Literacy and Elders: What We Know and What We Need to Know

Examining What Older Adults Read and Watch on Tv

“…Less schooling might suggest a need to increase older adults' literacy proficiency, and literacy programs could be designed to meet their needs. Rigg and Kazemek (1983) emphasized the need to let the elderly say what their literacy needs and interests are before the development of a program. Harvey and Cronan (1992) encouraged educators to consider seriously the reading needs and interests of older adults, and Watson, Robinson, Chippendale, Nickolaus, and Jenkins (1979) encouraged them to use older adults' interests in literacy programs.…”

Reading, the library, and the elderly: A Singapore case study

“…Interestingly, this finding differs from earlier studies done in a western context. Both Wolf (1977) and Rigg and Kazemek (1983) suggested that the elderly valued literacy not for instrumental or functional ends, but as a means of social communication with their peers. On the other hand, our finding supports Picton and Yuen (1998) who noted the one of the differences between Chinese and Australian elderly learners was the instrumental motivation of many of the latter.…”