[AAACE-NLA] "Success" thresholds

[George demetrion]

Debbie, Charlene, others,

Our data shows a pervasive plateau effect for students who have broken into the sight-sound relationship a bit, and who, with assistance, can work through a page or two of basic consecutive text (but virtually never independently), and then, even with years and hundreds of hours of instruction, seldom move beyond, say, a third grade reading level. Granted, the "plateau effect" is a term imposed upon the learning experiences of learners, and is too gross of a characterization to get at the considerable development that does take place among students even if they remain within that broad range (2-3 grade level reading ability).  Moreover, what may seem stagnant or inconsequential to the literate observer, particularly from, say, a policy or an administrative perspective, where measurable results and ongoing progress based on clear demarcations of acceptably-defined empirical evidence are required, is, at best, partial information.  From the perspective of the student or, for that matter, the instructor who may be much more attuned to the many "microcosmic developments that take place over time, what may seem inconsequential from a distinterested outsider perspective, may be quite significant to the student.

A case in point is a student with whom we have worked for a long time who falls within this plateauing range.  When I worked with her yesterday from Level One of the Challenger series, she was able to read the short exercise sentences and identify which word from the list of four to place in the blank.  Then in our work on homonyms and antonyms, while she still lacked a substantial ability to segment and blend the individual phonemes in a word or syllable, she was effectively making inferences through word pattern associations.  And, although she made some mistakes in the matching exercises, she often made an appropriate choice and often identified the right word.  Finally, she was able to make the right responses with much more minimal scaffolding than previously required.

This was all progress based on her previous capacities and this is after hundreds of hours and multiple years of instruction. Up-close empirical evidence can demonstrate such progress, but the modes of analysis and the findings need to be viewed as both legitimate and valuable if this person's accomplishments are going to be viewed as investment sound from administrative and policy perspectives.  As we move toward tighter accountabilities through outward, visible, easily documentable measures we are in danger of establishing an environment where students like this person are no longer given the opportunity they need to develop their own literacy competencies at their own pace.

The issue isn't whether learning is taking place; axiomatically it is.  The issue is values, all the way down as to the types of learning and modes of evaluation, which, at bottom, our public and political culture will accept.

George Demetrion

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Debbie Yoho<mailto:dwyoho at earthlink.net> 
  To: aaace-nla<mailto:aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 1:26 PM
  Subject: RE: [AAACE-NLA] "Success" thresholds


  Charlene, many thanks for your input.  If you are wiling to take a second look at the data I posted, I'd really like your "take" on whether the assessed gains are "normal" or not.  Here's the original data:

  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.

  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<mailto:dwyoho at earthlink.net>

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