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Tom<BR>
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Unfortunately, the link to Inge Henningsen's document does not work. Any ideas?<BR>
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Anthony Berry<BR><BR>> Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 14:45:18 -0700<BR>> From: tsticht@znet.com<BR>> To: assessment@nifl.gov<BR>> Subject: [Assessment 1331] Tests vs. Self Assessments of Literacy<BR>> <BR>> June 8, 2008<BR>> <BR>> The Great Adult Literacy Skills Debate: Tests vs. Self Assessments<BR>> <BR>> Tom Sticht<BR>> International Consultant in Adult Education<BR>> <BR>> In 2006, Inge Henningsen of the Department of Statistics in the University<BR>> of Copenhagen presented a paper entitled: "Adults just don't know how<BR>> stupid they are: Dubious statistics in studies of adult literacy and<BR>> numeracy."<BR>> (online at www.alm online.org/ALM13/programma%20alm13.pdf ).<BR>> <BR>> In this paper Henningsen comments on the many problems, conceptual,<BR>> methodological, and statistical, with the International Adult Literacy<BR>> Survey (IALS) of the mid-1990s and the Adult Literacy and Lifeskills (ALL)<BR>> survey of 2003-06. One of the major factors in these assessments that<BR>> Henningsen addresses is the finding in various nations of a wide gap<BR>> between the literacy and numeracy<BR>> skills of adults when the literacy test scores are taken as indicators of<BR>> people's skill, and the skills that adults assign to themselves when asked<BR>> to self-assess their literacy or numeracy skills.<BR>> <BR>> Though Henningsen focuses primarily on the data from these international<BR>> adult literacy surveys for Denmark, similar gaps are found in various other<BR>> nations. For instance, in Australia, based on the IALS test scores the<BR>> report writers declared some 46 percent of adults to possess low literacy<BR>> skills, whereas only 4 percent of the adults themselves thought they had<BR>> low skills.<BR>> <BR>> In Canada and the United States, similar discrepancies were found, with 42<BR>> percent of Canadians and 47 percent of U.S. adults being declared low in<BR>> literacy based on the test scores, while only 5 percent of Canadian and 7<BR>> percent of U.S. adults rated their literacy low.<BR>> <BR>> In New Zealand, using just the numeracy data from the ALL, 51 percent of<BR>> adults were declared low in numeracy based on test scores, while only 19<BR>> percent rated their numeracy skills as low. Finally, in England, using a<BR>> special test developed for the Skills for Life strategy in that nation, 16<BR>> percent of adults were declared low in literacy based on their test scores<BR>> but only 4 percent thought they had low test scores.<BR>> <BR>> Henningsen noted that the discrepancy between the self assessed proficiency<BR>> and the conclusions based on test scores is not treated seriously in the<BR>> reports and asks, "Is it ethically defensible to disregard the opinions and<BR>> statements of the adults regarding their own skills and "narrate" big groups<BR>> of adults in the labour market as excluded from society and lacking in basic<BR>> skills." Answering this rhetorical question, Henningsen goes on to say, "I<BR>> find it disturbing that the reports send the message that the experiences<BR>> and assessments of the test persons themselves have no validity compared to<BR>> the test results. Is it a viable for the adult education community to let<BR>> surveys convey the impression that "adults just don't know how stupid they<BR>> are."?<BR>> <BR>> One important consequence of adults' thinking that their literacy and<BR>> numeracy skills are pretty good is that they will choose to not participate<BR>> in language, literacy, and numeracy (LLN) provision to improve their skills.<BR>> For instance, from various sources I can make rough estimates of the<BR>> percentage of adults that the government says are in need of LLN provision<BR>> that actually take part in LLN provision in a given year. In Australia the<BR>> percentage of those the governments say are in need of LLN provision who<BR>> actually enroll in LLN provision in a given year is around 4%, in Canada<BR>> 10%, England 5%, New Zealand 11%, and the U.S. 3%. These (admittedly<BR>> roughly estimated) percentages of participation are more in line with the<BR>> self assessed needs of adults than the needs based on the paper and pencil<BR>> tests.<BR>> <BR>> In the United States, the National Center for Education Statistics reports<BR>> in the 2008 Conditions of Education that the percentages of adults aged 16<BR>> or older who participated in adult education activities consisting of basic<BR>> skills, English as a second language, or apprenticeships in 1995, 1999, 2001<BR>> and 2005 were 3, 4, 4, and 3 percent respectively. Without the category of<BR>> "apprenticeships" the percentages would be even lower. These low<BR>> percentages of self reported participation in LLN are again more in line<BR>> with the self assessments of adults regarding their literacy and numeracy<BR>> skills than with the percentages declared to be "at risk" for low literacy<BR>> based on the adult literacy survey tests.<BR>> <BR>> The large discrepancies between the percentages of adults needing basic<BR>> skills education as given by governments based on the international adult<BR>> literacy surveys, and the much smaller percentages of adults who perceive<BR>> their literacy and numeracy skills to be so low that they are unable to<BR>> progress in the societies in which they live pose problems for adult<BR>> education. Some have suggested that adults may be too embarrassed to admit<BR>> that they have a literacy or numeracy problem and that is why there is a<BR>> large discrepancy between the adults' test scores and their self<BR>> assessments of literacy. If this is so, then research is needed to<BR>> establish that this is so. In general, major efforts are needed to better<BR>> understand the genuine needs of adults for LLN provision, what sorts of<BR>> educational programs would best meet these needs, and the sorts of<BR>> activities that are needed to let<BR>> adults understand the educational opportunities available to them.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Thomas G. Sticht<BR>> International Consultant in Adult Education<BR>> 2062 Valley View Blvd.<BR>> El Cajon, CA 92019-2059<BR>> Tel/fax: (619)444-9595,<BR>> Email tsticht@aznet.net<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> -------------------------------<BR>> National Institute for Literacy<BR>> Assessment mailing list<BR>> Assessment@nifl.gov<BR>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment<BR>> Email delivered to aberryesq@hotmail.co.uk<BR><BR><br /><hr />Get fish-slapping on Messenger! <a href='http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/msnnkmgl0010000008ukm/direct/01/' target='_new'>Play Now</a></body>
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