Author(s): NCSALL and Rosalind Davidson

Institutional affiliation/Agency/Program: NCSALL and NIFL

Publication date or date of most recent update: February 23, 2007.

Number of pages: Not Applicable.

Website URL: http://www.nifl.gov/readingprofiles/arcs.htm

Type of product (lesson plans, curriculum, training product): Training product

Subject of materials: Assessing reading strategies of adult students, developing reading profiles; suggesting/determining most appropriate assessments and methodologies to use based on the reading profile.

Target population: Instructors, Administrators, ABE, ESOL, ASE, and others.

Skill levels of instructional materials (lessons, curricula): ABE Beginning Literacy (NRS Educational Functioning Level 1); ABE Beginning Basic Education (NRS Educational Functioning Level 2); ABE Intermediate Low (NRS Educational Functioning Level 3); ABE Intermediate High (NRS Educational Functioning Level 4); ASE Low (NRS Educational Functioning Level 5); ASE High (NRS Educational Functioning Level 6); ESL Literacy (NRS Educational Functioning Level 1); Low Beginning ESL (NRS Educational Functioning Level 2); High Beginning ESL (NRS Educational Functioning Level 3); Low Intermediate ESL (NRS Educational Functioning Level 4); High Intermediate ESL (NRS Educational Functioning Level 5); Advanced ESL Literacy (NRS Educational Functioning Level 6)

**No profiles of ESOL students are presented as there would need to be assessments done in the native languages of these students in order to develop the profiles. A number of students in the ASRP project are ESOL students who have completed ESOL programs, but it is unclear how well the ASRP serves lower level ESOL students.

Training required: Training is necessary to use this extensive and inclusive website. Trainings are offered on-line via AE Pro and NIFL. A mini-course accompanies the website content, but this too is tricky to follow without guidance.

Abstract:

Assessment Strategies & Reading Profiles (ASRP) presents research-based assessment practices for the adult education classroom. This online diagnostic reading assessment, based on the ARCS Study, shows instructors how to identify students' reading strengths and weaknesses. Instructors can use this knowledge to target their instruction more effectively.

The ARCS was designed to provide useful portraits for both practitioners and policy makers of the various types or clusters of readers enrolled in US adult basic education programs, including both native speakers and those in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. For the study, 955 randomly selected learners (676 ABE and 279 ESOL) were interviewed and assessed at learning centers in Texas, Tennessee, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. They were given a battery of reading and language assessments to determine their instructional needs. Over half of this testing was done by local ABE and ESOL practitioners who were trained to administer the battery and conduct the interviews in a uniform manner.

This interactive website for adult education practitioners includes two tracks for learning about the tool. From the website:

On the "Match a Profile" track, you can enter scores for your learner and be matched to one of the 11 ARCS-based profiles. You will find suggestions for instruction as well as information about the ARCS learners in this group that may relate to your learner

Although you will find enough information on the "Match A Profile" track to understand your learner's reading profile, the "Mini-Course" offers an opportunity to learn more about reading. You will find extensive information on the major reading components and assessment as well as sections containing references and downloadable resources.