ILLITERATE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.   Term Paper ID:20709 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Review of literature to discover methods & strategies for solving this problem. Prevention, funding, role of community & business, adult education.... More...

8 Pages / 1800 Words 13 sources, 19 Citations, TURABIAN Format $32.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Review of literature to discover methods & strategies for solving this problem. Prevention, funding, role of community & business, adult education. Paper Introduction: Introduction Lerner has reported that American society contains large numbers of semiliterate and illiterate high school graduates. In this regard, Lisack has noted that national statistics indicate that about 13 percent of the United States adult population may be illiterate and 40 percent marginally illiterate. The scope of the problem is provided in a study conducted by Vasu and Frazier who reported that in an employer evaluation (N=1,150 employers) of the educational skills of thousands of diverse employees, only 53.9 percent of high school graduates have were found to have adequate reading skills. Other skills were reported to be inadequate: writing (51.8 percent), math (48.2 percent), thinking (40 percent), and communications (51.2 Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. ERIC, ED 262 284.Samuels, F. McGuire, Literacy in the Work Force, ReportNumber 947. Some approaches consist of strategies and techniques that apply tostudents in an across-the-board preventative approach such as periodicprogress testing, stiffer graduation requirements, and so forth. Paper Presented at the National Adult EducationConference, Philadelphia, PA., 1 December 1983. OEA Evaluation Report. Samuels and Gierach have discussedthis approach noting that these programs have a fairly strong success rate. In this regard, the New York Business Council for EffectiveLiteracy has published a report which states that public libraries areuniquely positioned to assist the 72 million Americans who, by virtue ofbeing illiterate or marginally literate, are not ordinarily libraryusers.[xii] The Council reports that a formal link between libraries and literacycan be traced back to the 192 s when the American Library Association (ALA)established its Commission on Library and Adult Education. These work withpeople after graduation. Appelson, Learn to Read. Office of Educational Assessment, 1986.ERIC, ED 271 542.Parker, F. ERIC, ED 3 4 35 .Lund, L. & Gierach, L. Wingate High SchoolMultilingual Survival Skills Program 1984-1985, OEA EvaluationReport. A variety of approaches were used, such aslanguage experience, assisted reading, sustained silent reading, taperecorder, personal dictionaries, commercial material, newspapers,individualized reading material, pairing/peer instruction, groupactivities, and games. Samuels, and L. Some strategies and techniques are remedial. In this regard, Campbellstates that the business community sees proprietary schools as having theability to respond quickly to the situation, to place students, and toretrain and upgrade skills.[xiv] Campbell informs that while the public educational delivery systemhas already failed or turned off dropouts, the flexibility andeffectiveness of proprietary schools has been proven. The authors feel that the success of such programs depends upon a varietyof factors including the willingness of adult education schools tocollaborate with many different local community agencies.[xviii] Other factors considered to be important in conducting a successfuladult basic education program are the following: (1) establishing the program in the local community; (2) using existing local government bodies as sponsors; (3) scheduling programs to meet the time constraints of disadvantagedpersons, essentially adopting a flexible approach with multiple entries andexits; (4) creating a curriculum based on the survival skills needed bydisadvantaged urban residents; (5) selecting empathetic, preferably local, neighborhood personnelfor conducting the classes; (6) implementing successful recruitment efforts, such as usinginfluential people in the neighborhoods; (7) organizing the learning environment in ways that do notintimidate or raise hostility in the clients; (8) being cognizant of the characteristics of the adult disadvantagedstudent; (9) recognizing the differences between adults' and children'slearning styles and needs; (1 ) gearing instruction to individual differences; (11) recognizing and working with cultural differences; and (12)developing a sense of community among students and teachers.Although incorporating these factors into adult literacy programs shouldcontribute to their success, Samuels and Gierach report that currentlythese programs are experiencing difficulties related to having toincreasingly compete for their share of limited budgets with hightechnology education and programs for more able students. Where possible, these strategies and techniquesutilize community-based services (e.g. 1984, ERIC,ED 262 284.Ibid.Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education AdultBasic Education and the Welfare Roles: An Economic and SocialAlterantive, Pennsylvania Association for Adult ContinuingEducation, Harrisburg, PA., 1981, ERIC, ED 262 284.Ibid.New York Business Council for Effective Literacy, "Libraries andLiteracy," BCEL Newsletter for the Business Community, 1 (June,1986): 1, and 4-5.Ibid.J. Through remedial efforts, the numberof illiterate adults who have already graduated from high school can bereduced. ERIC, ED 31 284.-----------------------B. and McGuire, E.P. The authors statethat these efforts are showing positive results.[xvi] Regarding these efforts, Lund and McGuire report that businessexecutives have suggested goals that should become a literacy agenda forbusiness. Methods, Strategies, and Techniques For Dealing With Illiteracy In a discussion of methods and strategies for solving the problem ofilliteracy of public school graduates, Parker reported that according tostatistics which she collected for the National Commission on Excellence inEducation, this alarming trend can only be reversed through diverse, across-the-board measures. BIBLIOGRAPHYAppelson, M. ERIC, ED 262 284.Campbell, J.B. Report of the Literacy 2 Task Force. ERIC, ED 238 797.Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education. A Project to Serve Functionally IlliterateEnglish-Dominant Adults and Limited English Proficient Adults InvolvingInstructors, Tutors and Students Interacting to Try New Approaches,Techniques, and Methods. Predictors For Academic Achievement for College Freshman Football Players: An Analysis of Findings. ERIC ED 33 894.New York Business Council for Effective Literacy. An example of one program targeting at-risk populations is the 31 Project, Learn to Read Program which was evaluated by Appelson.[viii] Theprogram was designed to teach reading to functionally illiterate andlimited English speaking (LEP) adults using a variety of instructionalstrategies and teaching techniques. Participants included two groups. Cook and R.R. It is the conclusion of this study that both forms of approach areneeded. The Design and Implementation ofan Urban Adult Basic Education Program, Paper Presented at theNational Adult Education Conference, Philadelphia, PA., 1December 1983. Funding for subsequentyears was based on the number of individuals who were welfare recipientsand ABE/GED students simultaneously and who gained employment during theyear following program completion. Lerner, "The Minimum Competence Testing Movement: Social,Scientific, and Legal Implications," American Psychologist, 36(October 1981): 1 57-1 66.J.P. A good example of this approach canbe seen in an extremely innovative program developed and implemented by thePennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education.[x] Noting that in Pennsylvania, 3 percent of the adult population isfunctionally illiterate and another 24 percent has only marginalcompetence, and that no state funds are appropriated for adult basiceducation and general educational development (ABE/GED) programs but thatall programs are supported by federal aid, the Pennsylvania Associationreported that many of the functionally illiterate and/or marginallyliterate end up on social welfare roles. Oakton Community College District 535, Skokie,IL., 1983. Adult BasicEducation and the Welfare Roles: An Economic Social Alterantive.Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education. A Project to Serve FunctionallyIlliterate English-Dominant Adults and Limited EnglishProficient Adults, Involving Instructors, Tutors and StudentsInteracting to Try New Approaches, Techniques and Methods,Oakton Community College District 535, Skokie, IL. Instruction was provided by instructors and ona one-to-one basis by volunteers. "Libraries and Literacy." BCEL Newsletter for the Business Community, 1 (June 1986): 1, and 4- 5.New York City Board of Education. ERIC, ED 237 657.Vasu, M.L. TheALA's priorities were delineated as those of public awareness, federalsupport, and the role of librarians as literacy advocates.[xiii] Another sociopolitical approach to correcting the problem ofilliteracy among high school graduates has been to involve the businesscommunity in efforts to remediate the problem--this through the creation ofeducational and training programs for employees. ERIC, ED 261 197.Cook, N.J. ERIC, ED 26 385.Lerner, B. "The Minimum Competence Testing Movement: Social, Scientific,and Legal Implications." American Psychologist, 36 (October 1981): 1 57-1 66.Lisack, J.P. ERIC, ED 237 657.Ibid.----------------------- 1 Instructors, volunteers, and counselorsprovided a supportive environment. Conference Board, Inc., New York, N.Y., 199 , ERIC,ED 33 894.Ibid.F. B. 1988. Report Number 947.Conference Board, Inc., New York, N.Y., 199 . Mottley, Predictors for Academic Achievementfor College Freshman Football Players: An Analysis of Findings,1984, ERIC, ED 26 385.M. the library, business organizations,employers, etc.) in an effort to correct illiteracy. 