ERIC ED354503: A Framework for the Evaluation of Adult Literacy Programmes. Report Number 4. Summary Reports of Paths to Literacy and Illiteracy in Newfoundland and Labrador.

10 Pages·1992·0.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 354 503
CS 011 212
AUTHOR
Brown, Lloyd
TITLE
A Framework for the Evaluation
of Adult Literacy
Programmes. Report Number 4.
Summary Reports of Paths
to Literacy and Illiterzcy
in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
INSTITUTION
Memorial Univ., St. John's
(Newfoundland).
SPONS AGENCY
National Literacy Secretariat,
Ottawa (Ontario).
PUB DATE
92
NOTE
10p.; For reports 1-6,
see CS 011 209-214.
PUB TYPE
Viewpoints (Opinion/Position
Papers, Essays, etc.)
(120)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Adult Basic Education; *Adult
Literacy; *Adult
Reading Programs; Foreign
Countries; Government
School Relationship;
Instructional Effectiveness;
*Program Effectiveness;
Program Evaluation;
Volunteers
IDENTIFIERS
*Labrador; *Newfoundland;
Professionalization of
Teaching
ABSTRACT
Noting that, generally,
low-literate adults in
Labrador and Newfoundland
(Canada) are being
helped only through the
altruistic efforts of
literate volunteers, this
paper argues that
adult literacy must be
professionalized and become
an integral part
of the education
system. The paper begins
with a brief discussion
of
the definitions of literacy,
and then presents implications
about
adult literacy
programs that follow from the
assumption that there
are significant differences
between adult and child
orientations to
learning. The
paper describes several
programs and methods of
instruction, noting that
there is no single approach
to adult
literacy instruction
and no instructional
approach that works for
all
students. The paper then
presents criteria for
program evaluation,
including skills development,
content development, materials
development and selection,
and instructional strategies.
Using these
criteria, the
paper evaluates two commercially
produced print
programs, the "Laubach Way to
Reading" and "Reading
for Today." The
paper concludes with 11
recommendations involving
the training of
adult literacy educators,
the role of volunteers,
program funding,
accreditation of
programs, government policy
on adult literacy,
instructional strategies,
and evaluation of
programs. (RS)
**********************************************************************
*
Reproductions supplied by
EDRS are the best that
*
can be made
*
from the original
document.
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A Framework for the Evaluation
of Adult Literacy Programmes
Lloyd Brown
Report Number 4
Summary Reports of
Paths to Literacy and Illiteracy in
Newfoundland and Labrador
Linda M. Phillips and Stephen P. Norris (editors)
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
THIS
Office of Educationai Research and Improvement
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED
BY
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
Li
Kzta
kart?:
M.
CENTER IERICI
C This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating
C Minor changes have been made to improve
reproduction quality
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Points of view or opinions Stated in this docu-
ment do not neCessenly represent official
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
OERI position or policy
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, Newfoundland
*1992
'ZEST COPY MUM
2
Evaluation of Literacy Programmes
1
capacity to think, a critical understanding of
ASSUMPTIONS AND PURPOSES
texts, participation in the literate culture, and
the use of society's literate resources (Olson,
(a) the
This study is based on two assumptions:
learning needs of adults are different from those of
1987).
children; and (b) attention to adult learning needs is
a crucial factor in the design of effective adult
ADULT LEARNING
literacy programmes.
Fundamental to adult education is the assumption
The purposes of the study were to:
that there are significant differences between adult
and child orientations to learning. Further assump-
synthesize research on the nature of literacy,
tions are that adults and children differ in pace of
adult learning, and adult literacy programmes
learning, background experience, self-concept, and
and instruction;
readiness to learn. A number of implications about
for the ..:valuation of adult
adult literacy programmes follow from these assump-
develop criteria
tions.
literacy programmes;
use the criteria to evaluate some of the most
Orientation to Learning
extensively used adult literacy programmes;
Active interest and participation in learning are
more likely when the adult learner helps to
draw conclusions about and make recommen-
identify learning objectives and selects learning
dations for the provision of adult literacy pro-
tasks.
grammes.
