Recommends the use of the Group Reading Inventory (GRI), an informal survey instrument, to identify general reading abilities of individuals in correctional facilities. Discusses why the GRI is appropriate for use, guidelines for constructing a GRI, and procedures for administering, scoring, and interpreting the instrument. (NRJ)

Three contributors discuss using advertising slogans in writing instruction, setting up a paperback book lending center in an industrial cafeteria, and the effect of reading supervisors' expertise on junior high school students' reading achievement. (AEA)

Describes a research project to evaluate the progress of adult beginning readers. States that the project gave the authors insight into designing and carrying out research; broadened their understanding of how students learn about the learning process; enriched their teaching; and helped them view others' research in a new light. (RS)

Investigates the use of closed captioned television to improve the sight vocabulary of adults receiving literacy instruction. Finds that students' sight vocabulary increased significantly and that student attitudes to closed captioned television were extremely positive. (RS)

Discusses efforts to achieve higher rates of adult literacy and pedagogical approaches to learning to read. Describes definitions of literacy, school standards, and possible reasons for high rates of adult illiteracy. Discusses teaching methods, particularly the Nellie Thomas method, which has had success in prison literacy programs. (JB)

The Adult New Reader Collection-Model Project proposed to serve five targeted groups by providing literacy, language development, and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) materials. The five groups included: literacy tutors; students identified by the staff and matched to their trained tutors; adult library users not connected to a literacy program…

A project was conducted to increase the retention of African American men in the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council's literacy program. The project's primary objectives were as follows: develop a program in self-esteem, goal setting, and decision making and use it as a "draw" to bring new students into the literacy program; build…

This annotated bibliography lists and summarizes the key points of 33 resource materials that focus specifically on portfolio assessment. Compiled in Spring 1993 as part of a demonstration project funded by the Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education, the bibliography is intended to serve as a tool for use in developing…

This project report explores the potential of using the strategies and methods of the Reading Recovery Program to teach adult nonreaders. The following assessment procedures assist the tutor in determining the student's reading level: letter identification, reading vocabulary, concepts about print, writing vocabulary, dictation, and text reading.…

This brief is a combination directory of contact persons and annotated bibliography designed to provide information on developing and implementing basic skills training programs for workers in the health care industry. The first section contains information on 33 contact persons currently operating employee basic skills programs for health care…

This report contains general comments, objectives, budget, activities, 120 titles and descriptions of the adult new readers' collection, and program design of the library literacy program of the North Austin Branch (Chicago, Illinois). The program description explains how three objectives were met: (1) establishing a collection of basic…

The Penn State Adult Literacy Courseware project uses a "whole word" approach with some word-building activities in teaching 1,000 high frequency and functional words to adult beginning readers whose children participate in Chapter I programs. The aim of the project is to counteract the intergenerational effects of illiteracy. The…

This evaluation used ethnographic data collection methods to discover why IBM's PALS (Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System met with different degrees of success at the two Massachusetts pilot sites after 2 years of operation: the North Central Correctional Institute (NCCI) in Gardner, and the Brightwood Branch Library in Springfield. Three…

This document consists of the four issues of the first annual volume of a quarterly magazine for new adult readers. It is aimed at adults reading at the fourth- to eighth-grade level. The magazine is designed to be self-motivating to the new reader or the learning disabled. Phonetic helps are provided for those words that do not conform to typical…

This report provides a summary and evaluation of a retreat held for the directors and literacy coordinators of the 46 public libraries participating in the California Literacy Campaign (CLC), their supervisors, State Library staff, and members of the California Library Services Board. Following a brief introduction and overview, descriptions of…