The following message is posted on behalf of Laura Westberg.

 

Dr. Rosen,

 

It is important to note that findings from the NCFL study indicate a
grade-level gain for every 10-13 hours of reading instruction.  I can
see that the first statement in the press release may be misleading
because it refers to "instruction" which may be construed as general
instruction or encompassing all types of instruction in adult education
classrooms.  However, in this study teachers were trained to deliver
explicit "reading instruction" to students based upon proven scientific
research and to report their hours of "reading" instruction. If you read
further in the press release it is clear that the findings are based on
reading instruction and are a direct result of the reading approach
taken in the adult classrooms. This approach combines the use of
diagnostic reading assessment in making decisions about the focus of the
instruction for individual students.  In essence, we provided a much
more targeted reading instructional program than most students in adult
education classrooms receive.  I believe for many of these reasons, you
will see the contrast in number of hours needed to make grade level
gains from the NCFL study with other studies.  From what I know of these
previous studies, outcomes are based on general (or all types of)
instruction within the classroom or, in many cases, it is even hard to
determine, from what is published, the type of instruction that was
being delivered in the classrooms.

 

Information not shared in the press release that also can be helpful in
interpreting the findings from the NCFL study is that the population of
adult students receiving the reading instruction were typical
middle-level readers, not very low-level readers, many of whom might
have reading disabilities. The population in the NCFL study may or may
not be similar to the populations from the other studies you refer to
but could certainly moderate the results. 

 

I hope this information sheds the light you were seeking and I welcome
any other questions you might have in regard to the study.

 

Laura Westberg

Director, Research/Special Projects

National Center for Family Literacy

325 West Main Street, Suite 300

Louisville, KY 40202-4237

Phone: 502-584-1133 x172

Fax: 502-584-0172

Email: lwestberg at famlit.org

Web: http://www.famlit.org

 

 

 

________________________________

From: familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 3:05 PM
To: The Family Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 1114] Family literacy findings released today
showone grade level gain for every 10-13 hours of instruction

 

Family literacy colleagues,

 

A National Center for Family Literacy study whose findings were released
today found that adult literacy results can improve as much as one grade
level gain for every 10 hours to 13 hours of instruction.

 

http://www.famlit.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=gtJWJdMQIsE&b=1335
479&content_id={C0DCA063-8EA1-45DB-91C3-5133F47DA0DB}&notoc=1
<http://www.famlit.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=gtJWJdMQIsE&b=133
5479&content_id=%7bC0DCA063-8EA1-45DB-91C3-5133F47DA0DB%7d&notoc=1> 

 

or a short version of the web address:

 

http://tinyurl.com/3ww494

 

I wonder if anyone can shed some light on these NCFL findings. Other
studies I have seen suggest that anywhere from 50-150 hours are needed
for each grade level gain. These findings are extraordinary.

 

David J. Rosen

djrosen at comcast.net

 





 

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