1989. Office ofEducational Assessment, 1986, ERIC, ED 271 542.N.J. Lund, and E.P. 1983. The Changing Face of America: Population, Education, and Socioeconomic. Learn to Read. New York CityBoard of Education, Brooklyn. Examples of emerging patterns in libraries were said toinclude collaboration and cooperation between libraries and literacyorganizations, prevention by breaking the cycle of illiteracy, anddevelopment of reading collections with appropriate reading materials. The report further notes that California has one of the most highlydeveloped models of service delivery, and that roughly a dozen other stateshave mounted significant statewide library-based literacy activities andcoalitions. Frazier, Workforce Preparedness for EconomicDevelopment: Report on the 1989 North Carolina Business andIndustry Survey, North Carolina Governor's Office, Raleigh.;North Carolina State Department of Administration, Raleigh.;North Carolina State Department of Economic and CommunityDevelopment, Raleigh, 1989, ERIC, ED 344 42.Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical, and AdultEducation, Report of the Literacy 2 Task Force, 1989, ERIC,ED 31 284.F. Preliminary evaluation of the model revealed that allocation of fundswas linked to the removal of students from the public welfare rolls. Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana Office of Manpower Studies, 1987. Harrisburg, PA.,1981. Introduction Lerner has reported that American society contains large numbers ofsemiliterate and illiterate high school graduates.[i] In this regard,Lisack has noted that national statistics indicate that about 13 percent ofthe United States adult population may be illiterate and 4 percentmarginally illiterate.[ii] The scope of the problem is provided in a study conducted by Vasu andFrazier who reported that in an employer evaluation (N=1,15 employers) ofthe educational skills of thousands of diverse employees, only 53.9 percentof high school graduates have were found to have adequate reading skills.Other skills were reported to be inadequate: writing (51.8 percent), math(48.2 percent), thinking (4 percent), and communications (51.2percent).[iii] Defining adult literacy as the possession of such skills as reading,writing, speaking, and computing necessary to function as individuals,family and community members, citizens, and consumers and workers insociety, the Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical and AdultEducation has attributed the problem to the following factors: (1) the public school dropout rate; (2) the continuing immigration of persons at the functionallyilliterate level; (3) the gradual erosion of basic skills levels through lack ofapplication; and (4) the increasing demand for higher-level basic skills. However, he notesthat in order to function maximally the proprietary school must meet thefollowing challenges: training illiterate Americans, contracting withindustry to do training for them, cooperating with public and private non-profit schools, keeping up with technological advances, and associatingwith accrediting organizations.[xv] Regarding involvement of the business community in assisting inefforts to correct illiteracy, Lund and McGuire have noted that currently alarge number of companies provide funds and support to the community and toeducational groups engaged in adult literacy programs. The Department of Education administered the state allocation withgrants to local projects being awarded on the basis of potential (1)reduction or prevention of welfare payments, (2) improvement of the laborpool and diversification of the economic base, and (3) integration of otherfunds and services.[xi] Another sociological approach to handling the problem of publicschool graduates being illiterate has been to utilize sociologicalinstitutions other than that of the education system persay; for example,the library. NorthCarolina Governor's Office, Raleigh.; North Carolina State Department ofAdministration, Raleigh.; North Carolina State Department of Economic andCommunity Development, Raleigh. Vasu, and A. Behind A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. Our Changing Work Force--Your Challenge & Opportunity. Manpower Report 87-6. [iv]The purpose of this paper was to examine a representative sampling of theexisting literature on the problem of illiterate public school graduatestoward the objective of discovering methods, strategies, and techniquesthat can serve to remediate the situation. New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn. The review of this material indicated that severalapproaches can be used to handle the problem. The Design and Implementation of an Urban AdultBasic Education Program. & Frazier, A. One group consisted of American-born adults who had basic oral competency but had failed to acquireliteracy skills, while the other group (LEP) had limited experience withthe educational system, did not use the Roman alphabet, or lacked adequatecomprehension skills and strategies. Literacy in the Work Force. ERIC, ED 344 42.Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education. Campbell, J.B., Our Changing Work Force--Your Challenge &Opportunity, Paper presented at the Association of IndependentColleges and Schools Convention, Maui, HA., 14-17 October 1984.ERIC, ED 261 197.Ibid.L. These goals are to: (1) develop a definition of the term"literacy"; (2) institute an auditing system to assess the extent ofworkplace literacy; (3) determine what skills employees need; (4) take fulladvantage of the research and skills in teaching literacy that alreadyexist;(5) institute a system to advise local residents of the literacy scores ofhigh school graduates; and (6) encourage greater use of employer consortiain literacy programs.[xvii] One of the long-standing approaches to correcting the problem ofilliteracy has been adult education. More than 5 persons from both groups were taught in classes carriedout through three cycles. These measures include: stiffer graduationrequirements, periodic progress testing, tougher college admissionstandards, longer school days and years, and better teaching salaries.[v] However, some authors disagree with this across-the-board approach,pointing out that when illiteracy statistics are examined, it is found thatthe majority of students have distinct demographic characteristics; forexample, illiteracy among public school graduates has been found to beespecially high among limited English speakers and collegeathletes.[vi],[vii] Because of such findings, many feel that a more viablesolution to handling the problem is, therefore, to develop and implementprograms especially geared for these at-risk student groups. George W.Wingate High School MultilingualSurvival Skills Program 1984-1985. Parker, Behind A Nation at Risk: The Imperative forEducational Reform, 1983, ERIC, ED 238 797.New York City Board of Education, George W. and Mottley, R.R. Otherpreventative approaches are applicable only to those identified as at-riskstudents. Thus, they proposed a fundingmodel for ABE/GED programs predicated on the current federal funding base. Based on evaluative data, Appelsonconcluded that through these methods and techniques, the program preventeda large amount of attrition, and helped all students to learn readingskills.[ix] The current sociological perspective is a more broad-based approachthan that of the foregoing programs; it is an approach that linksilliteracy to that of other general societal problems associated with theilliteracy of public school graduates. 1984. Lisack, "The Changing Face of America: Population,Education and Socioeconomic Manpower Report 87-6, PurdueUniversity, Lafayette, Indiana Office of Manpower Studies, 1987, ERIC, ED 3 4 35 .M.L. This action wasbased on the proposition that education is a lifelong process--and thatlibraries constitute an alternative education system. Paper presented as part of the Association of Independent Colleges and Schools Convention, Maui, Hawaii, 14-17 October, 1984. Workforce Preparedness for Economic Development:Report on the 1989 North Carolina Business and Industry Survey. Gierach, L. [xix] Summary and Conclusions The purpose of this paper was to examine the existing literature topossible solutions for handling the problem of illiteracy among publicschool graduates. Through preventative measures, the number of illiterate orsemiliterate graduates can be reduced. Forthe first two years, state support equaled welfare dollars saved during theprevious year as a result of ABE/GED programs. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

Many of our Papers can be Downloaded From This Site!

PLEASE READ THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT!

Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). You may place orders for custom research over the phone during office hours. E-mail requests can be made to our graduate and undergraduate department any time, and will be reviewed during office hours. You may also contact customer service any time through e-mail, and we will review your message during business hours. A great many papers can be downloaded right from this site, but not all of them. If you would like to know if a particular paper is downloadable, just look in the description for: "Available for Internet Download: Y" or "Available for Internet Download: N" If you wish to purchase a paper which is NOT available for immediate download, you will need to make other shipping arrangements. Also, please be aware that these orders are processed Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). If you place your order after 4:45pm on Friday, it will not be processed until the following Monday morning. We charge $8 per page for all of our pre-written reports, plus shipping (and tax for California residents). However, the highest cost of any ONE report is $136, or 17 pages. Please, take a moment. Make sure you have chosen the report you want or need BEFORE you complete your order. If you are not sure, allow us to help you. We do not offer refunds or exchanges, so it is important for you to let us answer your questions during office hours. Reports which are e-mailed or downloaded are in Microsoft Word format. We are making more reports available for e-mail delivery faster than we can update our listings. Please call to check on the status of particular reports. There are many other shipping options which are listed on the Checkout page.