Expanding Dispositions for Literacy: General Educators as Literacy Gatekeepers

Students with disabilities continue to be denied literacy rich experiences with their non-disabled peers. Throughout this article the authors explore how narrow, ability-focused teacher dispositions can perpetuate low expectations and can preemptively deny students with disabilities access to meaningful literacy experiences. Hence, the development of an inclusive literacy disposition is crucial to providing access to robust learning experiences for students with disabilities. The authors describe a research study that utilizes journal writing and a role-play intervention with pre-service general educators in a graduate literacy methods course. Analysis of post-intervention data suggests it is possible to shift narrow, ability-orientated dispositions to broader and more inclusive conceptualizations that support students with disabilities. Implications for both research and practice are discussed.     

Name Writing: A Window into the Emergent Literacy Skills of Young Children

This article discusses the potential significance of name writing skills in addressing many important questions about the development of early literacy skills. Young children are inherently interested in producing their own names in print. Furthermore, young children appear to construct their understandings of name writing skills in a predictable, sequential pattern. Questions raised include whether the development of name writing skills mirrors the development of other important cognitive skills, the potential of name writing skills to offer insight as to how young children learn important literacy concepts, the use of name writing as a developmental indicator for children that may be at risk for reading difficulties, and the potential for structured activities using name writing to facilitate the development of emergent literacy skills.     

Contributions of the Home Literacy Environment and Underlying Language Skills to Preschool Invented Writing

This study aimed to enhance our knowledge of the constituent variables affecting invented writing skills in 5-year-olds by investigating the concurrent relationships among home literacy, underlying language skills, and invented writing. The study comprised 111 Norwegian-speaking children (mean age: 5.7 years; 58 girls) and their parents. The children’s language skills were tested individually. The results showed that, on average, children achieved low scores on tests of word writing; however, the within-group variations in the children’s invented writing performances were large. The statistical modeling showed that parental education was significantly related to the home literacy environment, which was, in turn, directly related to both vocabulary and phonological awareness and indirectly related to invented writing skills. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

多元读写模式及对习作教学的启示——以三名中国移民儿童的海外读写经历为例

学生习作能力的培养一直以来被看成是课堂教学的任务,对移民英国的三名中国儿童的海外读写经历研究发现,儿童读写能力形成的途径是多元的,非正式、非正规读写学习有效地支持正规读写学习,三种读写学习模式相互独立又密切相关。读写学习的目的不仅要帮助儿童培养读写能力,还要提升儿童的读写素质。     

Integrating Quantitative Literacy into Technical Writing Instruction

The authors argue that skills in quantitative literacy (QL) and quantitative reasoning (QR) augment students’ communicative effectiveness. This article offers a pedagogical framework and model for how QR can be productively interwoven with the rhetorical know-how of technical writing pedagogy. The authors describe their course redesign, present preliminary assessment data, and conclude by highlighting some implications not only for student learning, but also for the QL movement itself.     

Literacy attitudes,habits and achievements of future teachers

Pre‐service teachers’ reading habits and their literacy abilities affect their views toward teaching reading and writing and how they implement literacy instruction. This study explored the relationship between the past and current reading habits of pre‐service teachers in relation to their reading and writing abilities. Participating teacher candidates completed a questionnaire regarding their reading habits, completed two reading comprehension components of the Nelson‐Denny Reading Test and provided a writing sample. Teacher candidates who received higher scores on the comprehension subtest of the Nelson‐Denny Reading Test recalled a higher degree of early school emphasis on enjoying stories and mastering reading skills, frequent childhood visits to the library, frequently being read to as a child and a higher degree of enjoyment associated with reading.     

Writing Stories to Enhance Scientific Literacy

In response to international concerns about scientific literacy and students’ waning interest in school science, this study investigated the effects of a science‐writing project about the socioscientific issue (SSI) of biosecurity on the development of students’ scientific literacy. Students generated two BioStories each that merged scientific information with the narrative storylines in the project. The study was conducted in two phases. In the exploratory phase, a qualitative case study of a sixth‐grade class involving classroom observations and interviews informed the design of the second, confirmatory phase of the study, which was conducted at a different school. This phase involved a mixed methods approach featuring a quasi‐experimental design with two classes of Australian middle school students (i.e., sixth grade, 11 years of age, n = 55). The results support the argument that writing the sequence of stories helped the students become more familiar with biosecurity issues, develop a deeper understanding of related biological concepts, and improve their interest in science. On the basis of these findings, teachers should be encouraged to engage their students in the practice of writing about SSI in a way that integrates scientific information into narrative storylines. Extending the practice to older students and exploring additional issues related to writing about SSI are recommended for further research.     

