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From: David Rosen <djrosen@comcast.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:11180] Re: Measuring outcomes in literacy programs
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Jennifer and others,
Of course it makes good sense to learn students' goals and to track
outcomes against them, but there are several issues which need to be
addressed in what is usually a more complicated process than
anticipated:
1. Most ESOL/ESL students when asked directly what they want to
accomplish will say "learn English." Fine, but not very helpful for
this purpose. An individual or group process is needed to help
students:
a. reflect on and articulate why they want to learn English (to talk
with local merchants, to talk with health care providers, to
communicate with their children's teachers (orally and in writing) to
help their children with homework, etc.
b. sort out the longer term goals from the short-term objectives
which could be measured during participation in the program (usually
within the funding year)
c. periodically check in to review if these objectives are the same
or have changed, and if progress is being made.
2. If you measure (only) whether or not the original goals/objectives
have been met, you may miss something even more important: have the
goals and objectives changed? Students who enter the program saying
they want to learn English to navigate the public transportation
system, to shop at supermarkets, to read mail, and to read a
newspaper in English who still have (only) the same objectives two
years later may not be progressing as fast as students whose goals
and objectives are changing, including: getting a high school
diploma, entering a job training program, continuing on to college,
advocating verbally and in writing for changes in the community,
etc. In other words, change (expansion and addition) of goals may
itself be an positive outcome.
3. Often a goals process because of limited time, is reduced to a
checklist, and students are asked to say which items on the checklist
they have as goals or objectives. Too often this is done once, when
they enroll, which is often too soon for some students to know what
their objectives are, or before they even know what might be possible
as objectives, and once again toward the end of the program year. A
goals process must be ongoing, re-visited periodically, perhaps
monthly or quarterly, in one-on-one or small group sessions
facilitated by a teacher or counselor.
4. Attainment of goals is one measure of success, but it should be
accompanied by other measures, for example, acquisition of language
skills as measured by standardized instruments, increased knowledge
about and understanding of how to use community institutions and
resources, greater community inclusion, increased efficacy, increased
confidence in learning, and/or others.
You might want to also post your question on the NIFL-Assessment list
( to subscribe, go to http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions ), and
also look at the research and professional wisdom to be found in the
Assessment area of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Assessment_Information
While there, check out:
1. Commercially Available Assessments: Best, Best Plus,
Casas
2. Performance-Based Assessments: Equipped for the
Future, Reep writing Process and Rubric
Also look at the LINCS Assessment Special Collection
http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/
David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net
On Oct 25, 2005, at 2:39 PM, Jennifer Lynn Harper wrote:
> Hello all,
> I'm a current LIS student at Wayne State University in
> Michigan. I'm VERY interested in literacy issues. I'm
> currently working on an assignment where we have created our
> own literacy service. It is fiction. We will not be setting
> up an actual literacy service, but we need to add certain
> components to our written proposal: ex. how we will measure
> outcomes.
>
> We are trying to find ways of measuring outcomes. We decided
> that it is best for literacy students to set their OWN
> goals. One way we have decided to measure outcomes is
> through a goals sheet. We would ask the students their goals
> in the beginning of the program, and then interview them to
> find out when they have achieved their goals. All of this
> information would be recorded and used as a way of measuring
> success.
>
> That is our main way of measuring outcomes. Do any of you
> have interesting methods of measuring outcomes in literacy
> programs that you would be willing to share?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Sincerely,
> Jennifer Harper
> JLHarp21@aol.com
>
>
>
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