The 1988-89 Highlands Educational Literacy Project (HELP) in southwest Virginia was initially designed to provide local volunteer tutors with intensive training in the Laubach one-to-one method of teaching reading. HELP was a cooperative effort of community service agencies, church and civic groups, and interested individuals to provide free…

This resource book contains 10 articles on specific aspects of writing assessment. Article one addresses several key issues, among them (1) whether writing should be taught from a traditional analytic approach or from the "writing-as-a-process" perspective, (2) whether writing ability can be judged indirectly or only by actual performance, and (3)…

A study analyzed the reasons for adult participation in adult basic education (ABE) programs. During the study, researchers administered the Educational Participation Scale to 85 females and 72 males enrolled in ABE classes in New Mexico. Data from the returned questionnaires were examined to determine if any of the reasons for participation in…

This guide is intended to help teachers administer tests to adult students so that the students achieve the highest possible test results. The booklet is divided into five sections. The first section reminds the teacher of the various differences in and needs of the adult learner, while the second section gives some tips on how to conduct a…

This report describes activities of the PLATO Education Group (PEG), the educational research and development arm of the Computer-based Education Research Laboratory (CERL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Staff, funding sources, and an overview are presented for the four projects summarized, along with additional,…

Based on the experiences of a literacy center in Texas, this handbook is intended to assist adult educators in developing a similar program in their community. The purpose of the literacy referral system is to provide educationally and economically disadvantaged adults with an individualized educational and employment plan based on an assessment…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of the Templates for Literacy manual, which is designed to help the adult beginning reader integrate computer and literacy learning. The manual contains guidelines and strategies for incorporating word processing, spreadsheet, database, and graphics software into literacy curricula. The draft manual was…

Illiteracy is a serious problem for older people, particularly for older minorities. Of the 23 million adults in the United States classified as functionally illiterate, 44 percent are over 50, and those 60 and over account for about one-third of the totally illiterate population. Being illiterate to whatever degree diminishes the employment…

This guide offers suggestions for developing learning materials for self-instruction by adults. It is based on methods used in the Bristol (England) Open Learning Centre. The guide covers the following topics: (1) using open (self-instructional) materials with basic education students; (2) supplying support for instructional materials; (3)…

A study estimated the size of the population of adults and out-of-school youth with limited English proficiency (LEP) who need vocational education and related employment services and projected the size of this population from the time of the study to the year 2000. Research procedures included a literature review, an analysis of 1980 U.S. census…

This curriculum was developed to give adult basic education (ABE) teachers starting points for developing their own units around housing-related issues. The texts have been chosen thematically, rather than by skill level. The materials are designed for group work--oral reading and discussion. Readings focus on housing repairs, court procedures,…

These 13 case descriptions of adult education programs in the United States are part of a set that reflects a cooperative effort by adult educators to increase international understanding of various educational programs for adults in their societal context. A face sheet for each program provides this information: name, organization, and address of…

The first of two papers that comprise this document introduces Australia's response to 1990 as the United Nations (UN) International Literacy Year (ILY). The second paper sets policy directions for Australia's Literacy Year program. The first paper contains the six UN objectives for the year (to increase government action to combat illiteracy,…

Designed and programmed by the staff of the Courseware and Curriculum Applications (CCA) Group (a unit of the Computer-Based Education Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), this instructor's guide describes a computer-based reading comprehension curriculum designed for adults and adolescents who read at the…

A great discrepancy exists between the potential number of adult basic education (ABE) participants (all adults who have not graduated from high school) and those who actually choose to participate in ABE. To determine why high school dropouts choose not to participate in ABE, telephone interviews were conducted with a carefully constructed,…