ALL IN: The Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network

Accountability and accessibility - As a community, we can’t move the needle without follow-through. Most employers surveyed in our Nationwide Employer Survey Report agree that low literacy affects team productivity, introducing challenges with communication, leading to greater turnover, and causing some employers to overcompensate. It’s imperative that employers provide adequate resources and literacy skills support for employees. We can work with employers in navigating this issue and hold ourselves accountable along with the rest of the #ALLIN collective to fight for literacy skills as workforce skills. Access more information about the #ALLIN study here: https://lnkd.in/gMYFjCd3

“Little is known about actual assessment practices in programs and classrooms. Learning more about both the strengths and challenges faced could help shape improved assessment tools, professional development, instruction, and learner outcomes.” On June 3, Alisa Belzer shared her work with ProLiteracy Worldwide, an international nonprofit organization that supports literacy programs that help adults learn to read and write, during the ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative webinar showcase. Learn more about what supports are needed to collect and use assessment data that can inform instruction in deep and meaningful ways. https://rb.gy/vrzev9

“Rendering the invisible visible,” 1 in 3 employers out of 500 say their average employee does not have the literacy skills needed to do their job well and estimate that it will lead to $46 billion in lost revenue. Fortunately, based on new research, employers in America want to be a part of the change and recognize it takes a team effort. In the #ALLIN collective, we are on a journey to improve work environments and productivity for all through literacy in the workplace. Learn more about employer perspectives on literacy in the nationwide survey report: https://lnkd.in/gbKJh_Rt

“The knowledge, perspectives, and expertise of adult foundational education (AFE) practitioners and learners are critical for understanding what matters most to adult learners.” On June 3, Margaret Patterson and Jungeun Lee discussed their work through Evidence-Based Adult Education System (E-BAES), a national initiative of the Open Door Collective and Literacy Minnesota, during the ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative webinar showcase. Learn more about their research to explore the perspectives of AFE practitioners and learners on their goals and outcomes in AFE to inform future recommendations for return on investment (ROI) studies. https://rb.gy/1glzxv

“It is imperative to ensure that adult learners are equipped for workforce development training and post-secondary education.” On June 3, Brooke Machado, Sarah Soroui, and Aaron Park shared their work through the City of Boston’s Office of Workforce Development, an innovative public agency dedicated to ensuring the full participation of all Boston residents in the city’s economic vitality and future, during the ALL IN: The Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network’s Research Small Grants Initiative webinar showcase. Learn about program models, strategies, and support mechanisms that facilitate effective transitions into occupational training and post-secondary education. https://rb.gy/kt10q7

Black history is American history. Equity is vital to our democracy. Join ALL IN this Juneteenth in celebrating Black adult educators who recognize the critical link between adult literacy and civic engagement. We honor Septima Poinsette Clark(1898-1987), a teacher and Civil Rights activist born in South Carolina, known for connecting foundational literacy skills to voting rights. She helped start Citizenship Schools for Black adults and led the Voter Registration Project from 1962-1966. Adult educators, click to download and apply a special unit of study on three Black women of literacy—Harriet A. Jacobs, Susie King Taylor, and Septima Poinsette Clark—who were inducted posthumously into the Reading Hall of Fame in 2020, designed by our partners at Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy: https://lnkd.in/eYdh3YvH

Nearly one in five adults in the United States (about 43 million people ages 16-74) struggle with foundational literacy skills, which means they can do no more than read simple, short texts when locating information. New research by ALL IN: The Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network, in partnership with FTI Consulting, investigated the deep disconnect between the reality of adult literacy in the U.S. and the conceptions of both employers and policy influencers in Washington, D.C. The team surveyed 500 employers across the United States and 200 policy influencers in Washington, D.C. to quantify the scale of the challenge and identify possible solutions. Policy Influencers believe that current efforts to improve adult literacy are working and that the U.S. is performing better than other countries. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Meanwhile, employers have come to realize how vital literacy is in the workplace. They are ready to invest in literacy in order to improve working conditions, productivity, and morale in the workplace. But they can’t do it alone. We are proud of this movement to make literacy in America a top priority across all walks of life. From Millennials to Baby Boomers, from Gen Alpha to Gen Z, literacy skills offer our communities a fighting chance to compete on the world stage. In pursuit of social and economic mobility, we must be #ALLIN. Join us on this #ALLIN journey to close the gap and answer the call to bettering access to literacy in cities across the United States. In the coming months, we will be sharing key findings and creating space for meaningful and much-needed dialogue, growth, and action to solve this issue. Learn more about the overall study here: https://lnkd.in/gMYFjCd3

It’s #RefugeeWeek, a celebration of the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary around the world. On June 3, Melissa Hauber-Özer shared about her work with City of Refuge, a non-profit organization providing post-resettlement support for refugees, during the ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative webinar showcase. Learn about her research to develop a customizable model for innovative, high-quality language and multiliteracies instruction using free and low-cost materials tailored to the needs and priorities of refugee adults: https://rb.gy/2mapiu

It’s #ImmigrantHeritageMonth – a time to recognize the value that immigrant adults and families bring to our communities. On June 3, Ashley Simpson Baird, Ph.D. shared about her work with Briya Public Charter School, an innovative two-generation school serving immigrant parents and their young children, during the ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative showcase. This research examines how different modalities of instruction may inform access to education, student outcomes, and enrollment patterns of immigrant adult learners. Learn more about their findings here: https://rb.gy/rx1lte

In case you missed it, on Monday, June 3, five research teams presented in a final showcase, for the first-ever ALL IN Research Small Grants Initiative, led by the EdTech Center at World Education in partnership with the Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network. Check out the recording and read their report findings here: https://lnkd.in/eTJenhkW