Comments from the October, 2000 Adult Education Names Survey

Below are selected comments made from October 7 - 13, 2000 in response to a survey on naming a national system for adult education.  This selection is intended to represent the range of comments about  the choice of a name. The survey continues through October, 2000.  The Web address to participate in the survey is:

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?LDMKBNPLXJWR5DGRT01VXF67


  •  I'm not sure that ESL and ABE/literacy should be lumped together, unless we are ONLY talking about ESL for learners who have not achieved the equivalent of a high school diploma in their home countries. (For example, we would not want to include under our umbrella a grad student from, say, Argentina, who is at a US university preparing to study economics but needs English language instruction first.)

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  • As the administrator of a family literacy program, I would prefer that family literacy be allowed to stand  alone, even though adult basic or secondary education is a component of family literacy. I think that family literacy needs to be recognized as distinct -- because it requires special funding and serves CHILDREN as well as adults.

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  • I like the titles ABLE and ALL because they are positive, describe a goal to be aimed at and seem proactive. The others are not as evocative.

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  • Although the term 'adult ed' is too broad, and although I haven't seen another name (or acronym) that really captures my feeling for the field - The choosing of a name and promoting it is an extremely important  first step in for in developing public awareness, getting the media cohesively involved, and promoting an expanded and securely funded U.S. Adult Education System. So, I am in favor of choosing a name even if there is not general agreement on any particular name and hope we all can live with it and move forward.

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  • I think that the word BASIC must be included in the name to differentiate our students from high level students such as college graduates who are continuing their education.

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  •  I'd prefer to keep the name simple. AE is already in wide use, but I also like including Family Literacy in the name, because it encompasses more than just adults.

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  • 'Adult education' seems so broad and includes those arts/crafts/self-improvement classes offered for a fee in many communities. Individuals hired to teach these classes are hired because of their interest and talent in the particular course (investment/retirement classes, computer classes, gourmet cooking, needlework, etc.) and not necessarily for their ability to understand learning principles required of effective ESOL instructors, for example. Individuals teaching these enrichment-type courses rarely come to professional staff development activities or consider themselves to be adult learning professionals or paraprofessionals - they, instead, see themselves as sharing their expertise about a particular hobby, interest, or skill. In many programs that I am familiar with, these enrichment 'fee' courses are customary - and are treated very differently than language or literacy programs. Adult education also covers the full gamet - those individuals who conduct training for insurance staff when new policy initiatives begin, for example. There issues are also unique to the workplace environment and are generally conducted by consultants or human resource development staff, who, also, represent a different focus on learning and program development. Again, the audience, challenge and needs are somewhat different than the literacy and adult basic education population. Adult education, covering the broad array of service models, would be acceptable - but the discussion and reflection on these list serves, about creditation, for example, apply to a segment of the full adult education network. I prefer the narrower focus, as the enrichment classes are self-supporting, typically, and do not need to satisfy state, federal, or local guidelines - but are, nonetheless, 'adult education'.

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  • Adult Education is inclusionary language. If learning is lifelong, the type of learning whether it be ABE, ESOL, Basic or family literacy, vocational or skill acquisition should be, in my opinion, included in the (meaning of) the title.

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  • Adult Education is too broad to narrow it with some of the above suggestions. What will happen is that the name will cause people to exclude themselves. Keep it broad: Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Adult Education.

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  • I know the word literacy has negative connotations. I think we need to work to erase this stigma rather than avoiding using the word.

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  •  Need to work on better names than that!

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  • Tough choices. I don't see one particular choice that everyone is going to like.

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  • whole heartedly applaud the idea of differentiating Adult Education from k-12. Most people have no clue as to the differences except the ages of the learners.

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  • great use of technology!!

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  •  K.I.S.S. factor applies here.

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  • We really need to get rid of the word literacy - adult learners do not like this word. Adult Education really covers all we do. But we want Adult Education to include adult new readers and writers not just ABE and GED learners.

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  •  Personally, I think we should be moving toward adult lifelong learning.

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  • In our area, the terms "Adult Basic Education" and "Adult Education" are used to describe the state-run GED classes; we are a private literacy provider, supplying trained volunteer tutors for adults who either do nor read well enough to succeed  in ABE classes or do not want to work for a GED. Therefore, #s 1, 2, and 7 leave out our students.

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  • I chose AELL as the best of the seven because I feel it covers the most bases (although family literacy is not specifically included). I feel that "Adult Education" and "Adult Learning and Literacy" are a bit too vague. I think that "ABLE" is a pretty good name as well, as it includes "Basic" and "Literacy," which are two good "defining" words.

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  • We are educating adults and we are not JUST about literacy. I don't like to use the term literacy because many people will assume they don't need us since they can read and they interpret that term in that way.  I also don't like an anagram that sounds like ail.... even though we may be good for what "ails" them!

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  • I think ABLE says it all!

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  • ABE is the "old school," Adult Ed. too generic. Including the term "Language" makes sense with the huge numbers of ELL students in this country. Including literacy, language and and family literacy defines current programs better.

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  • I have been in Adult Education for over 33 years and I think that the name is all-inclusive because it is the adult population that we serve, regardless of the services ofered - ABE, ESL, GED, Adult High School, Workplace Education etc.

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  • The term "literacy" is too loaded with stereotypes.

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  • try to avoid literacy -- it is so negative.

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  • AEL and AELL sound sickly as acronyms.

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  • I prefer to add "System" to Adult Education and Literacy, and have begun using this terminology whenever I speak about the field.

