[NLA] Evidence-based practice in Adult Literacy Edu cation

[Amy Trawick]

Andrea writes to Margo:
>
> Thanks for writing.  I want to ask you about the sentence "Research shows
> that the use of authentic literacy materials and activities actually
changes
> students literacy behavior outside the classroom, but they still need the
> basic skills necessary to engage in many literacy requirements."  Were you
> thinking of any specific study, here?

Andrea,
Purcell-Gates et al. has an article entitled "Impact of Authentic Adult
Literacy Instruction on Adult Literacy Practices" in the latest issue of the
Reading Research Quarterly (Vol. 37, No.1).  An article in Focus on Basics
last winter and a NCSALL report also refer to the same (or a similar?)
study.  I'd like to know of other studies as well, and I appreciate your
asking the question!

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned Purcell-Gates' book *Now We Read, We
See, We Speak:  Portrait of Literacy Development in an Adult Freirean-Based
Class*, co-authored with adult educator Robin A. Waterman (2000 by Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc., ISBN 0-8058-3470-2).  I'll quote from the back of
the book: "The central question the authors set out to address is:  Using
what is known about how people learn to read and write--cognitively,
linguistically, socially, and developmentally--what relationships can be
seen between these developmental processes involved in becoming literate and
the essential aspects of Freirean-inspired curriculum?"   I found it an
insightful book on several levels, but especially in helping me think about
how to foster balanced literacy instruction using themes and issues that
matter to adult learners.

I was first introduced to Purcell-Gates' work when I read the study she
conducted for NCSALL around the dialogic/monologic and
contextualized/decontextualized dimensions of adult literacy classrooms
(from which the article mentioned above comes) several years ago, and I have
sought out her work since.  I think her work can help us think through what
effective literacy instruction means for our field.  Glad to see folks
looking her way.

Amy Trawick
High Point, NC
artrawick at triad.rr.com


----- Original Message -----
From: <AWilder106 at aol.com>
To: <nla at lists.literacytent.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 9:34 PM
Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: [NLA] Evidence-based practice in Adult Literacy Edu
cation]


> Dear Margo,
>
> Thanks for writing.  I want to ask you about the sentence "Research shows
> that the use of authentic literacy materials and activities actually
changes
> students literacy behavior outside the classroom, but they still need the
> basic skills necessary to engage in many literacy requirements."  Were you
> thinking of any specific study, here?
>
> Andrea
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