The Case of Three Karen Refugee Women and Their Children: Literacy Practices in a Family Literacy Context

The lack of research about the Karen, one of 135 ethnic groups from Myanmar limits literacy educators charged with educating this refugee population in public schools. In this case study the authors explore the literacy practices of Karen families when at school and in their homes and within an ESL family literacy program. The case of these refugee families and their experiences are analyzed within a sociocultural theoretical framework along with a focus on literacy adaptation through the lenses of cross-cultural studies, adult and language teachers involved in literacy practices, and literacy studies. Four core themes emerged from participant observation, including adult/parent learners’ engagement with memorization, parents’ literacy practices through reading texts aloud (recitation) to improve their speaking skills, and parents’ use of computers to engage with American media. The study offers important educational understandings of one of the world’s least known diaspora.     

Preschool Literacy Intervention for Low-Income,Ethnically Diverse Children: Effects of the Early Authors Program Through Kindergarten

Contemporary perspectives on emergent literacy in preschool emphasize the importance of providing developmentally appropriate, authentic, early writing experiences and supporting students’ home language and culture. The current study analyzed kindergarten outcomes for 82 linguistically diverse, low-income children (60% Black, 40% Latino) who participated in the Early Authors Program (EAP) during preschool , and those for a demographically similar comparison group of 33 children who did not receive the intervention. The intervention emphasized family involvement and cultural sensitivity and involved children self-authoring books about themselves and their family. Children in the EAP program scored higher than comparison children on school readiness screeners a year or two later in kindergarten, and were more likely to be classified as “ready’ for school. EAP children also outperformed comparison children on emergent (English) literacy skills in kindergarten as measured by the DIBELS. Boys in the EAP group received higher grades in kindergarten than boys in the comparison group. The positive effects of the Early Authors Program appear to be sustained through kindergarten.     

10 Content-Area Literacy Strategies for Art,Mathematics, Music,and Physical Education

Content-area literacy involves the use of research-based learning strategies that help students effectively and efficiently gain content knowledge. Its use is fundamental to all content areas, not just to those that rely heavily on printed materials. One of the major goals of content-area instruction is to produce critical thinkers and problem solvers, and content-area literacy is a tool that teachers use to help students achieve this goal. Through this author's teaching experiences, she (Ming) learned about literacy strategies that are useful in art, mathematics, music, and physical education. Thus, in this article, she discusses the importance of using literacy in content-area instruction. Specifically, she talks about how literacy strengthens students’ language arts skills, shares 10 content-area literacy strategies that can be integrated into the four content areas, and provides specific examples of what they would look like in each area.     

不同社会经济地位城市家庭大班幼儿读写能力的比较研究

以上海市不同社会经济地位城市家庭大班幼儿为被试所进行的读写能力比较研究发现,来自不同社会经济地位家庭的幼儿在读写能力的总体水平以及词汇、文字认读能力等方面存在显著差异,而在书写技能上无显著差异;低社会经济地位家庭幼儿的读写能力发展不理想;与家庭经济收入和父亲职业相比,母亲的学历更能有效预测幼儿的读写能力发展状况。     

Contributions of Emergent Literacy Skills to Name Writing, Letter Writing, and Spelling in Preschool Children

The purpose of this study was to examine which emergent literacy skills contribute to preschool children's emergent writing (name-writing, letter-writing, and spelling) skills. Emergent reading and writing tasks were administered to 296 preschool children aged 4-5 years. Print knowledge and letter-writing skills made positive contributions to name writing; whereas alphabet knowledge, print knowledge, and name writing made positive contributions to letter writing. Both name-writing and letter-writing skills made significant contributions to the prediction of spelling after controlling for age, parental education, print knowledge, phonological awareness, and letter-name and letter-sound knowledge; however, only letter-writing abilities made a significant unique contribution to the prediction of spelling when both letter-writing and name-writing skills were considered together. Name writing reflects knowledge of some letters rather than a broader knowledge of letters that may be needed to support early spelling. Children's letter-writing skills may be a better indicator of children's emergent literacy and developing spelling skills than are their name-writing skills at the end of the preschool year. Spelling is a developmentally complex skill beginning in preschool and includes letter writing and blending skills, print knowledge, and letter-name and letter-sound knowledge.     

