Describes "Talking Drawings," a strategy translating mental images into simple drawings, which helps students at all levels bridge the gap to better comprehension and learning.(SR)

Advocates looking around and discovering the real literacy exhibited in everyday activities. Describes the literacy observed at a laundromat. Finds that everyone there was literate in this situation, able to both follow directions and entertain themselves with reading. (SR)

Numeracy still lacks recognition in adult literacy, for a number of reasons: differences between the culture of academic research and adult numeracy, perceived difficulty of math as subject matter, lack of relevant research, and lack of a forum for adult numeracy issues. (SK)

Research findings are discussed that lead to a reassessment of popular perceptions about literacy and prisoners, particularly that the percentage of illiterate prisoners is higher than in the general population and that many prisoners are reluctant to participate in prison literacy programs. (Contains 24 references.) (LB)

A preliminary sketch is provided of some important issues in adult literacy education, based on the work of Paulo Freire and reactions to his theories. (Contains 12 references.) (LB)

Computer technology is not the be-all and end-all in adult literacy education. Although it will not solve all problems, using technology to its fullest potential can help students and teachers work smarter and "deeper." (JOW)

A national research project based at La Trobe University is discussed that focuses on how adults in diverse social groups "do" literacy in talking, reading, and writing. (31 references) (LB)

Family literacy models are as diverse as their participants. The best way to involve a student in literacy is to involve the parents in their own literacy. As a child's first teachers, parents are uniquely qualified to pass on a rich literary legacy through a shared literacy experience. The Parents and Literacy (PAL) program in Tucson, Arizona, is…

Discusses the National Literacy Mission (NLM) launched in 1988 in India. Notes the barriers to successful campaigns for literacy in India. Describes the reasons for the particularly successful campaign in the state of Kerala, including the fact that it was in every sense a people's campaign. (SR)

This review of "Push," a novel about a young single mother in a literacy education program, incorporates theoretical elements from Allan Quigley's "Rethinking Literacy Education." The review addresses issues of stereotypes, humanistic education, and advocacy and includes reflections on teaching philosophy in adult basic…

Outlines problems in Australian adult literacy policy; considers whether policy perverts or perfects democracy. Concludes that workable policy offers a conjunction of information, ideology, and interests. (SK)

Traces the history of volunteer literacy tutoring in Queensland. Addresses contemporary issues arising from national training initiatives: funding, changes in the volunteer population, ideology, and the attempt to link literacy skills to employment outcomes. (SK)

Compares spelling errors of 195 child and 124 adult literacy learners. Finds a similar developmental pattern occurring in both child and adult spellers especially at the early spelling levels; and that adults were better at identifying visual patterns and understanding some word concepts. Lends support to the theory that adult spelling…

A test measuring document, prose, and quantitative literacy of out-of-school youth in Guyana found that only 11% had high levels of functional literacy, a literacy rate much lower than usually reported. Failure to represent the situation accurately prolongs the lack of political will to deal with the issue. (SK)

Compares three perspectives on contextual literacy and gives examples of program settings with which each is philosophically congruent: (1) literacy as social practices, focused on use in daily life; (2) functional context literacy, mastery of concrete tasks embedded in environments; and (3) critical literacy, analysis of oppression and use of…