Quality of life changes in adult literacy learners: understanding the perceived impact of an adult literacy program in South Texas

Abstract

The multiple-methods research study explored how adult-literacy learners perceive the impact of their literacy instruction and how it relates to outcomes in their lives. Maslow's hierarchy of motivation and needs guided the study. The non-probability sample consisted of 76 adult literacy and English learners in a community-based organization (CBO) who completed a questionnaire about how their lives had changed with regard to socioeconomic well-being, community involvement, and self-esteem. For the qualitative portion of the study, information was collected through three focus groups, two of which included learners who had completed the quantitative questionnaire, and another consisting of teachers, tutors, and staff of the CBO. Participants perceived changes in their lives in the areas under study. The salient finding was that participants experienced growth in independence and self-reliance. The study provides a way of understanding the perceived value of literacy instruction in the lives of adult learners.