The English "Skills for Life" strategy symbolises the prominent place that adult basic skills have claimed in education and training policy in England since the beginning of this century. The strategy aims to improve the skills of a large number of learners over a ten year period (2001-2010). This paper explores what we can learn about…

The growing number of youth enrolling in adult literacy education is a little-documented trend across the nation that is having a major impact on programs in some areas but appears to be unnoticed by educational policymakers and researchers. A central question is whether youth enrollments provide an opportunity for adult literacy education to…

Statistics show that illiteracy in the United States is still a problem, particularly for adults over forty-five years of age. To test the effects of preferred-interest lessons on attendance in an adult reading program, a group of 20 adults received reading instruction by traditional teaching methods (large group arrangement and commercial…

This report examines the educational status of Hispanic Americans, presenting indicators illustrating recent educational gains and existing gaps. Data come from National Center for Education Statistics published reports as well as other federal agencies and organizations. There are four sections with eight chapters. Section 1, "Demographic…

An adult workplace program of literacy and basic skills is described and evaluated both for its effectiveness in the year 1992-93 and as a model for similar program efforts elsewhere. The evaluation addresses three specific program objectives: (1) establishment of a governance structure to assess actual workplace literacy requirements at the…

There is a strong and growing argument for higher educational attainment in the United States. The jobs that are expected to support the economy in the coming years will depend on a skilled workforce that is able to learn and adapt quickly to new challenges. However, demographic patterns demonstrate that relying on the traditional K-16 pipeline to…

Final evaluation of the Workplace Education Program, funded by the National Workplace Literacy Program to provide workplace literacy education programs to 425 members of Chicago (Illinois) area clothing and textile workers union members, is presented. The program's goal was to enhance workers' basic literacy skills for present job stabilization…