Generously Sponsored by:
Lead | Equip | Empower
Current Edition
Financial Literacy
This special edition represents a meaningful collaboration between COABE and the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, grounded in our shared belief that financial capability must be accessible, inclusive, and embedded within adult education. By integrating financial literacy into adult education programs, we strengthen the connection between academic learning, workforce preparation, and real-world application—helping learners move beyond survival toward sustainability and opportunity.
Keywords: adult education, workforce, financial literacy, adult literacy, money wise, budgeting
Lead | Equip | Empower
Submit an Article
Submit an Article
Submit an Article
The COABE Journal is a theme-oriented, practitioner-focused publication released twice a year. For the Spring 2027 edition, we invite contributions from adult education professionals that share best practices, research, innovations, reflections, and reviews under the theme: Health Literacy for Adult Learners.
This edition will highlight how adult education programs prepare and empower adults to understand, evaluate, and act on health information: Skills that shape decision-making not only for individuals, but for their families and communities.
COABE serves educators who work with adults in Adult Education programs with health literacy-related needs. Whether through adult basic education (ABE), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), high school equivalency preparation, or vocational training, programs integrate foundational skills—such as literacy, numeracy, English language proficiency, digital literacy, and critical thinking—that benefit adults in multiple life roles.
Submission Guidelines
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Articles should address one of the suggested topics below or a related area.
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Manuscripts must follow the COABE Journal submission guidelines and the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for format, grammar, citations, and references.
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Please also review the COABE Journal Style Guide before submitting.
The submission deadline is October 26.
Suggested Topics
Practice & Innovation
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Integrating Health Literacy Instruction into ABE, ASE, and ESL/ESOL/ELL curricula
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Digital Health Literacy: Helping Adult Learners Navigate Patient Portals, Telehealth, and Online Health Information
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Contextualized Instruction: Teaching Health Literacy through Real-World Materials and Tasks
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Numeracy and Health: Building Skills for Medication Dosing, Nutrition Labels, and Health Data
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Mental Health Literacy in the Adult Education Classroom
Equity & Access
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Addressing Health Literacy Gaps Among English Language Learners
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Health Literacy as a Social Determinant of Health: Implications for Adult Education Practice
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Culturally Responsive Approaches to Health Literacy Instruction
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Reaching Underserved Populations: Health Literacy in Rural, Correctional, and Immigrant-Serving Programs
Partnerships & Systems
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Adult Education and Healthcare Partnerships: Models for Collaboration
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Working with Public Health Departments, Clinics, and Community Health Workers
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Cross-Sector Collaboration: Libraries, Social Services, and Adult Literacy Programs in Health Literacy Initiatives
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Building Health Literacy into Career Pathways for Healthcare Occupations
Outcomes, Impact & Research
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Measuring the Impact of Health Literacy Instruction on Adult Learner Outcomes
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Assessing Health Literacy Needs and Gaps Among Adult Learners
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Longitudinal Effects of Health Literacy Education on Health Behaviors and Outcomes
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Case Studies: Regional or Program-Level Health Literacy Initiatives
Conceptual & Theoretical Topics
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Defining Health Literacy for the Adult Education Field
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Health Literacy Instruction that integrates principles of Andragogy
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Frameworks for Integrating Health Literacy across Adult Education Program Models
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Health Literacy as a Foundational Skill Alongside Digital and Financial Literacy
Reflections
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First-hand stories from practitioners and students highlighting the personal and community impact of health literacy education
Revised Author Agreement
I hereby assign first publication rights to the above-named manuscript, in all forms, to COABE upon its acceptance for publication in the COABE Journal. I warrant that the manuscript is my original work and is not AI-generated, though typical digital writing tools may have been used for clarity and flow. I confirm that the manuscript appropriately acknowledges and cites the works of others. I further confirm that the manuscript has not been published, accepted for publication, or is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
I warrant that this work does not infringe on the copyright or statutory rights of others and contains no libelous statements. I agree to indemnify COABE's consulting editors, staff, and officers against all costs, expenses, and damages arising from any breach of these warranties in connection with this manuscript. I acknowledge that COABE is relying on this statement in publishing the manuscript.
Introduction
Submission Guidelines
Instructional Practices and Learner Engagement / Program Development and Innovations
(Double-Anonymous Peer Review) submissions should focus on best innovative practices for engaging learners in instructional settings and/or programs with unique characteristics or innovative characteristics that yield exceptional adult learner outcomes. These articles should provide evidence of effectiveness and positive impact on adult learners so that administrators and practitioners can replicate such innovations in their practice. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantive contributions to the manuscript and should be capped at five. Submissions should range between 2,000 and 5,000 words.
Original Research and Theory to Practice
(Double-Anonymous Peer Review) submissions include original quantitative and qualitative research and/or the effective integration of educational theory to practice. These pieces aim to inspire others to apply these findings and/or practices to their adult education settings or contexts. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantive contributions to the manuscript and should be capped at five. Submissions should range between 3,000 and 5,000 words.
Innovative/Effective Material Integration
(Double-Anonymous Peer Review) submissions should focus on innovative or cutting-edge practices that integrate print, electronic, software, or other technologies that demonstrate effective student understanding and outcomes. Manuscripts should present concise overviews of the technologies/materials, including relevant publications, URLs, or other information for accessing the resource. Readers should be able to effectively integrate these materials into their adult education settings, expecting similar learner impact and outcomes. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantive contributions to the manuscript and should be capped at three. Submissions should range between 1,500 and 2,500 words.
Reflection Essays
(Editorial Review) include thoughtful discussions on issues (societal, policy, political, theoretical, etc.) and their impact on adult education administrators, practitioners, learners, or other stakeholders. These pieces may be written in first-person narrative form to provoke thoughtful reflection in the reader. Authorship is limited to two. Submissions should range between 1,000 and 1,200 words.
Review Essays
(Editorial Review) should discuss recently published books, instructional materials, or online instructional resources (websites, YouTube, TED Talks, etc.) that adult education administrators, practitioners, learners, or other stakeholders might find useful in their practice. These materials may include commercially available resources; however, such reviews should focus on the utility of the materials in adult education settings and should not be submitted by the resources’ author, an employee, or an affiliate of the project or publisher. Authorship is limited to two. Submissions should range between 800 and 1,200 words. If you wish to submit a reflection piece, please contact journal@coabe.org before you begin writing. This is an important step in the process.
Each submission should be written in APA 7th edition style format and also include:
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A 200-word abstract giving an overview of what the article will cover.
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A minimum of five keywords that researchers can use to find the article in the future.
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A 50-100 word bio of each author, written in the third person.
The submission deadline is November 17, 2025.
Journal Editorial & Peer Review Processes
