Judging by their literacy proficiency scores, Nordic countries stand out from others. Their consistently high scores are intriguing and make their populations interesting benchmarks for other countries that participated in the International Adult Literacy Survey. This article addresses the question of whether there are any specific…

This study examined the equivalency of computer and conventional versions of the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), a test of adult literacy skills in Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy. Seventy-three college students completed the computer version, and their scores were compared with those who had taken the test in the conventional…

Through access to assistive technology, adult students with learning disabilities can improve their literacy skills and goal attainment as a supplement to regular adult basic education classes. This article describes a project that investigated whether increased engagement with text-to-speech and speech-recognition software could improve…

Metacognition provides insights into the internal information processing of an individual. Studies around metacognition and reading have demonstrated that metacognitive thinking during reading reveals an individual's knowledge of the reading process. In examining adult literacy students, metacognitive descriptions can provide insight into…

This study began in the Spring of 2003, when the Canterbury Adult Basic Education Research Network (CABERN), an informal cross-sector network of local adult literacy researchers and practitioners, sent out a questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed potential respondents by asking: "Are you a tutor engaged in any aspect of adult…

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…

This is the twenty-second edition of the Adult Basic Education (ABE) Articulation Handbook for British Columbia's public postsecondary institutions. The purpose of ABE articulation is to ensure learners have access to quality courses, receive appropriate credits and are able to transfer easily among publicly-funded colleges, university colleges,…

The paper reports on a multi-country review of formative assessment in adult education settings with specific reference to basic literacy and numeracy. It reports many examples of emergent innovative practice in Europe and elsewhere but concludes that there is a real need to develop a stronger conceptual base for formative assessment, as well as…

The field of adult literacy in England has a long history, but has particularly developed during the last three decades. Along with the rest of post-school education and training, it has been substantially reshaped by national policy initiatives since the 1970s. During this period it has struggled to assert itself as a legitimate area of policy…

The arguments for the monitoring and evaluation of adult literacy and basic education programs are no different from those justifying monitoring and evaluation of any other educational program. The priority and status accorded different programs are likely to determine commitment to their internal and external evaluation and the form that these…

This guidebook offers tips to those who guide people who want to learn to read and write. It is structured in three volumes, each accompanying a separate videotape. The three videotapes are 120 minutes, 90 minutes, and 120 minutes in length, respectively. The guidebook has four goals: (1) help those who guide learners to understand how the learner…

This packet, which is intended for literacy program leaders throughout Oklahoma, contains the materials developed by the Literacy Office of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries for its 1995 literacy awareness campaign. The first third of the packet is a project guide that includes the following materials: overview of Oklahoma's first statewide…

A study of 10 groups of learners in workplace literacy programs at 6 companies was used to develop and refine a data-based model for evaluating workplace literacy programs. The learners (n=181) completed pre- and post-assessments. In a structured one-on-one interview, information was gathered on learners' beliefs about literacy and their own…

A study investigated the educational levels of 196 inmates (85 percent male, most Caucasian, 5 ethnic groups represented) of the Cumberland County Jail (CCJ) in Portland, Maine, using a self-perception instrument and the results of the Tests of Applied Literacy Skills. Information was obtained regarding gender, age, recidivism, highest level of…

This report describes a project conducted to address National Education Goal #5 (every adult American will be literate) by developing a cooperative network of literacy and job skills providers and encouraging lifelong learning in a Pennsylvania community. The communitywide network that was formed developed a strategic plan emphasizing community…