Return-Path: <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f7EI7Nf19112; Tue, 14 Aug 2001 14:07:23 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 14:07:23 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <01ad01c124f4$96fd7e20$cd607b83@educ.kent.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Dianna Baycich" <dbaycich@archon.educ.kent.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:9] New Issue of Focus on Basics X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 2217 Lines: 55 A new issue of Focus on Basics is now on the Web at file://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu/ The printed version will be mailed out over the next two weeks. The topic is first level learners, often called "beginners" or "0-4" level students.The teachers writing in this issue know about teaching reading to first level learners. Ashley Hagar, of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Gladys Geertz, of Anchorage, Alaska; and Anne Murr of Des Moines, Iowa, all bring immense skill to their classrooms and programs. They found that very structured classes, with direct instruction in specific subskills such as phonological awareness, word analysis, and sight word recognition, among other skills, provide the best results. The beginning learners in MaryAnn Cunningham Florez's English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) program had valuable feedback to share about the strengths and weaknesses of their instructors. Included in their list was the suggestion to "talk to us about learning and the learning process." Florez shares her students' complete list of suggestions, and her techniques for getting such input from students. Drs. Sally and Bennett Shaywitz, in an overview of the neurobiology of dyslexia, explain that an inability to segment the written word into its underlying phonologic elements results in readers having difficulty in decoding and identifying words. But, they remind us, the phonologic deficit is "domain-specific." That is, other cognitive skills are intact. This is important information for the teaching of first level learners. It explains the paradox so often encountered of otherwise intelligent people who experience great difficulty reading. Judy Alamprese provides an overview of recent research into reading for adult basic education, focusing in on the research she is conducting in beginning level classes across the country. A list of resources is also included. Go to http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu for these articles Barbara Garner, Editor Barbara Garner World Education (617) 482-9485 44 Farnsworth Street fax (617) 482-0617 Boston, MA 02210 email address: Barbara_Garner@worlded.org ncsall web site: http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu
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