Because adults tend to be problem-centred in
LITERACY DEFINED
their orientation to learning, the appropriate
organizing principle for adult learning is
to
In popular understanding, literacy is comprised of
focus on problem areas, not on subjects.
two sets of skills:
performative and functional.
Performative skills emphasize decoding and encoding
facilitated by relating the
Adult learning
Functional skills allow us to cope with the
is
of text.
content and skills that are being learned to the
demands of using written language. These skills have
background experience of the learner.
been the focus of most studies that attempt to deter-
mine national literacy rates.
Adult learners should be encouraged to verbal-
While skills are important, literacy is more than a
ize and clanfy their problems and goals.
set of skills. We need a view of literacy that empha-
sizes the capacity to reason, think, and judge. At this
Learning activities should be designed and
allows us to
level, literacy is active and creative,
and
executed in light of the learning styles of each
act upon and transform our knowledge and experi-
learner.
It is helpful to view literacy at three levels:
ence.
Pace of Learning
performative literacy -- the skills of encoding
(a)
and decoding that are necessary for further
Adult learners should establish their own pace
literacy development;
for learning.
functional literacy -- the skills to cope with
(b)
those demands of daily living that involve
Background Experience
written language;
The adult learners' past experience should be an
integral part of their learning programme.
literacy that emphasizes the
critical literacy
(c)
I)
Paths to Literacy and Illiteracy
2
Much research confirms that, to be successful,
techniques that
Emphasis should be placed on
adult literacy programmes must stress the centrality
of adult learners,
tap the background experience
of the learner. The learner-centred approach encour-
projects, sem-
such as group discussions, field
presentations, and
ages group discussion,
class
inars, and community development.
sharing written work. By allowing invented spelling,
for example, in order to dispel the notion that one
adult learners
Reference to the experience of
should not write before learning how to spell, adults
concepts
should be made when illustrating new
their writing. Kaze-
are encouraged to take risks with
and generalizations.
learning
mek (1988) argues that the collaborative
individual strengths to
aspect of this approach allows
Self-Concept
group
and
cooperation
fosters
It
emerge.
work individ-
empowerment, and frees teachers to
learning
Adult learners first should engage in
ually with those students who need more attention.
activities on a scale that ensures success.
The widely used language experience approach has
become a torchbearer for the learner-centred move-
The learning environment should be one
in
instruction to the
ment. It is successful because it ties
which adult learners feel accepted and in which
of
experiences of the learner, focuses on matters
their ideas are respected.
learners'
immediate concern to the learner, and uses
& Wheat, 1989).
own language patterns (Davidson
Adult learners should be encouraged and helped
Despite its popularity, the langurge experience
to diagnose their learning needs.
teachers
approach has some limitations. It requires
and
who are able to diagnose language skill deficits,
Adult learners should participate in planning
effective with more advanced readers
less
is
it
their own learning, including translating needs
those
(Singh, Singh, & Blampied, 1985). Moreover,
into objectives, planning experiences to achieve
who believe that literacy involves critical awareness
these objectives, and evaluating the extent to
literacy to personal
argue that the approach reduces
which these objectives have been met.
the
improving
for
One suggestion
expression.
approach is to include organizational literacy, literacy
Readiness to Learn
also
concerned not only with personal experience but
with the workplace (Darville, 1989).
Instruction should be designed and sequenced so
and
Some adults are ashamed of their illiteracy
adult learners' social
as to be in step with the
One promising way to
may object to group work.
roles.
to use computer assisted
resolve this problem is
of
instruction. The greatest limitation is the scarcity
PROGRAMMES AND INSTRUCTION
good software.
adult
In summary, there is no single approach to
programmes
literacy
adult
Most commercial
skills
instruction. The dominant literacy
literacy
and
emphasize phonics through the use of structured
approaches are criticized for promoting too narrow a
considerable evidence to
sequenced tasks. There is
view of literacy. However, the more comprehensive
structured methods
suggest that programmes that use
critical literacy view is not represented well a aong
used by inexperienced
are effective, particularly when
should
existing programmes. The approach taken
with
instructors and with students who have difficulty
For
reflect the needs, goals, and abilities of learners.
novel tasks (Chall, Heron, & Hilferty, 1987).
and
example, those with limited social experience
that
Successful programmes, particularly those
self-confidence may be more successful with highly
those that
offer early-stage literacy instruction, are
structured, one-on-one learning experiences; those
Heron, & Hilferty,
stress practice (Kitz, 1988; Chall,
with
who are more confident may be more successful
the
1987). Successful programmes also emphasize
collaborative work such as engaging in discussions
needed in our
ways in which reading and writing are
and class presentations.
