This article argues that the traditional classroom may provide little opportunity for English-as-a-Second-Language teachers to learn about the lives of their students. Drawing on ethnographic research in Philadelphia's Hmong community, an attempt is made to demonstrate how teachers can get a distorted picture of their students and how their…

A greater emphasis on the outcomes of learning should help provide more effective approaches to learning and widen participation. More careful and comprehensive analysis of outcomes could also make evaluation and curriculum development more effective. Education and training bring about change (learning outcomes) in individuals. Those outcomes…

A great discrepancy exists between the potential number of adult basic education (ABE) participants (all adults who have not graduated from high school) and those who actually choose to participate in ABE. To determine why high school dropouts choose not to participate in ABE, telephone interviews were conducted with a carefully constructed,…

This paper summarizes 14 case studies from 13 countries commissioned by Unesco to describe the educational provisions for adults in the special context of scientific and technological development and to study a selected number of programs at greater depth. The countries chosen by Unesco are all countries with developed or developing industries,…

Continuing education systems can improve the performance of health workers in countries around the world and support the functioning of district health systems. Continuing education guides health personnel toward the principles and methods of primary health care and improves their work with the community and family to attain an adequate level of…

Project READ had a two-fold purpose: to improve the reading levels of diagnosed learning disabled adults, and to investigate the following research questions: (1) which of three teaching approaches selected for this study is most effective for reading disabled adults? (2) what is effective assessment? and (3) how may the impact of reading…

This report presents a strategic plan for adult education in California. It represents an ongoing and participatory initiative to define current and future needs and recommend how the adult education system can meet those needs. The proposals put forth in the plan are intended to ensure that adult education will be a self-renewing institution that…

This report describes the results of adult education students and upper secondary school students on two recently introduced standardized English tests in Sweden. Comparisons of the results are made between these two categories of students because they are entitled to compete, on an equal basis, for admission into restricted intake programs of…

A study was conducted to determine which variables influence "high risk" women students to persist to graduation from a community college and which variables influence "low risk" women students to drop out of college. The study involved in-depth qualitative interviews with 17 returning adult women over 24 years of age. Study findings supported…

This study was designed to identify characteristics of college freshmen taking mathematics courses. Students enrolled in basic algebra courses at a regional campus of a large midwestern university participated in the study. Students were administered an instrument which included a "math autobiography," the Adult Mathematics Expectation Scale…

The Liberal Studies Seminar (LSS) at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri is described. The University Without Walls (UWW) program was initiated in the early 1970s to provide baccalaureate degrees for adults for whom traditional college attendance was not an option. As part of the original consortium, Stephens expanded its mission as a women's…

The technique individuals use to narrow the possible responses in "solicits" (demands, requests, or questions requiring a response) in and outside the classroom often helps to avoid miscommunication and can be a useful tool for classroom teachers. A narrowing exercise was completed by 35 classes of native English and English as a second language…

Hearins on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 consider the needs of the nontraditional student in higher education. Consideration is given to ways that student financial aid programs could better serve this student population (i.e., students may be over ages 18 to 22, may be minority group members or immigrants, part-timers, out…

Hearings on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 focus on programs that provide training and professional development opportunities for teachers under Title V, and Continuing Postsecondary Education Program and Planning under Title I. Attention is directed to problems confronting the teaching profession at all educational levels and…

In spite of the availability of vocational classes, many barriers still stand in the way of the low-income or unemployed single parent who would like to take advantage of this training. Problems include child care, transportation, and tuition cost. The Vocational Education Support Program for Single Parents and Homemakers at Lindsey-Hopkins…