[NLA] Re: Why so much interest in adult reading?

[Eileen Eckert]

Andrea asked, Does anyone have contemporary studies, outside those by 
NCSALL, wich look at teaching methods other than those of phonemic 
awareness, etc?

An overview of research into teaching that builds metacognitive awareness 
can be found in Gourgey, A. (1998). Metacognition in Basic Skills 
Instruction. Instructional Science, 26, 81-96.

For those who have access to online versions of journals, the full-text 
version is available from Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Maybe even more important than the question of what research has been done 
is the question of what to do with it.

I've been incorporating metacognitive awareness strategies and have seen 
improvements in comprehension, fluency, and confidence among the students I 
tutor. Learners have also reported that they spend more time at home reading 
and writing, and from their work and their comments I'd conclude that the 
time they spend has better results when they are using 
comprehension-monitoring and other metacognitive strategies. (I think 
they'll have to take a standardized test to measure progress. I don't know 
how well it will gauge their achievements, but the achievements are 
nonetheless real!)

While I have had success incorporating the metacognitive approach, I also 
know several teachers who are building on other approaches or concepts to 
good effect. One is using both metacognition and Universal Design for 
Instruction. My best description of UDI is that it's about creating learning 
environments that address the needs of LD and physically disabled students 
(if I've misrepresented it, someone correct me please). Another is using the 
idea of "mindful practice." These don't replace other approaches; they build 
on and complement what they are already doing.

The conclusion I draw from this is that there are a number of paths to 
improved instructional practice. Teachers want to be effective, and we are 
capable of choosing how to pursue improvements. We don't need  direction 
about "the best" thing to do, although it is helpful to have information 
about what's out there. We do need opportunities, resources, and support for 
learning in ways that suit our needs. We also need assessment of the 
effectiveness of professional development that centers on the effects of 
teacher learning on student learning and achievement. Meeting those needs 
would mean concentrating PD funds in programs that directly serve learners, 
and locating PD more in the program and the teacher-student relationship, 
and less in training.

Eileen






From: AWilder106 at aol.com
Reply-To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
Subject: Re: [NLA] Re: Why so much interest in adult reading?
Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2003 10:52:37 -0500

Alisa,or other colleagues on this thread,


I know this puts this into the validity and reliability question. Aren't 
there researchers who have devised studies which satisfactorily address 
these issues? And which looked at methods besides phonemic awareness, etc.?  
I am using "phonemic awareness" as a code for skills-based literacy 
instruction.

Thanks.

Andrea


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