Improving Adult Math Instruction

Building on Foundations for Success: Guidelines for Improving Adult Mathematics Instruction, Final Report
 
Recognizing the paucity of research available on adult numeracy instruction, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) initiated the Strengthening America?s Competitiveness Through Adult Math Instruction project through a contract with MPR Associates, Inc. and its partners, the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Rutgers University, and TERC. This project sought to determine (1) what to teach in adult numeracy instruction, (2) how to teach it, and (3) how to teach teachers to teach it. These questions form the basis for this report. To begin this work, OVAE proposed to examine the Foundations for Success (NMAPP report to determine if any of its findings or recommendations could apply to mathematics instruction for adults.

 
Analysis of the NMAP report recommendations determined that 18 of the 45 recommendations were relevant to adult mathematics instruction. These recommendations and the guidelines derived from them fall into three broad areas: mathematics content, instructional strategies, and teacher preparation. There are guidelines related to each area, and the report includes a discussion of the guidelines in each area, including relevant research.
 
Designed to be a blueprint for future work by policymakers, administrators, and researchers in the field of adult education, these guidelines outline the mathematics content adults need to know, strategies for teaching adults this content, and the preparation of adult education instructors who teach mathematics. Additional research, however, is needed for a better understanding of how mathematics instruction can best be provided for different populations of adults pursuing diverse goals. More information about the relationships among teacher characteristics and preparation, instructional strategies, and student outcomes would be useful, as would an assessment of the effectiveness of current in-service professional development programs.