Contemporary studies of literacy can be divided into two sorts: those approaches which treat it as a psychological phenomenon and those which treat it as a social practice. This practice view of literacy can be sketched out by reporting the continuation and changing focus of a study conducted on adult learners' perceptions of literacy and learning. Subjects, 20 adults from Lancashire, England, between the ages of 20 and 30 years who had left school as early as possible and with minimal qualifications, underwent detailed interviews concerning the part literacy plays in their lives. Additional data consisted of ethnographic case studies of individual households, observation of neighborhood uses of literacy, and the collection of recorded data on access points for literacy. Preliminary findings suggest categories of significant topics necessary for a complete view of literacy: (1) literacy practices; (2) social practices; (3) roles people take; (4) networks of support; (5) the value of literacy; (6) literacy and change; and (7) how everyday processes of learning are revealed in the home. Examples from the data gathered illustrate the categories. How the social practice of literacy impinges on children is also illustrated with examples from the data. The practice view of literacy moves the focus from a static model of an individual with a set of skills to a more dynamic notion of social practices which people participate in. (RS)