[NLA] Article from The Nation

[Gail Spangenberg]

Hey, hey!  Absolutely -- here's to light!  And here's informed 
discussion, to knowing the facts, and to taking stands on important, 
indeed vital, issues. My comments about SOME assertions in The 
Nation, which I knew to be distorted and untrue, were in favor of 
light, but not "heat."  They were in the interest of accuracy and 
fairness, even though I agree with some of the article's main points.

Re the use and misuse of tests, I didn't say or imply anything about 
"shoddy work", which isn't the case at all, on the contrary.  At the 
same time, the application of standardized tests in adult literacy 
settings, whether TABE or any other such tool, is sometimes 
inappropriate and troublesome, for a whole host of reasons which 
sometimes includes the manner or purposes for which tests are 
administered. It is difficult, at best, to have to use standardized 
tests (sometimes because they are the best or only tool available, 
sometimes because government programs require their use) to measure 
outcomes that have little connection to what programs do, or what 
programs ought to do considering learner need and goals.

Where phonics is concerned, I would only note that the extensive 
research of the renowned Jeanne Chall showed its usefulness for kids, 
in certain settings, under certain circumstances -- often in 
combination with other approaches.  The extent to which her research 
results can be extrapolated to adults is often debated and open to 
question. Should we speak out against the wholesale adoption of 
phonics by government, especially where adult literacy programs are 
concerned.  Absolutely!  And to the extent that The Nation article 
helps define this challenge, great.

Finally, perhaps this is a good time to point to one other possible 
change in government thinking that needs watching. The new federal 
emphasis on "reading", if carried over excessively into the adult 
literacy arena, could set back the adult literacy movement by 
decades. One of the field's great achievements is that adult 
"literacy" in the U.S., as in the U.K. and Canada, has been taken to 
mean the fuller range of adult basic skills, including reading, 
writing, oral communication, basic math, and ESL -- ranging in 
proficiency level from the most fundamental on up to the GED.  This 
deeper and wider understanding underlies the definition of adult 
literacy contained in the National Literacy Act.

I agree wholeheartedly with Jose.  Let's keep the light on, as he 
says, watch where we're going and what's going on.  By all means, the 
door should be kept open to fresh air and new thinking. Balanced and 
cordial discourse are important, too, I think, and the courage and 
passion to act when we need to. Most of the time, judging from what I 
see on the listservs, we do a pretty good job at these things.



Gail Spangenberg
President
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
1221 Avenue of the Americas - 50th Fl
New York, NY 10020
212-512-2362, fax 212-512-2610





>Dear Friends:
>
>I am not quite sure how much difference it makes for other 
>publications, which have been cited here, whose reporters have even 
>commented here, and who have been the subject of conversations here, 
>to be a source of information to the NLA, than for us to have 
>received additional perspectives from a publication, such as "The 
>Nation".
>
>I found "The Nation" article to be intriguing.  As I read it, I 
>imagined that there might be a backlash of sorts from those of 
>differing perspectives or politics.  The nature of our sharing of 
>information here borders on the edges of politics, if not straight 
>out dwells in the midst of it.  Our motivation for being here 
>revolves around our involvement in influencing policy to positively 
>affect our field.  Surely, if we like, we can tag "The Nation" 
>article as being liberal in nature and of being critical of the 
>President and the administration.  It is consistent for us to read 
>matters here and to  maintain tolerance for diverse perspectives. 
> It comes with the package...once we open NLA email.
>
>In our times here, some have cried "foul" for being asked to shorten 
>their messages...and have, at times labeled this request as an 
>attempt at censorship.  No one wants the reality or perception of 
>that.  And, anyway, after all was said and done, we have business as 
>usual here, and much fair exchange of information for which others 
>will naturally find disagreement.  And people still submit their 
>long messages!  In short, (if it is not too late!) it is healthy to 
>be exposed to opinions for which we might not agree or for which we 
>might feel discomfort. For me, "The Nation" article was a breath of 
>fresh air.  It was long and I read it.  That's something I have not 
>done here in a while.  I did not find the article to be "a 
>distraction".  And I am certainly comfortable if people in the field 
>want to defend the administration.  They have all the right, and, 
>even, the responsibility to do so.  I will, however, be bothered by 
>ongoing surrender of our concerns for those we serve because of 
>political preferences, political investments, and over-dosage of 
>political correctness.
>
>(Also, not to distract from the focus of this 
>correspondence...but...I did not know that we were flawed as 
>test-givers...and that the issues we have with the TABE...and other 
>assessment tools, are really a result of our shoddy work! )
>
>NLA presents an open forum for those who support the field and the 
>people it serves.  It has been interesting "listening" to the 
>conversations about the NIFL board appointees.  We have, in general, 
>been very polite, rational, correct, strategic, professional, and 
>concerned.  However, we do have to understand what or who it is we 
>are dealing with in our efforts to support the field.  We have 
>obstacles with which we need to contend.  "The Nation" article sheds 
>some light on what those obstacles "might" be.  Let's keep the light 
>on so we can keep seeing where we are going and what we are doing. 
> Also...let's keep the doors open.  Fresh air and new surroundings 
>are good.
>
>Jose Cruz
>President, National Alliance of Urban Literacy Coalitions
>Network Director, California Literacy


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