This book, printed for new adult readers, is about folk culture and folklore in Kentucky. The book, printed in large easy-to-read type and geared for intermediate readers, discusses folk culture and rural lifestyle. It differentiates between folk or traditional culture from elite and popular cultures. The first chapter looks at folk speech,…

In 1981, some 12,500 British 23-year-olds were interviewed in a survey carried out by the National Children's Bureau as part of an ongoing longitudinal study. A small part of each interview dealt with the respondent's experience of literacy and numeracy problems. Results demonstrated that a substantial number of the young adults had experienced…

This handbook is designed to provide a comprehensive reference source about adult illiteracy for Michigan public librarians, whether or not they currently work with local literacy councils. Introductory material provides listings of members of the Michigan State Legislative Council and Library of Michigan Board of Trustees, and a listing of the…

Although the majority of today's young adults meet or surpass the "literacy" standards of 25 years ago, they often lack the level of literacy needed to meet current demands. The National Assessment of Educational Progress studied a nationally representative sample of 3,600 young American adults, aged 21 to 25, to determine how well they could…

The purpose of this document is to provide a step-by-step outline of the language experience approach. It first explains this technique for teaching both words and sentences to beginning readers. Steps are outlined first for teaching words, then for teaching sentences. What to do and what to say is suggested for each step. Teaching words includes…

This statement of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, focuses on the approaches that provincial ministers have taken to address the problem of adult illiteracy. First, it sets out concisely the nature and extent of functional illiteracy in Canada. Second, it describes a sample of the initiatives already under way to create effective…

This article highlights lessons from the experience of running a workshop that provides basic education. It focuses on the workshop that has been run for four years at Wakefield District College in England to support individuals from the community or students in college courses who need help with basic skills. The flexibility allowed by the…

Much of the story of illiteracy is about the powerless, and reporting on it can focus on who lacks power and why. However, much of the untold story about illiteracy is about people with power who are choosing not to wield it--educators, economists, elected officials, presidential candidates, corporate leaders, publishers, and the literate public…

Several factors have been involved in elevating education as a prime issue of national concern. One such factor has been the advent of new technologies; another has been the report by the National Commission on Excellence which found a steady decline in Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, an increase in adult illiteracy, selection of nonrigorous…

This final report of the Literacy Education for the Elderly Project (LEEP) provides a description and the results of the project designed to target literacy education to the older adult. The strategy of the two-year program, established in 27 sites nationwide, was to: (1) link the local level aging services network with the volunteer adult…

This description and discussion of literacy activities and issues in Canada begins with an attempt to draw together various aspects of the historical developments on literacy and current definitions and attempts at measurement. Literacy's link with adult basic education is also studied. Elements of the global situation are highlighted, and some…

Materials are provided on an adult right-to-read program for Collin County developed by the Allen Independent School District Community Education department. Narratives by the district coordinator, program director, and volunteer director set forth administrative considerations, general guidelines, information on evaluations and tutor training, a…

The Farmers' Functional Literacy Program has been conducted in conjunction with an intensive agricultural development program in the villages of India since 1968. A recent innovation of significance to developing countries, the program incorporates the concept of linking education to development. This joint venture of three governmental ministries…

This document contains a Congressional hearing on the scope of the problem of adult and juvenile illiteracy and programs that are attempting to meet the problem. Testimony includes statements, prepared statements, letters, and supplemental materials from individuals representing the Department of Education; National Institute of Education;…

This article suggests the following ways of making material easier for adults to read: using layout and print size to make meaning clear; making audio recordings and simplified versions of printed matter; and increasing the relevance of the content to the reader. Intended for teachers of adults in reading programs, the study also contains a…