Racial illiteracy is widespread in America, and as adult literacy educators our mission is to address illiteracy in all its manifestations. We teach literacies in reading and writing, numeracy, computer, speaking, listening, visual, health, and media, each vital to making sense of our world and functioning effectively in it. Racial literacy is…

In this article we describe and reflect on a large-scale regional adult literacy initiative in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia, Todos pela Alfabetização (Everyone for Literacy), known locally as TOPA, was active between 2007 and 2014. In Brazil 7% of the adult population (11 million people), are illiterate; in the state of Bahia the…

Cognizance, or the self-awareness individuals have of their cognitive processes, is a critical factor in adult learning and literacy, which are fundamental for personal and social development. This study aims to explore the psychometric properties of the instrument used and investigate how cognizance affects the academic achievement of new…

Stress in adult learners is a neglected topic, despite practitioners observing that their adult learners often display psychological discomfort. We address the effects psychological stress has on learning, then define the constructs of stress, trauma, resilience, and psychological distress. Twenty-three adult learners reading at elementary levels…

Job automation can undermine economic security for workers in general, and older workers, in particular. In this respect, consistently updating one's knowledge and skills is essential for being competitive in a technology-driven labor market. Older workers with lower adult literacy skills experience difficulties with continuous education and…

In an era of globally competitive and technology-driven societies, we are seeing a growing interest in developing a better understanding of the types of skills adults need to succeed both in the workplace and in everyday life. One large-scale comparative survey designed to inform that understanding is the OECD's Program for the International…

Innovation is a ubiquitous term, and its use to promote neoliberal values such as competition, efficiency and its privileging of technology driven initiatives has been critiqued by educational researchers, including adult literacy researchers. This article argues that innovation in adult literacy (and perhaps in education generally) is a concept…

Immigrants in their later years can succeed at learning English and becoming citizens if they have access to instruction that considers their particular interests and stage of development, including their distinct cognitive, physical, and psychological profiles. Step One, a new age-friendly curriculum, helps older newcomers take the first steps in…

High-level literacy skills are required for full participation in the democratic process through voting. Consequently, adults with low-level literacy skills are at a disadvantage. This work investigated the disparity between the readability of U.S. ballot propositions for year 2022 state elections and grade level reading estimates ([less than or…

The International Literacy Day 2023 was the first after the launch the text generating artificial intelligence ChatGPT. This was the reason for a Literacy Promptathon that allows users to learn how to handle text and image generation. The International Literacy Day media coverage for the first time touched on the question of AI generated text. One…

In this study, we examine the relationships between self-reported media literacy skills, actual knowledge of news media literacy, and three sociodemographic factors: age, gender, and level of education. Data were collected through an online survey among a national sample of adults (n = 871) in Latvia. A significant positive correlation was found…

For nearly a decade, concerns about misinformation influencing U.S. elections have grown. As modern elections are increasingly characterized by overwhelming amounts of information, trust in the media is at an all-time low, with people across the political spectrum reporting low confidence in the mass media's ability to report the news "fully,…

This paper uses a thematic narrative analysis approach to explore the experiences of individuals who support those living with literacy gaps in Australia. Themes of collective shame and responsibility surrounding adult literacy gaps, as well as the communicative expertise and critical reflexivity developed by supporters in their roles, are…

In the 21st century, individuals -- particularly migrant populations -- require a range of skills to adapt to new circumstances, cope with change, and lead fulfilling lives. To effectively achieve this, good health literacy is beneficial and adult basic education is an ideal setting to promote health literacy among migrant populations. There is…

The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is the coordinating organization for the Illinois Community College System and administers Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The ICCB recognizes the importance of preparing residents with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in postsecondary education and the…