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  • I prefer the Adult Learning and Literacy option. I think the acronym (ALL) attached is symbolic of what the adult education system strives for: inclusion. Inclusion meaning the ability to function well/better in the adult student learner's environment. While I like the acronym attached to the Adult Basic and Literacy Education, (ABLE) I wonder about the term "Basic." As an instructor, I want my students to function at higher than "basic" levels. Students rise to expectations; is it resposible to give their hard work the label "basic?" My students are hard-working, diligent, intelligent learners. There is nothing "basic" about them. Let us not forget, also, that adult learners have tremendous problems with self-esteem. Why not give them a label that uplifts them?

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  •  I think that "Adult Education" encompasses all levels of endeavor and is therefore not appropriate for this designation. "Basic", "Literacy" and "Language" need to be somehow incorporated.

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  •  I think the term "literacy" is restrictive. Adult basic education is more inclusive of the broader set of skills.

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  • Where I live, adult education includes coursework in topics of interest that go beyond basic education and literacy. Adult education can include life long personal enrichment. Why should the title imply a limitation to basics and literacy?

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  • I have known the program as Adult Basic Education for 21 years. I believe that is what we supply here and the name says it all. Thank you.

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  •  This simpler the better.

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  • Name selected needs to be inclusive of all program components we deliver.

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  • There is a difference between adult ed and adult literacy. They are not one and the same so both should be reflected.

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  • To all your acronyms, I add one: KISS

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  • Any name chosen will require a public information blitz to explain who it serves. ESL must be a big part of that re-education of the public. (After all, they are holding up half of the sky in adult ed classes.)

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  • As an adult finding out I have Dyslexia and being disillusioned by the whole "Adult Ed." experience. I have had zero  help through the "System" you can name it any thing you like. It won't affect the quality or lack of it. Teachers should be asking students what they think about a name. They might say its more important to put a face on it, theirs. Ask us what we think! I may not be able to spell it, I do know what it means. Stop playing games and get to work, teach us, we want to learn.

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  • The inclusion of Family Literacy in the new name seems to me to be an integral necessity. Most adults can not improve their reading skills if the entire family is not involved and supportive. This certainly needs to be considered in this decision.

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  • ABLE is a good acronym, but it might be better to include more Ls. Adult Basic Learning, Literacy, Language, Life skills, etc.

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  • I think that the name Adult Basic Education is a good name because the other names that are above I feel they do not apply to me or most others. Literacy is a strong word.

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  • It would be very nice to have a name which includes the Families Component of Adult Reading Progrms.Even if agencies do not offer the Families Component, the inclusions of the name "families" include a critical segment of the population. Today's children are most likely be tomorrow's adult learners as

    • long as we continue to approach solving the problem as if it is a "separate" issue.
     
  • I could not rank any of the names as "excellent." They all seem to be deficient in some say to describe all the elements of the "system."

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  •  I've been told that the words "basic" and "literacy" tend to have negative connotations; "literacy" seems ok when it's linked with the computer, math or the workplace. If not for that, I rather like the acronym ABLE.

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  •  I deselected those that just had "adult education" or "adult learning" because we're really not covering that broad a scope. It's all around Basic skills or Literacy skills. I tried to relate our mission to the names - and tried to be as specific as possible.

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  • Nothing that explicitely states that numeracy is part of our field.

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  • The names given are not that "outstanding"

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  • It's probably too late to add ... I must've missed the 1st survey, but how about Adult Basic, Literacy, and Language Ed. ABLLE?

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  • We need to carefully consider the name we give to the field. It will last for decades.

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  • Students from our state...prefer to be noted as "Adult Students." They see no distinction between Adult Ed., Literacy, or any other faction ABE. Quote, "We are all the same."

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  • Glad to see we are working on eliminating the word "basic" in our name.

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  • I'd like to see us move away from "Basic" education labeling. Even basic education is a gateway to further and lifelong learning. The emphasis on family literacy in the second option appeals to me.

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  • Lets not vote a 3rd time.

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  •  I think that it is important to have the title identify English language learners in some way since they are an ever increasing portion of the adult education population.

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  • The choices are very limited in scope and purpose only choice #7 is broad enough to cover Adult Education

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  •  Read selections marked "okay" as "poor". I could not select "I can not live with this," because, none of the choices will actually kill me. After all, "what's in a name," as Will Shakespeare said.

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  •  I believe in promoting lifelong learning, in which case everything is on a continuum, including reading and math abilities. It's not about pigeon-holing adults as literate or not. "Literacy" as a term has collected too much negative baggage.

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  •  I replied to an earlier version of this survey, but it seems as though the choices have narrowed.

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  • We need an all-encompassing name for the adult field. We aren't just adult basic education. Adults are in every level of education in the country; they are second-language learners; they are learners with special needs; they are learners who are getting an education to improve their lives - no matter what

    • the level. The name of the field should reflect this diversity.
     
  •  I work in a Community College and find that Adult Education gets confused with other Avocational/Recreational courses.

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  • Keep it short and clear. It should say what we do so the outside world can get it.

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  •  the simplest, broadest, most inclusive name is best

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  •  I don't like "basic" in ABE. I think it is a put down to some students.

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  •  Simple is usually best.

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  • How about something that doesn't have adult, literacy, or basic in it and reflects lifelong learning at any stage as being  OK and even desirable. Perhaps something that would mitigate against the idea that being over 18 is not the criterial for end of schooling. We have pre school, how about post school learning?

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  • I don't understand why you have to have just one name for adult education. Most of the suggestions were adequate. Some adult programs don't have literacy programs and some are not basic.

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  •  Adult "basic" education has gone beyond just the basics and are entering into a new era of training for the workplace. Those skills needed in the job market go beyond "basic." Let's reflect that in our program name.


    • Last Updated 10/14/00 by  David J. Rosen