Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j82AZ1G23302; Fri, 2 Sep 2005 06:35:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 06:35:01 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20050902103236.1122.qmail@web30801.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Ujwala Samant <lalumineuse@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1475] RE: Expertise in Low Literacy Learners Question X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Status: O Content-Length: 3422 Lines: 115 The word 'expert' is often in my experience with adult learners, seen as loaded. The skills they have, the things they are at ease with are not always those that are 'traditionally' valued. They would often say, "I'm just a...." and you can fill in cook, mechanic, housewife, landscape worker, electrician. It was as if they had learned not to value (through our own societal emphasis on the 'higher' value of formal learning perhaps?) their own skills. regards, Ujwala Samant --- Nancy Krygowski <nkrygowski@gplc.org> wrote: > This sounds like interesting research. > > I understand the point the psychology professor > makes. Though my students > sometimes have skills they are good or even very > good at, I don't think they > would perceive themselves to be 'experts.' That > word carries a lot of > weight, often the weight of being "schooled" in an > area or skill. > I think the important and interesting idea here is > to compare reading to a > skill or area that low level readers have ease with. > Why not just phrase it > that way--what do you do really well? What can you > do easily? > > Nancy Krygowski > ABE/GED Instructor > Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council > > -----Original Message----- > From: nifl-fobasics@nifl.gov > [mailto:nifl-fobasics@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of > PHCSJean.2164047@bloglines.com > Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 1:43 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1469] Expertise in Low > Literacy Learners Question > > Good day everyone! > The endless dissertation process continues. I've > encountered > a new hurdle in the committee review process, and > I'm hoping you all might > have some feedback for me. > > I'm doing my work on the metacognitive processes > of low literacy learners during the reading process > and comparing it with > their metacognitive processes during something they > would perceive > themselves > to be experts at. I'm considering metacognition to > be thinking about > thinking, > sort of self reflecting on the how-do-I-do-this. > Ultimately, I think there > may be some transfer of learning opportunities > between the way the expert > area is thought about and the reading development, > but that's way off. At > this point, I'm getting ready to do the interviews. > > The psychology professor > on my committee has a HUGE issue with using the term > "expert" with the > population. > (I will be working with public ABE programs and an > incarcerated population > who are all native English speakers.) She thinks > that the term could be > offensive > and intimidating. I believe that everyone is gifted > in some area and has > strength > in something. In the ABE population, it just isn't > reading, and all too > often > they get stuck in that 2nd-3rd grade level and never > make the transition to > fluent reading and comprehension. I'm looking to see > if there is something > to help unlock that--whatever it might be. > > Here's the question. In your > experience, which I suspect is similar to mine, have > you seen areas of > expertise > in your students? Do you think the term "expert" > would be problematic? > > Any other insights would be much appreciated. > > Jean Marrapodi > Providence > Assembly of God Learning Center > Providence, RI > > > > ____________________________________________________ Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
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