ERIC ED478961: Improving Adult Literacy Outcomes: Lessons from Cognitive Research for Developing Countries. Directions in Development.

120 Pages·2003·1.7 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 478 961
CE 085 248
Abadzi, Helen
AUTHOR
Improving Adult Literacy Outcomes: Lessons from Cognitive
TITLE
Research for Developing Countries. Directions in Development.
World Bank, Washington, DC.
INSTITUTION
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Berne.
SPONS AGENCY
ISBN-0-8213-5493-0
ISBN
2003-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
119p.
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PUB TYPE
Reports
Books (010) Research (143)
EDRS Price MF01/PC05 Plus Postage.
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Adult Basic Education; *Adult Literacy; *Adult Reading
DESCRIPTORS
Programs; Cost Effectiveness; *Curriculum Development;
Decoding (Reading); Educational Resources; Foreign Countries;
Government Role; *Instructional Improvement; Instructional
Materials; *Literacy Education; Outcomes of Education;
Questionnaires; Reading Comprehension; Reading Motivation;
Reading Strategies; Reading Tests; *Research Utilization;
Teacher Knowledge
Bangladesh; Brazil; China; *Cognitive Sciences; Egypt; India;
IDENTIFIERS
Indonesia; Mexico; Nigeria; Pakistan; World Conference on
Education for All
ABSTRACT
Adult literacy program outcomes have been disappointing. A
number of principals and methods from cognitive and neuropsychological
research can be used to make literacy instruction more effctive, including
the following: improving cognitive function; fast reading; reading practice;
literacy as a motivator; and improving use of class time. Cognitive science
has been used to understand how literacy shapes the neural system for spoken
and written language and to use this information to improve literacy
instruction. Research has been done in the areas of human evolution,
cognitive limitations of unschooled people, efficient reading skills, reading
comprehension, memory, phonological awareness, perceptual learning, and
health issues. Materials, methodology and teacher preparation determine how
much people learn and retain. Issues that affect literacy learning include,
course duration, textbook contents, teacher selection, and social benefits.
Governments need to determine whether increased costs of more scientifically
based literacy training are worth the benefits. Additional research is needed
to determine which methods are more effective and how costs and benefits
compare.
(Contains the results of a research study in adult literacy, a
description of literacy tests, a learner questionnaire, an extensive
bibliography and an index.)(SLR)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
DIRECTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT
.;`
Improving Adult
THE WORLD BANK
Literacy Outcomes
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Improvement
Office of Educational Research and
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
reproduced as
is document has been
received from the person or organization
Lessons from Cognitive Research
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
for Developing Countries
in this
°
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FY AV,AUSLE
DIRECTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT
Improving Adult
Literacy Outcomes
Lessons from Cognitive Research
for Developing Countries
DIRECTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT
Improving Adult
Literacy Outcomes
Lessons from Cognitive Research
for Developing Countries
Helen Abadzi
Senior Evaluation Officer
Operations Evaluation Department
THE WORLD BANK
Washington, D.C.
© 2003 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The
World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
Telephone [phone]
Internet www.worldbank.org
E-mail [email protected]
All rights reserved.
1 2 3 4 05 04 03 02
The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein
are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board of
Executive Direc-
tors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
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Cover photo credits: Curt Carnemark /World Bank.
ISBN 0-8213-5493-0
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been
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Contents
vii
Acknowledgments
viii
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Overview
1
Background: Adventures in Adult Literacy
9
1.
Cognitive Science in the Service of Adult Literacy
15
2.
16
Human Evolution toward Efficient Reading
A Fundamental Problem: Cognitive Limitations of Unschooled
17
People
22
Skills Important for Efficient Reading
26
Working Memory: The Reading Comprehension Bottleneck
Automaticity: Means to Overcome the Working Memory
29
Bottleneck
Phonological AwareriessAbility to Break Down Words
32
34
Perceptual Learning and the Nitty-Gritty of Recognizing Letters
40
Beginning Readers of Various Scripts: Putting it All Together
ForgettingRelapse into Illiteracy
41
45
The Reading Difficulties of Adult Learners
47
Health Issues Affecting Reading Performance
Instructional and Social Issues of Literacy Acquisition
61
3.
