This study aimed to examine the impact of workplace literacy programs on the structure of social networks accessible to low-income Somali refugee workers. We conceptualized structure as network size and tie strength. Data were drawn using interviews with eighteen participants enrolled in a workplace literacy program. The classes offered included…

Adult education's mission is a critical one. It seeks to provide the large and diverse population of adults who lack basic skills, a high school credential, or English language skills with the competencies they need to be productive workers, family members, and citizens. Federally funded adult education serves learners in three types of programs:…

Adult education has a rich history in Iowa of providing services that assist adults in improving their skills, achieving their educational goals, and transitioning to further education or employment. Instruction is designed for adults functioning at the lowest levels of basic skills and English language instruction to advanced levels of learning.…

Adult education has been available so that immigrants can assimilate into American culture by acquiring the English language skills and vocational skills that they can use for employment. However adult education programmers encounter problems regarding student retention. Evening adult programs have had several problems. The Latino adult students…

Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 directs the federal government to conduct a national assessment of adult education, including activities to understand the extent to which adult education strategies positively affect learners. A systematic review of the research on the effectiveness of particular strategies in adult…

This document provides Q&A with webinar presenter, Susan Riley. Riley's presentation looks at broad ideas of clarifying best practices in using arts integration (AI) and/or STEAM at any grade level. Questions cover topics such as: the creativity crisis in US schools, integrating art into math adult education (GED and ESL), theater arts in the…

The growing U.S. Latino dispersal is allowing for more interactions between students of Spanish and native Spanish speakers. By working with Latino community members, Spanish instructors help meet the standards for foreign language education developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This article describes 2 projects.…

The 2015-16 survey "Programs and Services for High School English Learners" provides the first nationally representative data on this topic. This report is based on that survey and presents data on programs and services for high school English learners (ELs), including instructional approaches, newcomer programs, online or computer-based…

The Federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act provides funding for states and territories to provide instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), and Adult Secondary Education (ASE) to adults in need of these literacy services. California State Budget Act language…

This book is a guide to teaching English vocabulary to second-language learners. The book is divided into 30 chapters that teach 240 critical words. This vocabulary includes what English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), adult literacy, and pre-general equivalency diploma students need to get ahead in today's competitive world. The guide's distinctive…

Two facts have become clear since passage of the Workforce Investment Act in 1998. First, when low-skilled individuals increase their basic skills, these higher skills pay off in the labor market in the form of higher employment and earnings. Second, these earnings increases are typically modest and fall short of what people need to become…

This issue features articles by adult basic education (ABE) practitioners within the field about their approaches to teaching essay writing. In preparing this issue, nine teachers attempted to "catch themselves in the act" of teaching essay writing and subsequently document their approaches and questions. Most of the articles explain how a student…

This guidebook provides suggestions and directions for increasing and improving English language learners' involvement in school-to-career initiatives across the country. It describes model career initiatives that either target or include significant numbers of English language learners, and it analyzes some school restructuring issues raised by…

The Vocational and High School Equivalency Bilingual Program helped students with limited English proficiency develop their English language skills enough to enable them to participate effectively in mainstream classes and compete successfully in the United States labor market. During 1985-86 the program provided English as a second language and…

A three-phase project was conducted to further the education of inmates in the Lafayette (Louisiana) Parish Correctional Center. Phase I of the project was designed to prepare inmates to be eligible to take the General Educational Development (GED) test, and/or to teach life-coping skills so that they would better function in society upon their…