The four 1990 issues of the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit (ALBSU) Newsletter are gathered in this packet. The newsletters are published quarterly by the ALBSU for persons teaching in adult literacy, English as a Second Language, and basic skils programs; for persons responsible for funding and organizing such programs; and for those who are…

A study of the acquisition of Swedish vocabulary by adult immigrants examined both the kinds and contexts of words learned. It found that simple and common words form the bulk of the vocabulary learned, and that frequency of input, complexity of input, and communicative need guide the learning process. Frequency refers to the frequency of both…

Three techniques have been found to be helpful in using dramatic techniques to provide motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem to students of English as a second language at Hostos Community College. Strategic interaction is a technique based on the open-ended scenario, in which students are free to respond to the problem presented in the…

Research and descriptive studies of the active reader (one who starts reading early in life with a broad range of interests and continues this behavior) are of particular interest, because they identify salient characteristics and acquired traits of people who like to read. For example, the mature reader has been characterized as being able to…

This paper discusses the development and testing of a literacy unit in basic English as a second language (ESL) for Canadian farmworkers based on the Freirian principles of designing adult education curriculum. The Freirian approach looks at adult learners in the context of their daily reality and uses literacy as a vehicle for the students'…

An ethnographic study investigated four adult beginning reading (ABR) classes in several adult learning centers in order to determine the effect of an adult's age and developmental phase on his or her behavior and attitudes in the learning-to-read process. For 9 months, a four-member research team conducted on-site observations, compiled extensive…

A thesis project was conducted to design, develop, implement, and evaluate a job aid used by shipping department employees in a dental laboratory. The job aid was developed in preference to training to solve the organization's performance problem. Task analysis was performed to identify the shipping clerks' duties. These tasks were stated in the…

Adult education is experiencing rapid growth as a result of social, demographic, economic, and technological factors. At the same time, it is struggling with its own maturation and development as a profession. Specific trends and issues emerge from this context, one group related to the profession and another related to adult education programs.…

A 135-item survey was administered to 279 students enrolled in tertiary distance education programs in Queensland, Australia. The study was intended to identify (1) factors that are highly predictive of positive and independent learning growth and (2) strategies that students and educators can adopt to help students achieve a high level of…

A study examined the effect of a job-related approach to language learning on a fossilized learner of English as a second language. The subject was a bilingual female nurse with 20 years' residence in the United States. Her oral and written output was thoroughly analyzed and her social and linguistic needs for interacting with patients and…

Second language learners are engaged in a self-directed learning program which is supported by regular interviews with their counsellor. Interviews with 15 persons were recorded during a 1-year period in order to get data for an analysis of the ways native and second language learning are similar to each other and so mutually helpful. The data…

This monograph on the development of teachers' careers synthesizes researchers' prescriptions for early-, mid-, and late-career professional development; and describes successful programs that demonstrate sensitivity to the stages of teachers' growth. The first chapter, "Teachers' Career Development," reviews current adult- and career-stage…

In the U.S.S.R., the trade unions see the continuous growth of the general educational, cultural and technical level of all workers as one of the conditions of social and scientific progress in the interests of the working class. The role of the unions in the lifelong education of the population is determined by their status in the political…

This report presents findings from four pilot projects introducing computer-based individualization in adult basic education programming. The report includes a description of the andragogic and developmental studies underpinnings supporting the principal project goals of responsiveness in the learning environment and choices for students. Elements…

This paper presents some initial findings from a multi-year project that is exploring the growth of mathematical understanding in a variety of construction trades training programs. In this paper, we focus on John, an entry-level plumbing trainee. We explore his understandings for multiplication, fractions and units of imperial measure as he…