Literacy and Numeracy Studies

Focus and Scope

Literacy and Numeracy Studies is an international refereed journal which aims to promote research, scholarship and critical analysis of policy and practice concerning the many and complex ways that adult literacy and numeracy are implicated in adult life. One of the aims of the journal is to extend narrow functional and externally imposed definitions of literacy and numeracy to multiple, open definitions that focus on what people do with their skills, and how they use different texts and modalities in differing contexts.
The possibilities for adult literacy and numeracy learning occur in all environments and in many ways. This means that the editors are pleased to accept papers from a range of theoretical perspectives and research approaches, from researchers and practitioners emerging from differing epistemological positions. Articles published in previous issues reflect the diverse sites and orientations where literacy and numeracy practitioners work both with people with English-speaking language backgrounds and those with language backgrounds other than English. Research sites have included workplaces, prisons, communities, higher education, vocational and adult education, adult ESL, Indigenous populations and virtual environments.
Literacy and numeracy are thus understood here as socio-cultural phenomena, the successful acquisition of which moves beyond test and survey results or conventional education and training settings. Relevant terms that may help potential contributors determine if this is the journal for them include adult basic education, adult and community education, workplace language, academic language, online literacies and critical literacy and numeracy.

Because adult literacy and numeracy are emerging as a relatively new focus for research and academic interest internationally, the editors actively encourage submissions from post-graduate research students in the kinds of areas indicated above. Finally, in recognition that adult literacy and numeracy are controversial and are engaged with the politics of equity, participation and social justice, the editors offer the opportunity, through the Refractions section of the journal, for contributors to publish more rhetorical and controversial pieces likely to interest our readers. Refractions papers are not normally submitted to external review. Responses to Refractions pieces are also welcomed.

Section Policies

Editorial

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Articles

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Book Review

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Refractions

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Notes on Contributors

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Archiving

This journal utilizes the LOCKSS system to create a distributed archiving system among participating libraries and permits those libraries to create permanent archives of the journal for purposes of preservation and restoration. More...