Malicky
everyday lives (Fagan, 1989). Norman and
However, there is no instructional approach that
(1982) have developed such a programme.
Evaluation of
Literacy Programmes
3
works for all students. Conti (1989), for example,
Because language development is a holistic process,
adult literacy programmes should:
found that the teacher-centred approach was more
effective with students who wished to pass the Gen-
eral Educational Development Test. However, for
encourage the integration of reading and writ-
students who wanted to improve their literacy for
ing;
personal satisfaction, the learner-centred approach
provide for language learning that is a natural,
was more successful.
genuine communicative process.
CRITERIA FOR PROGRAMME EVALUATION
Criteria for Content Development
Guiding Principles
Because adult learners are motivated to learn things
that meet their needs, satisfy their interests, and solve
Adult literacy programmes should:
their immediate problems, adult literacy programmes
reflect up-to-date knowledge of language teach-
should:
ing and learning;
provide content that meaningful to adult
is
relates to their personal
recognize that literacy is more than skills, that
learners, because
it
it is a thinking, creative, transforming process;
needs and circumstances;
make use of the experiences, problems, knowl-
reflect the principles of adult learning;
edge, and language of adult learners.
provide for instruction at
three literacy
all
Because students need to expand their vocabulary,
levels, the performative, functional, and critical.
ideas, and skills, adult literacy programmes should:
Criteria for Skills Development
introduce a variety of genres, in addition to the
adults' own narratives and self-expressions.
In order to offset learning merely about literacy
skills and not how to use the skills, adult literacy
Criteria for Materials Development and Selec-
programmes should:
tion
develop skills in context;
Because adult learners have a variety of needs,
adult literacy programmes should provide a variety of
provide for practice of skills;
materials to meet these needs, such as:
use many real-life occasions for practicing
everyday materials -- labels, forms,
literacy skills.
bank slips,
signs;
Because encoding and decoding skills by them-
selves do not lead to higher levels of literacy, adult
student materials -- own stories, poems, reports;
literacy programmes should:
commercially
prepared
including
materials,
engage students
computer-based ones;
synthesizing,
analyzing,
in
predicting, and evaluating texts;
tutor-prepared materials.
develop critical understanding of texts;
Because materials should be meaningful to the
portray reading and writing as a means of
learner and should grow out of personal experiences
and needs, adult literacy programmes should:
learning and not just as skills to be mastered.
Paths to Literacy and Illiteracy
4
experi-
encourage learners to reflect on their
be written in natural language, rather than the
their new
ences and to integrate them with
language found
in
often controlled
stilted,
learning;
children's primers;
usetlearners' experiences to illustrate new con-
provide materials that portray situations reflect-
cePt'S and generalizations.
ing the reality of the learners' lives.
ANALYSIS OF PROGRAMMES
Criteria for Instruction
Using the above criteria, the following main con-
treated as inde-
Because adults usually want to be
clusions are drawn from an analysis of two commer-
them:
pendent learners, tutors should encourage
cially produced print programmes, the Laubach Way
& Laubach,
to Reading (Laubach, F.C., Kirk, E.M.,
-wn goals and to plan
to help determine the
I.,
R.S., 1984) and Reading for Today (Beers,
their own learning:
Beech, L.W., McCarthy, T., Dauzat, J., & Dauzat,
S.V., 1987).
for learning;
to help diagnose their own needs
The programmes overemphasize decoding skills,
to help determine their learning progress.
this
and give too little attention to meaning; in
of,
respect they do not reflect modem theories
Because adult learners often lack self-confidence,
writing.
or research on, reading and
tutors should:
The activities provided resemble the workbook
which
in
provide a
environment
learning
activities that have proven unsuccessful with
learners feel accepted, and in which their ideas
likely the same
many younger students, most
are taken seriously;
individuals who are now taking the adult literacy
programmes.
in literacy activ-
engage adult learners, initially,
ities that assure success.
