The Role of Adult Literacy in the Community / Joye Jenkins Coy.

Adult literacy programs must provide individuals with the essential knowledge and skills which enable them to function effectively within their environments. The goal of adult literacy programs must be to enable students to become less dependent on others, which is also the goal of most adult students. Administrators of adult literacy programs have the responsibility to research and assess the needs of the community, which may involve examining the personality of the community and surveying its needs as determined by community service agencies, governmental organizations, educational institutions, business organizations, and citizens. Determining the needs of the community can provide insight into areas of program development that should receive special emphasis. An examination of language competence of adults in the target population may indicate that a large number of adults are literate in non-English, yet not literate in English; or not literate in either non-English or English; or not literate in native English. Adults' performance limitations and goals must also be considered in planning the program. Suggestions are given for both formal and informal measures of skills and abilities in order to individualize instruction. (MKM)

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