[AAACE-NLA] "Success" thresholds

[George Demetrion]

Charlene,

 

Thanks for posting that.

If you could provide some details on the environment you and your
colleagues were able to create, that would be wonderful.

Our retention rate is nothing I'd write home about, though the extent to
which situational barriers over program-based ones are operative is not
quite clear.

I've always operated with the assumption that metaphorically speaking,
adult basic is a 50/50 proposition.  That folk lore could be dead wrong.
A discussion on how to enhance persistence within the realm of what
might be defined as the realistic, while keeping open to potentiality
would be welcome.

George Demetrion

 

________________________________

From: aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org
[mailto:aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org] On Behalf Of David
Collings
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 10:38 AM
To: 'National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by AAACE'
Subject: FW: [AAACE-NLA] "Success" thresholds

 

The message below is from Charlene Lutes.

 

David C.

 

________________________________

From: Charlene Lutes [mailto:CLUTES at message.nmc.edu] 
Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] "Success" thresholds

I believe your statistics are reasonable for the population that you
describe.  However, I have a theory that might increase your retention.
So often the reason why there are so many of these who fail to "rise to
the highest expectations" is the fact that they do not see a purpose for
their lives in the long run.  If you could create an environment where
they are also seeking to know more about themselves and their
purpose---talents, strengths and abilities---and how to apply these to
their everyday lives including the basic skill development they are
doing, you might see an increase in interest on their part.  I've
studied this, and I ended up creating a one-room school environment that
has retention rates most years of above 90%.  This last semester it fell
below that for the first time in a long time, but overall we're doing
the best that we can.  

 

 

 

 Charlene A. Lutes, Ph.D.
Transition Coordinator---Bridge
Northwestern Michigan College
1701 E. Front Street
Traverse City, MI   49686
(231) 995-1971   FAX (231) 995-1972
________________________________


>>> "Debbie Yoho" <dwyoho at earthlink.net> 05/12/05 4:30 PM >>>

Colleagues:  I'd like to throw out some numbers for your reaction.  I am
struggling with deciding what might be "reasonable" expectations of
"sucess" for my program.  Does the following info seem unusual or
typical
to you?  Put another way, would you draw any conclusions from these
data,
and if so, what? (these are true data from my program)

A workforce basic skills program served 33 adults over a two-year
period. 
Workers were released twice a week (a total of 3 1/2 hours study time)
from
their work responsibilities to attend literacy instruction away from the
job that combined individual, small group, and computer-assisted
approaches. Instructors were all experienced, paid and professional. The
tested entry skill levels ranged from 0-4.9 grade equivalents. None
finished high school.  Participation was voluntary but strongly
encouraged
by supervisors. 

At the end of two years, 12 of the 33 post-tested above 5.0 and were
"promoted" to another program to continue toward a GED. 10 remain in
this
program for a third year (all in this group originally scored below
3.0). 
2 retired from their jobs and left, 1 quit his job and left. 7 dropped
out
for other reasons (most in this group showed sporadic attendance), and 1
became seriously ill and is on medical leave.

Can anyone make anything of this?  The information I have shared is
typical
of the data I am asked to report often.  Others are drawing various
conclusions from these data.  What do you say?




For the Cause of Literacy for All!  Debbie

Deborah W. Yoho
Co-moderator, NIFL-Health Listserv
Executive Director, Greater Columbia Literacy Council
Past President, SC Adult Literacy Educators
2728 Devine Street,  Columbia, SC  29205
803-765-2555   Fax  803-799-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net



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