2019 Annual Conference

History and Philosophy of Adult Education

Shared Concurrent Session (Approx. 12 or 20 minutes)

This historical investigation explores Frank Laubach’s literacy campaigns and legacy through document analysis of his original writings and secondary sources. This research focuses on these literacy campaigns in the Philippines, India, and the United States and considers the purpose of adult education in these contexts.

This presentation is appropriate for all those who are interested in the history of international literacy campaigns and the legacy of Frank Laubach’s work in the United States. This research has implications for those who are practitioners in the field of adult literacy and researchers interested in adult literacy, international development, and Laubach’s literacy campaigns and pedagogical practices.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to trace the history of Frank Laubach’s pedagogical practices in his literacy campaigns in the Philippines, India, and the United States from the early 1930s through today. Those who attend this session will also be able to identify specific elements of Laubach’s pedagogical practices in these literacy campaigns and compare Laubach’s vision of literacy within these different historical contexts.

Frank Laubach, also known as the “Apostle of Literacy,” established the widely adopted Each One Teach One program in over 96 countries and 274 languages (Laubach & Laubach, 1960). As the founder of Laubach Literacy International, Frank Laubach has become a celebrated figure in adult literacy. His legacy continues today with the prevalent use of the Laubach Way to Reading materials and the merger of his former organization to create Proliteracy, the largest adult literacy organization in the United States. This historical investigation draws on primary sources such as Laubach’s original writings and historical documents and secondary sources such as biographies and analyses of Laubach’s work. Although Laubach’s name remains well known by adult literacy researchers and practitioners alike, the lack of historical analysis of his pedagogical practices leaves us with an insufficient understanding of his legacy today. As the theme of this conference suggests, the purpose of adult education efforts is critical to understanding our field and its future directions. Therefore, by examining the purpose of Frank Laubach’s historical adult literacy campaigns, we can consider in which circumstances his programs acted as adult education for human rights, economic empowerment, or something else altogether.

This session will introduce the main findings of this historical analysis and will provide participants with an opportunity to examine key documents in a brief, hands-on exercise. The main findings will be presented though an interactive presentation using visual support. The hands-on exercise will encourage collaboration among participants through a short analysis of specific documents. Finally, this session will end with participants considering the legacy of Frank Laubach’s literacy campaigns in their own work as researchers, administrators, or practitioners.