I have been teaching ESL for several years in both academic (university/community college) tracks and in workplace settings. It seems that the academic track, perhaps because of the requirements of departments heads and textbooks used, focuses on strategies (main ideas, inferences, vocabulary in context). The workplace settings tend to focus more on realia, the kinds of reading that the students actually encounter in the workplace, again because of the desires of the stakeholders but also because of good pedagogical practice. I also teach writing workshops at a local university that is beginning a five year program on Information literacy. Literacy then is contextual meaning something different in various settings. 
I am interested in some of Richard Kern's notions of literacy that grew out of new literacy studies. I have difficulty implementing them to the degree that I would like because of the language proficiency of the different groups I teach. This is problematic because Kern approaches literacy as a language learning opportunity...just some thoughts by way of introduction.
Michael W. Campbell

Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 13:27:15 -0700
From: steve at thelinguist.com
To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
CC: lterrill at cal.org
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2389] Re: Reading and Adult English Language	Learners

I am not a literacy professional. I am involved in online language learning and have learned quite a few languages, mostly on my own and when motivated to do so. I would like to understand the problems of literacy better.


My wife's native language is Cantonese. For the longest time she did not read very much in English and in fact would fall asleep if she tried to read a book. Occasionally she would need me to explain some written instructions etc..


A few years age she started enjoying British historical drama and "Masterpiece theatre" etc. on TV. Then she started reading some historical novels, Allyson Weir, Philippa Gregory etc., at first with difficulty and now with ease and joy. The only time she uses a dictionary is when doing crossword puzzles.


My question is the following.  Apparently, according to surveys, almost half the population is functionally illiterate. What does this mean? How many are like my wife, and just need to be motivated to read?

How many do not know what the letters of the alphabet stand for?


How many are dyslexic or have reading disabilities?

According to surveys, less than 1% of people at the lowest level of literacy would seek out, or even accept, help for their literacy problems, I wonder if the problem of literacy is best attacked by helping a few with their reading techniques, or trying to better motivate the many.


Steve

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 11:17 AM, Wrigley, Heide <heide at literacywork.com> wrote:















Good morning all 

 

It's 7 am here in Southern New Mexico, it's
still nice and cool and the roses are blooming big time and I should be going
out to water soon (coffee first, though)

 

 

I wanted to welcome you to the discussion on ESL Reading and
am hoping that we'll have a lively back and forth as you pose questions,
challenge assumptions, and share your own experience teaching reading to ESL
students – either teaching these skills explicitly and systematically or
just folding reading into your regular curriculum. 

 

I would like to invite you to tell us a sentence or two
about yourself and your work and your experience before you post your messages.

 

Just a bit of background: I'm Heide Spruck Wrigley and
my work revolves around the intersection of research, policy and practice.
I've been involved in several studies on ESL literacy (broader than just
reading) that we can talk about, and this year I'm doing quite a bit of
work around workplace literacy.  Most of my work has been with language
minority adults who are relatively new to English but I've also taught in
intensive reading programs at the university level.  

 

I've been working with the Texas GREAT Centers
(professional development centers) for a number of years, and this year we started
a series of institutes that focus on ESL Reading with a special emphasis on
comprehension skills. So this discussion is an outgrowth of this work. 

 

A bit later, I'll write a note about the 2 or 3 things
we know for sure about reading (of any kind, not just reading in another
language so we don't have to get caught up in the "reading
wars"). 

 

But in the meantime, I'd like to invite you to jump
in and say a bit more about who you are  and what issues you are grappling
with when it comes to helping your ESL students understand what they read.
 

 

And a special welcome to the Texas teachers who have been
involved in the institutes. I'm hoping you will share your experience
teaching reading and tell us what has worked for you. 

 

All the best 

 

Heide

 

 

 





From:
englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Lynda Terrill

Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 7:21 AM

To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov

Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2374] Discussion on Reading and Adult
EnglishLanguage Learners begins





 

Dear subscribers,

 

I am happy to announce that our discussion on reading and adults learning
English as a second language is beginning.  Heide Wrigley will be
facilitating this discussion along with Texas practitioners who have been
working on a project related to reading.  I look forward to hearing what
they have to share, butI  also look forward to hearing many of your
experiences, questions, and answers about this important topic.

 

Lynda Terrill

lterrill at cal.org

 







Stay
in touch when you're away with Windows Live Messenger. IM anytime you're online.








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