Table of Contents

1. The Field of Adult Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL - What Is It?: Definitions, discourses and metaphors 2. A New Way of Looking at Reading, Writing and Numeracy: Literacy and numeracy as social and situated practice 3. Reading, Writing and Numeracy in Context: Dominant and vernacular practices 4. The History and Current Context of Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education in the UK 5. Implications of the Social View of Literacy and Numeracy for the Policy and Practice of Adult Basic Education