Though adult students have rich and varied backgrounds which enhance their reading, too often teaching methods have focused on the print on the page rather than the ideas presented. There is a range of strategies for teaching reading comprehension which is applicable to any material. (JOW)

This guide is designed to assist volunteer tutors participating in an adult literacy program. Discussed in the first chapter are the meaning of the term functional literacy, the way in which we get meaning from print, and word identification skills. The next two sections deal with the history of literacy education in industrialized countries and…

This technical assistance guide contains information on adult learners and how they differ from learners who are children and the related program implications. The first section describes characteristics of adults that affect the attitudes adults bring to the classroom situation. These include bringing life experiences; having self-concept as a…

A study evaluated the IBM Principles of Adult Literacy (PALS) program in 1988-89. Three adult education centers in Georgia (two with PALS and one without) were studied to determine whether, for adult nonreaders, the PALS program produced gains in reading equal to or greater than those produced by a traditional noncomputerized program. In addition…

This guide was developed by the Chicago Urban Skills Institute to provide improved instruction in English as a second language (ESL) to adults in the adult learning skills program. The guide provides standardized guidelines for the content of ESL courses and ideas for lesson and course planning. Course content is described for 21 ESL courses which…

The seven narrative reports featured in this publication detail the accomplishments, in seven key areas, of State Grant Programs (Titles I, II, and III) funded by the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA). These descriptions of state and local library activities, demonstrating how libraries are meeting a variety of users' needs, are: (1)…

An evaluation of the Seniors Teaching Seniors project conducted at the Columbia University Brookdale Institute on Aging showed that the demonstration program was regarded favorably by those who had participated in it. The project recruited 40 senior citizens who were interested in teaching a course at their senior centers and gave them 8 weeks of…

A descriptive analysis is presented of four New York area adult programs in English as a second language or English to speakers of other languages. The following characteristics of the programs are identified: student constituencies, program goals and objectives, methods of needs assessment, program design (formats and methods), classroom dynamics…

Language problems are likely the strongest single barrier to success facing limited English proficient (LEP) immigrants to the United States. Therefore, instruction in English as a second language (ESL) for immigrants must be given a high priority. Vocational ESL (VESL) provides adult immigrants with English skills on an as-needed basis in…

This guide was developed to meet the needs of the increasingly large number of nonliterate and semiliterate adult English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners in the Chicago metropolitan area. It is suitable for learners who are illiterate or semiliterate in their native languages, or who are literate in a language using a non-Roman alphabet. The…

The Seniors Teaching Seniors project was conducted at the Columbia University Brookdale Institute on Aging and Adult Development to train older adults to communicate more effectively their skills and expertise. Older adults were to develop teaching skills so that they could conduct classes at senior centers. Two older-adult volunteers were…

If current trends continue, it is likely that adult programs and adult vocational programs in particular, will play an increasingly important role in the nation's educational system, eventually absorbing the role currently played by secondary vocational education. Therefore, vocational educators must develop new approaches and new attitudes to…

Each section written by a different person experienced in adult basic education (ABE) instruction, this handbook is designed for ABE staff members as a source of general information about ABE, about teaching in an ABE setting, and about alternative ways to go about presenting information in various subject areas. The first section contains…

This learning packet consists of a leader's guide and handout materials, for conducting inservice workshops on adult learning for adult educators. Twelve modules are included in the binder. Each of these modules is a separate workshop training activity, most of which will take no more than one hour to conduct. Each of the modules includes a…

This report presents results from interviews with a sampling of experienced Equipped for the Future (EFF) users. Chapter I provides background and context for this initiative. Chapter II provides facts and figures from the field and presents questions posed and interviewees' views. The questions are as follows: (1) Why did you or your organization…