Literacy Skills in College

This chapter discusses literacy skills in college, with a major emphasis on developmental education (also called remedial education, basic skills education, academic skills preparation, and other names, depending on college preference). After defining this type of education and indicating its relation to adult literacy in a college setting, the chapter describes students who require this support and explains how they come to enter developmental education programs. The chapter also describes aspects of developmental education in college, including student assessment, placement, and instruction, and summarizes various instructional models for teaching reading and writing skills to college students who need assistance with these skills. Finally, the chapter points to several important challenges to developmental education and suggests some future directions.