[Stephen] Black is an expert in adult literacy, having spent the whole of his career working and researching in adult literacy education in a variety of settings … The depth and detail of his knowledge are formidable – this book is engaging, insightful and very challenging.

Anne Worrall, Journal of Criminology

This is a great book! Stephen Black gives voice to under schooled working-class adults on the shop floor and in a variety of educational settings. It provides a window into their individual and collective experiences as they grapple with diverse literacy demands-often in unexpected ways. A must read for scholars, literacy practitioners, and adult education program developers.

Judith Kalman, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav), Mexico

Black conducted the studies in this book mostly in the 1980s and 1990s, but the findings still are relevant ... [He] brings an important contribution to the ongoing work of resistance to the deficit schooling model of neoliberalism.

Adult Education Quarterly

[This] important book provides a critical account of literacy learning in the lives of working-class adults in Australia. Drawing on empirical data from various research projects on working-class adults and literacy. It outlines the prevailing practices of adult learning educators who use Freirean-inspired pedagogies in TAFE (VET) colleges in Australia, focusing on students' learning needs.

Australian Journal of Adult Learning