Reading Instruction

1185 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Literacy Education Philosophies

Reading and writing are two of the main features of literacy education for both children and out-of-school adults. Components of reading and writing are not mutually exclusive and some educators argue that reading paves way for writing. Therefore, it is crucial to develop reading programs are strong and skill building. Reading processes for children and adults are different but some practices are applicable to both populations despite developmental differences. Therefore, reading programs should take into consideration the literacy program philosophy about reading, unique characteristics of adult learners, strategies to be used and literacy environment.

The purpose of literacy shapes the characteristics of a reading instruction in literacy programs. The mission and purpose of a particular program determines the teaching methods employed in reading. The REFLECT (Regenerated Freirean Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques) approach is a good example that illustrates the significance of a literacy philosophy in designing methods for teaching reading or writing. In this approach, literacy builds on new knowledge and leads to empowerment through discussion (Matrix for Discussing Program Elements, Handout ED 635-2011). Even though reading is critical for beginning literacy classes, the REFLECT program has a stronger emphasis on writing than reading thus encourages students to interact through pen pals. The teachers are the primers in the classroom hence the program conducts thorough training for teachers and provides regular support. Investing in teacher training also ensures that the teachers grasp the philosophy of the program; knowledgeable teachers in a program will teach effectively and the goals of the literacy prog...

... middle of paper ...

... to make meaning from text. When considering a suitable reading instruction, educators also need to take into consideration the philosophy of the program in order to meet the expected outcomes. Despite the different philosophies about literacy, reading instruction should ensure that component skills provide adults with the tools to become life-long learners.

Works Cited

Collins, N. D. (1994). Metacognition and reading to learn. ERIC Digest. ED376427.

Comings & Smith (In press). Teaching Basic Skills to ABLE adults

Comings & Soricone (2005): Teaching Adults to Read: The World Education Approach to Adult Literacy Program Design. World Education, Boston, MA.

OECD, 2007: Literacy and the Brain, Chapter 4 in Understanding the Brain: The

Birth of a Learning Science

Mezirow, J. (1996). Toward a learning theory of adult literacy. Adult Basic Education, 6(3), 115.

Show More
Related

  • The Crisis in Adolescent Literacy

    2250 Words  | 5 Pages

    Finding a definition of literacy is not as easy as it sounds. The Webster definition says that to be literate is to be” able to read and write.” But to some researchers, this definition is too simplistic, leading to multiple models of literacy. Most Americans adhere to the autonomous model, which falls closest to the standard, dictionary definition. Believers in this form say that literacy is a cognitive activity that students learn like any other basic skill. It has a set of proficiencies that one must master in order to be capable of decoding and encoding text (Alvermann, 2009; SIL International, 1999). A competing theory is the ideological model, which claims literacy is intrinsically linked to culture, and therefore what constitutes a “literate” individual is ever-changing. Society is the largest influence on literacy, according to this thought, and it is affected by politics, religion, philosophy and more (Alvermann, 2009; SIL International, 1999). These two are just the tip of the iceberg. For example, some studies recognize “literacy as competence,” which is a “measure of competence to do a given task or work in a given field,” (SIL International, 1999) such as being computer literate. Although more researchers are recognizing and exploring multiple literacies, the one that most influences American schools is the autonomous, cognitive model – the ability to read and write. For many, it seems a simple task, but millions of adolescents are struggling or reluctant readers, and there are many reasons why young readers have difficulty with reading. XXXXXX------NEED HELP WITH THESIS STATEMENT HERE PLEASE—(This paper will focus on the effects of low reading skills, some of the possible causes of reluctant and struggling readership...

    Read More

  • Summary Of Deborah Brandt's 'Sponsors Of Literacy'

    688 Words  | 2 Pages

    Deborah Brandt (1998) wrote “Sponsors of Literacy”, a journal where she explained her findings of the research she has done on how different people across the nation learned to read and write, born between 1900, and 1980 (p. 167). She interviewed many people that had varying forms of their literacy skills, whether it was from being poor, being rich, or just being in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

    Read More

  • Analyzing a School Literacy Program

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gomez, L. M., & Gomez, K. (2007). Reading for learning: Literacy supports for 21st-century work. Phi

    Read More

  • Adult Students: Recruitment and Retention

    2011 Words  | 5 Pages

    Adult participation is shaped by access to program information; recruitment should be viewed as a multistep process of drawing people into programs rather than motivating them to sign up for a single course (Bond, Merrill, and Smith 1997). That process begins with promotional information to prompt participant contact; it continues with a prompt response to initial contacts, providing details by phone or print, and inviting potential participants to a local information session. Follow-up on initial contact is crucial; one study of adults who contacted literacy programs found that the most common reason for not enrolling was not getting a call back (Long 2001).

