Tracking Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills by Reder, Stephen; Bynner, John;

Short description:

Poor literacy and numeracy skills of adults remain substantial problems in today’s societies. This volume examines this issue through an analysis of adult education programs and their impact on basic skills development. The contributors offer far-reaching conclusions about what works and for what reasons in addressing adult literacy and numeracy.

Long description:

Understanding the origins of poor literacy and numeracy skills in adulthood and how to improve them is of major importance when society places a high premium on proficiency in these basic skills. This edited collection brings together the results of recent longitudinal studies that greatly extend our knowledge of what works in raising skill levels, as well as the social and economic returns to improvement.

Many fundamental research questions in adult education involve change over time: how adults learn, how program participation influences their acquisition of skills and knowledge, and how their educational development interacts with their social and economic performance. Although a growing number of longitudinal studies in adult basic education have recently been completed, this book is the first systematic compilation of findings and methods.

Triangulating findings from different methodological perspectives and research designs, and across countries, this text produces convergence on key conclusions about the role of basic skills in the modern life course and the most effective ways of enhancing them.

"Reder and Bynner—two eminent authorities in the field--provide an indispensable resource for scholars, policymakers, and teachers in adult literacy education. This volume will advance the field well beyond our current understanding, providing crucial insights into the myriad impacts of literacy education on adults’ lives and well-being."

M Cecil Smith, Ph.D.

Professor of Educational Psychology

Northern Illinois University

"This book contributes to our understanding of literacy learning in adulthood with the advancement of longitudinal methodologies. Readers interested in longitudinal research can turn to this book as a resource for its thoughtful discussion of the affordances and constraints of longitudinal research and for its extensive bibliographies."—Reading Research Quarterly

Table of Contents:

Introduction: The Need for Longitudinal Studies in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education Stephen Reder and John Bynner  Part I: Literacy and Numeracy Development  1. Insights into Basic Skills from a UK Longitudinal Study  John Bynner and Samantha Parsons  2. The Development of Literacy and Numeracy in Adult Life  Stephen Reder  3. Longitudinal Research Related to Adult Literacy and Education  T. Scott Murray  Part II: Student, Teacher and Classroom Studies  4. Developing Learners’ Reading Skills in Adult Basic Education Programs  Judith Alamprese  5. "What Works" for Adult Students of English as a Second Language  Larry Condelli, Heide Spruck Wrigley and Kwang S. Yoon  6. Student Persistence in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Programs  John Comings  7. Teacher Attitudes Towards the "Skills for Life" National Strategy for Improving Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills  Olga Cara and Jennifer H. Litster  8. The Impact of the "Skills for Life" Learning Infrastructure on Learners: A Summary of Methods and Findings  John Vorhaus, Ursula Howard, Greg Brooks, Ann Marie Bathmaker and Yvon Appleby  Part III: The Impact of Policy and Programs  9. Outcomes for Basic Skills Learners: A Four-year Longitudinal Study  Hillary Metcalf & Pamela Meadows  10. Enhancing "Skills for Life": Workplace Learning and Adult Basic Skills  Karen Evans, Edmond Waite and Lul Admasachew  11. Improving the Literacy and Numeracy of Young Offenders  Jane Hurry, Laura Brazier and Anita Wilson  Part IV: Social and Economic Outcomes in Context  12. Using a Longitudinal Approach with State Administrative Records to Evaluate Adult Education Programs in the United States  Stephen Rose  13. The Tennessee Longitudinal Study of Adult Literacy Program Participants  Mary Beth Bingman  14. Outcomes of Literacy Improvement: A Longitudinal View  Barbara McDonald and Patricia Scollay  15. ‘The more you learn the better you feel': Research into Literacies, Learning and Identity in Scotland  Kathy Maclachlan, Lyn Tett, and Stuart Hall  16. Adults’ Lives and Learning in Different Contexts: A View Over Time  Yvon Appleby and David Barton