachusetts English Family Literacy Project, presented as a curriculum guide for others who may be involved in developing English-as-a-Second-Language and family literacy programs for immigrants and refugees. An introductory section describes the program, the…

The need for workplace skills upgrading has never been more acute. In Canada, many awareness-building initiatives for literacy have been started. The most successful efforts will probably be those based on a partnership model that links companies and unions with educators who understand adult learning styles. Before a workplace literacy program…

The National Literacy Campaign of Zimbabwe was launched in July, 1983. The objectives of the campaign were to enable adults (1) to understand information about themselves, their localities, and their country; and (2) to become effective leaders and productive members of their cooperatives, village committees, management committees, and other…

This book is a personal history of adult literacy as seen through the eyes of a student. The document assesses and evaluates styles of teaching and the student's role through the years 1969-1986 in England. The focus is on developing a new approach to literacy work, based on the principle of student-centered learning. In this method, the adult…

During the National Project for State Community Education Planning and Development, the following main activities were accomplished: (1) each state received (or was eligible for) a State Community Education Planning Assistance Award for developing or updating a 5-year state plan for community education (1988-1993); (2) a planning and training…

This issue, the second in a three-part series leading up to International Literacy Year in 1990, examines innovative mass efforts that reach out to the large numbers of people who have been bypassed by traditional approaches. The eight articles are the following: (1) "Towards an Agenda for Literacy" (H. S. Bhola) reports on developing an…

In response to the problem of adult literacy, the Michigan State Board of Education initiated a program to reduce the functional illiteracy rate among adults in the state significantly. This is to be accomplished by: (1) raising the level of awareness of the scope of illiteracy problems in the state; (2) developing comprehensive literacy programs…