The paper focuses on the need to broaden the objectives of adult basic education instruction in order to make them more relevant to the immediate needs of participants and more germane to the mandate to foster economic independence and social participation. (Author/MW)

The commentary reflects similarities and differences of the United States and foreign programs presented at the January, 1975 Multinational Workshop on Adult Education (Washington, D. C.). Attention is directed to educational philosophy, concept integration, learner's role, process versus product orientation, social-cultural factors, program…

This document is the final report of the first year's operation of a project designed to train literacy and adult education providers and organizations in business, industry, and labor to develop and implement effective workplace literacy programs. The program, which operates in Pennsylvania on the state and regional levels, initiates the…

After recapitulating certain problems with current conceptions of the profession of adult education and stating a design problem for the reinvention of the field, this paper argues that adult education can best be seen as "self-education." A beginning definition and concept of that term is described, along with a model and supporting guides for…

This article is devoted to explaining the use and misuse of standardized tests in adult literacy programs. Among the topics covered on that subject are why the tests are of such interest among adult educators: because the authority vested in these tests can determine the way programs are developed, what is taught, the climate of teaching and…

According to U.S. Census data, in rural Pennsylvania, 37% of adults did not complete higher school, and 21% did not go beyond 8th grade. As a consequence of present demographic and literacy trends, the proportion of the workforce with low levels of basic skills is growing. At the same time, a changing labor market is creating new jobs that demand…

This document describes the 10 winners of the 1990 ABLE Award, which recognizes outstanding adult students in Pennsylvania adult basic and literacy education programs. The award, given for achievement based on learning excellence (ABLE), is presented by the Pennsylvania Division of Adult Basic and Literacy Education Programs. The winners are…

This study investigated the role of literacy associations in the education of adults in Wyoming at the turn of the century. Information was gathered through extensive analysis of published and unpublished documents, especially primary resources in several archives and libraries, and from newspapers of the period. Evidence suggests that literary…

The Susquehanna County Volunteer Literacy Council created an improvisational theater group of the Council's staff, students and volunteers to give public exposure to the problems of the functional illiterate. A volunteer company of players was gathered, and skits were developed. Through 29 performances, 3,402 people were made aware of the problems…

This document summarizes the changes to the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) sought by the Amendments of 1990 (H.R. 2039) and provides a line-by-line analysis of the proposed legislation. H.R. 2039 proposes to enhance the employment and training services delivered under the JTPA by targeting the least job-ready clients for job training services…

This report focuses on a December 1988 to December 1989 evaluation of the structures, processes, and outcomes of 15 primarily volunteer tutor-based literacy programs. It addresses the effectiveness of the Saskatchewan Literacy Campaign in increasing tutor and learner enrollments in the programs. Chapter 1 provides background and definitions.…

This document is a transcript of a tape of a conference on homelessness and mental illness conducted by adult literacy educators in Florida. Persons whose remarks are transcribed include Blanca Polo, Director of the Southeast Florida Training Center for Adult Literacy Educators; David K. Fike, author of a study on homelessness in southern Florida;…

This interim report describes the first few months' work of a task force that developed a set of procedures for conducting a literacy task analysis. A literacy task analysis could be used by employers, union delegates, human resource personnel, trainers, and adult educators to understand better the specific workplace training needs of employees,…