In the past decade, the numeracy component in adult basic education has gained scholarly attention. The issue has been addressed by large-scale assessments of adults' skills and intergovernmental policy agendas, but also by qualitative research into numeracy from the perspective of social practice theory. However, some aspects of numeracy are…

This paper discusses adults who are dealing with limited financial means under the premises of disability and over-indebtedness. To this end, the authors examined the concepts of vulnerability, financial literacy and the numerate environment for systematising and presenting findings from a qualitative secondary analysis of qualitative data sets…

In the technology solutions column of this special issue of Adult Literacy Education, that focuses on Broadening the Lens on Adult Literacy Education Outcomes, the author wants to challenge the field to expand the view of digital literacy. Of course, basic digital literacy skills must be included, but the field needs to look beyond to the digital…

In the field of adult basic education, there are two strategies that have been found to be of particular value to student learning: multiple intelligences and purpose-based learning. However, putting these learning theories into practice is not always as easy as an educator might at first believe. Adult basic education teacher Dylan Emerick-Brown…

The author moved from Guatemala to California with her mom. In this article, she talks about the challenges of learning English. She needs to learn English to take care of her mom until her "papa" comes to take care of them. If she knows English she can help her mother with the groceries and answering the phone. She can also teach her…

Quantitative literacy has been recognized as an important skill in the higher education and workforce communities, focusing on problem solving, reasoning, and real-world application. As a result, there is a need by various stakeholders in higher education and workforce communities to evaluate whether college students receive sufficient training on…

There are things in the skills White Paper that those who care passionately about lifelong learning and the empowerment of adult learners will welcome. But as well as admiring the angels in the architecture, the author contends, they need to look for the devils in the detail. The White Paper cannot be considered apart from the spending review…

This publication is dedicated to Chris Selby Smith, who was posthumously awarded the 2009 National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) VET Researcher of the Year Award. Selby Smith's body of work displayed many aspects of the excellence for which the award is offered. His experience working in both academia and the public service gave…

This issue of "literacy.ca EXPRESS" focuses on poverty. The articles included in this issue are: (1) Poverty Overview; (2) Tony's Story; (3) LAN (Learner Advisory Network) Member's Story (Dianne Smith); (4) Linking Adult Literacy to Poverty Reduction; (5) MCL (Movement for Canadian Literacy) Update; (6) Highlights from the LAN; (7) Good…

Photonovels look like comic books but contain photographs instead of drawings. Because photonovels combine pictures and everyday language, adult ESL learners can use them to communicate their thoughts and ideas. Photonovels can also be an aid in learning spoken and written English. This article describes a photonovel project that one of the…

The learning difficulties of 23 adults were investigated in order to determine ways to better serve their literacy needs. These adults were all living in poverty, had less than eighth-grade literacy levels, and had failed to graduate from high school. The participants' records were examined and structured interviews were conducted with them; also,…

When looking at the story of women's community education in Ireland, from its beginnings in the early 1980s, it is important to understand what was happening in the country at that time, and throughout the 25 turbulent years of its development. This story provides a microcosm of the history of Ireland and its relationship with globalisation. Three…

This Study Circle is based on research conducted by a team led by Victoria Purcell-Gates. Their research examines the relationships between two dimensions of literacy instruction (the degree of authenticity of activities and texts and the degree of student/teacher collaboration) and changes in the literacy practices of students outside the…