To shed light on reciprocal social networks for adult literacy learners, an ethnographic study sought to understand the dynamics of social networks from a sociocultural perspective, that of the adult basic education learners themselves. Subjects were a diverse population of six adult learners at a suburban adult education center (five working to pass the General Educational Development test and one enrolled in an English-as-a-Second-Language class). Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted. Results indicated that several factors had both supporting and hindering effects: family, teacher, schooling, and friends. One factor consistently emerged as entirely supportive of literacy growth--the learners themselves. Specific occupational goals emerged as another consistent factor in support of literacy growth. Findings suggest that these six people, by their words and actions, dramatically deny the deficit view of adult literacy learners. (One table of data is included.) (RS)