From August 1988 to June 1989, Rock Valley college, in cooperation with a local literacy council and the English Language Study Center, administered a project whose goal was to recruit, provide tutoring to, and provide English-as-a-Second-Language classes to employees at their place of employment. The project functioned well, with each partner…

In a workplace literacy program designed by the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen and the International Masonry Institute, the basic skills of 615 participants were assessed in mathematics, reading, writing, presentation, listening-responding, and problem-solving at sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Available data…

Literacy Foundation Memphis, Inc., Memphis City Schools Adult Education, and the Regional Medical Center at Memphis cooperatively implemented an intensive skills enhancement program for employees. The program used an industry immersion model, located on site, with 80 hours of instruction delivered 4 hours per day for 4 weeks on work-release time.…

This manual contains materials for a numeracy course for adult industrial workers. In addition to assessment tests, seven units are provided. Unit topics are whole numbers; fractions; decimals; percents, median, and range; measurement and signed numbers; ratio/proportion and introduction to algebra; and computer literacy using algebra software.…

A study identified the reading and mathematics job requirements for three sales and service jobs. Subjects were 296 employees of a marketing division of a large telecommunication company. The readability of 420 passages from job and training materials was assessed by the Flesch Reading Ease index, which generated a value that was transformed to a…

A study identified trends influencing the literacy requirements of two entry-level jobs at each of three manufacturing sites and three hospital sites. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and focus groups with workers, employers, and union representatives. Materials that workers were expected to read were analyzed. The study…

Literacy Foundation Memphis, Memphis City Schools Adult Education, and Kimberly Clark engaged in a cooperative venture to implement an intensive industry skills enhancement program for employees of Kimberly Clark. The effort continued to develop, refine, and expand the industry immersion model located on site, with 80 hours of instruction…

Materials relevant to English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) workplace or vocational literacy education are presented. These materials include: curriculum guides tailored to meet the particular needs of workers in various vocational settings (geriatric centers, a university physical resources department, an aircraft company, manufacturing plants, food…

This practitioner's guide was developed for instructors in schools and business and industry who need to gather materials and design, develop, and implement job-specific basic skills programs. It provides a practical model for establishing cost-effective basic skills and literacy programs. It also provides practical advice about how to use the…

Focusing on the past decade's research, this literature review concentrates on what is known about literacy demands in the workplace and the abilities of various segments of the adult and adolescent population to meet them. The review argues that since a majority of adult reading is performed upon workplace related material, understanding the…

A study examined the reading skills of minority and bilingual auto mechanics and office workers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in order to determine the relationship between the reading skills tested in competency-based exams given in high schools and those required for on-the-job performance. The first phase of the study included both…

As part of a project that identified the specific literacy skills required in ten occupations, this report provides two levels of instructional information about heating/air conditioning mechanics. Factual data are presented in Parts I and II for use in decision making by program developers, administrators, teachers, and counselors. These sections…

This publication explores adult literacy and numeracy. In particular, it draws on major insights from research conducted during 2003 and 2004 for the Adult Literacy National Project funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Science and Training. Key messages include: (1) Literacy and numeracy skills are shaped by…

Writing in the workplace is among the understudied business topics in the field of HRD. Yet, the impacts of writing in today's workplace are significant, and organizations making it a priority benefit from it. Furthermore, writing is related to the issue of workplace literacy which is the umbrella term for basic communication skills. This…

The six articles in this publication provide information on how basic skills education and training can contribute to corporate profitability, using case studies and examples from corporations that promote employee training. The following articles are included: "Laying the Foundations for a Competitive Advantage: Emson's Skills Enhancement…