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 iAP2BtQ18856; Wed, 24 Nov 2004 21:11:55 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 21:11:55 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <002101c4d293$9e23fa80$0500a8c0@vz.dsl.genuity.net> 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: "Kaizen Program" <kaizen_esl@literacynet.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:779] Re: Adult new reader assessments, "plateaus" X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 6916 Lines: 157 Hello colleagues, I have also found many adult new English learners who had no previous literacy in their first or any language plateauing as described. I am convinced that this is primarily due to the lack of hours per week actually spent in reading and writing. I believe this is the case because I have seen this pattern broken when students are reading and writing as part of studying for the citizenship interview/exam, something they are very concerned to be fully prepared for. I have observed real significant leaps in reading proficiency among such students. I have also found that adults who are given reading and writing practice that is compelling for them for other reasons experience real leaps forward. For example, at least two older women I worked with had significant improvements as they seriously worked on stories of their lives for their grandchildren. One also had the added incentive of wanting to prove to her daughter-in-law that she wasn't dumb, despite her difficulties with English. The reason I said "reading and writing" rather than just "reading" is that I have found that most students read and reread material with more attention and thought when they are asked to write answers to a variety of questions about it. Understandably, most adult new readers find the process a bit difficult and therefore without strong motivation they don't engage in intensive reading, and so never get to the point where they find it easier. Sylvie Kashdan Instructor/Curriculum Coordinator KAIZEN PROGRAM for New English Learners with Visual Limitations 810-A Hiawatha Place South Seattle, WA 98144, U.S.A. phone: (206) 784-5619 email: kaizen_esl@literacynet.org web: http://www.nwlincs.org/kaizen/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Rosen" <djrosen@comcast.net> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 5:57 AM Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:769] Adult new reader assessments, "plateaus" Bruce and others, Thanks for your thoughtful comments, Bruce. I generally agree with what you have said, but want to pursue a couple of things: You wrote: > We don't have a good assessement tool to measure progress for adult > new readers at any level, especially the beginning levels. Are you saying there are no good reading assessment tools for adult new readers, or no good _standardized_ reading assessments for adult new readers? Would others agree? Has anyone had experience, for example, using the new EFF reading assessment? > I have not known any adult who came from a literate culture, who > did really not know how to read, who ever became a > deft and fluent reader. I have known many adults who > have learned a lot, but none how ever went from not > being able to read simple words and environmental > print to being able to read a book from Oprah's club. > That's only my experience. I wonder if your experience is typical of those who teach or tutor adult new readers. I would like to hear from others on this list. From your experience, do adult new readers generally "plateau" in reading at high beginner or intermediate level? If so, why? Specific reading disabilities? Not enough intensity (hours per week) of reading instruction, or not enough duration (number of weeks/years in program) or other things? Have those who have seen this as a pattern experienced exceptions or breakthroughs, and if so, what was done differently for those adult new readers? Thanks. David J. Rosen djrosen@comcast.net > On Wednesday, November 24, 2004, at 07:20 AM, Bruce Carmel wrote: > A question asked if adults beginning readers can > plateau at the 2nd or 3rd grade level. What a complex > question this is! Here are some of the thoughts this > brings up for me: > Assessment of really beginning readers has always > been a problem. Assigning "grade level " to adults > has always been a problem for me. Adults are not > children. Can a grown man or woman really read like > an eight-year-old, even if they get the same grade > level equivalent on tests? I do not believe so. > The standardized test we have been saddled with > in New York State is the TABE. This test was > certainly "validated" by the company that sells it, > but I do not consider it a valid instrument in the > true sense of the word. > My understanding of "validity" is that it means > "it measures what it claims to measure." The TABE > measures an adult's ability to choose the right > answers on a multiple choice test. It does not > measure an adult's ability to read. I have seen many > people read the questions and answers on the TABE, > understand all they read, and choice the wrong answer. > This can be due to a last of test-taking savvy, > cultural biases on the test (that asks people to read > a baseball scoreboard), or an inability to think > logically. > Assessing the growth of beginning readers remains > a challenge. I have known many people whose lives > have changed dramatically. They can now read street > signs, subway maps, their bills, notes from their > employers, etc., but they crash and burn on a > standardized test. > We don't have a good assessement tool to measure > progress for adult new readers at any level, > especially the beginning levels. With no alternative > to standardized tests, what can we do? > I have to give credit to the NALS, where people's > ability to read was assessed by looking at their > ability to read--sort of. The NALS sets the bar so > high. People are at Level One if they can identify > information in an text, for example, but not think > critically about it, cannot synthesize. But they read > it. I don't think such people can be called > illiterate. Anyway, the NALS looked at people's > reading levels. It is not a pre- and post-test. > Maybe the question really meant: "Do adults who > do not know how to read plateau at the beginning > levels?" If so, please forgive my digression. My > answer to that question, based on fifteen years of > experience, would be "Yes they often do." I have not > known any adult who came from a literate culture, who > did really not know how to read, who ever became a > deft and fluent reader. I have known many adults who > have learned a lot, but none how ever went from not > being able to read simple words and environmental > print to being able to read a book from Oprah's club. > That's only my experience. Maybe it's possible for an > adult nonreader to move into NALS Level Four and > higher. I have never seen it. > We know SO LITTLE about adult literacy. How much > can people learn? What is the best way for them to > learn? Why did they not learn in the first place? I > wrote a whole dissertation about those questions. The > answer I came up with is that we don't know very much > at all.... > Bruce Carmel > Turning Point > Deputy ED >
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