Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h3BLVeU03248; Fri, 11 Apr 2003 17:31:40 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 17:31:40 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20030411.172616.12390.1.sophocles5@juno.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "George E. Demetrion" <sophocles5@juno.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:166] Positionality, Reading & Literacy Theory X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Juno 1.49 Status: O Content-Length: 8163 Lines: 164 Colleagues, I've organized my responses to Andrea's important questions in the following dialogue format. To preface my remarks, I believe the issue of reading/literacy theory (and the distinctions between the) are significant because they point to that which become viewed as legitimate. In short, if one believes that the primary purpose of adult literacy education is to foster reading skills and that phonemic fluency is the foundational competency needed, that might lead to one set of assumptions about the purpose of the curriculum and its contents. On the other hand, if one subscribes to the notion of literacy as a metaphor for knowledge and the related concept of "multiliteracies," along with the Freirian view that the purpose of reading the word is to read the world and vice versa in its pluralism of meanings, then that might lead to other sets of assumption. More broadly stated, the issue might be whether the intellectual home of adult literacy studies belongs in the interdisciplinary field of cultural studies or the scientific wing of cognitive psychology. If it's both/and rather than either/or, what might be some of the relationships between the two types of intellectual discourse and its significance in the realm of practice as well as political legitimacy for the still emergent field of adult literacy studies. George Demetrion Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford sophocles5@aol.com (A.W.) This conversation is interesting. (G.D.) Hello Andrea. In light of the various questions asked/issues raised on this topic, the questions that you ask provide a great format for commentary and further inquiry. (A.W.) Going by the National Reading Panel, Andres and Art, there is agreement that specific skills, phonics, needs to be introduced and mastered by students. (G.D.) Agreement here on their importance, but not on whether they are foundational as the core building blocks from which reading mastery proceeds. One might argue that without competency in these areas, fluent reading, by definition, is impossible, without assuming that they have to be mastered first or that they are more important than capacity to read connected texts through assisted reading approaches or such contributory issues as motivation and interest, which in some cases may be the more important variable. For many students phonemic competency often emerges as they gain some basic mastery of the reading process in enabling them to develop an intellectual framework for internalizing the sight-sound connection, for without internalization, how can there be learning in any meaningful substantial sense. Even those reading specialists like Marilyn Adams and Jean Chall, both strong advocates of placing phonemic awareness at the center of a reading program, accept the common sense view that multiple approaches, methodologies and materials are needed and that the reading process emerges best through some combination between isolated skill development and connected reading of whole texts. The other variable would be in terms of different student reading levels and the axiom by one reading specialist (name eludes me) that the continuum striven for is "learning to read in order to read to learn." In different degrees, both sides of the continuum would apply to students at all levels. Even advanced literacy learners can benefit by work on phonics, but its nature would differ from those at more beginning levels. By the same token, those students even at beginning levels of decoding mastery desire to make sense of what they are reading, however that is defined, which includes a focus on interesting content. Short language experience stories narrated by themselves or other adult literacy students often serve as valuable text that draw on personal motivation and interest and provide opportunity for concentrated skill work as well. In various iterations, the LVA Basic Literacy tutor training program has been making this same point for years. (A.W.) 1)What happens after that? What needs to be mastered? What are the most successful teaching methods for what has to be mastered? Andres talked a little about this, I think. (GD) In terms of reading methodology, at least in broad terms the balanced approach to reading as articulated by Victoria Purcell Gates and P. David Pearson makes a lot of sense to me. This general framework would need to be supplemented by attention to specific reading/learning issues that particular students have. Among the any things that have to be mastered, not in any hierarchical order, are: * Progressive mastery of phonemic competency both in and out of context. Here, independent phonemic fluency represents an ideal of a very high order, without which, many students are still able to progress in working with connected text. Competency in recognizing the sight-sound connection in multi-syllabic words is an important higher order skill. * Growing sight word vocabulary, including word meanings as well as word recognition. * Progressive mastery of literal and inferential comprehension and interpretation of texts. * Pre, during, and post reading strategies. * Skills like skimming and silent reading. * A growing understanding of the type of discourses various texts represent and their significance to their own lives. * Expanding capacity to tap into the world of print outside the program. * Knowledge of where to access print information in the social environment outside the program. (A.W. ) 2) Where are the glitches? Where are the persistent problems that stop students from moving ahead? (G.D.) For whatever set of complex reasons the gap between the reading ability of beginning and intermediate level students (e.g., those scoring from 190-210 on CASAS) and the skills needed to obtain fluent, independent reading ability may not be unfathomable, but they are extensive. Progress may be discerned all along the way for those who are able to commit major resources of time and energy to the process, which needs to be noted, highlighted, built upon, honored, celebrated, and, of course, acknowledged. Yet, it is a sense of progress that remains highly scaffolded, linked to the support that programs and individual teachers are able to provide, that nonetheless, exhibits pivotal breakthroughs than can make an important difference in the lives of students. This is what makes the relationship between reading and literacy, defined here as a metaphor for knowledge, as symbolized in the term, "multiliteacies" so important. While independent reading ability may well remain elusive for a great many individuals who participate in adult literacy programs, the progressive attainment of the knowledge and skills that matter to individuals is also an important outcome of the work that we do, but needs public legitimacy for its fuller realization to obtain throughout our public culture. This lack of public/policy legitimacy for the more contextual interpretations of literacy as reflected in schools of thought and practice reflected in the models of participatory literacy education, (Auerbach, Lytle, Fingeret, McGrail), the New Literacy Studies (Merrifield, the latter Fingeret, EFF), and functional contextual education (Sticht, SCANS) is a major glitch, which reinforces highly reductionist views of adult literacy (a.k.a, reading). (A.W.) 3) What does "moving ahead" mean? Growth, progress, experiencing and expanding the dynamic of the learning/teaching moment, the enhancement of self-esteem, reading the word in order to read the world, reading the world as a way of reading the word, the linkage of personal and community development, concrete accomplishments in work, family, and community settings, increased independence and interdependence, intergenerational transfer-double-duty impact. Reconstructing the field of adult literacy education as a fully acknowledged public discourse based upon the more expansive definitions of literacy as sketched out here, including an awareness of its impact, actual and potential, within the body politic and public culture. Wants to know in Cambridge. > Andrea Wants to know in Hartford, too! George
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