Collaborative Center for Literacy Development

Adult basic education (ABE) students' self-esteem is a surprisingly under investigated subject. Many researchers assert that high self-esteem is a crucial component in achieving positive results in the adult literacy classroom, and that a lack thereof is among the biggest deterrents to participation in adult education (McGivney, 2001; Beder, 1990; Valentine & Darkenwald, 1990; Hayes & Darkenwald, 1988; Scanlan, 1986). Scanlan (1986) provided a review of the literature on barriers to participation in the adult literacy classroom, and named lack of self-confidence as one of the six major categories of deterrents. Results of several of Quigley's (1997) studies confirm the finding that a lack of confidence appears to be a major deterrent, and usually relates to a negative attitude towards school in general. McGivney (2001) notes that a key issue in increasing learners' participation in adult literacy classrooms is helping students see themselves not as academic failures but as successful learners. Quigley (1997) and Scanlan (1986) use self-confidence as a synonym for self-esteem. Self-schema, self-attitude, self-worth, self-efficacy, and self-perception are among other terms sometimes used to describe this broad theoretical entity (Vygotsky, 1991; Schafer & Keith, 1999; Marsh, 1990).