Over a three-year period (1977-1980), the first national study identifying and describing problems of illiteracy and lack of high school completion among adult American Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos was conducted by the National Indian Management Service of America, Inc. providing information on functional literacy educational attainment and social…

A survey found that the majority of learners enrolled in literacy schemes in Great Britain were making progress in their acquisition of reading and writing skills and that most tutors and learners were satisfied with the rate of progress being made. (CT)

Describes the work of the Literacy Centre at the Adult Migrant Education Service in Sydney, Australia. Discusses briefly the kinds of students taught at the Literacy Centre, as well as diagnostic assessment and teaching approaches. (JM)

Describes how the Nicaraguan Literacy Crusade, faced with monumental problems in logistics and organization, succeeded in reaching many of the 800,000 adult illiterates in the country. (AEA)

Describes a case study in adult literacy in which a 57-year-old English speaking immigrant woman who was illiterate was taught to read to a fourth-grade level in a relatively short period of time. Describes the instructional method, which involved the use of psycholinguistically derived materials. (FL)

The author finds that Canadian progress toward lifelong learning and adult literacy has not been satisfactory, mainly due to the fragmentation inherent in provincial systems of education and to the lack of federal leadership. (SJL)

Summarizes the findings of a recent study, "Adult Illiteracy in the United States: A Report to the Ford Foundation." Incidence of reading difficulties, effectiveness of literacy programs, and the relationship of reading ability to poverty are some of the topics discussed. New community-based literacy initiatives are recommended. (SJL)

Describes Odessa College's adult basic education program which served over 2,500 adults in 17 Texas cities during 1975-76. Essential ingredients contributing to the success of the program are described. (JDS)

Contrasts the views of Chisman and Freire about the goals of adult literacy education. Demonstrates the valuable personal outcomes and contributions to the common good of literacy education. Suggests that literacy may be an intervening variable rather than a determining cause of public and personal enhancement. (SK)

Hirsch's Cultural Literacy Test was completed by 200 undergraduates. Subjects who scored highest had higher grade point averages and Scholastic Assessment Test scores. Results for minorities were inconsistent and based on small samples. Effectiveness of the test for adult literacy students remains unproven. (SK)

Addresses the problem of mixed-level classes with a wide range of education levels and cultural backgrounds. Describes participatory approaches in which learners develop learning materials out of their own concerns. (JOW)

Presents the attitudes and literacy practices of fathers with low literacy or limited academic achievement. Includes their attitudes toward the importance of literacy activities, the value of education, and their aspirations for themselves and their children. Reveals insights on the attitudes and literacy practices of two low-literate fathers with…

Hmong refugees in Milwaukee created a literacy program tailored to their cultural learning needs within a vocational-technical institution. Primary ingredients include instructors from the same cultural background, connections between learning and day-to-day survival, attention to significant social needs of students, and strategies consistent…

Compares two approaches to teaching reading to adults: the eclectic, research-based method of Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and the phonics-based Laubach Literacy International. Concludes that LVA has the advantages of adaptability to student differences, a thorough evaluation system, and a superior published reading series. (SK)

Humorously describes the "dumbing down/smartening up" phenomenon which, on the one hand, attempts to convey complex ideas in simple language, but on the other hand may water down the material so much that readers will never have to tackle even a moderately challenging reading task on their own. (RS)