ADULT LITERACY

1. ADULT LITERACY

2. Author Melba Venison Adult LiteracySouthern University at New Orleans Universities Rebuilding America PartnershipsU.S. Department of Housing & Urban DevelopmentGeorge Amedee, Ph.D., Project Director

3. Creating meaning in what you read. Understanding what you read. WHAT IS READING?

4. Reading is the process of identifying and understanding the meaning of the characters and words in written or printed material.

5. Making connections between what you already know and what you need to learn. As readers make the connections, they create meaning and understand what they are reading. Readers must learn how to make connections and use them to develop critical thinking skills. Reading for Adults

6. Readers Must Become involved rather than calling out words. Think about what they are reading. Connect what they are reading to past experiences or knowledge. For reading to occur …

7. For reading to occur… Readers must create meaning as they read. This requires the reader to be strategic – making predictions. Readers should organize information and interact with the text.

8. Understanding of concepts and ideas does not happen in isolation. New concepts and ideas are only understood when they can be placed in a setting that the reader already knows. For reading to occur…

9. New Knowledge is connected to what is already known New ideas need to be put in a setting in which readers are familiar. Understanding occurs when readers can recall a past experience that relates to a new idea. Understanding – not- Isolated

10. Understanding – Not - Isolated When a child is reading a book about how farm animals spend their day, the child will understand the story if he already has knowledge of what the animals looks like.

11. THE READER THE CLIMATE THE TEXT Reading Trio

12. Whether reading for an academic purpose or reading for pleasure, what the reader already knows about the topic will determine the meaning of the text.

13. The climate focuses on the purpose of reading and the environment in which the reader must read and determine meaning.

14. The characteristics of thewritten text are important because the reader must understand how the text is written.

15. The characteristics of the textalso indicate how it is organized, and the format in which the textis presented.

16. The meaning of the text is not in the words but, in the reader’s interpretation of the words. Readersmust tap into the knowledge already stored into what we call knowledge frameworks or (schemata). Readersmust draw on this information in order to integrate new information into it. CONSTRUCTING MEANING

18. Read the following passage and fill in the blank spaces. We the ______ of the United______, in order to form a more ______ Union , establish ______, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common ______ promote the general _______ to ourselves and our______, and secure the blessings of _______, do ordain and establish this _________, for the United States of America.

19. Readers who are familiar with the Preamble to the Constitution will find it easy to fill in the blanks. These readers have the back ground knowledge necessary to complete the passage. If the readers are not familiar with the Preamble, reading this will be a challenge.

21. Read the following passage and fill in the blank spaces. The ______, bitsy spider went up the ______ spout. Down came the _____ and ______ the spider out. Out came the ___ and dried up all the _____. And the ______ bitsy _______ went up the ______ again.

22. These examples indicate that understanding the meaning of text is more than calling the words or decodingthe words on the page.

23. The background and experience that each reader brings to the text is unique.

24. What the reader understands about the text may not be the same as another reader.

25. Constructing Meaning There are important activities the reader should engage in before, during, and after reading . These activities will help readers to understand and remember the information.

26. Readers can monitor by first identifying the reason or what specifically should be gained from reading the text. Readers should create mental pictures or develop graphic ideas of what is being read after each paragraph.

27. How text can be organized: Chronological Description Comparison and Contrast Cause and Effect Problem and Solution Concept and Definition Examples of Text structures

28. Chronological Sequence • The author arranges facts, events or concepts in the order they occurred. • This pattern is usually used in social studies. • Signal Words on (date) until now during before finally as second after when first then

29. Facts Events Concepts Chronological Order

30. Description • Paragraphs list pieces of information (facts, ideas, steps, etc.) • Order may reflect order of importance or logical order from top to bottom, left to right, least to greatest, front to back, etc. • This pattern is usually used in science and social studies • Signal Words one next two finally first also second too third then most important when to begin with in fact for instance for example

31. Order of Importance Logical Order Description

32. Reading is more than being able to recognize written words.

33. Comparison & Contrast • The text pattern suggests likenesses (comparison) and/or differences (contrast) among facts, concepts, events, people, etc. • This pattern is usually used in social studies • Signal Words however but unless although yet on the other hand not only. . . but also while similarly despite meanwhile compared to otherwise as well as

34. Facts Concepts Events Ideas Comparison & Contrast

35. Cause & Effect • This pattern shows how facts, events, or concepts (effects) happen or come into being because of other facts, events, or concepts (causes). • This pattern is usually used in social studies and science texts. • Signal Words because If… then since so therefore thus Consequently cause as a result of this led to so that nevertheless accordingly

36. Facts Events Concepts Cause & Effect

37. Problem & Solution • This pattern shows the development of a problem and the solution(s) to the problem. • This pattern is usually used in science texts. • Signal Words because so cause since therefore thus consequently as a result this led to so that nevertheless accordingly if…then

38. Concept & Definition • This text pattern focuses on a word or phrase that represents a generalized idea. • It defines a concept by presenting its attributes and sometimes examples of each. • This pattern is used in any subject area.

39. Establish a purpose for reading. Study the layout of the text : • Titles & subtitles • Summaries • Pictures • Graphs • Make a guess about content. • Skim through the text . • Adjust your guess. • Find the meaning of unfamiliar words • Read passages. Pre-reading Activities

40. Read the first paragraph. • Note the key words in the first paragraph. • Determine which words indicate the main topic of the paragraph. • Determine which words indicate a specific aspect of the topic. • Note words that state a problem. • Write key words in each sentence. • Determine how the words relate to the sentence before it. During Reading

41. Look for examples and relate them to the ideas in the previous sentences. • Look for details that relate to previous ideas. • Look for a sentence that completes the ideas presented. • Look for words that signal a change in the kind of information presented. • Look for words or sentences that change to a new idea. During Reading

42. Identify the reading topic. • Decide the general idea of what the text says about its topic. • Write the main ideas of the text. • Write your understanding of the relationship between the main ideas. • Write details to support the main ideas. • Write concepts that you understand, but did not actually read in the text. • Decide the structure of the text. After reading

43. Identify which words in the text signaled the text structure. • Decide how this information relates to you. • Write a summary of what you have read indicating what this information means to you. After reading • Identify which word in the text signals the text structure. • Decide how this information relates to you. • Write a summary of what you have read indicating what this information means to you.

44. You must understand what individual words mean and “together” the ideas words represent.

45. Try to focus on groups of words rather than each word. • Improve your vocabulary. • Use the K-W-L Chart whenever possible. • Try not to move your lips while reading. • Read 15 minutes everyday. • Decide your purpose for reading before you begin. • Every day try reading a little faster than what is comfortable. Final Tips

46. THE END Edited by Stephanie Jordan Project Coordinator SUNO – URAP May 2009 Joey Corley Student Researcher