Conceptual framework and overview of the handbook / D. Perin -- Section 1: Cognitive, affective and motivational factors underlying adult literacy -- Cognitive processing challenges associated with low literacy in adults / J. Sabatini, T. O'Reilly, Z. Wang, and K. Dreier -- Phonological abilities in fully illiterate adults / J. Morais and R. Kolinsky -- Gender differences in the reading motivation of adults with low literacy skills / J.C. Frijters, E. Brown, and D. Greenberg -- Integrating component skills in a reading comprehension framework for struggling adult readers / E.L. Tighe -- Writing challenges for postsecondary English learners with low levels of literacy / S.M. Doolan -- From 'degisned' and 'dezine' to 'design' : comparing adults' and children's spelling across tasks / K.S. Binder, A. Talwar, N. K. Bond, and N.G. Cote -- Literacy skills, academic self-efficacy and participation in prison education / L.O. Jones and T. Manger -- Readiness to learn among adults with low skills / M.C. Smith, T.J. Smith, A.D. Rose, and J. Ross-Gordon -- Cognitive profile of students with dyslexia entering postsecondary education / M. Callens and M. Brysbaert -- A cognitive framework for tracing the roots of reading disabilities among university students / G.K. Georgiou and J.P. Das -- Reading, writing, and self-efficacy of low-skilled postsecondary students / D. Perin -- Section 2: Contexts of literacy for adults with low skills -- Cognitive and sociocultural dimensions of adult literacy and integrating technology in adult education / A. Durgunoglu, H. Gen¿ay, M. Canturk, and H. Kus¿ul -- I will survive : sociocultural and educational factors underlying child mortality in rural Ghana / N.-H. Blunch -- Literacy and social change in South Asia / C. Smith and K.R. Chavva -- Literacy, numeracy, and self-rated health among U.S. adults / E. Prins and S. Monnat -- Adults with low skills and learning disabilities / M.B. Patterson -- Participation in literacy programmes for adults with low skills in South-Eastern Europe / G.K. Zarifis -- Making the most of learning contexts : a literature review of family and workplace literacy programs / H.C. Windisch -- Section 3: Education of adults with low literacy skills -- How to teach fully illiterate adults to read / R. Kolinsky, C. Carvalho, I. Leite, A. Franco, and J. Morais -- Developmental trajectories of adult education students: Implications for policy, research and practice / S. Reder -- Academic literacy as developmental pedagogy : the learning and growth of adult English language learners / J. Ouellette-Schramm -- Educational technologies that support reading comprehension of adults who have low literacy skills / A. Graesser, D. Greenberg, A. Olney, and M.W. Lovett -- Writing strategy instruction for low-skilled postsecondary students / Z.A.T. Philippakos and C.A. MacArthur -- Transitioning adult literacy students to postsecondary education / E. Rutschow -- Research on developmental education instruction for adult literacy learners / M. Cormier and S. Bickerstaff.