Dear List and David:
I just participated in a study circle that used
NCSALL's template for looking at research-based adult
literacy (articles reviewing the literature and a
suggested format for studying them).  I have also done
some pretty extensive reading for a graduate degree in
adult literacy that I completed in 2003.   I've been
looking for answers to questions like:
What's the best way for adult nonreaders to learn to
read?
How do adults learn to read? 
Why did they not learn to read in the first place? 

This is what I have found: 
1. There isn't much research out there at all
2. Some of what is put forth as research is just "This
is what I did in my class. The students liked it and
so did I."  
3. A lot of what is out there (NCSALL's studies) looks
at people read at an average of a sixth grade level or
higher.  (They can read already, so what is being
studied!?)
4. And the big one for me.....There is hardly anything
out there about WHY people didn't learn to read.  I
believe there may be a reason that people who didn't
learn to read didn't learn in the first place.  We
talk a little about learning disabilities and lack of
opportunity.  But most people with dyslexia learn to
read and most people who grew up not being read to who
went to lousy schools learn to read too.  Yes  I have
seen the Shaywitz's pictures, and I am sure my brain
waves look odd if you put Cantonese in front of my
face.  (Get my point?)   
I think that many adult literacy teachers and programs
choose to believe that whatever the original problem
was will not get in the way this time around, or we
can somehow handle it--whatever it was.  Maybe. But
what if the reason someone didn't learn to read in the
first place is still there, maybe even exacerbated by
years of shame and feelings of failure in reading?

So we don't know all that much.  But I do not despair!
 In fact, this somehow heartens me.  There's not this
huge body of research I should be looking at.  It's
just not there. We are not remiss for not having all
the answers.  I take pride in being able to say, "We
just don't know a lot about this, but some things seem
to work for some people. I keep learning. We do the
best we can and make a big difference in many people's
lives. " 

>From Bruce Carmel

Turning Point
Brooklyn, NY
 --- David Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:


> Colleagues,

> 

> Many adult literacy and English language learning

> practitioners turn  

> to this electronic list to find knowledge and

> wisdom, and to get  

> answers to specific professional questions.  We also

> have other ways  

> of finding knowledge.  We learn from our experience

> and that of our  

> colleagues. We read certain journals, magazines and

> newspapers, we  

> seek out opinions from reputable  sources, and we

> try to find the  

> best research which addresses our question or

> problem.  So, here's my  

> question:

> 

> How do you find answers to your adult literacy and

> English language  

> learning questions?

> 

> 	a. For example, do you use any of the following?

> 

> 	• NIFL LINCS Special collections, LINCSearch,

> discussion lists, and  

> the included online documents and archives

> 	• Canadian-sponsored National Adult Literacy

> Database (NALD) and its  

> online documents and archives

> 	• National Center for the Study of Adult Learning

> and Literacy  

> (NCSALL) Web site and its hard copy publications

> 	• ERIC Database

> 	• The Adult Literacy Education Wiki

> 	• OTAN

> 	• EdWeek

> 	• PEN

> 	• Other electronic lists

> 

> 	b. What else do you use?  What hard copy journals

> do you find  

> useful? Are there other electronic resources that

> are helpful in  

> answering questions?

> 

> Please e-mail your answers to me. I will compile

> what I get and post  

> a summary back to those who e-mail me so we can all

> benefit from our  

> collective wisdom.  You can send a short email with

> just items to add  

> to the list above or, if you prefer, you can write a

> longer, more  

> reflective answer which contextualizes the question,

> describes how  

> the question hits home for you, expresses

> frustration with how little  

> research and professional wisdom our field has, or

> whatever you would  

> like to say.  If you think your comments pertain to

> the focus of this  

> list, of course, you could post them here.

> 

> Thanks for your help in answering this question,

> which I hope is not  

> mine alone.

> 

> David J. Rosen

> DJRosen at comcast.net

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

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>

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> 




		
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