<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">
<DIV>
<DIV>Dear Tom and Fellow Listers:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Re the following:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM>For adults who have already experienced school failure, enrollment in<BR>programs that use traditional approaches to teaching often reproduce that<BR>failure. Functional context education programs address this problem by<BR>using content related to adult goals to teach basic skills.</EM></STRONG></DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV>Unfortunately, the very idea of school - traditional or not - can generate extreme anxiety among adults with histories of negative K-12 experiences. I have seen these people turn to a toxic coping mechanism such as overeating and/or smoking as they prepare for the necessary return to <STRONG><EM>any</EM></STRONG> learning situation. In some cases, the anxiety even leads to domestic violence.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My data so far is mainly anecdotal. Does anyone have more solid research sources addressing this problem?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thank you in advance and happy holidays.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ilene</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ilene Abramson, Ph.D.</DIV>
<DIV>Adjunct Professor</DIV>
<DIV>Lawrence Technological University</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:ihabramson@aol.com">ihabramson@aol.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><BR><BR></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 12/24/2008 3:03:39 PM Eastern Standard Time, tsticht@znet.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>December 24, 2008<BR><BR>Strategies for Education and Training of Undereducated Adults in Hard<BR>Economic Times<BR><BR>Tom Sticht<BR>International Consultant in Adult Education<BR><BR>During these hard economic times there is clearly an urgent need for<BR>undereducated adults to receive solid basic skills education in the context<BR>of training for well paying jobs and areas of entrepreneurship. Of<BR>particular concern is the need for education and training of many poorly<BR>skilled women who are single and managing families on their own.<BR><BR>For several years I worked on and off with Wider Opportunities for Women<BR>(WOW) located in Washington, DC, on adult literacy projects that followed<BR>Functional Context Education principles and integrated basic skills<BR>education (reading, math) with job skills training for non-traditional,<BR>well-paying jobs for women, and business skills training. The last project<BR>that I worked on with WOW was its Six strategies for Family Economic<BR>Self-Sufficiency project.<BR><BR>As part of the project, in 1999 I worked with a women’s organization in San<BR>Francisco to illustrate how Functional Context Education (FCE) principles<BR>could be followed in microenterprise trainng and development. This provides<BR>a good resource for adult basic skills and vocational/job skills education<BR>providers. Here is a little background about the Six Strategies project,<BR>FCE, and Microenterprise Training and Development. Following are several<BR>paragraphs about the project that are taken from information available<BR>from WOW online at www.wowonline.org<BR><BR>Six Strategies for Family Economic Self-Sufficiency—Overview<BR><BR>For many families, especially those moving from welfare to work,<BR>self-sufficiency cannot be achieved in a single step. It requires<BR>strategies that create ladders out of poverty—strategies that provide the<BR>assistance, guidance and time needed for families to become<BR>self-sufficient. Recognizing this, Wider Opportunities for Women promotes<BR>Six Strategies for Self-Sufficiency:<BR><BR>* The Self-Sufficiency Standard<BR>* Targeting Higher-Wage Employment<BR>* Nontraditional Employment for Women<BR>* Functional Context Education<BR>* Microenterprise Training and Development<BR>* Individual Development Accounts<BR><BR>Why the Six Strategies?<BR><BR>* Because women currently earn 74¢ for every dollar men earn.<BR>* Because 60% of all minimum wage workers are women.<BR>* Because most welfare recipients leaving the rolls for work earn very low<BR>wages.<BR>* Because nearly one in three American households possesses zero or negative<BR>assets.<BR><BR>These realities demonstrate the critical need for strategies that will help<BR>families move out of poverty and into lasting economic security. The Six<BR>Strategies are tools for individuals, community-based organizations, and<BR>state- and local-level policymakers to use to truly help low-income families<BR>move out of poverty and achieve long-term economic stability and<BR>independence.