This guide presents an adult basic education curriculum designed to raise the competencies of adults in several basic areas. They are: oral and written communications, arithmetic, social sciences, occupational planning (including development of occupational concepts and attitudes), and development of self. The three levels under which basic area skills and activities are presented are: Level I (Grades 0-3), Level II (Grades 4-6), and Level III (Grades 7-9). The guide covers the following areas: (1) objectives and philosophy of adult basic education; (2) understanding the uneducated adult as a learner; (3) uneducated adults, Level I; (4) "underinformed" adults, Level II; (5) "underachieving" adults; (6) qualities characteristic of a good adult basic education teacher; (7) methods of teaching adults; (8) teacher-student conferences; (9) first crucial class meeting; (10) checklist of dropout signs; (11) reading levels I, II, and III; (12) language arts skills I, II, and III; (13) mathematics levels I, II, and III; (14) social living; (15) science and life; (16) employment; (17) everyday living needs; (18) consumer tips; and (18) bibliography. (JS)