超越解构主义:新媒体时代之媒介素养教育

脱胎于文学批评-文化研究-符号学的媒介素养教育一旦运用到中小学课堂,势必流于解构技巧训练。任何一种解构的效果都颇为可疑,媒介素养教育不会使世界更好,只会使一个贫乏的大脑更加贫乏。新媒体带来知情权和参与权,受众消失,制作人诞生,人们解读媒介文本内容能力大大提高,解码媒介文本制作技巧无师自通。在此背景下,媒介素养教育迅速过时。知道不等于接受,解构无助于建构,技巧带不来素养,独立建制的媒介素养教育是富裕国家的教育富裕病,可取之途是将之融入素质教育和通识教育,将重心从解构技巧转向文化素养。     

Voice Recognition for On-line Literacy: Continuous Voice Recognition Technology in Adult Literacy Training

This study explored whether over-the-counter continuous voice recognition software could be used to support the delivery of a standardized reading curriculum to adults with low-level literacy skills. Three primary questions were addressed in the study. First, how readily could mass-market continuous voice recognition software programs be adapted for use in adult literacy training? Second, what role(s) might the voice recognition technology play in facilitating the computer-based delivery of a standard text-based reading curriculum? And third, does the use of the voice recognition software positively affect the technological skills and computing comfort levels of adults with low-level literacy skills? Five adults with low-level literacy skills completed the computer-based curriculum, using the voice recognition software to practice and check their reading and writing efforts. A literacy tutor guided the participants through the curriculum, recorded and saved the participants' responses and videotaped the sessions for subsequent analysis. The findings reported here suggest that currently available over-the-counter continuous voice recognition technology, while essentially effective and accurate with fluent readers, is not yet ready, as a stand-alone system, to meet the needs of these adults with low-level literacy skills. The voice recognition software was most effective when it was used in the presence of a tutor. Having tutors provide on-going and immediate support to learners was a vital component of literacy training in this computer-based environment. In general the computer-based programs seemed to provide participants with a `motivational boost'. Specifically, the computer-based lessons helped develop participants' technological skills and confidence levels and promoted sustained focus on instructional tasks. Implications associated with these findings for future research with voice recognition software and adult literacy training are discussed.     

Literacy in a business context: literacy practices of some Bristol merchants in the sixteenth century

This article considers the education and literacy practices of Bristol merchants involved in overseas trade in the sixteenth century by focusing on their business concerns. It argues that these demanded complex literacy skills and the discussion explores why writing was so central to their work. The merchants required specific training in order to produce and handle documents relating to their mercantile activities. As well as receiving practical training under apprenticeship with a master, merchants’ manuals were available for further guidance. A manual produced by John Browne, a Bristol merchant, is examined to highlight the principles that guided merchants’ literacy practices. Business writings by other Bristol merchants are also discussed to reveal the values that governed their practices. The discussion aims to illustrate how their literacy practices were situated in the context of early modern trade.     

Supporters of low literate adults

ABSTRACT

According to the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), a large proportion of adults in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries have low literacy proficiency levels. There exist widespread stereotypes about adults who have difficulties with reading and writing, stereotypes which portray them as a socially isolated group with severe problems getting by in everyday situations that require reading and writing. Yet many people know adults who have difficulties with reading and writing (e.g. from their families, workplaces, or circles of friends or acquaintances) and support them in dealing with literacy-related tasks. To offer an additional perspective, this paper focuses on these literacy supporters. It draws on on qualitative and quantitative data gathered in 2013 and 2014 in Germany. The findings indicate that there are various types of support, from taking over tasks in informal learning settings or participation in reading and writing classes. This article discusses the results of this study in the wider context of literacy mediation, which is well established in international research but far less prominent in Germany.     

试论思辨能力培养在高师院校英语专业课程设置中的意义和方法

近三十年来,思辨能力在国外有了很大的发展,并被西方教育界视为教育重点。一些重视教育的发达国家,如美国、英国等在该领域有比较成熟的理论体系。我国思辨能力发展的研究是近些年才开始的。高等师范院校英语专业是我国培养中小学英语教师的摇篮,英语教师的教学理念与学生英语思维的形成息息相关。本文简要分析了高师英语专业所面临的思辨缺席或欠缺的原因,并针对思辨缺席的现状,阐述了培养学生的思辨能力对高师院校英语专业课程设置的意义和方法。     

Orchestrating expertise in reading and writing

With increased attention focused on the economic cache afforded through literacy and numeracy skills, governments around the world have turned their attention to developing the expertise of their teachers. Improving teachers' levels of competency leads to improvement in student achievement. In this qualitative case study, we focus on the Educational Foundations Program, in Ontario, Canada, established in part to develop competencies in the area of literacy instruction by addressing teachers' content knowledge. Serious questions about the ways in which the notion of ‘expertise’ is understood and developed arose as the programme was implemented. We examine notions of expertise and the experiences of teachers, administrators and curriculum leaders charged with orchestrating expertise in reading and writing in their respective districts.     

职业院校融合性职业素养培养探析

职业素养是个体职业生涯发展的基础,分为显性素养和隐性素养2个部分。当前职业教育人才培养过程中存在重视显性素养,轻视隐性素养的现象,这不利于个体的长期职业生涯发展。构建职业素养融合培养新模式,改变落后的职业教育理念,有利于大学生综合素养的提升,符合后现代主义职业教育的特点,也符合新时代对职业院校人才培养的要求。