The programmes make too little use of the stu-
dents' background knowledge and experiences.
Because different adults have different learning
learn-
styles, tutors should try to acknowledge each
The choice of themes reflects an attempt to
er's style by:
given
make the programmes relevant. However,
abilities,
the diversity of individual interests,
allowing for structured or collaborative work,
is not possible to pre-package
and goals,
it
depending on the needs of the learners;
needs
materials that will appeal to and meet the
of all students.
is
providing for (where collaborative work
appropriate) group discussions, class presenta-
be the
The goal of these programmes seems to
tions, sharing of written work, etc.;
development of functional literacy. However,
^cca-
the ma.
too little attention is given to
providing, where desired, for confidentiality and
students'
sions for reading and writing in the
privacy through one-to-one teaching or the use
everyday lives to make the learning functional.
of technology.
controlled
The reading selections, with their
back-
Because adults bring to their learning a rich
vocabulary, are sometimes uninteresting and
ground of experiences, tutors should:
contrived.
discussions, field
use techniques, such as group
projects, and seminars, that tap these experiences;
5
Evaluation of Literacy Programmes
examine a variety of adult literacy programmes;
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
develop ways of evaluating student progress;
Generally, low-literate adults are being helped only
through the altruistic efforts of literate volunteers.
The assumption seems to be that adult illiteracy
develop criteria for the evaluation of adult liter-
acy programmes;
should be handled as a "literacy" welfare system.
Newfoundland's and Labrador's approach of short-
in developing literacy pro-
provide practice
literacy
adult
funding for
volunteer-based
term
grammes to meet students' individual needs;
programmes supports this conclusion.
The point is not to diminish the contributions of the
examine different approaches to adult literacy
volunteer. But there are serious limitations to the
instruction;
volunteer-based tutor system: it gives the impression
that providing adult literacy is charity work; and,
become familiar with the economic, vocational,
often are
for
prepared
insufficiently
volunteers
and social services available to adult students
teaching adult illiterates.
who need them.
We expect school teachers to be highly trained, to
be familiar with recent theories and research
in
further recommended that conferences and
language, to have completed student teaching experi-
is
It
seminars be held regularly to:
ences, and to be familiar with child development.
When they are teaching we provide them with sup-
provide up-to-date knowledge on adult literacy;
port services such as language arts consultants,
workshops, seminars, conferences, university insti-
allow tutors to share successful teaching strat-
tutes, and publications.
egies, problems, and concerns;
Adult literacy tutors have little support. There are
no adult literacy specialists to help them, no institutes
acquaint tutors with the range of programmes in
at the university, and few conferences or seminars.
use, and provide information on their nature,
Yet, they are expected to develop their own pro-
goals, strengths, and weaknesses;
grammes to meet the special needs of individual
students. They often teach in isolation, unaware of
provide information about on-going pilot pro-
the practices of others and of the different types of
jects.
programmes in use.
If there are to be advances in adult literacy, it must
Recommendation 2
be made an integral part of the education system, a
part of the mainstream, and provided with resources
Since volunteers should continue to play an impor-
for its growth and development. In other words, it
it is
tant part in the provision of adult literacy,
must be profession.,lized.
recommended that:
Recommendation 1.
the role of volunteers be similar to that of
teacher aides in the school system, and that they
It is therefore recommended that:
work only under the guidance of professional
adult literacy instructors;
the university be asked to provide a programme
to train educators in adult literacy, and that such
regional consultants be provided to work with
a programme should help students to:
pro-
of
government-funded
instructors
all
grammes.
understand the needs of adult learners and the
nature of adult learning;
explore the nature of adult literacy;
BEST COPY AVAILARE
Paths to Literacy and Illiteracy
long-term funding for defined adult literacy goals. It
Recommendation 3.
is therefore recommended that:
Because improvement in the quality of programmes
the Provincial Government strike a committee to
requires adult educators to analyze carefully and to
examine the adult literacy needs in the province;
describe specifically the nature of success and failure
of programmes, it is recommended that:
the Provincial Government establish long-term
funding to meet these needs.
