In 2008 the South African Government launched the "Kha Ri Gude" mass literacy campaign to address the country's adult illiteracy problem. The Campaign drew upon the Cuban "Yo, Si Puedo" campaign model. In 2012, an Australian non-governmental organisation, Literacy for Life Foundation, likewise informed by the Cuban "Yo, Si…

In the 1960s and 1970s, mass campaigns were the dominant model of adult literacy provision, especially in countries of the Global South. After a long absence, there is now a revival of international interest in this model. This paper looks back on the earlier history of mass campaigns and the geopolitical reasons for their rejection, to help make…

As nonprofit adult literacy programs are often the only options for low-income Latin American immigrants in North America, problems accompanying these programs affect the ability of immigrants to benefit from them. North American nonprofit adult literacy programs often struggle due to the difficulties inherent in using volunteer instructors (often…

The Open Book, an adult literacy program in Brooklyn, from 1985-2002, remains, for many of the students and staff involved, a defining experience in their lives, a time that allowed them to see different possibilities, for themselves and society. In an attempt to preserve the field's collective historical memory, the authors in this chapter…

This Support Document reports in detail on two of three components of the methodology. The first part of this document features the literature review, focusing in particular on the three areas of health literacy, financial literacy and literacy in the justice sector. It also includes a background section on policy. The second part of the Support…

The three case studies featured in this publication need to be viewed in conjunction with the recent National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) report: "A New Social Capital Paradigm for Adult Literacy: Partnerships, Policy and Pedagogy" (Balatti, Black & Falk 2009). The case studies form an important research phase of…

In this paper, the author would like to put forward a number of issues to think about and discuss. At the same time, she argues for a better articulated system that more closely matches the needs and goals of various subgroups of English language learners. Adult ESL programs serve diverse immigrant populations with different needs and goals. A…

This handbook records the creation, development and growth, and stumbling blocks and successes of the Prison Literacy Project (PLP). It is intended to serve as a model for other community groups that are developing their own literacy projects. The handbook provides a history and philosophy of PLP, states PLP's vision and purpose, discusses need,…

Beyond 3Rs to learning within political action to functional literacy to life skills, the discourse on adult literacy has primarily been defined by civil society organizations. This article presents thoughts on adult literacy programs coming from educators and advocates and the underlying dilemmas of autonomy and collaboration with government for…

A panel of state staff, Professional Development Center directors, and other experts reviewed current or previous exemplary projects in Pennsylvania and in the U.S. and published project descriptions in a newsletter ("FOCUS" bulletin). Twenty-two special projects were selected as exemplary based on a five-point scale for innovation,…

Part of a much larger study of the JOBS (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills) program, profiles were developed of programs in four communities: San Diego (California); Brooklyn (New York); Philadelphia (Pennsylvania); and Tucson (Arizona), that served welfare clients in innovative and promising ways. The case studies were conducted through site…

A project was conducted in Pennsylvania to provide technical support to the APEX nomination and awards activity that recognizes outstanding adult education practitioners. The project included a revision of the nomination form and procedures developed for APEX in 1998 to align them with Adult Teacher Competency Standards developed in 1999. The APEX…

This bulletin aims to provide guidance to business companies in developing an employee volunteer literacy program in which employees volunteer their time to assist in such aspects of community adult literacy campaigns as advocacy, public relations, fundraising, community leadership, and tutoring. A section on assessing local community needs…

This guide describes a model for a community-based literacy program for older adults that uses older adults as tutors. Guidelines are provided to program sponsors for implementing literacy education for older adults. Chapter I provides an overview of the problem of illiterate older adults and literacy education for them. Chapter II addresses the…

America is becoming a less educated nation (National Commission on Adult Literacy, 2008). While this is frequently measured through comparisons of the number of adults with college degrees, strategies to address sagging educational attainment statistics in the United States are typically focused on K-12 reforms--mostly through expanded definitions…