Using data from the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey, focuses on the literacy skills of the nation's total civilian labour force.

The National Adult Literacy Survey profiled the literacy of U.S. adults based on their performance on tasks reflecting materials and demands of daily life. Data were gathered through interviews with a random sample of 13,600 people over 16, a survey of 1,000 adults in each of 12 states, and interviews with 1,100 prison inmates, making a total of 26,000 adults surveyed. Participants completed a series of literacy tasks and received proficiency scores on three scales measuring prose, document, and quantitative literacy. They were categorized in five levels. Major findings were as follows: (1) 40-44 million adults were at the lowest level, of whom 25% were immigrants, 62% did not complete high school, and 19% had visual difficulties; (2) 50 million at level 2 had difficulty with higher reading and problem-solving skills; (3) most at levels 1-2 rated their reading/writing as well or very well--they could meet most needs with limited skills; (4) 61 million were at level 3, 34-40 million at levels 4-5; (5) young adults were less proficient than those surveyed in 1985; (6) older adults were more likely to have limited skills; (7) many minorities and prison inmates were more likely to be at levels 1-2, due to fewer years of schooling or limited English proficiency; (8) higher levels correlated with being employed, working more weeks, and having higher wages; and (9) 41-44% of level 1 and 4-8% of levels 4-5 were in poverty. (Appendices include definitions and 31 data tables. Document includes 13 other tables and 26 figures.) (SK)

A national household survey of the literacy skills of adults in the U.S. Contents: literacy in the older adult pop'n. (comparing older and younger adults); literacy profiles for various subgroups of the older adult pop'n. (educ.; race/ethnicity; language use; sex; visual impairment; region); employment, civic participation, and economic status as they relate to literacy in the older adult pop'n. (retirement; voting; volunteer activity; annual household income); literacy practices and proficiencies in the older adult pop'n. (library use; newspaper and magazine read.; TV viewing).

To satisfy federal requirements, the National Center for Education Statistics and the Division of Adult Education and Literacy planned a nationally representative household sample survey to assess the literacy skills of the adult population of the United States, to be conducted by the Educational Testing Service with the assistance of Westat, Inc. This report describes the development of the National Adult Literacy Survey framework, the development of the background questionnaire, the development of simulation tasks, state adult literacy surveys, and participants in the development process. Results from the survey will provide policymakers and others with information on the condition of literacy in the United States. The field test was conducted in 1991, and the main data collection took place in 1992 with a sample of 14,900 adults aged 16 years and older living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Black and Hispanic households were oversampled to ensure reliable estimates of their literacy proficiencies. Results will describe the literacy skills demonstrated by the total adult population as well as by adults comprising various sub-groups and will characterize these skills in terms of demographic and personal background information. Seven tables present information about the samples. An appendix of sample tasks contains some of the prose, document, and quantitative tasks adults were asked to complete. (SLD)