The degree to which U.S. adult literacy classes use materials and activities reflective of real-life literacy functions and the degree to which the relationships between teachers and students reflect mutuality and shared power were the foci of this exploratory study. Questionnaires were mailed to adult literacy programs across the United States requesting descriptions of these factors. Results were based on the responses from 271 adult literacy programs. Categorical coding of these responses revealed that the majority of the respondents described programs in which students are involved in literacy activities that do not reflect real-life literacy uses and in which the relationships between teachers and students are more teacher-directed than collaborative. These results are discussed in light of theory and implications for practice and research.
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