<BR><BR>In today's policy environment—in which welfare and workforce legislation<BR>have devolved power to states and localities—new and effective strategies<BR>are urgently needed to aid low-income people:<BR><BR>Functional Context Education<BR><BR>* What it is and why it works<BR>* Approaches<BR>* State and federal legislation<BR>* Resources pertaining to this strategy<BR>------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>What it is and why it works<BR><BR>Functional Context Education (FCE) is an instructional strategy that<BR>integrates the teaching of literacy skills and job content to move learners<BR>more successfully and quickly toward their educational and employment goals.<BR>Programs that use the FCE model are more effective than traditional programs<BR>that teach basic skills and job skills in sequence because this innovative<BR>approach teaches literacy and basic skills in the context in which the<BR>learner will use them. Clients see clearly the role literacy skills play in<BR>moving them toward their goals. This strategy promotes better retention,<BR>encourages lifelong learning and supports the intergenerational transfer of<BR>knowledge.<BR><BR>* For adults who have already experienced school failure, enrollment in<BR>programs that use traditional approaches to teaching often reproduce that<BR>failure. Functional context education programs address this problem by<BR>using content related to adult goals to teach basic skills.<BR><BR>* Basic education and technical training must be relevant to the skills and<BR>education required by jobs if low-income persons are going to succeed in<BR>becoming economically self-sufficient. In addition, most adults do not have<BR>time to spend years in basic education programs learning skills that may<BR>seem unrelated to their educational and economic goals.<BR><BR>* Given welfare time limits and restrictions on education and training, it<BR>is more important than ever that individuals master basic and job-specific<BR>skills as quickly and efficiently as possible.<BR><BR>Microenterprise Training and Development<BR><BR>* What it is and why it works<BR>* Approaches<BR>* State and federal legislation<BR>* Resources pertaining to this strategy<BR><BR>What it is and Why it Works<BR><BR>Microenterprise development is an income-generating strategy that helps<BR>low-income people start or expand very small businesses. Generally, the<BR>business is owned and operated by one person or family, has fewer than five<BR>employees and can start up with a loan of less than $25,000. Microenterprise<BR>is an attractive option for low-income women who may have lacked opportunity<BR>but who are highly motivated and have skills in a particular craft or<BR>service.<BR><BR>In the current weak economy, unemployment and underemployment are high. The<BR>lack of quality employment options—especially for low-income, low-skilled<BR>women—makes microenterprise development a critical strategy for moving<BR>families out of poverty.<BR><BR>* Low-income women entrepreneurs, especially those living in rural or<BR>inner-city communities isolated from the economic mainstream, often lack<BR>the contacts and networks needed for business success.<BR><BR>* Peer networks (such as lending circles and program alumnae groups) help<BR>women learn to earn from each other, build self-esteem and organize around<BR>policy advocacy.<BR><BR>* Linkages between microentrepreneurs and more established women business<BR>owners provide program participants with role models, facilitate an ongoing<BR>transfer of skills, and expand networks.<BR><BR>I hope that adult literacy and vocational/job training educators can work<BR>together with business, industry and those desiring microenterprise or<BR>entrepreneurship education to follow WOW’s six strategies for<BR>self-sufficiency and develop effective programs that integrate basic skills<BR>and vocational skills education. As Russ Tershy, the former Director of the<BR>Center for Employment Training (CET) in San Jose, CA used to say, there is<BR>only one piece of paper for undereducated adults more valuable than a GED<BR>in times of need– a good paycheck!<BR><BR>This is the time to eschew literacy programs that are too often too<BR>irrelevant to the critical life contexts of adults and to aim for strong,<BR>intensive, meaningful basic skills/vocational skills education that can get<BR>people on their economic feet quickly. Then that should be followed by<BR>additional upskilling and further education. But first folks need a way to<BR>make a good living!<BR><BR>Thomas G. Sticht<BR>International Consultant in Adult Education<BR>2062 Valley View Blvd.<BR>El Cajon, CA 92019-2059<BR>Tel/fax: (619) 444-9133<BR>Email: tsticht@aznet.net<BR><BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------<BR>National Institute for Literacy<BR>Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list<BR>professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov<BR><BR>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment<BR><BR>Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki <BR>http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV></DIV><BR><BR><BR><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="9cacbbe4bb8e9eb9f78dbc98097e782"><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. <a href="http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025">Try it now</a>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>