[NIFL-FAMILY:2562] Re: HELP!

From: Jane Curtis (jcurtis@svn.net)
Date: Sat Nov 06 1999 - 20:47:32 EST


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From: jcurtis@svn.net (Jane Curtis)
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Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:2562] Re: HELP!
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Amber
I would add that it is important to send your instructors to some form of
adult/fam lit training, and either LVA or Laubach certainly are dependably
solid.  Are there any library literacy programs in your area? You could
send your instructors to their tutor training.

The biggest difference in both theory and practice between teaching
children reading and teaching adult parents is the learner-centered
philosophy. Adults have lives full of responsibilities which they have
successfully been meeting. Always use their strengths and competencies as
bases for core lesson content. Self-esteem and confidence building are
crucial for freeing up the attention they need to improve their reading
skills.

I, too, encourage and promote using children's books with
parents/caregivers. It's important to introduce them in a fam lit context,
which is to practice reading to their children. They can be used for
writing follow-up reports on how the discussion went with their child
around the book. Also, wordless books lend themselves to learners creating
text. You can do this using the language experience approach, similar to
what you do with children, writing the words they say and using it to
develop vocabulary, reading for comprehension and building confidence.

You might consider building a library of adult literacy materials. Again,
depending on the needs of your learners (native speakers or second language
learners, ethnicity, grammar-based or comprehension-based, etc.). You are
welcome to contact me personally for recommended titles and workbook series
at < jcurtis@svn.net > or phone 415 485-3106. It helps your instructors to
have some instructional resources to use.

I could go on and on. I'll bet you already know a lot of this.
Jane Curtis
Marin Literacy Program
San Rafael Public Library
California

>In a message dated 11/5/99 5:17:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, JACOBO20@aol.com
>Amber Jacob writes:
>
 Well, several people have heard that we're doing this and
all of a sudden I have three adults who've signed up to learn to read!  While
this is wonderful and I'm so thrilled that they've come forward, I don't know
what to do with them!  I know a lot about teaching children to read, but very
little about adult literacy.
>
>Is there Laubach tutor training anywhere in the area?  I'd recommend that for
>starters.  You could supplement Laubach with what you know about teachig
>reading to children.
>
>My adult literacy students enjoy children's readers.  Students can dictate
>stories to you.  Use drawing, if students like to draw.  Students can draw a
>picture to go with their story.

>Read a simple story with pictures to the student first.  Children's books are
>good for this.  Have the student practice reading the same book back to you.
>Most students enjoy the children's books, and if they are parents, they can
>practice reading the book so they can read it to their children.
>
>I always ask adult students how they feel about reading children's books.
>The vast majority are eager to read children's stories.  They enjoy the
>pictures (visual clues) and the humor.  Once in a while a student objects to
>using children's books and literature.  In that case, I don't.  (In the last
>4 years, I can think of only one student who did not want to use children's
>literature.)
>
>I'd also encourage students to write things for themselves.  This might be an
>assignment sheet.  Most literacy students can read numbers, so writing page
>numbers is something they can usually do.   A grocery list would be another
>good thing to write.  Students often need to learn how to write dates.
>
>Good luck.  Teaching reading to adults is exciting.
>
>Millie Kuth
>Hamilton City ABLE
>Jefferson Annrx
>Hamilton OH 45011
>513-887-5020/5021
>KUTHFAM@aol.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1999 10:10:23 EST
>From: DonMcCabe@aol.com
>To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov
>Subject: Re: New Literacy Legislation
>Message-ID: <0.1128158e.25559edf@aol.com>
>
>In Christy Gullion's message she said:  "Even Start programs will use
>instructional programs based on scientifically based reading research in
>designing services for children and adults.  In addition, LIFT will provide
>funding to extend important new
>research on children's reading, and to look at reading development in adults
>within the family context*....
>*Full text of the bill can be viewed at http://thomas.loc.gov."
>
>The operative words are "reading research" which should include "spelling"
>even though it is the forgotten twin.  I wonder how many (if any) in the
>government realize that the last time a comprehensive study on spelling was
>done was way back in 1953!  I would appreciate it if all the members of
>nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov and especially Christy Gullion would go to the
>web page http://www.avko.org/Surveyspelling.htm download it, put in your x's
>in the appropriate places and send it to me.
>
>Don McCabe, Research Director
>AVKO Educational Research Foundation
>3084 W. Willard Road, Suite W
>Clio, MI 48420-7801
>
>Phone: (810) 686-9283
>FAX: (810) 686-1101
>Visit the AVKO website at http://www.avko.org
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of NIFL-FAMILY Digest 1063
>******************************



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