[AAACE-NLA] Possible research project

Fri Jan 4 23:22:38 EST 2008

Some of this applies to adults learners too.  Annie Walker

Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> wrote:  Ok--so don't go to Brooks and Goldstein...the upshot of what they find 
that saves children = a single charismatic adult. This keeps the 
child's sense of self going, sense of self-worth, self-esteem, 
possibility. Kids also know very well who are the teachers who care 
about them, who help them, and those that don't, those that may even 
hate them.

Andrea

Andrea
On Jan 3, 2008, at 1:22 PM, Art LaChance wrote:

> My thoughts on the "single most powerful factor etc ......" shows up 
> as maintenance of the childs' self-worth, esteem, image, etc.  Current 
> educational systems backed by the philosophy of  'educated parents = 
> educated children' very often simply kick the child off the train of 
> progressive education as soon as that child starts showing evidence 
> indicating they did not assimilate all of the particles involved in 
> building a comprehensive understanding of the language.  Unfortunately 
> these signs may not show up for a year or two at which point the 
> system has nothing that could be termed 'effective' to correct the 
> situation.  Empathy from uneducated parents may allow for the child to 
> hold open the emotional pathways for effective corrective action from 
> a peer or a sympathetic 'teacher' - be that a parent, friend, 
> grandparent, etc.
> The "problem" is not the student or the family so holding them 
> totally accountable is the easy way out.
>
> Art
>
>   
>
> Debbie Yoho wrote:Many thanks to Susan and others who have helped me 
> a lot on this thread as we decide whether or not to go for some 
> research funding.  Especially I appreciate the references.  However, I 
> would like to point out that the question I am interested in is what 
> did the very low-literacy parents DO that affected their children's 
> achievement, assuming they were not able to model reading or directly 
> instruct their children?  Does anyone know of any studies that 
> specifically looked at the parenting skills and approaches of 
> low-literacy parents? 
>>  
>> One hypothesis might be that the parent(s) talked to their children 
>> about how their own lives were limited by a lack of reading skills, 
>> ("don't do as I did, but as I say") but in conversations I've had 
>> with learner-parents it appears most kept their lack of reading 
>> skills a secret from their children as long as they could.  It is 
>> also possible that the children's achievement may have been impacted 
>> by other factors outside the family to an extent equal to or greater 
>> than the parents' encourgement, although popular wisdom says that the 
>> parents' role is paramount. Yet it could be that wider opportunity 
>> was a stronger factor.
>>  
>> Too often I think society assumes that adults who struggle with 
>> reading are also not likely to be "good" parents.  I suspect this is 
>> one reason why justification for adult ed funding in order to break 
>> the "cycle of illiteracy"  so often falls on deaf ears. Generally, I 
>> notice a lot of enthusiasm, and some funding, for programs that teach 
>> parenting skills while the need for reading instruction for adults is 
>> a harder sell.
>>  
>> Of course, family literacy is the way to go.  My point is that there 
>> are also low literacy parents who are not obviously in need of 
>> parenting skills instruction, (or they may have felt  they weren't in 
>> need and their children's subsequent achievements prove it) although 
>> I suppose all parents could benefit from more information about 
>> child-rearing. 
>>  
>> In short, I think the idea that the "single most powerful factor 
>> influencing a child's performance in school is the educational 
>> attainment of the parent" needs a second look.  I don't disagree with 
>> this fact; I just think using this argument to advocate for adult ed 
>> funding is often ineffective and I'd like to strengthen the case. 
>> However, it is possible that the outcome of qualitative research on 
>> this issue might point in a different direction, and actually weaken 
>> the case.
>>  
>> Advice, anyone?  Thanks, Debbie
>>  
>>  
>> Debbie Yoho
>> Division Director, TURNING PAGES/VOAC
>> (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)
>> Secretary, SC Association for Adult Literacy Education
>> 803-765-2555 fax 803-799-8417
>> PO Box 1447, Columbia, SC 29202
>> yohogclc at earthlink.net
>>  
>> "True progress preserves order amid change and preserves change amid 
>> order." (John Morgan, You Can't Manage Alone)
>>  
>>  
>>
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