    Read More

  • Poverty, Racism, and Literacy

    2286 Words  | 5 Pages

    The literature on learner attrition and on resistance to participation in adult literacy programs suggests that the current delivery system may not be meeting the needs or expectations of many adults. A small but growing body of literature questions whether cultural dissonance between instructors and learners is a factor in learner attrition, and it advocates increasing cultural relevance in literacy practices. Some of the writings also advocate helping learners move toward critical reflection and social action. This Digest explores the poverty-racism-literacy connection, specifically as it relates to adult literacy, the imperative for culturally relevant practices, and the development of critical literacy. Alternative Definitions of Literacy In the prevailing and traditional definition, literacy is regarded as central to helping people obtain and retain employment, which is the key to moving them from dependency toward greater self-sufficiency.

    Read More

  • Being an Adult Educator is a Tough Job

    2039 Words  | 5 Pages

    In this paper, I will present a critique of an adult education program that I designed and taught to a group of twenty-five adults for the Toronto District School Board. I will begin this paper by providing a brief overview of this program and the thought processes that helped me to design this program. In the second section of this paper, I will explore my biases and underlying assumptions about adult education, and how it impacted my teaching process. In this section, I will also explore theoretical perspectives through which I can approach adult education. Lastly, I will present two lesson plans that I have created through which I can engage my adult students in the learning process in an engaging, thoughtful, meaningful and constructive manner.

    Read More

  • Adolescent Literacy in America

    2537 Words  | 6 Pages

    Camangian, Patrick. "Adolescent Literacy Policy; Making People Our Policy: Grounding Literacy in Lives." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (2011): 458-460.

    Read More

  • Adolescent Illiteracy in America

    2004 Words  | 5 Pages

    United States. Reading to Achieve: A Governor's Guide to Adolescent Literacy. Washington: National Governors Association, 2005. Print.

    Read More

  • Community Involvement Project: Reading Partners

    1548 Words  | 4 Pages

    For my community involvement project, I volunteered at Memminger Elementary School for a program called “Reading Partners.” The program focuses on helping children build strong literacy skills to carry with them into their academic careers. It requires the tutor to read to the student that has been assigned, and in turn, the student reads to the tutor. The program assists in teaching the students valuable reading skills. Being able to read is critical to a child’s educational success.

    Read More

  • Illiteracy in A Judgement in Stone, by Ruth Rendell

    1676 Words  | 4 Pages

    In today’s society, a vast number of people are well educated. They have the equal opportunity to choose their own path in life by getting an education. A primary educational aspect of every human being is to learn to read. Being able to read is a primary goal of people in human society, as well as important in itself to society; it takes people far beyond their wildest dreams. A person who is literate has few limitations on what they can do; the world is an open playing field, because a person that is literate has the ability to become very successful in life.

    Read More

  • Philosophy Of Literacy Instruction

    1535 Words  | 4 Pages

    Literacy embraces reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Integrating all of these into a literacy program is key. Teachers must provide endless and ongoing opportunities for their student to read, write, listen, and speak.

    Read More

  • Six Components of Reading

    1759 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tompkins, G. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach. (5th ed., pp. 12-286). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

    Read More

  • My Philosophy Of Reading And Writing Curriculum

    2147 Words  | 5 Pages

    While I believe every child is a reader, I do not believe every child will be enthralled with reading all the time. All students have the capability to read and enjoy reading, but just like any other hobby, interest will vary from student to student. The students in my classroom will be encouraged in their reading, be provided with choice, taught how books can take you into another world but, my students will not be forced to read. This paper will illustrate my philosophy of reading through the theories I relate to, the way I want to implement reading and writing curriculum, and the methods I will use motivate my students to read and help them become literate.

    Read More

  • Integrated and Balanced Approach to Literacy

    1602 Words  | 4 Pages

    Every child deserves a positive, safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment where they will grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. My role as an educator is to provide my students with this type of environment as well as an education that will help them succeed academically and become life long learners. It is the responsibility of a literacy educator to provide students with this type of environment, but also to provide instruction that will help students become successful readers and writers. There are numerous programs and philosophies about literacy and reading. Through years of experience and research, one begins to develop their own creative approach on teaching these skills. After looking at different programs and seeing the positive and negatives of each, an integrated and balanced approach of literacy seems to be the best way to teach the differing needs of each student.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Reading Strategies

    1714 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... for teachers to choose materials that will hook students and motivate them to engage in their own learning. Teachers should provide multiple learning opportunities in which stu¬dents can experience success and can begin to build confidence in their ability to read, write, and think at higher level. By connecting strategies for learning, such as searching, compre¬hending, interpreting, composing, and teaching content knowledge, students are given the opportunity to succeed in their education. These elements include: fundamental skills such as phonemic awareness, phonemic decoding, and other word analysis skills that support word reading accuracy; text reading fluency; strategies for building vocabulary; strategies for understanding and using the specific textual features that distinguish different genres; and self-regulated use of reading comprehension strategies.

    Read More

More about Reading Instruction

Open Document