[NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:2849] unweaving print vs. web text

From: Frances Keenan (fkeenan@pbs.org)
Date: Tue May 13 2003 - 18:00:09 EDT


Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov>
Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h4DM09C03984; Tue, 13 May 2003 18:00:09 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 18:00:09 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <EE81FC4A94703A46976D9DF51EF1018634614F@2kexmb.hq.corp.pbs.org>
Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov
Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Precedence: bulk
From: "Frances Keenan" <fkeenan@pbs.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:2849] unweaving print vs. web text
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Content-Type: text/plain;
Status: O
Content-Length: 2584
Lines: 70

Chris, are you saying we know how to make printed text simpler but don't
have a clue yet with text on the Web?

As for reading by following links, we found from interviews that
learners with some Internet familiarity seemed to view links as optional
information (the dominant Internet convention I think) and chose not to
follow them. We hadn't anticipated this and had put some essential
information in the linked text. We now have developed a very overt (and
perhaps bossy) "Read Now" button link when we have a link to essential
information on another page. (That seems to be working)

Of course it's a very different thing to be building an online
environment for adult learners and to be building activities or
instruction around what's already there. 


Fran Keenan
PBS Adult Learning Service
fkeenan@pbs.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Christina Zarcadoolas [mailto:Christina_Zarcadoolas@brown.edu] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 9:30 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list

 Both NALS 
and the clear language movement have been important in putting literacy
on 
the radar screen in some spheres.  But the by-catch, if you will, has
been 
a tenacious movement to simplify vocabulary and sentence structure.  So
we 
talk about easy to read materials highlighting these aspects of the 
content/message.  And then we test these materials, and lo and behold,
our 
patient focus group or cognitive testing participants demonstrate that, 
indeed, they can read the revised material with more comprehension. But 
then along comes this wonderful format - hypertext) that in some ways,
more 
accurately mimics what real people do in real reading settings.  They
jump 
forward and loop back; they scan; they read on until things make sense.
( 
Long established as fluent reading strategies among reading educators in

the 60s and 70s.











__________________________________________________________________

Give them words to grow by.
Share a story with a child in your life today.
pbskids.org/shareastory
_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

This email may contain material that is confidential or proprietary to PBS and is intended solely for use by the intended recipient.  Any review, reliance or distribution of such material by others, or forwarding of such material without express permission, is strictly prohibited.  If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and destroy all copies.
__________________________________________________________________



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Mar 11 2004 - 12:17:30 EST