This report describes the development work of the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit since 1980 and indicates useful strategies and approaches. Chapter 1 focuses on new styles of adult literacy provision. These include drop-in centers, short courses, open learning systems, and media-assisted learning. Chapter 2 concerns provision of adult…

A theory, anchored in a socialist feminist perspective, is presented about the state and the education of women. Propositions of the theory are compared with data from a study of 31 international development agencies about the behavior of the state regarding the education of women. The study focused on basic education, defined as the first 4 or 5…

After Botswana became independent of British rule in 1966, a series of five-year plans for economic development were written and put into action. Education was always seen by development planners as essential for development; by 1977, the government was promoting education for human resource development. Every child in the country was to be given…

Research, statewide evaluation, and student followup studies have indicated that students in adult basic education and English as a second language classes learn more when they are in classrooms in which the teachers practice the following participatory learning principles: establish a learning-centered classroom, personalize instruction, relate…

The goal of the single parent/homemaker project was to integrate participants into society as competent members of a comfortable and self-supporting family unit. The targeted population consisted largely of younger single parents and/or homemakers (primarily female) who lacked education and skills to function effectively as contributing citizens.…

This paper presents an overview of the need for adult education, surveys the theory behind adult education, discusses the reasons why adults do not participate in adult education, and outlines marketing strategies that may induce adults to participate in greater numbers. The first part of the paper cites the need for educational reform, noting…

This guide was designed for trained tutors who teach adult literacy students on a one-to-one basis using a computer with a word-processing program. The guide is organized in five parts. The first part covers the use of computers in adult literacy and the language experience approach, a method in which the student's own words and stories are used…

This report contains summaries of case studies of five literacy projects for women conducted under the auspices of Wider Opportunities for Women's Female Single Parent Literacy Project. The programs described in the case studies are the following: (1) Non-Traditional Employment for Women, New York City; (2) Access for Women: Expanding Options for…

Although a considerable body of research has been developed in recent years on participation in adult education, little has been done from the standpoint of social policy and its impact on participation. To assist investigation of this aspect of participation, three social policy models are presented: market models, progressive-liberal-welfare…

This curriculum guide provides teachers and ABC's: Accountability, Basics, Citizenship. Basic Education (ABE)/General Educational Development (GED) students. Chapter 1 provides guidance/evaluation procedures to help the teacher maintain and document the entrance level and progress of the students. Chapter 2 focuses on specialized guidance…

An attempt was made to study the influence of social networks in Sri Lanka by identifying, selecting, and training volunteers to serve as informal educators of their own social networks. These educators who each were to serve a cluster of 20-25 families were young adults; the majority were females linked to health, education, or community…

This report shows how new technological tools or devices are being used in adult education and training; it examines the evidence of their effectiveness and costs; and it suggests prospects for the future use of technologies. Particular attention is given to uses with displaced and employed workers needing basic skills, high school diplomas, and…

The Bidwell Training Center, Inc., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, evaluated the effectiveness of IBM's Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System (PALS), an interactive instructional program to teach adolescents and adults writing and reading skills. Bidwell's goal was to use PALS to teach large numbers of adults who read below the fifth-grade level.…

This manual is designed for teacher use for a 10-week course to prepare chronically unemployed adults to enter traditional clerical courses or job training programs offered by temporary-employment-agencies. The competency-based curriculum provides adults with basic skills in grammar, usage, reading, writing, listening, mathematics, keyboarding,…

An estimated 25 million American workers will need to upgrade their skills during the 1990s if the U.S. economy is to stay competitive. The contribution of computers and electronic technology to productivity in education still remains to be proved. In the 1990s, technology for adult basic skills training will mean interactivity, multimedia, and…