%0 Journal Article
%T Revisiting Reading: Exploring an intensive reading pedagogy in adult literacy
%A Helen De Silva Joyce
%A Susan Hood
%A David Rose
%J Literacy and Numeracy Studies
%D 2011
%I UTS ePRESS
%X Applied linguistic research into genres of written communication has had a considerable impact in recent decades on the pedagogy of writing in all sectors of education in Australia, from early schooling to post-secondary and workplace contexts (eg. Christie and Martin 1997). Attending to the social purpose of language and modelling and deconstructing texts in preparation for supported writing has become a common feature of many programs, including those in the field of adult English as a Second Language (ESL) and adult literacy. However, effective engagement with model texts for writing is dependent on students being able to read those texts. While reading continues to be explicitly identified as a component of most adult literacy programs, there is evidence to suggest that less attention may be given to the deliberate supported development of reading skills (Burns and de Silva Joyce 2000, 2005). This paper reports on a project funded by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in Australia. The study, Investigating the impact of intensive reading pedagogy in adult literacy, was designed to explore the relevance and the potential of an intensive, explicit reading pedagogy, Reading-to-Learn, in adult and community education (ACE) and TAFE colleges in metropolitan Sydney, teaching literacy in ESL and adult basic education (ABE) classes. The study was a partnership between practising teachers and researcher/teacher educators. It identified positive outcomes for students, with advances in reading abilities for many students well beyond those anticipated by teachers and students alike. Teachers also reported very positive outcomes for their own professional development. Importantly, the study also identified a number of system-level features that would need to be in place to support a broader adoption of the pedagogy.
%U http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/lnj/article/view/1949