Two Australian projects--integrating numeracy into a construction training course and integrating literacy in rural training--illustrate the development of integrated curricula and the necessity of contextualized, multiple literacies. Literacy is not a set of generic skills to be taught in isolation, but highly specific vocational and social…

In interviews, experienced adult basic educators identified tasks in their work from which constructs emerged and were rated using Kelly's Repertory Grid. Tenets of good practice included student-centered philosophy, resistance to threats to that philosophy, an ethos of basic skills practice, reflection on practical aspects of basic skills, and…

Advocates incorporation of math and computer instruction into adult literacy programs. Describes a North Carolina tutoring program that includes computer labs. (SK)

From 1975-1985, a British adult literacy project published literacy learners' writing in a widely distributed newsletter. Although influenced by Freire, instructors struggled with issues of power, access, and editorial control. (JOW)

Factors influencing retention of African Americans in adult basic education include connection of learning and lived experiences, relevance, recognition of the value they place on education, and inclusion of polyrhythmic realities. The latter are learners' lived experiences within sociocultural, political, and historical contexts. (SK)

Increased use of practitioner research in literacy education is opening new vistas for grassroots knowledge. Such research affords new possibilities for professional growth, an improved image of literacy, and the potential to reduce illiteracy to minimal levels. (JOW)

Surveys attitudes towards and beliefs about dyslexia among Adult Basic Education (ABE) teachers and providers. Finds doubt, uncertainty and confusion about dyslexia and considerable misgiving. Discusses attribution theory and learned helplessness in the context of ABE. Argues that a diagnosis of dyslexia may be a maladaptive attribution and so…

Minnesota Adult Basic Education (ABE) providers are mandated to use CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System) Reading or Math or TABE (Tests for Adult Basic Education) Reading or Math. This issue of "NetNews" introduces the Test Bank: a variety of informal reading, spelling, and writing assessments available for Minnesota ABE…

The goal of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) is to conduct high-quality, relevant research that contributes to the improvement of the quality of education provided by adult basic educators. NCSALL has a commitment not only to conducting research but also both to ensuring that is it shared with…

This article focuses on the Lawrence Adult Learning Center, the only program in Kansas offering Adult Basic Education. The LALC has been a program on wheels, always moving to another location. Its mission is to enable adult students to: acquire appropriate skills and knowledge necessary to become informed decision makers and effective…

The idea that popular culture and entertainment media influence us in both conscious and unconscious ways is not new. The use of alternative spaces, such as internet sites, for creating entertainment will continue to influence society and challenge educators. The importance of the internet was reflected in Time magazine's choosing YOU (meaning the…

In March 2006, Premier Wen Jiabao acknowledged that the situation in the Chinese countryside is desperate and claimed new resources would be devoted to healthcare and education. This announcement should have pleased architects of the Chinese "learning initiative" who are building learning cities and villages. The authors describe why…

A study explored new approaches to teaching spelling to adult learners. The first step was to examine the research on teaching spelling to identify the spelling problems and strategies that were most successful when teaching poor spellers. These strategies were identified: use of spelling lists; correction of own tests; systematic teaching;…

In the current environment of increasing competition for shrinking resources and the dramatic changes in educational service delivery in response to recent technological advances, marketing is becoming increasingly important to the success of adult literacy programs. Individual attitudes toward marketing in the educational sector differ greatly…

This written recruitment plan for Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)-funded adult basic education and literacy programs includes eight objectives, action steps for each objective, assignment of responsibility for each step, and a maintenance schedule that indicates exactly when and how often a step should be repeated. A glossary of terms…