Demonstrates how Gibb's principles of learning have influenced case study outcomes from a holistic perspective. Presents abstracts of strengths, weaknesses, and instructional strategies from 15 case studies and compiles the information to present an instructor/learner situation. Principles of the holistic approach to teaching adult literacy are…

Discusses why African Americans do not take advantage of adult education programs that are available to them. Deterrents include embarrassment of low literacy, fear of the unknown, and the failure of literacy to make a socioeconomic difference. Suggests that information about programs must be widely advertised through the schools, on television,…

Three types of journals useful with adult literacy learners are reader response journals, in which learners record responses to texts; dialog journals, in which teachers and learners alternate entries; and self-esteem journals, assignments that enable reflection on life issues. (SK)

Argues that family literacy programs can use children's literature as a vehicle for adults to explore their experiences, to develop a tolerance for different points of view, and to find time to engage in personal reflection. (SR)

Practical suggestions are presented for developing cloze passages and using them with groups, beginning students, and dyslexic students. (SK)

Having students read aloud can help the teacher identify reading skills and plan or modify learning activities as appropriate. Effective reading tasks promote thinking, stimulate imagination, and prompt discussion. (JOW)

Describes closed and open word sorts and their use for vocabulary development with adult literacy students. Suggests that the sorts enable them to rehearse new vocabulary, discuss various word classifications, and develop convergent and divergent thinking through deducing the defining characteristics or words. (SR)

Facilitation techniques to motivate students preparing for the General Educational Development Tests include (1) interviewing students before the first class; (2) identifying needs and problems; (3) mutually designing the learning plan; (4) selecting instructional methods; and (5) evaluating outcomes. (SK)

Twenty adult basic education students were taught new vocabulary either (1) with definitions and synonyms only; (2) with teacher-generated elaborations of context; or (3) with student-generated elaborations. Testing one week later showed that students retained meanings of new words better when they provided their own elaborations. (SK)

Holistic math focuses on problem solving with numbers and concepts. Whole math activities for adults include shopping for groceries, eating in restaurants, buying gas, taking medicine, measuring a room, estimating servings, and compiling a family cookbook. (SK)

A survey of British Columbia correctional personnel (69% response) and interviews with 22 participants and 56 nonparticipants in prison education programs found support for the value of literacy education and for incentives for attendance, as well as a need for standards and policy on every inmate's right to learn. (SK)

Describes a program called "Reaching Out the Write Way" that takes place in an adult basic education literacy program at a maximum-security state prison. Describes how this innovative and low-cost program teaches inmates (many of whom are fathers) both storybook writing and bookmaking. Notes the enthusiastic responses of inmates and…

Documents a workplace literacy program for people with disabilities in Australia. Activities include rewriting government service standards into plain English, formulating individualized employment plans, conducting a skills audit, and focusing on numeracy needs. (SK)

A teacher's work with one adult student illustrated how the Tic-Tac-Toe Math method is effective for some students and not others. (SK)

This article examines the use of research by adult education practitioners both empirically and theoretically. It is suggested that arguments for making research more relevant to practice must be treated with caution and that the relationship between research and practice is inherently loose. Implications for researchers and practitioners are…