Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j2O0ZYG03445; Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:35:34 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:35:34 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <d6.2316fa10.2f7364fa@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: MWPotts2001@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2936] lower literacy users X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: 9.0 for Windows sub 5036 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Status: O Content-Length: 2125 Lines: 39 Colleagues, This information comes from Connie Harich, and you may find it interesting and useful. It concerns lower literacy users of information. The website address for more information is http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20050314.html. Here is a bit of information from that research: Characteristics of Lower Literacy users: The most notable difference between lower-and higher-literacy users is that lower-literacy users can't understand a text by glancing at it. They must read word for word and often spend considerable time trying to understand multi-syllabic words. Lower-literacy users focus exclusively on each word and slowly move their eyes across each line of text. In other words, they "plow" the text, line by line. This gives them a narrow field of view and they therefore miss objects outside the main flow of the text they're reading. (My question here for EFF teachers who are looking at the elements of reading, particularly fluency in this case, How would you use this information to help your students become more fluent readers?) Unlike higher-literacy users, lower-literacy users don't scan text. As a result, for example, they can't quickly glance at a list of navigation options to select the one they want. They must read each word in each option carefully. Their only other choice is to completely skip over large amounts of information, which they often do when things become too complicated. My question here for EFF teachers is--How would this information affect your use of skills sets?) Lower-literacy users tend to satisfice -- accept something as "good enough" -- based on very little information because digging deeper requires too much reading, which is both challenging and time consuming. As soon as text becomes too dense, lower-literacy users start skipping, usually looking for the next link. In doing so, they often overlook important information. (My question here for EFF teachers is, how do you prepare your lower-literacy users for reading in order to avoid the issue of "skipping"? All the Best, Meta Potts, Moderator 4-EFF List Glen Allen, VA
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