Africa was unable to fulfill the objectives of making compulsory primary education available for all by 1980. As a result, the Harare (Zimbabwe) Declaration, signed by ministers of the United Nations members states of Africa in 1982, aimed to make primary schooling universal and to promote literacy among young people and adults on a massive scale.…

Noting that the popular press and other media have purveyed much information and misinformation about the status of adult literacy in the United States, this paper focuses upon what is known about literacy levels and gives special attention to changes in literacy demands and to what is currently being done to meet those demands. The first section…

Materials from a conference on computer use in adult literacy programs are provided. Introductory materials include a history of the conference and the agenda. A summary of the keynote address, "Impact of New Information Technologies on Literacy" (Linda Roberts), is followed by a brief overview of the conference opening. Descriptions are provided…

This bulletin for businesses is a step-by-step guide to planning and implementing an effective job-related employee basic skills program. Part 1 provides general principles to guide the effort. It addresses literacy and basic skills, the importance of context, and changing requirements for literacy. A preview of key program principles concludes…

Immigration and the role of English are issues very much on the minds of Americans. "English-only" laws in California and elsewhere have ironically not included provision for funding English-language instruction. Nationwide, the demand for classes far exceeds the supply. A survey shows that 37 percent of illiterate adults do not speak English at…

Designed for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors at Olympic College, this handbook provides information on the college's efforts to train volunteers as classroom assistants in ABE/ESL education, as well as guidelines for working with volunteers. The first section of the handbook provides background on the…

This combined proceedings document presents the highlights of two historic national events: the First National Congress and the 1988 National Conference on Adults with Special Learning Needs. A summary of the Congress discusses the theme of empowerment and the declaration adopted calling for the adult and continuing education community to address…

A study investigated the distribution of education levels in Tennessee's counties and examined factors affecting that distribution. It considered first the impacts of the changing global economy on Tennessee and the implications for education. The study found that Tennessee was likely to be harder hit than most states because of its dependence on…

This manual contains guidelines for implementing and maintaining Workplace Skills Enhancement programs. These guidelines are intended to be a resource to adult education directors and their staffs as they work with local businesses, industries, and organizations in combating adult illiteracy. The manual is divided into the key steps in…

In response to the problem of adult literacy, the Michigan State Board of Education initiated a program to reduce the functional illiteracy rate among adults in the state significantly. This is to be accomplished by: (1) raising the level of awareness of the scope of illiteracy problems in the state; (2) developing comprehensive literacy programs…

A study was conducted to explore the interrelationship of library and literacy education programs of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), and to identify the nature of library involvement in the accomplishment of the literacy education mission of the 58-member organization of two-year institutions. Students enrolled in the…

This journal issue focuses on the learner, looks at why literacy has become a major concern and examines the changes brought about by the mastery of new skills. "Literacy/Illiteracy in an International Perspective" (Carman St. John Hunter) frames the discussion by stressing that literacy and illiteracy are moving targets, not fixed by…

The resource guide for teachers of English as a second language (ESL) to young children of non-literate parents presents basic principles underlying the development of literacy in young second language learners and provides some practical suggestions for teaching reading and writing using the whole language approach. This approach uses different…

This analytical bibliography describes a group of selected documents that examine the current status and extent of development of adult education in Latin America. Documents were selected for inclusion based upon their focus on and concern for international and national goals and needs of adult education programs and for distribution to countries…

Designed as a supplement to workshops on radio support for literacy, this reader is intended to assist workshop participants to put radio in the broader perspective of development support communication and to provide background information on the use of radio in adult literacy education. An introduction provides an overview of literacy and…