instruc-
programme funding be contingent on an
tor-implemented programme evaluation plan and
Recommendation 6.
that the results of these evaluations fo an the
basis for programme updating;
Because there is variety in student needs, interests,
and problems, it is recommended that:
pilot studies of any new commercial pro-
officially
grammes be conducted before they are
support be provided for a variety of approaches
accepted;
to the delivery of adult literacy programmes by
building on the existing infrastructure of com-
funding be provided for literacy specialists to
munity colleges, community-based groups, and
conduct research on the evaluation of adult
school boards;
literacy programmes.
the community college literacy programme be
Recommendation 4.
strengthened.
Because of public pressures to "do something"
Recommendation 7.
about illiteracy, there is the temptation for govern-
ments to adopt quick fix solutions, to fund untested
Since schools should be learning centres for every-
programmes, and to pay little attention to standards.
the Ontario
one, not only youth, and in line with
It is therefore recommended that:
Ministry of Education policy to designate school
boards as the prime delivery agents of Adult Basic
accreditation of adult literacy centres be a pre-
Education, it is recommended that:
requisite to government funding, and that ac-
creditation be based on the following criteria:
government hold discussions with school boards
with a view to establishing them as delivery
programmes should meet government standards;
agents of Adult Basic Education, including
literacy programmes.
programmes should have an adequate supply of
materials;
Recommendation 8.
instructors should have the qualifications spec-
the emphasis on pluralism
delivery
in
Since
ified by the Department of Education;
approaches and programmes has led to some frag-
of
of accountability, and
lack
lack
mentation,
staff should participate regularly in professional
coordination, it is recommended that:
development programmes.
the Provincial Government appoint an adult
Recommendation 5.
literacy specialist who would assume the follow-
ing responsibilities:
in developing adult
In order to be successful
the Government of Newfoundland and
literacy,
co-ordinate adult literacy services;
Labrador must develop an adult literacy policy as an
integral part of its total education policy, and provide
Evaluation of Literacy Programmes
7
adult literacy programmes focus on the develop-
establish liaison with the university for purposes
ment of students' ability to read and communi-
of research and development;
cate in a variety of forms for a variety of pur-
poses, and that higher-order thinking skills be
conduct pilot projects with new programmes;
emphasized in order to develop critical literacy.
monitor and evaluate existing programmes;
Recommendation 11.
promote approved programmes;
In light of the fact that some programmes do not
reflect recent psycholinguistic, process, interaction,
establish training standards for instructors;
and mental model theories of literacy, it is recom-
mended that:
encourage the development of new programmes
where needed;
there be continuous evaluation of adult literacy
programmes in the light of new theories and
provide a clearing house of learning materials,
research.
and information on literacy programmes.
Recommendation 9.
REFERENCES
Because the research on adult literacy suggests that
the most successful programmes are those that reflect
Beers, J., Beech, L.W., McCarthy, T., Dauzat, J.,
the characteristics of the adult learner, it is recom-
& Dauzat, S.V. (1987). Reading for today.
mended that:
Austin, TX: Steck-Vaughn Co.
there be a commitment to learner-centred pro-
grammes that are tailored to meet learners'
Calamai, P. (1987). Broken words: Why five million
Canadians are illiterate. Toronto: Southam.
needs and that help solve real-life problems;
Chall, J.S., Heron, E. & Hilferty, A. (1987). Adult
instruction reflect the principles of adult learn-
literacy: New and enduring problems. Phi Delta
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Kappan, 68(3) 190-196.
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Conti, G.J. (1989). Teaching styles the adult basic
variety of needs and interests of students;
In M.O. Taylor, & J.A. Draper
educator.
(Eds.), Adult Literacy Perspectives (pp.311-
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materials: commercially produced and tutor-
318). Toronto: Cultural Concepts.
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Darville, R. (1989). The language of experience and
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Recommendation 10.
Davidson, J.L., & Wheat, T.F (1989). Successful
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write a variety of discourse forms. They should also
Fagan, W.T. (1989). Reading competencies: the
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performance of low-literate adults. Reading
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E.M., & Laubach,
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Olson, D.R. (191'7). An introduction to understanding
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