The Effects of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Instruction on Reading Performance of Adult ESL Learners with Limited English and Literacy Skills

By Jiuhuan Huang and Claudia Newbern

ABSTRACT
This article reports on a study that examines the effects of metacognitive reading strategy instruction on reading performance of adult ESL learners with limited English and literacy skills. The strategy instruction was implemented over a period of four months with a group of 18 learners who were enrolled in a high beginning literacy course in an adult learning program. Their reading gains over the instructional period were compared with those of a comparison group. Interview data were also collected and analyzed to explore learners' awareness and perceptions of the strategies. The finding indicate that metacognitive reading strategy instruction can be effective for adult ESL learners with limited English and literacy skills.

Reader Profiles for Adults with Low Literacy Skills: A Quest to Find Resilient Readers

By Katherine S. Binder and Cheryl S. Lee

ABSTRACT
Resilient readers are those who, despite their poor phonological decoding skills, have good comprehension abilities (Jackson & Doellinger, 2002). Thus far, these readers have been identified in college settings. The purpose of this study was to a) determine if this reader profile was present in a sample taken from an Adult Basic Education (ABE) population, and b) identify compensatory mechanisms these readers might use to better their reading comprehension. We administered a battery of tasks consisting of non-word reading, comprehension, fluency, and orthographic processing to a diverse sample of ABE classes. Not only did we identify a group of resilient readers in this sample, we identified three other sub-groups: unskilled readers who had poor decoding and comprehension abilities, skilled readers who possessed good decoding and comprehension abilities, and a group of individuals who had good decoding skills but poor comprehension abilities.

Literacy and Workplace Change: Evaluation Findings from Eighteen Workplace Literacy Programs

By John Benseman

ABSTRACT
Many Western governments are looking to workplace literacy, language, and numeracy programs to address general skill improvement with a longterm aim of improving labor productivity. Rigorous research on these programs' effectiveness for both of these agendas, however, remains sparse and limited in scope. This article reports the findings of an evaluation of 18 workplace literacy, language, and numeracy programs in New Zealand. This article reports the findings from these evaluations and identifies key elements of those programs that were most successful.

Continuing the Legacy: Democracy & Education Practice

By Sara Jorgensen and Joni Schwarz

The American adult education and literacy movement in the early twentieth century had its roots deep in the study and practice of democracy (Ramdeholl, Giordani, Heaney, Yanow, 2010). From Lindeman, Dewey, Laubach, Horton, to Heaney and Brookeld, a persistent theme is the indispensible relationship between democracy and adult education. For Heaney and Brookeld, this theme is oft en a lament on how democratic praxis has been marginalized among adult educators and programs in recent years (Heaney, 1992; Brookeld, 2005b).

Techniques to Bring Humor and Create a Pleasant Learning Environment in Adult ESL

By Phu Vu and Lan Vu

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2004), more than 40% of approximately three million learners in the federally-funded adult education programs are in the area of English as a second language (ESL). These learners, the majority of whom are immigrants and refugees, represent a huge diversity of cultural backgrounds and nationalities yet face common learning challenges that traditional young learners may not (Bernat, 2004). In her study, Bernat observed that when adults come to their class, they bring with them tension, anxiety, personal problems such as responsibilities for an extended family, lack of job and personal support system provided by their relatives and friends. An ESL adult teacher expressed that because many of her students work from 4:00 p.m. until midnight or later, they arrive at school tired (Starr, 2001). Thus, what can be done to help ESL adult learners overcome these challenges and get involved in their classrooms? Our teaching practice indicated that one answer to this question

“You just get a deeper understanding of things by talking:” Study Circles for Teachers of ESL Emergent Readers

By Patsy Vinogradov

ABSTRACT

When adult ESL (English as a Second Language) learners enter our classrooms with little or no first language literacy, their instructors teach them to read for the first time in an unfamiliar language. It is a tremendous task, and the context for teaching “adult emergent readers” is complex. This complexity is coupled with a growing, but still limited, research base to draw from and few professional development opportunities to guide instruction. Workshops rarely move beyond simply learning new activities and locating resources. As for all teachers, professional growth happens best in sustained, collective, focused professional learning that allows for deep reflection on practice, ties to research, and extensive interaction with colleagues. Study circles are a possible solution to this pressing professional development need. The current study outlines a study circle specifically designed for teachers of adult ESL emergent readers and explores how it was experienced by participants in a pilot study. The element of interaction is central to this inquiry, and the author outlines the nature and value of the interaction the teachers experienced.

Literacy Engagement and Parental Development Through Even Start Family Literacy Participation

by Petra A. Robinson

ABSTRACT

This study examined how parental participation in Even Start programs contributes to family literacy engagement and parental development. More specifically, its primary aim was to develop an understanding of how parental participation in the program influences their reading behaviors and other literacy practices as well as to highlight observed changes and transformations in their parenting practices. While research exists on the influence of participation in Even Start Programs for participating children, this paper begins to fill the gap which exists on the program’s influence on parental literacy engagement and parental development.

Academic Rigor and Economic Value: GED® and High School Students’ Perceptions and Misperceptions of the GED® vs. the High School Diploma

by Lela M. Horne, John R. Rachal, and Kyna Shelley

ABSTRACT
A mixed methods framework utilized quantitative and qualitative data to determine whether statistically significant differences existed between high school and GED® student perceptions of credential value. An exploratory factor analysis (n=326) extracted four factors and then a MANOVA procedure was performed with a stratified quota sample (n=158). There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) by student status for the academic and economic dimensions of value for the diploma. There was also a statistically significant difference by ethnicity for the social value of the GED®. Structured interviews (n=24) supported quantitative results regarding the diploma. Overall, participants ascribed higher value toward the credential they themselves pursued.