Roadsigns from Research. BASICS: Bridging Vocational and Academic Skills.

This document responds to the need for integration of basic skills into vocational education by providing a summary of research findings, implications, and practical suggestions for teachers. The six sections and four complementary posters are intended as tools for staff development of teachers engaged in teaching basic skills. Sections can also be used separately as informational handouts for individual or group instruction at a workshop and mailouts to motivate participation in professional growth activities. Each section is organized by the kinds of questions that teachers have about students' difficulties with basic skills and teachers' difficulty in addressing these problems. Sections 1-3 discuss dropouts--an assessment of the problem as it relates to basic skill deficiencies; the impact of personal, family, and school factors on dropout-prone youth; and what happens to dropouts. Section 4 clarifies the business and industry perspective on the importance of a work force competent in basic skills. Section 5 summarizes basic skill problems prevalent among special populations. Section 6 summarizes the implications of both learning and teaching styles for basic skills acquisition. Appendixes provide information on guides and modules that provide assistance to administrators, counselors, and teachers as they promote a joint effort to strengthen basic skills. (YLB)