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Adult literacy: a perspective from the United States

Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung Erwachsener: Eine Perspektive aus den USA

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Abstract

Although low adult literacy has a long history in the United States, it continues to be very prevalent. Low literacy skills impact adults’ abilities to read, write, compute, use technology, and successfully engage in functional areas such as health. Adults in the United States who have literacy difficulties are a heterogeneous group. As an example of a skill considered difficult by those who struggle with literacy, health literacy is discussed. This article describes the landscape of adult literacy in the United States, with a highlighted focus on health literacy. It concludes with the notion that more research is needed in all areas of literacy to better understand how to interact with and teach adults in the United States who have low literacy skills.

Zusammenfassung

Geringe Lese‑, Schreib- und Grundbildungskompetenzen Erwachsener sind in den USA bis heute weit verbreitet, obwohl diese Problematik seit langem bekannt ist. Geringe Grundbildungskompetenzen beeinträchtigen die Fähigkeit Erwachsener, zu lesen, zu schreiben, zu rechnen, Technologie zu nutzen und sich erfolgreich um funktionale Lebensbereiche wie den der Gesundheit zu kümmern. In den USA bilden Erwachsene mit geringen Lese‑, Schreib- und Grundbildungskompetenzen eine heterogene Gruppe. Als Beispiel für einen Bereich, den Personen mit geringen Lese‑, Schreib- und Grundbildungskompetenzen als schwierig erachten, wird die Gesundheitskompetenz erörtert. Der vorliegende Artikel beschreibt die Alphabetisierungs- und Grundbildungslandschaft in den USA mit einem besonderen Schwerpunkt auf der Gesundheitskompetenz. Er schließt mit der Auffassung, dass in allen Bereichen der Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung weitere Forschung notwendig ist, um ein besseres Verständnis darüber zu bekommen, wie die Interaktion mit und der Unterricht von Erwachsenen mit geringen Lese‑, Schreib- und Grundbildungskompetenzen in den USA verbessert werden kann.

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Notes

  1. Although there are different definitions of literacy, this definition was chosen for this paper, due to the fact that federally funded adult literacy programs in the US are funded in accordance with this definition.

  2. The authors and this work are not affiliated with or endorsed by ACE or GED Testing Service LLC. Any reference to “GED” in the title or body of this work is not intended to imply an affiliation with, or sponsorship by, ACE, GED Testing Service LLC, or any other entity authorized to provided GED® branded goods or services.

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  1. CEHD, Georgia State University, PO Box 3979, 30302-3979, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Daphne Greenberg

  2. Adult Literacy Research Center, CEHD, Georgia State University, PO Box 3979, 30302-3979, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Iris Z. Feinberg

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Greenberg, D., Feinberg, I.Z. Adult literacy: a perspective from the United States. Z Erziehungswiss 22, 105–121 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-018-0853-8

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