This brief paper describes a literacy program for adults with mental retardation in the Boston metropolitan region developed when more than 300 individuals formally requested literacy services. Several cognitive and literacy assessments were reviewed and implemented. No one assessment was found to be sufficient to assess ranges from pre-literacy…

Article discusses the remedial learning of reading for the teaching of the English language to those who come to school with deficient verbal skills, and for others who simply want to enjoy a satisfactory life. (Author/RK)

Materials, to be effective, must be adapted to the learning potential, experience, and social backgrounds of students. Since all commercially produced materials are not satisfactory, the author offers some guiding principles that should be used when making selections. (RB)

Presents words which appear in common signs in various geographical locations organized into "Words of Travel, "Words of Work and "Words of General Significance. (MB)

A national adult literacy program was established in Nicaragua in 1979, after the Sandanista revolution, as part of a plan for socio-economic development. Program development, implementation and evaluation methods, curriculum content, educational methodology, and teacher training methods are described. (AM)

As part of the national plan for socio-economic development, the Indonesian adult literacy program established cooperative, informal learning groups in which a literate person was responsible for teaching 10 others to read. Program organization, curriculum development, and evaluation methods are described. (AM)

Describes a minimal training program designed to improve the reading skills of adults in the business world. Concludes that the program had a significant effect of the vocabulary development, comprehension, and reading rates of the participants. (FL)

Stressing to remedial educators the danger of complacency once a learner has acquired the basic skills of reading and numeracy, the authors advocate cooperation and coordination between secondary remedial education and adult literacy programs and call for a real commitment by teachers toward fostering basic skills in the disadvantaged. (SJL)

Arguments are presented for extending Universal Primary Education to school age children as well as Universal Basic Literacy Education to illiterate and semiliterate adults in Nigeria. Proposed financing of such programs is outlined. (JMF)

In noting his reactions to Rafe-uz-Zaman's essay on literacy and national development (see v9, n1 of this journal), the author states that while literacy's contribution to economic development is important, the personal and qualitative development of the individual matters most. He therefore rejects the concept of "functional" education, stressing…

In his review of Rafe-uz-Zaman's essay (see v9, n1 of this journal), the author recommends the essay's message for adult education planners but criticizes many of its views and methods of expression. He calls for discussion of methodology instead of the essay's random survey of various approaches to policy. (MF)

Describes "initial teaching alphabet" (i.t.a.), a self-instructional reading program designed to teach basic literacy skills in English to adults in a systematic and logical way by teaching the language sounds and their related i.t.a. characters through the use of recordings and workbook exercises. (WL)

Examined intervention strategy designed to provide access to literacy materials and opportunities for parent-child storybook reading in three Head Start centers. Found that text type affected patterns of interaction and that parents' reading proficiency influenced conversational interactions, with different text types serving as scaffolds for…

Discusses the use of HyperCard to create programs for teaching English language and literacy. Describes the use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) with hospital cleaners and catering staff. Explains CALL's role in facilitating cultural change and peer tutoring. (SK)