61
Course Duration
62
The Challenge of Teaching Basic Numeracy
63
Textbook Content and Time on Task for Reading
64
The Challenges of Teacher Selection and Training
66
Group Formation and Livelihood Training
68
Social Benefits of Adult Literacy Programs
vi
CONTENTS
Policy Implications of Cognitive Literacy Methods
4.
73
Researching Literacy Acquisition to Improve Effectiveness
74
Annex A. Improving Reading Performance in Adult Literacy Classes
of Burkina Faso
77
Appendix. Literacy Tests and Questionnaire
93
References
95
Index
109
Boxes
Box 1.
Arabic: A Very Difficult Script for Adult Learners
42
Box 2.
Literacy Learners May Get Limited Practice
65
Box 3.
REFLECT: Beneficiaries May Feel Empowered but Not Be
Literate
69
Figures
Figure 1.
Example of Functional Brain Organization Differences
between Literates and Illiterates
19
Figure 2.
The Major Processes Involved in Reading
Comprehension
23
Figure 3.
Time Required for Reading
27
Figure 4.
Eye Movements and Reading Time
34
Figure 5.
A Forgetting Curve of Procedural Knowledge
43
Differences in Printed and Handwritten Letters May
Figure 6.
Confuse Neoliterates
49
Figure Al.
Effect Sizes of Various Treatment Combinations
88
Acknowledgments
Thanks are due to the Swiss Development Cooperation, whose grant
inspired
through the World Bank Consultant Trust Funds Department
this report and supported literacy research in Burkina Faso. Thanks are
Evaluation De-
also due to Gregory Ingram, Director General, Operations
supported this publi-
partment, and Alain Barbu, Manager, OEDST, who
cation.
Ainsworth,
Furthermore, I thank my World Bank colleagues Martha
(Uni-
David Klaus, and John Oxenham, as well as Profs. Richard Venezky
Califor-
versity of Delaware), Irving Biederman (University of Southern
Portugal), John
nia, Los Angeles), Alexandra Reis (University of Algarve,
of Mass-
Comings (Harvard University), and James M. Royer (University
also
achusetts) for the diligent reviews and helpful comments. Thanks are
due to Maria Pilar Barquero for processing assistance.
Finally, I would like to thank the National Literacy Institute of Burkina
Alpha Pro-
Faso, Organisation Suisse d' Entraide Ouvriere (OSEO), the
the Promotion Femmes Developpement
gram of the Swiss Cooperation,
Solidarite, and the Association Manegdbzanga for their help in carrying
out literacy research in Burkina Faso.
Helen Abadzi
Senior Evaluation Officer
Operations Evaluation Department
April 30, 2003
vii
Acronyms and
Abbreviations
ADB
Asian Development Bank
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
BELOISYA
Basic Education and Livelihood Opportunities
for Illiterate
and Semiliterate Young Adults
CAAS
Computer-based Academic Assessment System
CIDA
Canadian International Development Agency
DABE
Directorate of Adult Basic Education (Indonesia)
DIKMAS
Directorate of Adult Basic Education (Indonesia)
DNFE
Directorate of Non-Formal Education (Bangladesh)
EFA
Education for All
EWLP
Experimental World Literacy Programme
fMRI
Functional magnetic
resonance imaging
IDA
International Development Association
INA
Institut National d'Alphabetisation
IEC
Information, education, communication
LIL
Learning and Innovation Loan
msec
milliseconds
NFED
Non-Formal Education Division (Ghana)
NORAD
Norwegian Agency for Development
Cooperation
NGO
Nongovernmental Organization
OPEC
Organization of Petroleum Producing Countries
OSEO
Organisation Suisse d'Entraide Ouvriere
PRA
Participatory Rural Appraisal
PET
Positron Emission Tomography
PRSP
Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan
REFLECT
Regenerated Freirean Literacy Through Empowering
Community Techniques
SDC
Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation
SIDA
Swedish International Development Cooperation
Agency
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural
Organization
V111
ix
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
United Nations Development Programme
UNDP
United Nations Children's Fund
UNICEF
United States Agency for International Development
USAID