Research on adult basic skills in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the English-speaking world was reviewed. The most-researched areas of adult basic skills were literacy, numeracy, English for speakers of other languages, information and computer technology, and oracy. Oracy skills for monolingual English speakers and numeracy skills for speakers of other languages were almost entirely overlooked. The following were among the literature review's key findings: (1) intervention studies exploring those factors in teaching basic skills that cause progress in learning basic skills were lacking; (2) very little is known about adults with special educational needs in basic skills provision; (3) the major motive for attending basic skills provision is a desire for self-development, although among parents, the major motive for attending family learning is to help their children; (4) adults involved in family learning have higher attendance, retention, and completion rates than do adults in general provision, and their progression to further study and/or employment is high; and (5) less is known about what basic skills teaching is like on the ground. It was recommended that a structured program of studies exploring the factors associated with progress in basic skills be initiated and that the research program be informed by vigorous debate on content. (MN)