National Adult Literacy Database

The Centre for Literacy is inviting you to participate in a webinar presented by Professor Steve Reder, from Portland State University.

When: Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Eastern

How much gain in literacy skill can an adult learner be expected to make after participating in a program? What other outcomes from program participation should reasonably be expected or required?

The Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL) followed a random sample of about 1,000 high school dropouts over nearly 10 years, focusing on changes in their literacy proficiencies, literacy practices, employment and education. Lead researcher Professor Steve Reder will present some major findings from the study, including relationships between changes observed in assessed proficiencies and everyday literacy and numeracy practices. He will draw implications for literacy assessment, program design and policy in adult education, paying particular attention to implications for accountability frameworks that currently often judge a program ineffective by looking at only short-term student proficiency gains or changes in employment status.