So what can be done to correct the problem? Can we just set up programs and invite people that can't read to come and we'll teach them? This is easier said than done.
Most of the people who try to take care of the problem are volunteers. They set up different programs around the country. These are the brunt of our efforts to eliminate illiteracy. While they try to do a good job, the effort they make is often foundering in disorganization. (Chaddock Features)
The Bipartisan Workforce Investment Act targets preparedness of the work force. This bill was signed into law last year by President Clinton. This law makes it a requirement to standardize adult literacy programs, and includes tracking how many people in these programs actually get a job. It adds support for states to help develop and create a nation wide chain of One-Stop Career Centers, which include literacy training. (Chaddock Features)
The US Department of Education sponsors a program, a "Sesame Street" for adults, if you will, that uses workbooks and television programs so learners can do just that in the privacy of their own homes. (Chaddock Features)
The tactics mentioned so far target adults directly. Governor George Bush and the state of Texas have a different method. Laura Bush puts it quite well: "Literate children become literate adults. By promoting good reading instruction for young children, we can help break the cycle of illiteracy." She suggests that while adult instruction is still necessary, we first must eliminate the root cause, which is illiterate children who grow up to be illiterate adults. (Bush 7A)
So just how does one go about teaching adults? If you have ever had this experience, then you understand how adults learn differently. You also understand how much more difficult it is to get and keep an adult's attention.
Techniques for teaching adults are discussed on the Techniques Page >>