More recently, researchers have been gravitating towards views of adult literacy education that are rooted in sociocultural ideas of both literacy and learning in order to encourage a shift from a traditional schooling model of adult literacy education towards a view that acknowledges the individual operating within a complex social system. Sparks (2002) suggested "adult literacy education has not benefited from the debate over authentic literacy activity rooted in the life reality of learners or their context-based interests and expertise" (p. 60). Darville (2001) argued for a need to work towards a "conception of literacy as social practices and relations, always in motion" (p. 2). In addition, Hansman (2001, p. 49) stated "the ideas of learning in context and situated cognition have yet to be fully explored in adult education". Not only does a sociocultural view of adult literacy education have the potential to guide practice and professional development, Taylor and Blunt (2001) have argued that there is also a need to support the development of "a strong conceptual and theoretical base that incorporates these situated and social processes of learning" (p. 81).

Since the focus of the study is an employment preparation program, it is also important to briefly refer to changing views of literacy in both literacy education programs and workplace education programs. Searle (2002) has suggested that "workplace practices involve socially constructed literacies" and "the current focus on teaching generic skills is inadequate since these de–contextualized skills are of limited utility" (p. 17). Building on this idea, Belifore, Defoe, Folinsbee, Hunter and Jackson (2003) have stated: "Paperwork is contested terrain in workplaces" (p.183). The authors found numerous examples of workers who did not complete forms the way managers intended. The managers then assumed that this was a literacy skills problem, but the researchers found that the employees' resistance to participation in the form–filling practices went well beyond a literacy skills issue. "Participation," they said, "had to do with social relations, power, risk and blame." (p. 182). Evolving discussions of workplace literacy within a sociocultural framework can help to support and enhance similar discussions within the broader field of adult literacy education.