To obtain practitioner input on the research agenda for adult basic education (ABE), practitioner leaders from the Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network (PRDN) conducted nine focus groups with ABE practitioners in their states. The focus groups examined three topics: issues that concern practitioners in ABE; ways practitioners see their…

The effectiveness of open-entry/open-exit classes was compared with that of classes in which students were required to attend a specific number of hours. Effectiveness was determined by examining academic growth, attendance, retention, and achievement of program goals. Fifty-one students entered basic education classes at the start of the project,…

A newsletter titled "Focus" was published to disseminate significant current or previous Section 353 special demonstration projects in Pennsylvania. The project involved a review of previous exemplary projects, validation of 49 significant projects, and dissemination of them. Twenty special projects from Pennsylvania and the nation were…

A pilot project was conducted to implement the Oregon A.I.M. (Assessment, Instruction, Mastery), a tutor program accountability system developed in Oregon, in 15 volunteer-based programs in Pennsylvania and to make recommendations on the usefulness of this system as a means of collecting and aggregating data on student progress for these and…

This companion document to the instructor's guide for a course designed to prepare employees for statistical process control (SPC) training given at their workplace by refreshing math skills and building the concepts and vocabulary necessary to understand SPC in manufacturing environments. SPC-Prep 1 addresses the math skills necessary to perform…

Test anxiety is exceedingly common among learners in adult basic education. Any one or more of the following can cause individuals to experience test anxiety: learned behavior resulting from the expectations of parents, teachers, or significant others; associations that students have built between grades or test performance and personal worth;…

In Nevada a book was developed to bring history to life for adult students who are beginning to discover the joy of reading and to let new readers and tutors tell their own stories about reading. The first part of the book includes 17 original stories written by Phillip Earl, a popular author and newspaper columnist in Nevada. Articles were…

In Nevada a book was developed to bring history to life for adult students who are beginning to discover the joy of reading and to let new readers and tutors tell their own stories about reading. The first part of the book includes 10 original stories written by Phillip Earl, a popular author and newspaper columnist. Articles were selected for…

Noting that one of the three major themes for the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services is the role of the library in literacy education, this digest begins by describing how national awareness of the problem has led to legislation, both at the state and federal level, to fund new literacy programs and expand existing…

This collection of writings by students in literacy, General Educational Development (GED) and pre-GED programs includes over 30 poems, personal narratives, stories, and brief essays of self-expression on a variety of topics. Many are first attempts at communicating ideas through writing. (MSE) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)

Technology transfer, for purposes of this paper, refers specifically to the importing of a methodology from one setting to another in order to meet previously unmet needs. The Job Skills Education Program (JSEP), a computer-based functional basic skills curriculum originally developed for the U.S. Army, has been "transferred" to the…

A review was conducted of two issues related to the participation rate requirements of the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) component of the Family Support Act of 1988: (1) the extent to which states have served those most at risk of long-term welfare dependency--the least job-ready--relative to other Aid for Families with Dependent…

Students and teachers in adult literacy programs in Columbus, Ohio, and London, England, were interviewed using structured questions relating to past educational history, perceptions of encouragers and barriers to participation in education, support systems, the nature of success, and future expectations. Those interviewed were selected by…

This resource directory provides information concerning sources of funding and technical assistance for prison literacy projects. It is intended for prison organizations, educators, and literacy organizations who sponsor literacy programs in corrections. Contents include lists of 4 prison literacy projects, 2 literacy organizations, 12 literacy…

This booklet commemorates the General Educational Development (GED) Testing program's first 50 years. Included are the following: (1) a description of a GED graduation; (2) reminiscences of three GED administrators; (3) success stories from five GED graduates; (4) descriptions of eight special GED programs; (5) an explanation of how the GED system…