To ascertain what variables contribute to success of adult literacy programs, a study of 107 adult students in a literacy program was undertaken over a period of two years. Program success was defined as an attendance rate of 65%. It was hypothesized that the four characteristics of age, sex, employment, and marital status would be predictors of…

Focusing on what is being done to help adult nonreaders or poor readers, this publication offers suggestions for ways educators might keep informed about literacy efforts and teaching techniques. It contains reports on current efforts by governmental and private agencies to eliminate adult illiteracy, successful features of various literacy…

In view of the fact that vocational education students want only the essentials of the reading curriculum, the reading center at Eastern New Mexico University (Roswell) began a program of direct vocabulary building. This method stresses application of words to be learned, making them function for the learner, as well as a high interest factor.…

This paper outlines a program designed to teach adults to read better. Manzo discriminates between illiterate and semi-literate. The reading program is intended for semi-literate, often culturally different, economically depressed, program enrolled Adult Basic Education (ABE) students. Four teaching strategies are propsed to add an instructional…

Because televisions are found in many homes today, they can be used as a channel for bringing reading improvement courses to a large number of people. Various experimental television reading programs are summarized which have proven successful in motivating people to improve their reading skills. Through Glendale Community College in Arizona, a…

This appraisal of the readability of materials used by Adult Basic Education (ABE) teachers determines readability by using the Dale-Chall Readability Formula, the Fry Readability Graph, and the Gunning Fog Readability Formula. An introductory chapter states the problem, defines terms, and presents the importance, hypotheses, design, limitations,…

Public librarians are provided with annotated listings of selected materials for both students and teachers involved in adult literacy programs. The student materials listed are suitable for use by a teacher in a classroom, by students in independent study, or by tutors in one-to-one situations. The list also includes professional reading for…

This volume contains selections from the first, second, and third yearbooks of the Southwest Reading Conference for Colleges and Universities. Articles discuss various aspects of college reading programs, including program establishment and administration, recent research on college reading, student reaction, vocabulary development, evaluation of…

Reports on a study of the reading strategies of 14 black adult college students who were nonproficient readers; compares results with those from earlier studies of children's reading strategies. Offers suggestions for remedial reading courses at the college level. (TJ)

Updates and extends an analysis of material in the postsecondary remedial/developmental reading field, indicating that the field is gaining professionalism. (JD)

Reviews physical and mental factors that influence the reading habits of older Americans. Discusses their motivations for reading, reading programs for institutionalized elders, ways to encourage older people to use the public library, and other ways to encourage older people to read. (SKC)

Surveys, interviews, and group discussions with 18 inmates enrolled in adult basic education elicited the inmates' perceptions of important factors in effective literacy classes: teacher behavior (explaining, giving examples); instructional environment (informal but well organized); and type of text (short stories and novels rather than…